New Atlas

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New discoveries in Laos deepen the ancient mystery of the Plain of Jars

Rich Haridy May 19, 2019

A team of archaeologists has discovered over 100 ancient stone jars across 15 sites in Laos. The new discoveries add to the thousands of other strange jars found on the central plains of Laos, increasing the scope of one of Southeast Asia’a most enduring archaeological mysteries.

Fifteen new sites have been discovered, revealing 137 previously undiscovered stone jars, deepening the mystery of ...

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Quarter of West Antarctic glacier ice unstable, says 25-year satellite study

Michael Irving May 16, 2019

A new study has examined 25 years of satellite data to get a sense of the extent of ice loss across Antarctica. According to the findings, warming waters have destabilized as much as a quarter of the glacier ice in West Antarctica.

Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica is one of the places hardest hit by ice loss

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Forests that live fast and die young may help speed up climate change

Michael Irving May 15, 2019

New research led by the University of Cambridge has found that forests may not be as useful a carbon sink as we thought. The team found that a warming climate makes trees grow faster and die younger, releasing their captured carbon back into the air sooner.

Researchers examined samples taken from trees in the Spanish Pyrenees and found that faster-growing trees tend ...

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Whistling wind turbines may save bats' lives

Ben Coxworth May 15, 2019

According to a US Geological Survey estimate, anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of bats are killed by wind turbines annually – in the US alone. New technology may help reduce those numbers, however, by causing the turbine blades to whistle at the animals.

Bats and wind turbines traditionally don't mix well

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Eco-friendly foam outperforms the "real thing"

Ben Coxworth May 13, 2019

Styrofoam isn't eco-friendly stuff. It's made from petroleum, it can't be efficiently recycled, it's non-biodegradable, and it creates pollution when burned. A new plant-based foam reportedly has none of those drawbacks, however, plus it's claimed to actually insulate better than regular Styrofoam.

A sample of the foam, which is made of wood pulp-derived cellulose

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Atmospheric carbon dioxide hits the highest point in human existence

Nick Lavars May 13, 2019

The latest readings of atmospheric C02 concentration reveal that it is now at levels never reached before in the entirety of human existence. As one meteorologist puts it, "We don't know a planet like this."

Concentration of atmospheric C02 has now hit 415.26 ppm, the highest point in human history

Environment

Radioactive carbon from nuclear bomb tests finds its way to deepest ocean trenches

David Szondy May 8, 2019

A new study led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangzhou indicates that radioactive carbon-14 produced by above-ground nuclear weapons tests in the mid-20th century has been found in the muscle tissues of crustaceans in the deepest parts of the ocean.

Carbon-14 from above ground nuclear testing in the 20th century has been found in the deepest ...

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Fancy some grubs in your grub? You might if you can't see them

Matt Kennedy May 2, 2019

Researchers in Australia are looking into maggot sausages as meat alternative. This is seen as a first step in conditioning Westerners to accept insects and grubs as normal, everyday food sources.

Australian researchers have begun looking into insect-based pre-prepared food – such as sausages – as a ...

Environment

Stalled waves in the jet stream blamed for last year's extreme weather events

Michael Irving April 30, 2019

The summer of 2018 was marked by extreme weather events like droughts and floods. A new study has pinned the blame on stalled giant waves in the jet stream, and unfortunately they’re expected to only get worse with the changing climate.

Climate researchers have blamed stalled giant waves in the jet stream for some of last year's ...

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Antarctica Ice shelf the size of France threatened by effects of climate change

Anthony Wood April 29, 2019

A vital section of the world's largest ice shelf is losing ice 10 times faster than the overall melt rate for the structure, posing a potential risk to its future stability. The Ross Ice Shelf stretches out over 500,809 square km, and accounts for 32 percent of Antarctica's total ice shelf area.

The wall of the Ross Ice Shelf stretches for a staggering 600 km (373 miles) in ...