Ancient Amazonians intentionally created fertile “dark earth”
The rich soil holds thousands of tons of carbon, sequestered over centuries by indigenous practices, a new study suggests.
Studying rivers from worlds away
A new technique uses remote images to gauge the strength of ancient and active rivers beyond Earth.
River erosion can shape fish evolution, study suggests
The new findings could explain biodiversity hotspots in tectonically quiet regions.
Searching across deep time to understand “ecogenesis”
Geobiologist Greg Fournier seeks to uncover the conditions leading to the emergence of life.
Aviva Intveld named 2023 Gates Cambridge Scholar
The MIT senior will pursue graduate studies in earth sciences at Cambridge University.
Moving water and earth
A new understanding of how particle shape controls grain flow could help engineers manage river restoration and coastal erosion.
Looking to the past to prepare for an uncertain future
Using sand and rock, MIT senior Aviva Intveld tells stories of ancient climates.
Geophysicist Leigh Royden looks at Earth from the top down
The MIT professor combines geophysics and geology to understand what’s happening beneath the crust.
Using seismology for groundwater management
New research showcases a pilot application using seismometers to monitor groundwater aquifers in California.
Porosity of the moon’s crust reveals bombardment history
The moon sustained twice as many impacts as can be seen on its surface, scientists find.
A passion for science and music
Fieldwork campfire jam sessions and geology lessons helped inspire senior Zoe Levitt to pursue songwriting full time.
Magma beneath tectonic collision zones is wetter than previously thought
New findings may help explain how Earth’s crust forms, the location of ore deposits, and why some volcanoes are more explosive than others.
Tonga volcano eruption caused significant space plasma disturbances on a global scale
MIT Haystack Observatory identifies long-duration atmospheric waves launched by the recent Tonga eruption.
Setting carbon management in stone
When it comes to carbon storage, some MIT scientists think the best solution is to find the fastest way to turn carbon into rock.
Microbes and minerals may have set off Earth’s oxygenation
Scientists propose a new mechanism by which oxygen may have first built up in the atmosphere