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A series of trees stand in the middle of a drowned swampland, with still water reflecting the purple and orange dusky sky and a few patches of grass poking above the water here and there — Planting trees in the sea could act as a huge carbon sink and save millions of dollars in storm damage every year. What is stopping us from doing it? A new study reveals restoring mangroves could save $800 million in storm damage, protect 140,000 people from flooding, and remove almost triple the amount of CO2 produced by cars in the U.S. every year.
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Aerial picture of blackwater near forested peatlands in the central Congo Basin. — 'Blackwater' lakes and rivers in the Congo Basin are now emitting ancient carbon into the atmosphere Carbon that has been buried in the Congo Basin's peatlands for millennia is seeping into lakes and rivers. Why this is happening remains unclear, but researchers warn that tropical peatlands could be nearing a tipping point.
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A color-enhanced image of surface water temperatures shows the Gulf Stream crossing the Atlantic Ocean from the Florida Straits. — Early warning indicator hidden within the Gulf Stream could signal the collapse of key Atlantic currents, study finds Shifts in the Gulf Stream could help researchers predict the human-driven failure of a huge system of ocean currents known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.
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Latest about Planet Earth

Geothermal activity in Hveragerði, Iceland.

Microbes in Iceland are hoarding nitrogen, and that's mucking up the nutrient cycle

By Javier Barbuzano, Eos.org published 8 February 26

A study in Iceland found that microbes are hoarding more nitrogen for themselves, altering nutrient cycling and leaving less for plants.

Planet Earth

A fracture in the earth's crust in the rift valley between the American and Eurasian continental plates in Iceland.

'Maybe they're waiting for something that only happens thousands of years later': The hidden life 'sleeping' deep beneath Earth for millions of years

By Karen G. Lloyd published 8 February 26

Deep inside Earth lies a hidden world of "intraterrestrials" that have been dormant for hundreds of thousands of years — what are they waiting to "wake up" for?

4 Comments

Evolution

Clean energy is surging — with or without Trump

By Yale Climate Connections, Barbara Grady published 7 February 26

In 2025, solar and wind surpassed coal as a global energy source.

Renewable Energy

On the left Artemis's SLS rocket, on the right Kanzi the bonobo

Discoveries inside Earth, Artemis II scrub, and an ape that can play pretend

By Ben Turner published 7 February 26

Science news this week Feb. 7, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Science news this week

Scientist accidentally stumbles across bizarre ancient ‘wrinkle structures’ in Morocco that shouldn't be there

By Stephanie Pappas published 6 February 26

Ancient fossil structures imprinted on rocks that were once deep beneath the ocean suggest the search for the first life on Earth needs to be broadened.

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Geology

Bandera Volcano Ice Cave: The weird lava tube in New Mexico whose temperature is always below freezing

By Sascha Pare published 6 February 26

Due to a weird quirk of geology, New Mexico's Bandera Volcano Ice Cave never warms above 31 degrees Fahrenheit, even when temperatures outside exceed 100 F in summer.

2 Comments

Geology

New map shows weird magnetic anomaly lurking beneath Australia's Northern Territory

By Sascha Pare published 4 February 26

Advanced modeling has revealed an Australia-shaped magnetic anomaly beneath the country's Northern Territory that holds valuable information about Australia's geological history.

Geology

Photograph of a grassy hill with horses in the background and a tall tree.

'Nitrogen fixing' trees could help tropical forests bounce back, research suggests

By Corey Kane published 4 February 26

On the narrow isthmus of Panama, scientists discovered adding nitrogen to the soil doubled tree growth, providing new insights into forest restoration.

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Plants

False-color satellite images of Earth taken by ESA's Biomass satellite

Trippy 'biomass' snap reveals first detailed look at our planet's carbon stores

By Harry Baker published 3 February 26

Earth from space The first false-color image from ESA's newly operational Biomass satellite shows off a unique perspective of the rainforests, grasslands and wetlands surrounding a winding river in Bolivia.

Earth from space