volcanic activity
Io’s Volcanoes are Windows into its Hot Interior
NASA's Juno spacecraft was sent to Jupiter to study the gas giant. But its mission was extended, giving it an…
Mars is Mostly Dead. There's Still Magma Inside, so it's Slightly Alive
NASA's InSight lander has detected many marsquakes coming from the same region, which could mean that the Red Planet still…
Did Snowball Earth Happen Because of a Sudden Drop in Sunlight?
Hundreds of millions of years ago, Earth went through two episodes of severe glaciation. These two episodes—the Sturtian and the…
Do We Now Understand Why the Moon’s Near and Far Sides Look So Dramatically Different?
The Moon is easily the most well-studied object in the Solar System, (other than Earth, of course.) But it still…
Venus Could Have Supported Life for Billions of Years
A new study by a team of NASA scientists indicates that Venus could have been habitable for billions of years…
It Looks Like Plate Tectonics Aren’t Required to Support Life
According to a new study, it is possible that extra-solar planets with no plate tectonics might be capable of supporting…
Volcanic Hydrogen Gives Planets a Boost for Life
A new study by a team of astronomers from the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University indicates that habitable zones…
What is the Difference Between Active and Dormant Volcanoes?
Whether a volcano is active or dormant is complicated, as these geological features can have very long lifespans that go…
How Do Volcanoes Erupt?
Volcanic eruptions are driven by a combination of mechanisms, which include pressure and heat in the Earth's mantle, as well…
What is the Difference Between Lava and Magma?
The difference between lava and magma, which is rather important when it comes to volcanic activity and geology, is just…