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Feb 28, 2018

This Tiny Diamond Contains a Mineral That's Never Been Seen Before

A schist in the hand may be quite continental, but diamonds are a geologist's best friend. For proof, look no further than a recently mined diamond that contained a mineral that had never been seen in nature — until now. The discovered mineral — called calcium silicate perovskite (CaSiO3)— was...

Feb 28, 2018

Expect a Warm, Wet Spring Across the US

Spring is likely to bring weather that's warmer and wetter than usual to much of the U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, areas plagued by recent drought — such as California, Oregon, southern Alaska and much of...

Feb 28, 2018

What Is a Blue Moon, Anyway?

Skywatchers tonight (March 31) will be treated to the second and final Blue Moon of 2018, just on the eve of Easter. What is this type of moon, and is it actually blue? For those who wanted to see an aqua-hued orb, sorry but the term Blue Moon has nothing...

Jan 31, 2018

8 Trillion 'Gallons'! Huge Blob of Magma Found Atop Undersea Volcano

A giant undersea caldera near Japan hosts a lava dome made from 8 trillion gallons of molten rock. The dome, which is 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) wide and 1,968 feet (600 meters) tall, is solid rock now, and it doesn't presage an impending eruption. However, it does add a new...

Jan 31, 2018

Here's What You Can Expect from This Spring's Weather

Is the United States heading into a chilly and rainy spring, or a tepidly warm and drought-ridden one? The answer, as always, depends on your location, according to the March, April and May weather outlook released today (Feb. 15) by the U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC). Temperatures will be lower...

Jan 31, 2018

Freakishly Warm Weather in the Arctic Has Climate Scientists 'Stunned'

During the Arctic winter, when the sun hides from October to March, the average temperature in the frozen north typically hovers around a bone-chilling minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius). But this year, the Arctic is experiencing a highly unusual heat wave. On Feb. 20, the temperature in...

Dec 31, 2017

Frozen Family Fun: Try These Cold-Weather Science Experiments

Record-cold temperatures sweeping across parts of the Midwest, East Coast and Southeast likely have many shuttered indoors with the heat cranked up. Lengthy stints inside can be a recipe for cabin fever. For those looking to keep their kiddos occupied and have chill family time, there's a way to use...

Dec 31, 2017

The Hole in Earth's Ozone Layer Is Healing

Efforts to heal the hole in Earth's ozone layer over Antarctica appear to be paying off, according to a new, first-of-its-kind study that looked directly at ozone-destroying chemicals in the atmosphere. Earth's ozone layer protects the planet's surface from some of the sun's more harmful rays that can cause cancer...

Dec 31, 2017

Day Zero: Cape Town Could Become 1st Major City To Run Out of Water

Officials in Cape Town are pleading with residents and visitors to save water, warning that the taps could go dry in the drought-stricken South African city by April. To prevent such a crisis, residents of the city will see their daily water allowance slashed from 87 liters (23 gallons) to...

Dec 31, 2017

Tiny Volcano Crystals Could Help Predict Eruptions

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Predicting when a volcano is going to explode is a very difficult task. Every volcano has its own unique and complex maze of tunnels that feed magma to the...

Nov 30, 2019

This Brainless, Single-Celled Blob Can Make Complex 'Decisions'

Tiny, brainless blobs might be able to make decisions: A single-celled organism can change its mind to avoid going near an irritating substance, according to new findings. Over a century ago, American zoologist Herbert Spencer Jennings conducted an experiment on a relatively large, trumpet-shaped, single-celled organism called Stentor roeselii. When...

Nov 30, 2019

Vast Field of Mysterious, Perfectly Circular Holes Dot the Seafloor Off California's Coast

SAN FRANCISCO — On the sea bottom off the coast of central California lies a vast field of mysterious pockmarks. The field spans about 500 square miles (1,300 square kilometers), and there are approximately 5,200 of these strange pits, which on average measure about 600 feet in diameter (175 meters)...

Nov 30, 2019

10 Signs That Earth's Climate Is Off the Rails

Climate change is happening, it's real and it's our fault. The evidence is overwhelming — our planet is changing faster than it ever has before. Here are 10 stories from the past year demonstrating how Earth's climate has gone completely off the rails. A polar bear invasion Some polar bears...

Nov 30, 2019

12 Times Science Proved the World Is Amazing in 2019

The world saw plenty of sad, angry and downright catastrophic news this year. But a river of heartwarming, amazing discoveries also flooded in this year, from tardigrades on the moon (lunar water bears?!) to jewel-like lakes under Greenland to a trippy wonderland of hydrothermal vents. Here’s a look at the...

Oct 31, 2019

What Is Convergent Evolution?

Convergent evolution is when different organisms independently evolve similar traits. For example, sharks and dolphins look relatively similar despite being entirely unrelated. Sharks are egg-laying fish with the deadly ability to sniff out blood in the water, while dolphins are curious mammals that navigate by making clicking sounds and listening...