Why did a bunch of asteroids hit the Earth billions of years ago?
The first cells of life on Earth had a lot to contend with. Conditions were harsh and unpredictable. The air was thick with volcanic gases.…
Category: Geology
A crater lake on Mars was racked by ancient flash floods
One picture from the surface of Mars can tell us an entire story about the history and formation of that place. Often, the similarities and…
Microbes that eat iron cause bedrock erosion
Are microscopic mineral-eating microbes breaking down our mountains? They may be behind bedrock erosion.
The shape of the continents is not a coincidence
Biological processes might have led to greater continental crust coverage than would be expected on a planet without life.
Could “Fools’ Gold” have helped build the first proteins?
How and why humans exist are questions that have challenged different cultures ever since the dawn of civilization. Many scientists have…
Early Martian life may have used sulfur as an energy source
Using an environment on Earth that simulates early Mars conditions, researchers found an abundance of bacteria that get their energy from…
Scientists discover cockroach fossils from the dinosaur age
Two new species of cave dwelling cockroaches have been discovered from a cave in Myanmar. They have been dated to be 99 million years old…
A new way to look for signs of ancient life on Earth and Mars
The Mars 2020 mission involves sending a rover, named Perseverance, to Mars to look for evidence of past life on that planet. Perseverance…
How storms may contribute to groundwater contamination in karst systems
Researchers found that minerals from rocks deposited in karst aquifers during storms comes in two waves.
What can microbes teach us about life in extreme environments?
Microbes on Earth have adapted to survive in some pretty extreme locations. The extreme dryness of deserts, high salinity in salt deposits,…