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Read more at: Scientists map deep waters in the Nordic Seas, showing ocean circulation during and after last ice age
Illustrations showing patterns of ocean circulation across the globe

Scientists map deep waters in the Nordic Seas, showing ocean circulation during and after last ice age

27 October 2022

A new study involving Cambridge earth scientists has mapped out ocean currents in the North Atlantic over time, revealing changes in the movement of deep water tied to the growth and decline of ice sheets. The research, published in the journal Nature Geoscience , measured isotopic tracers of ocean circulation in samples...

Read more at: When did birds get so smart? It might have been earlier than we’d thought, fossil find reveals
Close up of fossil showing bird brain case

When did birds get so smart? It might have been earlier than we’d thought, fossil find reveals

19 October 2022

New research on an 80-million-year-old bird fossil suggests that early birds may have been highly intelligent like modern ones, changing our timeline of when they first got smart. The study , which involved researchers from Cambridge’s Field Palaeobiology Research Group , mapped out impressions left inside the braincase of...

Read more at: Iberian Margin Paleoclimate Expedition 397 sets sail
Photo of an ocean drilling ship at sea

Iberian Margin Paleoclimate Expedition 397 sets sail

11 October 2022

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Iberian Margin Paleoclimate Expedition 397 sets sail today for the coast of Portugal, southwest of Lisbon. The expedition, carrying 26 international scientists, will investigate areas where marine sediments accumulate rapidly, giving a high-fidelity record of climate change, on...

Read more at: How did ‘bird-hipped’ dinosaurs evolve?
Illustration of three dinosaurs with volcano erupting in background

How did ‘bird-hipped’ dinosaurs evolve?

27 September 2022

Researchers have conducted a new analysis of the origins of ‘bird-hipped’ dinosaurs – the group which includes iconic species such as Triceratops – and found that they likely evolved from a group of animals known as silesaurs, which were first identified two decades ago. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge...

Read more at: Seawater could have provided phosphorous required for emerging life
Photo of volcanic eruption with lightning and stormy sea in foreground

Seawater could have provided phosphorous required for emerging life

21 September 2022

The problem of how phosphorus became a universal ingredient for life on Earth may have been solved by a group of Cambridge scientists, who have recreated primordial seawater containing the element in the lab. Their results, published in the journal Nature Communications , show that seawater might be the missing source of...

Read more at: Lava from 2021 Icelandic eruption gives rare view of deep churnings beneath volcano
Photo showing a volcanic spatter cone erupting with lava coming out of the top

Lava from 2021 Icelandic eruption gives rare view of deep churnings beneath volcano

14 September 2022

After centuries without volcanic activity, Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula sprang to life in 2021 when lava erupted from the Fagradalsfjall volcano. New research involving the University of Cambridge helps us visualize what is going on deep beneath the volcano by reading the chemistry of lavas and volcanic gases almost as...

Read more at: Prof. Sasha Turchyn is 2022 AGU Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Willi Dansgaard Award recipient
Image of a woman smiling sat at a table

Prof. Sasha Turchyn is 2022 AGU Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Willi Dansgaard Award recipient

7 September 2022

Professor Sasha Turcyhn was announced as American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) 2022 Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Willi Dansgaard Award recipient. Being selected as a Section Honoree is bestowed upon individuals for meritorious work or service toward the advancement and promotion of discovery and solution science. AGU...

Read more at: Land plants changed Earth’s composition, say scientists
Photo of fern leaf

Land plants changed Earth’s composition, say scientists

31 August 2022

A new study, involving scientists from the University of Cambridge, has found that the evolution of land plants caused a sudden shift in the composition of Earth’s continents. The research, which is published in the journal Nature Geoscience , investigated the effects of land plant evolution on Earth’s chemical composition...

Read more at: Department holds first Sutton Trust Summer School
Photo of students having a tour of the Sedgwick Museum

Department holds first Sutton Trust Summer School

16 August 2022

The Department of Earth Sciences hosted its first Sutton Trust Summer School on the 16 th August. Year 12 students from across the country had the chance to experience studying the subject at Cambridge through an immersive week-long programme. The Sutton Trust is an educational charity which aims to improve social mobility...

Read more at: Climate and conflict: new research from the Godwin Lab

Climate and conflict: new research from the Godwin Lab

10 August 2022

 

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