Geology
There Could Be Carbon-Rich Exoplanets Made Of Diamonds
Scientists are getting better at understanding exoplanets. We now know that they're plentiful, and that they can even orbit dead…
Earth’s Oxygen Could be Making the Moon Rust
It takes oxygen to make iron rust. So when scientists discovered hematite spread widely through lunar high latitudes, they were…
Did Snowball Earth Happen Because of a Sudden Drop in Sunlight?
Hundreds of millions of years ago, Earth went through two episodes of severe glaciation. These two episodes—the Sturtian and the…
Lava Tubes on the Moon and Mars are Really, Really Big. Big Enough to Fit an Entire Planetary Base
Could lava tubes on the Moon and Mars play a role in establishing a human presence on those worlds? Possibly,…
What Cracked the Earth’s Outer Shell and Started its Plate Tectonics?
Earth's lithosphere is made up of seven large tectonic plates and a number of smaller ones. The theory of plate…
It Looks Like There are Still Active Volcanoes on Venus
Venus' surface is no stranger to volcanoes. Radar images show more than 1,000 volcanic structures on the planet. But for…
Earth’s Magnetic Field is Changing Surprisingly Quickly
The Earth's magnetic North pole has been moving awfully fast in recent years. But there's nothing to worry about.
Why Lava Tubes Should be Our Top Exploration Priority on Other Worlds
When magma comes out of the Earth onto the surface, it flows as lava. Those lava flows are fascinating to…
That Strange Gel-Like Material Discovered by China’s Lunar Rover? It’s Just Rock
In January 2019, China landed its Chang'e 4 mission on the Moon's far side. The Yutu-2 rover got busy exploring…
It Was Almost Certainly an Asteroid Impact that Wiped Out the Dinosaurs. In Fact, Volcanoes Might Have Helped Life Recover
It seems almost certain that an asteroid impact wiped out the dinosaurs. But only almost. Another competing theory won't completely…