The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
An international research team has found that mercury contamination is widespread across western North America in the air, soil, lake sediments, plants, fish and wildlife. The team, led by researchers from the USGS, evaluated potential risks from mercury to the…
Massive floods and landslides caused by several days of heavy rain have claimed lives of at least 19 people in Indonesia's province of West Java on September 20, 2016. Nine people are still missing in its Garut and Sumedang districts, said National Disaster…
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.3 hit Izu Islands region, Japan at 16:22 UTC on September 20, 2016 (01:22 JST on September 21). The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting Mw6.0 at a depth of 5 km (3.1 miles)….
Powerful Typhoon "Malakas" has made landfall over Kyushu, Japan on September 19, 2016, dumping record-breaking rain and causing widespread disruption. Heavy flooding was reported and dozens of flights were canceled. Around 7 000 homes have already suffered…
During the past 24 hours, solar wind parameters transitioned from near background conditions to an enhanced state, causing G1 – Minor geomagnetic storming on Earth. This was most likely caused by the onset of co-rotating interaction region (CIR) ahead of a negative…
After about six years in space, China's first prototype space station — Tiangong-1 — is expected to fall into the Earth's atmosphere in the latter half of 2017, Chinese officials said at a press conference last week. Tiangong-1 (Chinese for "Heavenly…
Harvard Univesity researchers and their colleagues estimated that hazardous levels of smoke from agricultural fires across Indonesia in 2015 may have caused upwards of 100 000 deaths across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The research is part of a larger effort…
Chandra X-ray Observatory was aimed several times at Pluto from February 2014 through August 2015 and made a surprising detection of X-rays being emitted from this largest and best-known object in the Solar System's outermost regions. The observations offer new…
A major and unexpected thunderstorm swept through Shuswap in British Columbia, Canada on September 17, 2016. The storm uprooted trees, knocked down power lines, blocked roads and damaged numerous homes. Some of the houses were completely destroyed. The storm arrived…
Tropical Storm "Paine" formed at 03:00 UTC on September 18, 2016, off the west coast of Mexico and became the 16th named tropical cyclone of the 2016 Pacific hurricane season. Paine thus tied with 1992 for most tropical cyclones on record formed between…
