Earth science – Page 4
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Research
Mineral map hopes to end concrete that has damaged thousands of US homes
Concrete containing pyrrhotite can disintegrate on exposure to air and water
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Feature
Do asteroids hold the key to life on Earth?
A series of missions are set to reveal the hidden secrets of the asteroids. Nina Notman explores the science of space rocks
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Research
Mystery of where early Earth’s life-fuelling phosphates came from may have been solved
Meteorites have been source of building blocks for primordial life
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News
Can negative emission technologies overcome climate catastrophe?
Reforestation, carbon capture and storage, direct air capture are among the ‘Nets’ that could remove CO2 from the atmosphere
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Podcast
Sodium cyanide
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Baia Mare disaster, when toxic sodium cyanide spilled from a gold processing plant led to ecological damage on a huge scale.
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Research
Crystals reveal the site of the world’s oldest meteorite strike
Mineral chemistry suggests the massive impact 2.3 billion years ago could have made our entire planet much warmer
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Research
Neanderthals were master fire-starters, cave chemistry suggests
A new study distinguishes chemical traces left by ancient hearth fires from those left by natural wildfires
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Podcast
Sodium fluoroacetate
The controversial killer compound – also known as 1080 – being used to protect New Zealand’s native wildlife
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Research
Mineral never before seen in nature found inside Australian meteorite
Black-and-red rock that fell to Earth 68 years ago contains iron carbide compound
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Research
Iron in Earth’s magma oceans forged diamonds deep underground
Findings could also explain differences between the atmospheres of different planets
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Research
Uranium isotopes in ancient grains indicate early Earth was less hellish than textbook descriptions
Mass spectrometry technique that works on tiny samples refines understanding of Earth’s first geologic eon
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Research
Sinking wastewater from oilfields could be causing stronger earthquakes
Effects can continue for over a decade after disposal ends
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Feature
What is the moon made of?
Mike Sutton looks at what we’ve learned about the moon’s chemistry in the 50 years since Apollo 11
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Research
Helicopter NMR prepares to detect Arctic oil spills
ExxonMobil-funded project readies giant airborne coil for accidents as shipping lanes open up
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Review
The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter
Megan McGregor reviews Paul Steinhardt’s book about the discovery of quasicrystals