Physical relics and models reveal past planetary environments

by Henrik Aaltonen About Henrik AaltonenOctober 30, 20266 links · ~20 min read · ~1 min for the TL;DR

Error Bars by Henrik Aaltonen: six links on Science every week.

TL;DR

Researchers identified a 100-million-year-old volcanic system in Iran that illuminates tectonic activity and the disappearance of an ancient ocean in the Middle East.
The meteorite Teghaza 001, recovered from the Sahara Desert after being blasted off Mars, reveals hidden chapters of Martian history relevant to early life on Earth.
Rising sea levels across the northern Adriatic submerged ancient hills and swamps, transforming dry terrain into the Venice lagoon.
A new atmospheric model of a 1,000-mile cloud on Mars indicates the planet may host ice-forming physics never directly observed in nature.
Smithsonian geologist Gabriela Farfan examines gemstones, corals, and other minerals to identify evidence of environmental and oceanic changes in Earth's past.
A 700,000-year-old straight-tusked elephant tooth found with stone tools in northern Israel demonstrates that giant elephants and early humans coexisted in a lush prehistoric environment.

From the curator

Geological remains and planetary observations reconstruct vanished environments across Earth and Mars. ScienceDaily's 4-minute article explains that a 100-million-year-old volcanic system in Iran sheds light on an ancient ocean's disappearance and tectonic forces in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the Guardian's 1-minute article shows how rising sea levels in the northern Adriatic submerged ancient hills and swamps to form the Venice lagoon. Mary Randolph's 6-minute article for Scientific American reports that the Martian meteorite Teghaza 001, found in the Sahara Desert, is revealing hidden chapters of Mars's deep past.

Henrik Aaltonen

Curated for this issue

ScienceDaily4 min readScientists discover a hidden 100-million-year-old volcanic system
Scientists have uncovered a long-lost volcanic system in Iran that dates back roughly 100 million years, revealing a hidden chapter in Earth's tectonic history. The discovery…

Scientific American6 min readThe oldest known piece of Mars may help solve mysteries of life on Earth
Blasted off Mars by a giant impact long ago, the meteorite Teghaza 001 eventually fell to Earth in the Sahara Desert. Now it’s revealing previously hidden chapters of Mars’s deep…

Mary Randolph · curated 1 time

the Guardian1 min readHow rising seas transformed dry land into Venice lagoon
Scientists uncover ancient hills and swamps that disappeared as sea levels rose across northern Adriatic

Ars Technica2 min readA 1,000-mile cloud on Mars may reveal physics never seen in nature
A new model suggests Mars may host ice-forming physics never directly observed before.

Science News1 min readWhat can minerals tell us about Earth’s past? This geologist is finding out
Smithsonian geologist Gabriela Farfan studies corals, gemstones and other minerals for clues to changing oceans and environments.

ScienceDaily4 min readA 700,000-year-old elephant tooth reveals a lost world where early humans lived
A remarkably preserved elephant tooth dating back nearly 700,000 years has revealed a surprisingly lush prehistoric world where giant elephants and early humans lived side by…

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From the curator

ScienceDaily4 min readScientists discover a hidden 100-million-year-old volcanic systemScientists have uncovered a long-lost volcanic system in Iran that dates back roughly 100 million years, revealing a hidden chapter in Earth's tectonic history. The discovery…

Scientific American6 min readThe oldest known piece of Mars may help solve mysteries of life on EarthBlasted off Mars by a giant impact long ago, the meteorite Teghaza 001 eventually fell to Earth in the Sahara Desert. Now it’s revealing previously hidden chapters of Mars’s deep…

the Guardian1 min readHow rising seas transformed dry land into Venice lagoonScientists uncover ancient hills and swamps that disappeared as sea levels rose across northern Adriatic

Ars Technica2 min readA 1,000-mile cloud on Mars may reveal physics never seen in natureA new model suggests Mars may host ice-forming physics never directly observed before.

Science News1 min readWhat can minerals tell us about Earth’s past? This geologist is finding outSmithsonian geologist Gabriela Farfan studies corals, gemstones and other minerals for clues to changing oceans and environments.

ScienceDaily4 min readA 700,000-year-old elephant tooth reveals a lost world where early humans livedA remarkably preserved elephant tooth dating back nearly 700,000 years has revealed a surprisingly lush prehistoric world where giant elephants and early humans lived side by…