The first animals on Earth may have been sea sponges, study suggests
MIT researchers traced chemical fossils in ancient rocks to the ancestors of modern-day demosponges.
MIT geologists discover where energy goes during an earthquake
Based on mini “lab-quakes” in a controlled setting, the findings could help researchers assess the vulnerability of quake-prone regions.
Simpler models can outperform deep learning at climate prediction
New research shows the natural variability in climate data can cause AI models to struggle at predicting local temperature and rainfall.
Island rivers carve passageways through coral reefs
Research shows these channels allow seawater and nutrients to flow in and out, helping to maintain reef health over millions of years.
When Earth iced over, early life may have sheltered in meltwater ponds
Modern-day analogs in Antarctica reveal ponds teeming with life similar to early multicellular organisms.
Shaping the future through systems thinking
Ananda Santos Figueiredo, a senior in climate system science and engineering, is charting her own course of impact.
Study: Climate change may make it harder to reduce smog in some regions
Ground-level ozone in North America and Western Europe may become less sensitive to cutting NOx emissions. The opposite may occur in Northeast Asia.
Hundred-year storm tides will occur every few decades in Bangladesh, scientists report
With projected global warming, the frequency of extreme storms will ramp up by the end of the century, according to a new study.
Study: The ozone hole is healing, thanks to global reduction of CFCs
New results show with high statistical confidence that ozone recovery is going strong.
High-speed videos show what happens when a droplet splashes into a pool
Findings may help predict how rain and irrigation systems launch particles and pathogens from watery surfaces, with implications for industry, agriculture, and public health.
3 Questions: What the laws of physics tell us about CO2 removal
In a report on the feasibility of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, physicists say these technologies are “not a magic bullet, but also not a no-go.”
Seeking climate connections among the oceans’ smallest organisms
MIT oceanographer and biogeochemist Andrew Babbin has voyaged around the globe to investigate marine microbes and their influence on ocean health.
An abundant phytoplankton feeds a global network of marine microbes
New findings illuminate how Prochlorococcus’ nightly “cross-feeding” plays a role in regulating the ocean’s capacity to cycle and store carbon.
Aurora mapping across North America
Haystack Observatory researchers and citizen scientists team up to map the aurora.
New climate chemistry model finds “non-negligible” impacts of potential hydrogen fuel leakage
MIT study confirms the climate impacts of hydrogen, recommends leak prevention be a priority as infrastructure for handling this clean-burning fuel is built.