New Curtin University research has revealed how massive ancient glaciers acted like giant bulldozers, reshaping Earth’s surface and paving the way for complex life to flourish.

By chemically analysing crystals in ancient rocks, the researchers discovered that as glaciers carved through the landscape, they scraped deep into the Earth’s crust, releasing key minerals that altered ocean chemistry.

This process had a profound impact on our planet’s composition, creating conditions that allowed complex life to evolve.

The efficient architecture of our joints, which allows our skeletons to be flexible and sturdy, originated among our most ancient jawed fish ancestors, according to a study published February 25^th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Neelima Sharma of the University of Chicago and colleagues.

Scientists have uncovered lots of evidence that Mars had standing water billions of years ago, before the planet lost its atmosphere. But did it have oceans? Measurements obtained by ground penetrating radar aboard the Chinese rover Zhurong show beach deposits below the surface of Utopia Planitia, an area in Mars' northern plains that some think was an ancient ocean. The deposits, dipping like beach deposits on Earth, would have taken millions of years to form.

Scientists have uncovered lots of evidence that Mars had standing water billions of years ago, before the planet lost its atmosphere. But did it have oceans? Measurements obtained by ground penetrating radar aboard the Chinese rover Zhurong show beach deposits below the surface of Utopia Planitia, an area in Mars' northern plains that some think was an ancient ocean. The deposits, dipping like beach deposits on Earth, would have taken millions of years to form.

New analysis of ancient fossilised rocks known as stromatolites, preserved in southern Zimbabwe, suggests strong links to hydrothermal nutrient recycling, "meaning that early life may in part have been fuelled by volcanic activity". Published in the Nature Communications journal, the research was led by Northumbria University researcher, Dr Ashley Martin and involved an international team with expertise in geology, microbiology, and geochemistry.

Tidal flats are essential for marine life and local economies. These habitats support fish populations, global seafood supplies, and recreational fisheries that generate millions of dollars annually, but restoration and management are urgently needed. Coastal development, overfishing, and climate events are rapidly degrading tidal flats, threatening marine biodiversity and fisheries worldwide.

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have carried out an unprecedentedly detailed survey of pumice rafts in the aftermath of the 2021 Fukutoku-Oka-no-Ba volcanic eruption in Japan. Using samples from 213 different locations, they considered raft density, the size and roundness of individual pumice, and biological species attached. Their findings revealed three phases in the evolution of drift pumice, involving rounding, fragmentation, and the diversification of attached biological organisms over time.

A recent study led by William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS Ph.D. student Alexandria Marquardt has shown that oyster management practices in the Rappahannock River benefit both the health of the oyster reefs as well as the fishery.

A hybrid microscope, born at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), for the first time allows scientists to simultaneously image the full 3D orientation and position of an ensemble of molecules, such as labeled proteins inside cells. The research is published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The microscope combines polarized fluorescence technology, a valuable tool for measuring the orientation of molecules, with a dual-view light sheet microscope (diSPIM), which excels at imaging along the depth (axial) axis of a sample.