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.
So you want to build a solar or wind farm? Here’s how to decide where.
MIT engineers show how detailed mapping of weather conditions and energy demand can guide optimization for siting renewable energy installations.
New AI tool generates realistic satellite images of future flooding
The method could help communities visualize and prepare for approaching storms.
Curiosity, images, and scientific exploration
Professor of the practice Alan Lightman’s new book digs into the wonder of striking visual phenomena in nature.