Geology
Latest about Geology
![The pieces of Libyan desert glass that formed the basis of the study.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kfk9BWDnjwXR7ZZqZGsUbM-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Strange yellow glass found in Libyan desert may have formed from lost meteor impact
By Elizaveta Kovaleva published
A strange type of glass that was discovered in 1933 in the Libyan desert may come from a meteorite, an analysis shows, but impact crater is still missing.
![A sonar image shows the newly discovered seamount.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wUzvuGVoUHbaVN6jLViFkA-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Seamount twice the size of world's tallest building discovered 'hidden under the waves'
By Sascha Pare published
Scientists aboard the Falkor (too) research vessel have documented, for the first time, an extinct volcano towering 5,250 feet above the seabed in international waters in the Pacific Ocean.
![A diagram of Earth's interior with water leaking toward the core](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MfGvFtP2hrdC4tLCSyH7TZ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Water leaking into Earth's core may have birthed a mysterious layer that churns out crystals
By Harry Baker published
A new series of experiments has shown that the mysterious "E-prime layer," which surrounds Earth's outer core, is created by water that leaks deep into our planet's interior.
![Illustration of a protoplanet smashing into Earth just after it formed.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
A 'protoplanet' that created the moon may be hiding deep inside Earth
By Stephanie Pappas published
Mystery blobs in Earth's mantle may be chunks of a Mars-sized space rock that crashed into our planet 4.5 billion years ago, scientists discover.
![An aerial view of a tropical archipelago.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dxGUrJurnxxVRBCp2f8zST-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Scientists finally discover 'lost continent' thought to have vanished without a trace
By Sascha Pare published
Scientists have pieced together the remnants of a continent that broke off from western Australia 155 million years ago and seemingly vanished as it drifted northward toward Southeast Asia.
![A map of an ancient supercontinent](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UHc3rwtVK5SpW9UmGNDdU3-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Scientists finally solve 390 million-year-old 'murder mystery' from an ancient supercontinent
By Harry Baker published
Researchers mapped out "cake-like" fossil layers belonging to a group of ancient marine creatures from the supercontinent Gondwana that mysteriously died off 390 million years ago.
![3D model of Lorrainosaurus against a black background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dewvf3LWUZ6cUBgm3T2Sca-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Jurassic pliosaur 'megapredator' was a giant 'sea murderer'
By Patrick Pester published
The earliest pliosaur 'megapredator' helped rule the oceans 170 million years ago during the age of dinosaurs.
![Many valuable diamonds, raw and cut, for further processing for the jewelry industry.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
What's the deepest-occurring gemstone on Earth?
By Amanda Heidt published
Very few gems can withstand the intense pressure of Earth's mantle, but some require it to crystallize.
![illustration showing earth being bombarded with huge space rocks](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njdxm8xFyTesqm768sLDKZ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Mystery blobs in Earth's mantle may be linked to ancient gold and platinum that arrived from space
By Stephanie Pappas published
The gold and platinum that came from giant space rocks should have sunk into Earth's core instead of rising to the crust. Scientists have now worked out how this happened — and it may explain some really weird blobs deep in our planet's mantle.
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