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Paleontologists unearth possibly the Earth's largest water reptile

This ichtyosaur species would have been absolutely terrifying.

Scientists Retrace Geological History of Zealandia, Earth's Eighth Continent

New interpretations and mapping of all New Zealand’s offshore sedimentary basins offer clues about the evolution of Earth’s eighth continent.

Gravity data suggests Mars may be more "alive" than previously thought

Mars' surface may hide evidence of volcanoes that are still active.

Benbulbin: The Geology Behind Ireland’s Legendary Mountain

Ireland’s iconic table mountain has a fascinating geological history.

NASA finally figures out what's up with those "Mars spiders"

They're not actual spiders, of course, but rather strange geological features.

The skyscraper-sized tsunami that vibrated through the entire planet and no one saw

Earthquake scientists detected an unusual signal on monitoring stations used to detect seismic activity during September 2023. We saw it on sensors everywhere, from the Arctic to Antarctica. We were baffled – the signal was unlike any previously recorded. Instead of the frequency-rich rumble typical of earthquakes, this was a monotonous hum, containing only a […]

The moon had active volcanoes while dinosaurs were still chilling on Earth

New findings show lunar volcanic activity occurred as recently as 120 million years ago.

A beautiful map of the solar system's largest moon

A detailed map sheds light on Ganymede's complex geological history.

What Would Happen If We Drained the Mediterranean Sea? Well, This Already Happened 5.5 million years ago

What would happen if humans dried out the Mediterranean sea, turning it into a giant salt lake? Would its wildlife survive, and if so, how long would it take to recover? These may seem like wildly theoretical questions, but not for Herman Sörgel, a Bavarian architect who dedicated much of his life to this exact […]

Scientists discover a new way mountains are formed – from ‘mantle waves’ inside the Earth

In 2005, I was navigating winding roads through the Drakensberg Mountains, in Lesotho, Southern Africa. Towering cliff-like features known as escarpments interrupt the landscape, rising up by a kilometre or more. Taken aback by the dramatic scenery, I was struck by a question: how on Earth did it form? The outer shell of our planet […]

Hidden 5,000-Year-Old Copper Pollution Found Near The Great Pyramid of Giza

New geoarchaeological research shows that metalworking in ancient Egypt led to significant contamination in a nearby port.

This underwater avalanche left a 2000 km trail of destruction in its wake

This ancient avalanche grew so big that its size was only limited by the physical dimensions of the canyon itself.

Massive 2,492-Carat Diamond Unearthed in Botswana, Second Largest in History

This unbelievably large diamond barely fits in your palm.

Exoplanets may have more water than we thought — but there's a catch

For years, scientists have speculated about the nature of water on exoplanets, especially on super-Earths and sub-Neptunes — planets larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. The prevailing view has been that these distant worlds could be covered by vast oceans, potentially making them prime candidates for hosting life. However, a groundbreaking study published in […]

Mars may have a lot of water in its crust. It's just too deep to use

Mars may have oceans' worth of water — but it's more than 10 km under the surface.

Scientists Drill Record-Breaking Depth into Earth's Mantle, Uncovering Clues to Life's Origins

New insights into Earth's mantle challenge our understanding of geology and life.

Scientists Witness New Valleys Forming Right Before Their Eyes During Icelandic Volcanic Eruption

During the lead-up to recent volcanic eruptions near the city of Grindavík, scientists documented graben formation in real time.

The Central U.S. is Up For a Major Earthquake -- And No One's Really Ready

Scientists don’t know why — or when — the next big one will strike.

NASA stunned as Curiosity Rover finds sulfur crystals on Mars — "It shouldn't be there"

Curiosity delivers once again.

Titan's seas look more and more like Earth's — except they're made of methane

The more we look at them, the more intriguing they are.

Earth Had Fresh Water 500 Million Years Earlier Than Thought. What This Means for Origin of Life

Australian crystals hint at fresh water, as well as land rising above Earth’s Hadean ocean.

The moon has a generous underground cave system that we could (maybe) use for bases

Subsurface lava tunnels are important for our exploration of the moon. Scientists just found a very promising one.

Stunning geological folds at Mount Head in Canada

Geological folds, exemplified by the striking features of Mount Head, offer a window into the dynamic processes that shape our planet.

Watch a sinkhole dramatically opening inside a soccer field in Illinois

Thankfully, no one was around and there were no injuries.

Trilobite treasures: exquisite fossils are remarkably well preserved

A team of researchers used CT scans and computer models to image trilobites in unprecedented detail.

Saturn's moon Titan has waves of methane crashing down on its coastline

It's one of the most Earth-like places in our solar system... except it's nothing like the Earth.

The messy birth of Earth's oxygen atmosphere took at least 200 million years

A new study shows Earth's Great Oxidation Event was a prolonged, chaotic process lasting 200 million years with fluctuating oxygen levels

Norway found Europe's largest rare earths deposit in ancient volcano plumbing

China has a stranglehold on the global rare earths supply. Norway may loosen it.

Martian meteorites reveal secrets of Red Planet's geological past

Who knew a Martian meteorite could be so pretty?

Making cement and bricks out of the gemstone olivine could cut CO2 emissions by 11 percent

Cement and clay bricks could be replaced with olivine-based alternatives.

Periodic San Andreas fault earthquake may still be imminent despite period of calm

Although the San Andreas fault hasn't been behaving as usual, it's best not to get complacent.

Nobody knows what's at the bottom of Taam Ja', the world's deepest blue hole

When discovered, TJBH was believed to be only 30 meters deep. However, in reality, it is deeper than the deepest blue holes on Earth.

Ancient, giant salmon had bizarre teeth that pointed sideways

Salmon are pretty curious creatures now. In the past, they were even funkier.

This volcano in Antarctica is spewing out $6,000 worth of gold dust per day — but good luck getting it

Even if you could get there, you're not getting that gold.

Scientists detect extraterrestrial metal in 3,000-year-old treasure from Spain

This may have been the Bronze Age, but craftsmen in Spain somehow got their hands on meteorite iron.

200-million-year-old gliding reptile found in British countryside

Does this look like a Triassic hotspot to you?

Earth used to be a giant snowball for millions of years. Scientists might have finally found out why

A drop in volcanic CO2 emissions may have once encased Earth in ice from pole to pole.

Radar measurements on Mars show signs of ancient delta and water

Liquid water on ancient Mars seems to be essentially confirmed now.

The Indian tectonic plate may split up Tibet — eventually

These things happen in geological time, not over night.

Iceland will tunnel into a volcano to tap into virtually unlimited geothermal power

Iceland's Krafla Magma Testbed project aims to transform renewable energy by tapping into a volcano's magma chamber.

This ecosystem shows what Earth was like billions of years ago

Hidden in one of the driest environments on the planet are lagoons teeming with life

Geologists say plastic rocks are now a thing

Plastic is now a geological phenomenon.

The catastrophic Chicxulub impact that wiped out the dinosaurs created a 15-year winter

Fine silicate dust contributed to a prolonged "impact winter".

Volcanic eruption created a new island that's now visible from space

It formed off the coast of Japan at the end of October.

Iceland had over 2,800 earthquakes yesterday. A volcano could erupt at any moment

A town was evacuated and Iceland has entered a state of emergency.

Scientists unveil the secrets of Iceland's spectacular lava fountains

A recent study has delved into these fiery outbursts, offering unprecedented insights into the inner workings of this Icelandic volcano.

World's oldest water is 1.6 billion years old -- and this scientist tasted it

Apparently, it tastes 'very salty and bitter'.

Mars' hidden magma layer reshapes our understanding of the Red Planet

NASA's InSight data reveals a 150-km molten layer in Mars' mantle, reshaping our understanding of its internal structure and magnetic field."

Much of the craters on Mars today could have once been habitable rivers

It’s an important development in the search of life on the Red Planet

What caused Mars' most powerful quake? Geologists surprised by what was at fault

This marsquake opens up a can of tectonic worms.