Oceans
Ocean boundaries, water sources and garbage patches
Winds and currents organize ocean basins into circulating gyres, which also concentrate floating plastic and reveal connected patterns of movement.
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Science archive
Earth & Space
Follow the forces that shape our planet and the observations that reveal the wider cosmos—from ocean circulation and moving dunes to stellar dust, black holes and elusive particles.
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From ocean currents to distant galaxies
These archive explainers introduce the evidence, mechanisms and open questions behind Earth systems and astronomical discovery.
Astronomy
Fresh dust around a young supernova
Observations of newly formed stellar dust help researchers examine how material for planets August spread through galaxies.
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Cryosphere
Antarctic ice and rising seas
Satellite observations and computer models help explain ice loss, while the pace and regional effects of sea-level change require continued study.
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Atmosphere
Tropical cyclones shifting from the equator
Satellite records offer a way to examine where tropical cyclones reach peak intensity and how those patterns August be changing.
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Solar science
A comet’s close passage by the Sun
A comet that passed through the Sun’s outer atmosphere gave scientists another way to trace magnetic structures linked to space weather.
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Geology
Ancient water, ancient habitat?
Water isolated deep underground preserves clues about geological time and raises questions about environments beneath Earth’s surface.
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Volcanology
Exploring a vast volcanic field
Field instruments, gas measurements and seismic signals help volcanologists assess activity in the Andes without promising exact predictions.
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Earth hazards
How sinkholes form
Soluble rock, groundwater and changing surface loads can create underground cavities and, in some settings, sudden ground collapse.
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Meteorites
Space messengers: private or public?
Meteorites carry scientific evidence from the early solar system, prompting practical questions about collection, access and study.
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Weather
How hurricanes form and move
Warm water, atmospheric structure and rotation power hurricanes; observations and models help forecast paths while uncertainty remains.
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Deep space
A vast beam from a black hole
Long streams of radiation and particles give astronomers evidence about black holes, magnetic fields and the galaxies that contain them.
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Volcanology
Understanding supervolcanoes
Rare, very large eruptions reshape landscapes and can influence climate, but their history does not make a precise eruption timetable possible.
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Mars
Dunewatching, Martian style
Images taken over time show Martian sand dunes moving, demonstrating that wind continues to reshape the planet’s dry surface.
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Magma
Reading magma and ancient eruptions
Minerals and deposits preserve a record of how magma changed before a major eruption, helping scientists reconstruct past processes.
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Particle astronomy
Chasing neutrinos at the South Pole
A detector embedded in polar ice searches for faint traces left by neutrinos arriving from distant parts of the universe.
Read the explainerReading the archive
Four connected scales
Earth and space science moves between direct measurements, historical traces, planetary comparisons and observations of objects far beyond Earth.
Observe
Satellites, telescopes and field instruments turn physical signals into measurable records.
Reconstruct
Ice, rock, minerals and water preserve evidence of processes that unfolded long ago.
Model
Models connect known mechanisms with observations and make uncertainty easier to examine.
Compare
Other planets and distant systems test whether explanations developed on Earth apply more broadly.
Earth & Space questions
What does this archive cover?
It includes oceans, weather, geology, ice, natural hazards, planetary science, solar activity and astronomy.
Can scientists predict earthquakes or volcanic eruptions exactly?
No. Monitoring can identify hazards and signs of changing activity, but exact timing, size and location generally cannot be forecast with certainty.
Why are models important in Earth science?
Many planetary systems are too large, slow or interconnected to test directly. Models help researchers combine physical principles with observations and compare possible outcomes.
How do astronomers study objects they cannot visit?
They analyze light, particles, gravity and other signals. Different instruments reveal composition, motion, temperature, magnetic fields and distance.
How should I use an older archive article?
Use it for foundational context and the history of a scientific question, then consult current specialist sources when a decision depends on recent data.
Where can I find more Earth & Space posts?
Continue to the next archive page for older selections.