Storage of water in artificial reservoirs shifted Earth’s rotational poles by 113 cm (44 inches) and caused a 21 mm (0.83 inches) global sea level drop between 1835 and 2011, according to new research published in Geophysical Research Letters on 23 May, 2025.
A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has revealed a significant shift in the Southern Ocean’s surface conditions. This shift is marked by a rapid increase in surface salinity and a corresponding decline in Antarctic sea ice extent. Based on satellite and ocean float data, the findings indicate that the Southern Ocean may have entered a new physical state not previously observed in the modern observational era.
Wet antecedent soil moisture increased streamflow magnitudes by 2–4.5 times during atmospheric river storms across 122 U.S. West Coast watersheds between 1980 and 2023, according to a new analysis. The study, published in the Journal of Hydrometeorology on June 4, 2025, establishes a nonlinear threshold effect in soil moisture, above which flood response to atmospheric rivers increases sharply.
Scientists have detected rhythmic pulses of hot mantle material rising from deep beneath East Africa’s Afar rift system — a region where the continent is gradually breaking apart along three tectonic rift arms. Based on over 130 volcanic rock samples, the study shows that the mantle upwelling is compositionally varied and shaped by differences in crustal thickness and spreading rates across the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Main Ethiopian rifts.
Veniaminof volcano in Alaska frequently erupts with little to no detectable precursory ground movement or seismic activity. A new study analyzing the 2018 eruption with thermomechanical models demonstrates that eruptions can occur with minimal warning when deep, low-flux magma systems are surrounded by thermally softened rock.
A recent study published in Nature Geoscience shows the presence of mantle-derived noble gases in the Palouse Basin Aquifer, which is part of the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer system in eastern Washington and Idaho. Despite the region’s lack of active volcanism, helium and argon isotope measurements revealed a deep mantle source. The results suggest that noble gases can migrate through stable continental crust even in the absence of active volcanic or tectonic processes.
A persistent, ultra-low frequency seismic vibration was detected worldwide in September 2023 and traced to Dickson Fjord, East Greenland, after two large landslides triggered tsunamis and a long-lasting seiche. For the first time, researchers directly observed this standing wave using NASA’s SWOT satellite mission, providing new insights into the connection between global seismic signals and surface water motion in remote coastal environments.
New research suggests we may be overlooking a population of asteroids quietly orbiting alongside Venus. Though rarely observed, these co-orbitals could drift into Earth-crossing paths and pose a real impact threat. New simulations highlight the gaps in current detection efforts and make a strong case for space-based surveys near Venus.
A study of Campi Flegrei’s crust has uncovered a damaged rock layer underground that may be driving the volcano’s long-running unrest. The zone, weakened by older magma intrusions, now appears to trap gas rising from deeper sources. This buildup of underground pressure could explain both the steady ground uplift and the swarms of small quakes recorded since 2005.
A new study identifies a recurring 11-year oscillation in global mean sea level linked to the solar cycle. The analysis shows that solar activity influences rainfall distribution and terrestrial water storage, leading to measurable shifts in sea level that align with peaks and troughs in the Sun’s natural cycle.
