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Hot Topic
Solar System
Earth
Geology
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Time Quake
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| Topic: Geology |
03/05/10 |
| The magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile may have had dramatic global consequences. Scientists believe that the quake was strong enough to change the Earth's rotation and may have shortened the length of an Earth day. |
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Why Earth Held Its Breath
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| Topic: Geology |
02/19/10 |
| Scientists have proposed an answer to a long-standing question concerning the formation of the Earth's interior and the gases that lie trapped deep beneath our planet's surface. The research will help astrobiologists understand how our planet formed and ultimately became habitable for life. |
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Oxygen and Ore
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| Topic: Geology |
11/24/09 |
| Much of Earth's mineral wealth was deposited billions of years ago when chemical cycles on our planet were very different than today's. Recently, scientists used geochemical data from minerals to yield surprising information about conditions on the ancient Earth. |
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Volcanoes Set the Stage for an Ice Age
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| Topic: Geology |
10/28/09 |
| Researchers have discovered connections between volcanoes and a deadly ice age that occurred 450 million years ago. The study reports that the volcanoes may have release massive amounts of carbon dioxide, causing global warming. However, when they stopped erupting, an ice age began. |
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Battle of the Bands
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| Topic: Geology |
10/17/09 |
| Banded rocks scattered across the upper Midwest and elsewhere around the world are providing information about the environment of the early Earth. Once mined as a source of iron, these rocks can tell scientists about the geochemical conditions that existed on Earth more than 2 billion years ago. |
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Into the Mouth of a Volcano
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| Topic: Geology |
08/11/09 |
| NASA scientists are using high-tech 'spider' robots to monitor volcanoes on Earth. The low-cost sensors provide real-time monitoring of one of Earth's most challenging environments. The technology will help scientists studying processes on Earth - and could be used in locations beyond our own planet. |
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Heat of the Moment
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| Topic: Geology |
06/24/09 |
| Scientists have developed a way of studying ancient temperatures on Earth - from the body temperature of dinosaurs to the planet's surface temperature during the ice ages. The method could help scientists understand the connections between the biosphere and the early environment of Earth. |
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Rock Bands Spin an Oxygen Record
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| Topic: Geology |
06/22/09 |
| The rise of oxygen on early Earth may have been caused by a microbial changing of the guard between methane-producers and oxygen-producers. This swap may have been initiated by a drop in the ocean's nickel abundance. Continuing studies of the world's largest iron ore deposits could cement the case. |
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Explosive Extinction
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| Topic: Geology |
05/31/09 |
| Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown giant volcanic eruption that caused mass extinctions around the globe 260 million years ago. The eruption increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and warmed the entire planet, resulting in global environmental change. |
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Plate Tectonics Could be Essential for Life
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| Topic: Geology |
02/19/09 |
| Planetary scientists have been considering the potential importance of plate tectonics. Some believe that this geological process is essential for the development of complex lifeforms, and in the future could even be used as a biosignature to detect habitable worlds. |
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