Geology

Photo: Image courtesy of the Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin

Ancient Rock Reveals Shocking First Day After Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Impact

Scientists say they have spotted evidence of what it was like on the first day after the dinosaur-killing impact event, thanks to an analysis of rock taken from the famous Chixculub crater. An asteroid slammed into Earth around 66 million years ago, causing catastrophic events that changed the course of life on this planet. Rock…

Tech News Ryan F. Mandelbaum

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Stumbles Upon a Strangely Complicated Martian Rock

The Curiosity team is calling it “Strathdon”—a boulder-sized Martian rock comprised of dozens of sedimentary layers. Its discovery suggests the area being explored by the NASA rover is more geologically complex than is typically appreciated. For the past several months, Curiosity has been exploring a region called the “clay-bearing unit” within Gale Crater. This area,…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Climate Shifts of the Past 2,000 Years Were Nothing Like What’s Happening Today

The global reach of human-caused climate change, and the breakneck speed at which it’s happening, is unparalleled within the last 2,000 years, according to new research. Climate change as we observe it today cannot be compared to other climatic epochs of the past 2,000 years, according to two new studies led by paleoclimatologist Raphael Neukom…

Climate Change George Dvorsky

Mysterious Glass Beads in Clams Point to Ancient Meteorite Strike Near Florida

Since their discovery 13 years ago, scientists have puzzled over the origin of tiny glass beads found inside ancient clam shells. New evidence suggests they’re microtektites—a byproduct of meteorite impacts—marking the first time these celestial remnants have been found hiding in old clam shells. Ancient clam shells uncovered at a Sarasota County quarry in Florida…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Scientists Develop Material to Create Habitable Areas on Mars

Mars’ surface, as far as we can tell, is not habitable to humans—it’s far too cold. But eventually, humanity would like to put an outpost on the planet. That will require warming things up a bit, but how? Scientists now propose using an insulating material called silica aerogel to make parts of the Martian surface…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Photo: ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center

Incredible Photo from the Space Station Shows Raikoke Volcano Erupting

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station caught the spectacular eruption of the Raikoke volcano off of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula over the weekend. It’s a pretty amazing view. Here’s the entire image: The image shows the classic shape of a volcanic plume rising, and then ash spreading at the top. It’s surrounded by a ring of…

Earth Science Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Evidence of a Gigantic Impact Crater Found Off Scottish Coast

Some 1.2 billion years ago, an asteroid measuring over 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) wide smashed into northwest Scotland. Trouble is, scientists aren’t sure exactly where the meteorite struck, as traces of the crater are long gone. With new research, however, scientists are starting to hone in on the impact zone. A study led by Kenneth…

Earth Science George Dvorsky

Extraterrestrial Organic Matter Found in 3.3-Billion-Year-Old Volcanic Rock

Geologists in France and Italy have spotted what appear to be organic molecules from outer space in 3.3-billion-year-old rocks in South Africa, according to a new study. By now, we know that organic molecules, from methane to amino acids, exist in space, and perhaps some of these molecules were brought to our own planet via…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Scientists Witness the Birth of a Submarine Volcano for the First Time

Back on November 11, 2018, a planetwide rumble emanated from somewhere between eastern Africa and Madagascar. This strange signal, thought by scientists at the time to be related to a colossal but hard-to-identify magmatic process, was pinpointed to have come from 30 miles east of the island of Mayotte, beneath the waves. It quickly became…

Earth Science Robin George Andrews

Beach Sands Near Hiroshima Are Still Packed With 1945 Nuclear Fallout Debris

Unusual and abundant glassy spheres found packed within the beach sands near the Japanese city of Hiroshima are remnants of the 1945 atomic bomb explosion, according to new research. On August 6, 1945, a U.S. B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima. In an instant, some 80,000 people were killed. The explosion and ensuing…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Possible Marsquake Detected by NASA’s InSight Lander

Using its ultra-sensitive seismometer, NASA’s InSight lander has waited patiently to detect its first marsquake. Scientists now have good reason to believe it finally happened. On December 19, 2018, the InSight lander successfully deployed its Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument, followed by the placement of the seismometer’s protective dome in early February 2019.…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

‘Self-Forming’ Waterfalls Could Change Our Understanding of Earth’s History

Scientists observed waterfalls forming simply through the movement of water downhill in a new laboratory study—a result that could complicate our understanding of Earth’s history. Waterfalls may be beautiful and awe inspiring, but they’re also windows into the past, signaling changes in sea level, tectonic activity, or climate change. But if waterfalls can form without…

Earth Science Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Spacecraft Spots Evidence That Groundwater Once Saturated Mars

Scientists report finding evidence for an ancient planet-wide groundwater system on Mars, according to a new study. The clues appeared in images taken by Mars orbiters. Studies continue to find evidence that Mars was once wet, from the chemical composition of its dirt to valleys seemingly cut by ancient rivers. But how much water and…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Simulated Mission in Chilean Desert Shows How a Rover Could Detect Life on Mars

By using the barren Atacama Desert in Chile as a stand-in for Mars, researchers have shown that it’s possible to use an autonomous rover-mounted drill to detect life beneath a desolate surface. Encouragingly, the test resulted in the discovery of a resilient microorganism—exactly the kind of creature that could lurk deep beneath the Martian surface.…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Fake FCC Comments, Shark DNA, and the Edge of Everything: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

Hopefully your week has been better than leading New York politicians, like NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew “Amazon” Cuomo—both of whom are still dealing with the disastrous fallout from the failed deal to subsidize a new Amazon facility in Queens’s Long Island City neighborhood. (Adding insult to injury: de Blasio, who has…

Tech News Tom McKay

Stunning New View of Mars Shows Where Ancient Flowing Water Once Carved Its Surface

Dramatic dried-up river channels over a mile wide and 650 feet deep have been detected on Mars, showcasing how the Red Planet once hosted liquid water at its surface. We know Mars today as a barren wasteland, but around 3.4 billion years ago, the Red Planet was awash in blue, featuring a large ocean in…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

New Studies of Ancient Lava Add Mystery to the Dinosaur Extinction Story

Solidified lava from ancient volcanoes, over a mile thick, covers a portion of west-central India nearly the size of Texas. Contained in the dramatic and craggy striped rock are secrets scientists are only beginning to uncover—secrets that could partially rewrite the story of the dinosaur mass extinction 66 million years ago. Two teams have published…

Earth Science Ryan F. Mandelbaum

The Enduring Mystery of the Martian ‘Blueberries’ Discovered by Opportunity Rover

NASA has officially called an end to the historic Opportunity rover mission, ending a spectacular, 14-year adventure on the Red Planet. One of the rover’s most intriguing discoveries, however, came just two months after it landed, when it stumbled upon tiny objects bearing a startling resemblance to blueberries—the nature of which still divides scientists today.…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Scientists Reveal Nature of Martian Mountain Using Ingenious Technique With Curiosity Rover

Scientists working with the Curiosity rover used a piece of its navigation equipment—an accelerometer like the one in your cellphone—in order to make an important measurement about Mars’ mysterious geology. Curiosity is currently roving around Mount Sharp, a 5-kilometer-high (3-mile) mountain in the center of Gale crater. But it’s unclear whether the mountain is the…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Apollo Astronauts May Have Brought a Piece of Ancient Earth Back From the Moon

A re-analysis of lunar materials collected during the Apollo 14 mission has resulted in a rather astonishing conclusion: One of the rocks brought back appears to contain a small chunk of Earth dating back some 4 billion years. Incredibly, it’s now amongst the oldest terrestrial rocks known to exist. New research published this week in…

Earth Science George Dvorsky

Ancient Rock Reveals Shocking First Day After Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Impact

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Stumbles Upon a Strangely Complicated Martian Rock

Climate Shifts of the Past 2,000 Years Were Nothing Like What’s Happening Today

Mysterious Glass Beads in Clams Point to Ancient Meteorite Strike Near Florida

Scientists Develop Material to Create Habitable Areas on Mars

Incredible Photo from the Space Station Shows Raikoke Volcano Erupting

Evidence of a Gigantic Impact Crater Found Off Scottish Coast

Extraterrestrial Organic Matter Found in 3.3-Billion-Year-Old Volcanic Rock

Scientists Witness the Birth of a Submarine Volcano for the First Time

Beach Sands Near Hiroshima Are Still Packed With 1945 Nuclear Fallout Debris

Possible Marsquake Detected by NASA’s InSight Lander

‘Self-Forming’ Waterfalls Could Change Our Understanding of Earth’s History

Spacecraft Spots Evidence That Groundwater Once Saturated Mars

Simulated Mission in Chilean Desert Shows How a Rover Could Detect Life on Mars

Fake FCC Comments, Shark DNA, and the Edge of Everything: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

Stunning New View of Mars Shows Where Ancient Flowing Water Once Carved Its Surface

New Studies of Ancient Lava Add Mystery to the Dinosaur Extinction Story

The Enduring Mystery of the Martian ‘Blueberries’ Discovered by Opportunity Rover

Scientists Reveal Nature of Martian Mountain Using Ingenious Technique With Curiosity Rover

Apollo Astronauts May Have Brought a Piece of Ancient Earth Back From the Moon

Two Songs We Really Wish Were the Anime Outros for ‘Steel Ball Run’

AI Training Data Giant Mercor Is Reportedly Looking to Buy the Work You Did at Your Old Job

Utah Is Giving Dr. AI the Power to Renew Drug Prescriptions

Here’s the Perfect Excuse to See ‘Project Hail Mary’ Again

US Airlines Are Hiking Bag Fees Amid Iran War Oil Crisis

This Ridiculously Simple Trick Might Stop Gulls From Nabbing Your Lunch

‘Starfleet Academy’ Season 3 Could Have Done the ‘Voyager’ Sequel Episode of Robert Picardo’s Dreams

Judge Kills Lawsuit Against Infamous Study That Might Have Increased Teen Suicides

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Let us help find what you are looking for...