News

New research suggests Earth's Moon formed from the catastrophic collision of our planet with its sister planet, Theia, born nearby. This sibling planet theory, supported by iron isotope evidence, explains the Moon's composition and Earth's stable tilt. The Moon is now seen as the last remnant of a lost world, offering insights into planetary formation.

Four volunteers are spending a year in NASA's 3D-printed Mars habitat, simulating life on the Red Planet. This mission, CHAPEA, tests how isolation, limited resources, and confined spaces affect human health and teamwork. Researchers are gathering crucial data on sleep, stress, and problem-solving to make future Mars missions safer and more achievable.

Scientists have uncovered massive, dense rock structures deep beneath the western Pacific, challenging long-held theories about Earth's mantle. Advanced seismic imaging reveals these anomalies, which don't fit current models of subducting tectonic plates. Their existence suggests a more complex and ancient Earth interior than previously understood, prompting a re-evaluation of geological processes.

An active underwater volcano off Canada's coast has revealed a vibrant deep-sea habitat, teeming with hundreds of thousands of Pacific white skate eggs. This geothermally active seamount provides a warm, mineral-rich environment, accelerating embryonic development and creating a crucial nursery. Researchers are studying this unique interaction between volcanic heat and reproduction, highlighting its importance for deep-sea life.

Astronomers have discovered a new, previously unnoticed concentration of icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt, dubbed the 'inner kernel.' This finding, made possible by advanced clustering algorithms, suggests the cold classical belt is more layered than previously thought. It offers crucial new insights into Neptune's complex migration and the early evolution of our Solar System, challenging existing models.

Antarctica's ozone hole is showing significant recovery, appearing smaller and breaking up earlier this year. Scientists attribute this positive trend to global efforts under the Montreal Protocol, which has reduced ozone-depleting chemicals. While weather plays a role, the long-term outlook for the ozone layer's full recovery by the late 2060s remains promising.