Oxygen flooded Earth’s atmosphere earlier than thought
Science News, February 2017The breath of oxygen that enabled the emergence of complex life kicked off around 100 million years earlier than previously thought, new dating suggests.
Red Planet’s interior may not churn much
Science News, February 2017An enduring source of magma on Mars fueled volcanic eruptions for billions of years, clues inside a rock flung from the Red Planet reveal.
3-billion-year-old crystals hint at lost continent’s fate
Science News, January 2017Relics of a long-lost continent may lurk beneath the Indian Ocean.
Climate change may boost toxic mercury levels in sea life
Science News, January 2017The muddying of coastal waters by climate change could drastically increase levels of neurotoxic mercury in sea life, contaminating food supplies.
Humans’ stuff vastly outweighs humans
Science News, January 2017Have you ever felt weighed down by your material possessions? The boundless variety of stuff that humans manufacture — tractors, buildings, ballpoint pens, Hello Kitty backpacks — has serious heft: 30 trillion metric tons, a new study estimates. That’s about 50 kilograms for every square meter of Earth’s surface.
Asteroid barrage, ancient marine life boom not linked
Science News, January 2017An asteroid bombardment that some say triggered an explosion of marine animal diversity around 471 million years ago actually had nothing to do with it.
Earth’s last major warm period was as hot as today
Science News, January 2017The last time Earth’s thermostat was cranked as high as it is today, sea levels were high enough to completely drown New Orleans (had it existed at the time), new research suggests.
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For three years in a row, Earth breaks heat record
Science News, January 2017For the third year running, Earth’s thermostat broke a new record: 2016 was the warmest year since record-keeping began in 1880.
Adapted for Science News for Students.
Coastal waters were an oxygen oasis 2.3 billion years ago
Science News, January 2017Earth was momentarily ripe for the evolution of animals hundreds of millions of years before they first appeared, researchers propose.
Petrified tree rings tell ancient tale of sun’s behavior
Science News, January 2017The sun has been in the same routine for at least 290 million years, new research suggests.