Earth Science

You likely heard that paleontologists uncovered a cache of dinosaur embryos, bone fragments and eggshells in China. You also may recall that we've made crazy leaps forward in genetics and genomics. Can we put the two together and create a dinosaur?

By Nicholas Gerbis

We argue that living well requires wine and cheese, but what does living at all require? You might be surprised to find out that there's no single definition.

By Kate Kershner

To say geologic time moves at a snail's pace is an insult to snails. Our planet's continents are always in flux: Could a new ocean grow amid those incredibly slow changes?

By Laurie L. Dove

The Poles of Inaccessibility are the locations on Earth that are the farthest away from either water or land and are the most remote spots in the world.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Rossby waves influence everything from high tides to extreme weather patterns, and not just on Earth. They also occur on the sun and on Venus and Jupiter as well. So, what are they exactly?

By Mark Mancini

Split as if by a laser, the Al Naslaa rock in Saudi Arabia's Tayma Oasis baffles scientists and amateur geologists alike. How did this perfect split happen?

By Laurie L. Dove

Trovants, found only in a small town in Romania, are stones that actually seem to move and grow. But are they alive?

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

There are caves all over the world, but some are in places that are hard to explore - hidden by rocks, ruins or even under ice. We've found seven secret caves you probably never knew existed.

By Stephanie Parker

Curious about healing crystals and their meanings? Here's the lowdown on 12 of the most popular stones for wellbeing.

By Dominique Michelle Astorino

According to Guinness World Records, the waves in Nazaré, Portugal, are the biggest ever surfed. Scientists attribute the massive waves to an underwater canyon, but how does it work?

By Dylan Ris

Ash flows, deadly gases and vog are just a few of the other reasons why we all need to respect volcanoes.

By Brittany Brand

The decision made at the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures will scrap leap seconds for good by 2035.

By Laurie L. Dove

The ocean is so deep, it puts the height of Mount Everest to shame.

By Mark Mancini

You might be surprised at how little of the world's oceans scientists have investigated.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey & Austin Henderson

This seismic boundary lies within Earth between the bottom of crust and the uppermost mantle. But nobody has ever dug down deep enough to confirm it exists. So does it?

By Allison Troutner

The United States is divided into 50 states, small and large. So which is the biggest state in the U.S.A.?

By Sharise Cunningham

You could stack the Eiffel Tower, the Washington Monument and the Statue of Liberty in Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the U.S. But, do you know what the deepest lake in the world is?

By Jesslyn Shields

The oceans take up most of the surface area of our planet and remain mostly unexplored. But how many oceans are there?

By Jesslyn Shields & Austin Henderson

Sarah Palin never really said she could see Russia from her house. But how far is Russia from Alaska anyway? And can you see one country from the other?

By Mitch Ryan

The seven largest countries in the world account for nearly half of the world's land area, but one is far larger than the rest. Do you know what the largest country is?

By Jesslyn Shields

Zulu Time is a shorthand for describing a time that is the same no matter where you are in the world. So, how does that work?

By Alia Hoyt

If you think the largest desert in the world is hot and sandy, think again. These 10 deserts spanning the globe are massive, but they're not all sunbaked.

By Mitch Ryan

It's known as the "Gateway to Hell" and while it might not actually get you there, what it will unleash if it keeps thawing could truly be hellish.

By Patrick J. Kiger

What's the difference between moissanite and diamonds? And which of these brilliant stones wins out when it comes to the engagement ring competition?

By Mitch Ryan

Arizona isn't all desert. Take Grand Falls, aka "Chocolate Falls." It is dry most of the year, but when it rains, this waterfall pours.

By Patty Rasmussen