search
Earth system scientists
Trends
- 1Scientists warn key planetary boundaries have been breachedโ'Planetary boundaries' necessary for flourishing of life have been breached
Scientists warn that several of the 'planetary boundaries' โ thresholds for systems like climate, biodiversity and land use that keep Earth hospitable to life โ have now been crossed, pushing the planet outside the safe operating space humanity has depended on. The findings point to escalating risks of irreversible environmental change, and debate is focusing on how far the breaches have gone and what policy action could still pull key indicators back within safe limits.
- 2Quantum Computer Operates in Space for the First TimeโผFor The First Time, a Quantum Computer Has Operated in Space
Researchers have run a quantum computer in space for the first time, marking a milestone in quantum technology beyond Earth. The demonstration suggests quantum computing and communication systems could one day operate aboard satellites, where conditions differ sharply from ground-based laboratories. Scientists say the achievement could pave the way for space-based quantum networks and new experiments impossible on Earth, though details of the mission and hardware remain limited.
- 3Subduction zone off Vancouver Island found tearing itself apartโEarth is tearing apart beneath the Pacific Northwest Scientists have captured a subduction zone off Vancouver Island in
Scientists have captured a subduction zone off Vancouver Island in the process of tearing itself apart, suggesting these massive tectonic systems may die piece by piece rather than all at once. The finding offers new insight into how subduction zones end over geological time, with implications for understanding seismic hazards in the Pacific Northwest, where the Cascadia zone poses earthquake and tsunami risks.
- 4Spacecraft hunting for life on icy moons swings past EarthโWhy a spacecraft exploring moons where life may thrive is zipping by Earth
A spacecraft built to explore icy moons where life could exist is flying close by Earth, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course. The maneuver is part of a long journey toward the outer solar system, where scientists hope to study oceans beneath the moons' surfaces. The flyby has drawn attention as a milestone in the search for conditions suitable for life beyond our planet.
- 5First radio waves detected from an exoplanet hint at alien aurorasโFirst radio waves seen from an exoplanet hint at otherworldly auroras # science # astronomy https://www. sciencenews.org
Astronomers have picked up radio waves from an exoplanet for the first time, a signal that could indicate auroras similar to those seen on Earth and the solar system's giant planets. The detection opens a new way to study magnetic fields and atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars, and scientists say future observations could reveal more about potentially habitable worlds far beyond our solar system.
- 6Asteroid Bennu may have formed closer to the SunโAsteroid Bennu may have formed much closer to the Sun than scientists thought
New findings suggest asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth object studied by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, may have originated much closer to the Sun than previously believed, challenging existing models of how the solar system's early materials were distributed. Scientists say the asteroid's composition could indicate it formed in a warmer region before migrating outward.