Wednesday, 22 May, 2013

Geologic dating shows that water has been trapped more than 2 kilometers underground since before the Cambrian explosion. This water contains chemicals that support bacteria in other places. Could the deep biosphere contain relics of the most primitive life? Could such life exist on Mars?

Take a modern volcano, and multiply it by 1,000. That’s a super-volcano. Their rare eruptions change landscapes and weather. How long can giant pools of molten rock sit beneath the surface before a super-v blows? A new study says, not long at all…

Diamonds, mating and chocolate: three necessities of Valentine’s Day.

New evidence from records of lake ice freezing and thawing is evidence for global warming.

Isotope analysis help track monarch butterfly migration; also used for dating specimens in anthropology and biology.

New searches are finding lots of asteroids. None of them are aimed at us — yet. How much damage have asteroids done in the past?

What’s new in polar science? What do seals do under the ice? How did humans cross the Bering Strait to reach North America? What does ancient metal tell us about ancient people?

How amber is used in archeology and paleontology: Reviving ancient bacteria, viewing ancient insects, what’s not to love about amber?