Topic
Geology
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Tiny sand grains trigger massive glacial surges
New model answers longstanding question of how these sudden flows happen; may expand understanding of Antarctic ice sheets.
June 12, 2020 -
Melting glaciers cool the Southern Ocean
Research suggests glacial melting might explain the recent decadal cooling and sea ice expansion across Antarctica's Southern Ocean.
May 17, 2020 -
Origins of Earth’s magnetic field remain a mystery
The existence of a magnetic field beyond 3.5 billion years ago is still up for debate.
April 8, 2020 -
Titan’s missing river deltas and an Earthly climate connection
Samuel Birch, a new Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Fellow at MIT, will investigate the surfaces of outer solar system objects.
April 8, 2020 -
Scientists quantify how wave power drives coastal erosion
The average power of waves hitting a coastline can predict how fast that coast will erode.
March 16, 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 -
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 -
Making physics and astronomy more welcoming to African-American students
Report co-chaired by MIT professor cites need for “sweeping changes” in academic culture.
January 13, 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 -
How biomarkers can record and reconstruct climate trends
Scientists reveal the genes and proteins controlling the chemical structures underpinning paleoclimate proxies.
December 4, 2019 -
Investigating the rise of oxygenic photosynthesis
EAPS scientists find an alternative explanation for mineral evidence thought to signal the presence of oxygen prior to the Great Oxidation Event.
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 -
Collision course: A geological mystery in the Himalayas
MIT geologists use paleomagnetism to determine the chain of events that resulted in the Himalayan mountains, with the support of MISTI-India.
October 28, 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 -
Professor Emeritus Samuel Bowring, pioneering geologist and expert in geochronology, dies at 65
A professor and mentor for more than 20 years at MIT, Bowring redefined our understanding of some of the most significant events in Earth history.
July 30, 2019 -
Breaching a “carbon threshold” could lead to mass extinction
Carbon dioxide emissions may trigger a reflex in the carbon cycle, with devastating consequences, study finds.
July 8, 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 -
Maria Zuber awarded the Gerard P. Kuiper Prize in Planetary Sciences
Honor recognizes scientists whose achievements have most advanced our understanding of planetary systems.
May 31, 2019