EurekAlert! News by Subject: Earth Science - News by Subject: Earth Science

Earth Science

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 2-Apr-2026 09:16 ET (2-Apr-2026 13:16 GMT/UTC)

How can science support and enable the High Seas Treaty?

University of Plymouth
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study published in the journal npj Ocean Sustainability says while there has been considerable research into the international policy implications of implementing the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, often known as the High Seas Treaty there has until now been a lack of information on how science can play its role in delivering the objectives.

Journal: npj Ocean Sustainability
Funder: Natural Environment Research Council

Salty soils slow biochar aging but limit beneficial microbes, study finds

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study reveals that increasing soil salinity can significantly slow the aging of biochar, a widely used soil amendment, while also suppressing the microbial communities that help drive its environmental benefits. The findings provide important insights into how biochar performs over time in salt-affected agricultural systems.

Journal: Biochar

Biochar offers climate-smart pathway to healthier soils and safer tea production

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new scientific review highlights how biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, could transform tea farming by restoring soil health, reducing pollution risks, and improving both yield and quality.

Journal: Biochar

Hydrochar boosts soil carbon storage and structure more effectively than biochar, study finds

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Improving soil health is essential for sustainable agriculture and global food security. A new study reports that hydrochar, a carbon-rich material produced from organic waste, may outperform traditional soil amendments such as biochar and crop residues in strengthening soil structure and storing carbon.

Journal: Biochar

Ocean discovery league launches global strategy to double deep seafloor observations

Ocean Discovery League
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Ocean Discovery League (ODL) announces the launch of the Global Deep Sea Exploration Goals, an ambitious international effort to visually explore 10,000 strategically selected locations across the deep seafloor. When completed, this initiative will nearly double the number of unique seafloor locations ever visually observed and produce the first globally representative visual dataset of the deep ocean floor.

Journal: Science Advances
Funder: National Geographic Society, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Cabot Family Charitable Trust, Dalio Foundation

Climate change may produce “fast-food” phytoplankton

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

MIT scientists found that as sea surface temperatures rise over the next century, phytoplankton in polar regions will adapt to be less rich in proteins, heavier in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients overall.

Journal: Nature Climate Change
Funder: Simons Foundation

Aquaculture is shifting toward less sustainable species: new UBC study

University of British Columbia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The study, published in Fish and Fisheries, analyzed global aquaculture production from 1950 to 2023 and found that, since the 1980s, the industry has shifted toward a smaller number of intensively farmed species—particularly finfish—that tend to have lower overall sustainability potential.

Journal: Fish and Fisheries
Funder: Social Science Research Council

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