Scientists unlocked solar patterns that could help understand space weather

In a recent study, scientists found that some portions of the sun emit more intense gamma ray radiation than others.

By Kasha PatelApril 21, 2024

Northern lights slash a surprising amount of winter energy bills. Here’s why.

A new study is the first to show how space weather can affect electricity consumption on Earth.

By Kasha PatelMarch 23, 2024

Four ways total solar eclipses helped us learn more about our universe

Many mysteries about the Earth would have remained secret for much longer without observations from eclipses.

By Kasha PatelMarch 15, 2024

What this solar eclipse can teach us about our planet and beyond

Here’s what scientists aim to learn from this year’s total solar eclipse about the Earth to the sun.

By Kasha PatelMarch 10, 2024

How did life on Earth begin? The chemical puzzle just became clearer.

Researchers have successfully created a compound critical for metabolism in all living cells, which is essential for energy production and regulation.

By Kasha PatelFebruary 29, 2024

Five ways to have a unique eclipse-viewing experience

The next total solar eclipse won’t touch the Lower 48 states until 2044. That might be an excuse to make this rare occurrence even more memorable.

By Kasha PatelFebruary 26, 2024

Do apes joke around?

The most common behaviors were poking, hitting, hindering movement, body slamming, and pulling on another’s body part — all behaviors observed among humans, too.

By Kasha PatelFebruary 13, 2024

This Iceland volcano system has erupted again. And again. Is this normal?

A volcano system near Grindavík in southwestern Iceland began erupting Thursday, causing evacuations and closures. More volcanic activity is not out of the question.

By Kasha PatelFebruary 8, 2024

Why scientists are starting to worry about the moon shrinking

The moon’s shrinking has been measurable, but small. It has contracted about 150 feet in circumference over the last few hundred million years.

By Kasha PatelFebruary 4, 2024

Why this year’s total solar eclipse may be extra dramatic

The sun is approaching its maximum activity of its solar cycle this year, scientists say.

By Kasha PatelJanuary 26, 2024

Most states could see earthquake damage in the next century. See those at most risk.

The damage could be anywhere from a crack in a building to a full collapse.

By Kasha PatelJanuary 21, 2024

Total solar eclipses will some day be impossible. Here’s why.

The moon is ever so slowly creeping away from Earth.

By Kasha PatelJanuary 5, 2024

Octopuses help solve a long-standing mystery of West Antarctica demise

Octopus DNA reveals the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may be nigh.

By Kasha PatelDecember 21, 2023

Here’s what happens when the sun’s ‘wind’ disappears near Earth and Mars

Scientists are gaining new insights into the solar wind, which played a role in the loss of water from Mars and can disrupt communications systems on Earth.

By Kasha PatelDecember 16, 2023

The other explosive theory for the demise of dinosaurs

The evidence lies in one of the largest volcanic provinces in the world, known as the Deccan Traps.

By Kasha PatelDecember 10, 2023

A super solar storm rocked Earth in 1872. They’re more common than you think.

Three ‘super’ geomagnetic storms occurred in the past two centuries, revealing these large events are more common than researchers previously thought.

By Kasha PatelDecember 3, 2023

Earth is taking a pounding from bigger ocean waves. Why this matters.

Seismometers, which measure the movement of the ground typically from earthquakes, can pick up the seismic waves from the thrashing ocean.

By Kasha PatelNovember 16, 2023

What are supervolcanoes and should we really be worried about them?

Recent earthquake activity at Campi Flegrei has stirred concerns that the volcano could super-strike again.

By Kasha PatelNovember 10, 2023

Why people may take risks on bright, sunny days

In one of the most direct links to risk taking behavior, some researchers found that people are more likely to gamble when the weather was better.

By Kasha PatelOctober 28, 2023

We now know female chimps go through menopause. Here’s why that’s a big deal.

They found older females experienced changes in hormones, similar to female humans entering menopause. The timing of these hormone changes was also similar to humans.

By Kasha PatelOctober 26, 2023