Volcanoes: How they work, what they do

Volcanoes can range from annoying to climate-altering. What do scientists measure to predict eruptions? Is prediction possible? More »

Oceans’ true boundaries explain source of ocean water — and “garbage patches”

Plastic garbage enters oceans and accumulates in circulating “gyres”, revealing a new world ocean map defined by winds and currents. More »

Dust: it’s the source of planets, and so it matters to our understanding of the history and future of the universe. A new study finds More »

What happens as temperatures rise? A computer model and satellite radar offer the same chilling conclusion: Antarctic ice is melting. More »

Incredibly snowless Decembers recorded across the Midwest and Northeast. Great for traffic. What about winter critters? More »

Weather forecasts improve, but who’s ever satisfied? Check some around-the-corner technologies that will paint a better picture of More »

How do scientists predict an eruption? Watch volcanologists track a giant, active volcanic field in Chile’s Andes Mountains. More »

What are sinkholes? Why are some locations prone to earthly collapse? How dangerous are they? Can we detect and prevent them? More »

The first ocean wave energy-capturing device with a permit to connect back to a public power grid will enter the Pacific next month. More »

A long debate about these giant ice streams has gyrated wildly. Now, satellite data show a moderate loss of mass for a recent six-year More »

Volcanic eruptions are unpredictable, but here’s a new view of the historic eruption of a Mediterranean monster. About 3,500 years ago, More »

Seismic study shows crust thinning as continent divides, giving another view of our restless planet. More »

New instruments are giving a better view of how those astonishingly strong lightning bolts form inside clouds. More »

A new report on the ancient universe shows that most galaxies – even all of them – had a black hole at the center, much like modern More »

Could an offshore earthquake start a deadly tsunami, as in Sumatra and Japan? Where do tsunamis get their power? How do warning systems More »