Topic
Earth and atmospheric sciences
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Staring into the vortex
MIT researchers describe factors governing how oceans and atmospheres move heat around on Earth and other planetary bodies.
March 19, 2020 -
Emissions of several ozone-depleting chemicals are larger than expected
Recovering and safely destroying the sources of these chemicals could speed ozone recovery and reduce climate change.
March 17, 2020 -
Machine learning picks out hidden vibrations from earthquake data
Technique may help scientists more accurately map vast underground geologic structures.
February 28, 2020 -
Mars 2020: The search for ancient life is on
Researchers in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences will help direct Mars 2020 rover sample acquisition.
February 21, 2020 -
Seeding oceans with iron may not impact climate change
Study finds Earth’s oceans contain just the right amount of iron; adding more may not improve their ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
February 17, 2020 -
Frank Press, MIT geophysicist and U.S. science adviser, dies at 95
An advocate of international scientific cooperation, Press served as an MIT department head and lifetime MIT Corporation member.
February 7, 2020 -
How long will a volcanic island live?
Plate tectonics and mantle plumes set the lifespan of volcanic islands like Hawaii and the Galapagos.
January 1, 2020 -
Scientists pin down timing of lunar dynamo’s demise
Findings suggest the moon’s magnetic field was produced by the fallout of a crystallizing iron core.
January 1, 2020 -
A sign that aliens could stink
A molecule that’s known for its smelly and poisonous nature on Earth may be a sure-fire sign of extraterrestrial life.
December 18, 2019 -
How biomarkers can record and reconstruct climate trends
Scientists reveal the genes and proteins controlling the chemical structures underpinning paleoclimate proxies.
December 4, 2019 -
Continuing a legacy of Antarctic exploration
The Summons Lab compares lipids from Antarctic microbial communities to century-old samples.
November 22, 2019 -
Antarctic ice cliffs may not contribute to sea-level rise as much as predicted
Study finds even the tallest ice cliffs should support their own weight rather than collapsing catastrophically.
October 21, 2019 -
A major expansion for the Green Building
$60 million upgrade will add 12,000 square feet for meetings, classrooms, and study spaces.
August 22, 2019 -
From streams to teams
Graduate student Maya Stokes, a geomorphology expert and ultimate frisbee coach, shows her passion for teaching in the field and on the field.
August 18, 2019 -
Health effects of China’s climate policy extend across Pacific
Improved air quality in China could prevent nearly 2,000 premature deaths in the U.S.
July 29, 2019 -
Four 2019 40 Under 40 award winners are from Lincoln Laboratory
The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association recognizes innovation and leadership in science and technology.
June 19, 2019 -
An escape route for carbon
Study shows minerals sequester carbon for thousands of years, which may explain oxygen’s abundance in the atmosphere.
June 12, 2019 -
Norman Phillips, former meteorology department head, dies at 95
A theoretical meteorology pioneer, Phillips showed that numerical models could predict weather and developed the first general circulation model of Earth’s climate.
May 16, 2019 -
Tropical Pacific is major player in global ocean heat transport
Region dominates the transfer of heat from the equator to the poles in both hemispheres, challenging the "great conveyor belt" model.
May 14, 2019 -
Ocean activity is key controller of summer monsoons
Results may help researchers interpret ancient monsoon variations, predict future activity in the face of climate change.
May 7, 2019