The subducted oceanic crusts are regarded as the major source of lower-mantle heterogeneity. However, the limited knowledge about the physical properties of major components in the subducted oceanic crusts prevents us from fully understanding the complex features of the related geophysical anomalies. Here, we comprehensively investigated the phase transition of (Al, H)-bearing stishovite at simultaneously high P-T conditions. These results contribute to our understanding on the complex depth distribution of the mid-lower mantle seismic scatterers.

The magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar on 28 March 2025 showed unusually fast rupture velocity, which is known as a supershear rupture. The recent study of Felipe Vera from GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences and coauthors confirms this finding and combines multiple methods to shed further light on the rupture process of this earthquake. According to the results, the Myanmar earthquake showed the highest rupture velocity worldwide in more than 20 years. The study is published in the journal The Seismic Record.

From 16 ^th  August to 19 ^th  September 2025, the i2B Arctic Ocean Expedition, led by Jochen Knies and Stijn De Schepper, will be sailing into the Arctic Ocean onboard the Norwegian research vessel RV Kronprins Haakon. This expedition will shed light on Arctic climate during past ‘warmer-than-present-day’ conditions. 

Families, particularly those already vulnerable to food insecurity, can face difficulties obtaining food in the aftermath of natural disasters. University of Houston researchers will utilize artificial intelligence to develop an online resource for food pantries, aiming to streamline stakeholder collaboration and distribute resources to families in need.

USGS streamgages show flood conditions are now underway, with live cameras providing real-time views on the USGS HIVIS website. Glacier-caused flooding has become an annual threat since 2011, with record-breaking floods over the past two years that impacted more than 300 homes and threatened public safety.

According to the 35th annual State of the Climate report, greenhouse gas concentrations, the global temperature across land and oceans, global sea level, and ocean heat content all reached record highs in 2024, and glaciers lost the most ice of any year on record. The authoritative international yearly review of the world’s climate, published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS), is based this year on contributions from 589 scientists in 58 countries.