Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences

Evolution of Earth and Life

May 1, 2017

Shunned by microbes, organic carbon can resist breakdown in underground environments

Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences

A new study reveals that organic matter whose breakdown would yield only minimal energy for hungry microorganisms preferentially builds up in floodplains, illuminating a new mechanism of carbon sequestration.

Climate Change, Evolution of Earth and Life

April 13, 2017

Could a Colorado earthquake have been triggered by dinosaur extinction impact?

Seismological Society of America

The dino-killing asteroid that crashed into the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico could have generated massive seismic waves that triggered earthquakes as far away as Colorado, in a region where no previous fault existed, according to research by Stanford Earth's Norm Sleep.

Evolution of Earth and Life

March 28, 2017

Poor outlook for biodiversity in Antarctica, study finds

Monash University

An interdisciplinary group of researchers compared Antarctic biodiversity and its management with global trends to determine the region’s outlook is more similar to the rest of the world than previously believed. The Antarctic region, which is home to a wide array of native species, drives global Earth systems processes such as climate, ocean circulation, and sea level rise.

Climate Change, Evolution of Earth and Life

March 16, 2017

First oceans may have been acidic

Weizmann Institute of Science News

A model of ion flux in the oceans shows carbon dioxide driving ocean acidity.

Evolution of Earth and Life, Oceans

March 2, 2017

Navigating the guts of an ancient submarine canyon

<p>Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences</p>

<p>Tourists flock to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve near Monterey, Calif., for its breathtaking coastal views and glimpses of the playful sea otters and other marine mammals that can be found among its waters. But the site has long attracted geologists for a very different reason.</p>

Dynamic Earth, Energy, Evolution of Earth and Life

January 31, 2017

Large marine protected areas effectively protect reef shark populations, Stanford scientists find

Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences

Researchers at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station find that expanded marine protected areas are successful in limiting fishing and increasing reef shark populations.

Evolution of Earth and Life, Human Dimensions and Sustainability

January 20, 2017

Bacterial discovery solves 20-year-old molecular paleontology mystery

Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences

A fatty molecule once thought to be unique to flowering plants has turned up in bacteria skimmed from the Adriatic Sea and may provide biotech insights.

Evolution of Earth and Life