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

Earth Science

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-Mar-2026 21:15 ET (2-Mar-2026 02:15 GMT/UTC)

Pairing biochar with other soil amendments could unlock stronger gains in soil health

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A growing body of research suggests that combining biochar with other soil amendments such as compost, manure, or fertilizers may improve soil health more effectively than using biochar alone. A new review synthesizing field studies from around the world shows that this co-application approach can enhance soil structure, nutrient availability, and microbial activity, offering a promising strategy for sustainable land management.

Journal: Biochar

Flood patterns have changed. Flood insurance needs to keep up.

Arizona State University

Arizona State University and Columbia University research finds that increased flood strikes and outdated flood prediction led to meager payouts for homeowners and massive debt for the National Flood Insurance Program — but there is a way out.

Journal: Natural Hazards

Stress-testing the Cascadia Subduction Zone reveals variability that could impact how earthquakes spread

University of Washington
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study examining 13 years of ground motion data from sites near the Cascadia Subduction Zone shows that the entirety of the fault may not be as tightly locked as researchers thought, which could change our understanding of how a big earthquake might hit the Pacific Northwest.

Journal: Science Advances

DOE climate report ‘demonstrably incorrect’, say leading scientists in new analysis

University of East Anglia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A leading climate scientist has sought to set the record straight over “demonstrably incorrect” claims made in a major US government report that misrepresented his work and downplayed the role of human activity in global warming.

Journal: AGU Advances

Microbes unlock a hidden natural source of mercury emissions from “stable” minerals

Science China Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study in National Science Review identifies a previously overlooked natural source of atmospheric mercury. The researchers show that chemolithoautotrophic microbes can use mercury sulfide nanominerals as an energy source and, in doing so, convert mineral-bound mercury into volatile elemental mercury (Hg⁰) released to the air. The team estimates this process could emit about 272 ± 135 tonnes of Hg⁰ per year globally.

Journal: National Science Review

Predicting extreme rainfall through novel spatial modeling

Osaka Metropolitan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team used hourly precipitation data from 1981 to 2020 and spatial modeling to predict extreme precipitation events for the next 100 years in Japan.

Journal: Journal of Hydrology Regional Studies
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Fossil amber reveals the secret lives of Cretaceous ants

Frontiers
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Insects play a critical role in ecosystems, but because they are rarely preserved as fossils it’s hard to study their part in the ecosystems of the distant past. Rare inclusions of multiple insects in amber, which is fossilized tree resin, provide a priceless opportunity to learn more about insects in past geological eras. But were these insects trapped together really preying on each other, parasitizing each other, cooperating — or just in the wrong place in the wrong time? To investigate, researchers analyze six pieces of amber containing fossilized ants from as far back as the Cretaceous.

Journal: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Funder: University of Castilla La Mancha

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