Latest articles by Becky Oskin
Fault lines: Facts about cracks in the Earth
Faults in the Earth are categorized into three general groups based on the sense of slip, or movement, that occur along them during earthquakes.
Finding the Path to Earth's Early Oxygen
New evidence that manganese paved the way for photosynthesis.
Carbon Dioxide Greening Deserts
Desert plants leafing out as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise.
Glaciers Morph Lickety-Split as Climate Changes
Abrupt climate shifts trigger rapid, though perplexing, glacier responses.
If JFK Lived: 5 Ways History Would Change
What if John F. Kennedy had lived? Here are five intriguing ways fiction writers have tackled this irresistible plot twist.
Seismic Speed Bumps Found in Chile's Earthquake Zone
Two huge blobs of dense rock jammed deep beneath Chile's coastline acted like seismic speed bumps during the magnitude-8.8 Maule earthquake in 2010, according to a new study.
Earth's Conveyor Belts Trap Oceans of Water
At subduction zones, where one plate bends deep beneath another, the sinking plate can carry more than an ocean's worth of water into the mantle over billions of years.
New Subduction Zone Forming Off Spain's Coast
Embryonic subduction zone is also site of killer earthquakes.
What is a subduction zone?
A subduction zone is a collision between two of Earth's tectonic plates, where one plate sinks into the mantle underneath the other plate.
Mariana Trench: The deepest depths
Reference The Mariana Trench is more than 7 miles (11 kilometers) deep. Although it is a toxic environment, some creatures of the deep thrive there.
Japan earthquake & tsunami of 2011: Facts and information
Facts and information about the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan.
Continental Drift: The groundbreaking theory of moving continents
Continental drift was Alfred Wegener's theory proposing continents move position on the Earth's surface.
Aquifers: Underground Stores of Freshwater
Aquifers are underground layers of rock that are saturated with water that can be brought to the surface through natural springs or by pumping.
Hurricane Preparation: What to Do
How to prepare for a hurricane, from supplies to emergency evacuation plans.
Hurricane 2016 Forecast: A 'Near-Normal' 10 to 16 Storms
The 2016 hurricane forecast is NOAA's most accurate and reliable yet, according to NOAA.
What Would Happen If Yellowstone's Supervolcano Erupted?
There are better things to worry about than a supervolcano exploding from the bowels of Yellowstone National Park.
What Causes Eerie Volcanic Lightning?
Lightning flashing in the sky during volcanic eruptions stems both from ash and from ice, scientists find.
Distant Volcanic Roars Reveal Eruption Hazards
The roar of a volcano erupting on a remote Alaska island reveals important details about the blast, such as its size and location, a new study reports. And now scientists are listening.
California's Extreme Droughts Blamed on 'Ridiculously Resilient Ridge'
The weird weather pattern that hatched California's ongoing drought is becoming more common, and could bring more extreme dry spells in the future, a new study finds.
