Topic
Earth and atmospheric sciences
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Beach sand ripples can be fingerprints for ancient weather conditions
Experiments show shifting ripple patterns can signal times of environmental flux.
September 27, 2018 -
How Earth sheds heat into space
New insights into the role of water vapor may help researchers predict how the planet will respond to warming.
September 24, 2018 -
An extinction without warning
Study finds end-Permian extinction, which wiped out most of Earth’s species, was instantaneous in geological time.
September 18, 2018 -
How phytoplankton survive in ocean gyres with low nutrient supplies
Model of nutrient recycling may explain longstanding mystery.
September 14, 2018 -
Julien de Wit and TRAPPIST-1 science team receive NASA award
Assistant professor in EAPS and colleagues from the University of Liège were honored for groundbreaking planetary system discovery.
September 6, 2018 -
Investigating Earth’s earliest life
Graduate student Kelsey Moore uses genetic and fossil evidence to study the first stages of evolution on our planet.
August 18, 2018 -
Tiny ASTERIA satellite achieves a first for CubeSats
Measurement of an exoplanet transit demonstrates proof of concept that small spacecraft can perform high-precision photometry.
August 15, 2018 -
Study: Hole in ionosphere is caused by sudden stratospheric warming
Research led by the MIT Haystack Observatory finds arctic winter stratospheric events dramatically affect the ionosphere at night.
August 6, 2018 -
Taylor Perron named EAPS associate department head
Expert in landscape evolution will build upon the work of outgoing associate department head Tim Grove, supporting the EAPS education mission.
July 19, 2018 -
Study finds climate determines shapes of river basins
Results may help identify ancient climates on Earth or other planets.
July 17, 2018 -
Sound waves reveal diamond cache deep in Earth’s interior
Study finds 1–2 percent of Earth’s oldest mantle rocks are made from diamond.
July 16, 2018 -
Collaboration to expand the study of microbial oceanography
Simons Foundation-backed CBIOMES brings together researchers in oceanography, statistics, data science, ecology, biogeochemistry, and remote sensing.
July 10, 2018 -
Chien Wang selected to join French climate research initiative
MIT senior research scientist is one of six U.S. scientists to join French President Emmanuel Macron's "Make Our Planet Great Again" program.
May 29, 2018 -
What will we eat in the year 2050?
Climate Changed Symposium combines art and science to envision the global food system under climate change.
April 30, 2018 -
Geophysics field trip helps secure safe drinking water for local citizens
Class visit to St. Lucia helps teach cutting-edge geophysics techniques while locating drinking water for those in need.
April 23, 2018 -
Study: Health benefits will offset cost of China’s climate policy
A 4 percent reduction per year in carbon dioxide emissions should net $339 billion in health savings in 2030, researchers estimate.
April 23, 2018 -
Brewing up Earth’s earliest life
Large concentrations of sulfites and bisulfites in shallow lakes may have set the stage for Earth’s first biological molecules.
April 8, 2018 -
Determining the timing of methanogen evolution
Scientists conclude methane-producing microbes date back 3.5 billion years, supporting the hypothesis that they could have contributed to early global warming.
April 4, 2018 -
Computer searches telescope data for evidence of distant planets
Machine-learning system uses physics principles to augment data from NASA crowdsourcing project.
March 29, 2018 -
Understanding the Earth under Hawaii
Study finds lateral variations in composition at a key depth below the island hotspot, provides scientists a new understanding of mantle mixing.
March 28, 2018