They’re all around us: sensors and satellites, radars and drones. These tools form vast  remote sensing networks that collect data on the climate, the ground, the air, and the water. This information is immensely useful for research, conservation, and disaster preparedness. But, according to an interdisciplinary group of Earth science researchers in a paper led by Casey O’Hara of UC Santa Barbara, we’re only just scratching the surface of understanding just how beneficial Earth Science Information can be.

By investigating the residual effects of lithium mining on the quality of North Carolina water resources, researchers from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment shed light on potential impacts from future mining operations.

A University of Washington study shows that existing models underestimate methane loss in the stratosphere and generate uncertainty in the global methane budget — a key metric for tracking climate change.

By dating the layer of sediment where the Basilemys fossil was found, students determined the creature was the oldest of its species ever discovered in North America.

The right amount of oxygen being present when the Earth’s core was formed meant that there were sufficient phosphorus and nitrogen available in the mantle and crust. This means the Earth was the beneficiary of a stroke of chemical good fortune in the universe. It is located in a zone with optimal chemical conditions for the development of life. When searching for life elsewhere in the universe, scientists should therefore look for solar systems that resemble our own. Focusing on water is not sufficient. 

New research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) finds that 'energy efficiency' appears to influence how mountain birds adapt to changes in climate. Researchers looked at seasonal changes in the elevational distributions of birds - how high in the mountain birds go at different times of year - for nearly 11,000 avian populations across 34 mountain regions worldwide, including in Asia, Europe and the Americas, as well as Southern African and Australia.