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Lava outburst 3 times the size of Texas may have triggered Snowball Earth 717 million years ago
By Sascha Pare published
Massive eruptions 719 million years ago in what is now Canada may have sucked enough CO2 from the atmosphere to freeze Earth over 2 million years later.
Invisible barrier that runs through Indonesia finally explained by scientists
By Harry Baker published
Researchers now understand why there is an uneven distribution of animal species on either side of the mysterious boundary, known as the Wallace Line.
Why do clouds float?
By Elana Spivack published
Do the clusters of water and ice particles that make up clouds really float in the sky?
Clearest-ever seafloor maps show deep-sea 'Grand Canyon' off US coast in stunning detail
By Harry Baker published
By combining high-definition maps with sensors that detect changes in the water column, researchers have created a "centimeter-scale" picture of how currents and tides shape the Monterey Canyon.
World's oldest glacier dates to 2.9 billion years ago, research finds
By Kiley Price published
Ancient glacier sediment may be 2.9 billion years old.
Chile's Atacama Desert is the sunniest spot on Earth, catching as many rays as Venus
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Scientists have identified Earth's sunniest spot, and it has the same radiation as Venus.
Watch as crater collapses in Iceland's new volcano, spewing rivers of lava
By Kiley Price published
Iceland's newest volcano, located in the Reykjanes peninsula, began erupting in early July, 2023. Now it's throwing "spatter bombs'" of molten lava.
The 10 biggest explosions in history
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Explosions, both natural and man-made, have caused awe and terror for centuries. Here are 10 of the biggest recorded blasts.
What is fission?
By Nola Taylor Redd, Tia Ghose last updated
Fission is the process by which an atom splits into two, generating two smaller atoms and a tremendous amount of energy. Fission powers nuclear bombs and power plants.
Scientists discover ancient, underwater volcano is still active — and covered in up to a million giant eggs
By Sascha Pare published
Researchers discovered that an underwater volcano nearly a mile beneath the surface off the Pacific coast of Canada is spouting hot fluid, providing a little-known species of skate with an ideal nursery.
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