Intense earthquake swarm in Noto Peninsula linked to ancient or hidden magmatic activity, Japan

Intense earthquake swarm in Noto Peninsula linked to ancient or hidden magmatic activity, Japan

An intense earthquake swarm that began around the end of 2019 in the northeastern Noto Peninsula, Japan, has been tied to fluids released by ancient, or possibly unknown modern, magmatic activity. This finding, published in JGR Solid Earth, challenges previous assumptions that such seismic activity could not occur in areas devoid of volcanic activity for over 10 million years.

Researchers at Yale propose a solution to the magnetic meteorite mystery

Researchers at Yale propose a solution to the magnetic meteorite mystery

In a breakthrough study, Yale scientists Zhongtian Zhang and David Bercovici have proposed that the magnetism observed in certain meteorites may originate from asteroid collisions. Their research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that under specific conditions, these violent impacts could generate a magnetic field in metallic asteroids, with fragments bearing traces of this magnetism eventually falling to Earth.

Lightning strikes in European eastern Alps doubled over the past 40 years

Lightning strikes in European eastern Alps doubled over the past 40 years

A team of researchers from the Departments of Geosciences, Atmospheric Sciences, and Statistics at Innsbruck has reported a doubling in the number of detected lightning strikes in the high altitudes of the European Eastern Alps over the last 40 years.

First observation of a polar cyclone on Uranus

First observation of a polar cyclone on Uranus

NASA scientists have confirmed the presence of a polar cyclone at the north pole of Uranus. The data, gathered between 2015 and 2022 using the Very Large Array in New Mexico, revealed warmer and drier air circulating below the planet’s clouds, a key indicator of cyclonic activity. The findings were published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Dual magma chambers discovered beneath Great Sitkin volcano, Alaska

Dual magma chambers discovered beneath Great Sitkin volcano, Alaska

A study conducted by scientists at Purdue University reveals that the Great Sitkin volcano, one of the most active in Alaska, has two magma chambers. This discovery explains the changing locations of seismic activity that has perplexed scientists since the volcano began erupting in May 2021.

Continental plates more unstable than previously thought

Continental plates more unstable than previously thought

A revolutionary research study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign disputes the decades-old conventional understanding of the Earth’s continental plates. The study posits that the Earth’s ‘stable cratons’—previously thought to be immovable regions of continental plates—have experienced repeated deformations beneath their crust since their formation.

A surprising discovery at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy

A surprising discovery at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy

An international research team has unveiled a surprising discovery at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. Under the leadership of Northwestern University’s Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, the scientists discovered a new type of filament near Sagittarius A*, our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole. This marks a significant departure from the vertical filaments previously known to science.

Unconventional birth of Geminid meteor shower unearthed by Parker Solar Probe

Unconventional birth of Geminid meteor shower unearthed by Parker Solar Probe

The Geminid meteor shower, one of the most spectacular yearly celestial events, was likely created by a sudden and violent occurrence, according to new findings by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mission. These findings, published recently in The Planetary Science Journal, provide fresh insights into the origins of this meteor stream which, unlike most, emanates from an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon.

Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano eruption triggered unprecedented ionospheric disturbances

Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano eruption triggered unprecedented ionospheric disturbances

An international team of scientists revealed that the massive eruption of the underwater Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano in Tonga on January 15, 2022, disrupted satellite signals across the globe. The team used satellite- and ground-based ionospheric observations to demonstrate that an air pressure wave triggered by the volcanic eruption could produce an equatorial plasma bubble in the ionosphere, severely affecting satellite-based communications.

Borealis Mud Volcano – Unique new volcano discovered in the Barents Sea

Borealis Mud Volcano – Unique new volcano discovered in the Barents Sea

Scientists from UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, in collaboration with REV Ocean, discovered a unique new volcano in the Barents Sea. The Borealis Mud Volcano, located at a depth of 400 m (1 312 feet) and approximately 130 km (80 miles) south of Bear Island, continuously emits mud, fluids and gas, providing valuable insights into Earth science.