skip to content

Department of Earth Sciences

 
Read more at: Cambridge Earth Scientists feature in panel discussion on hydrogen sources and early life on rocky planets
Image of rust brown water with bubbles rising

Cambridge Earth Scientists feature in panel discussion on hydrogen sources and early life on rocky planets

15 September 2021

What conditions lead to the formation of hydrogen needed for early life on rocky planets? Cambridge Earth Science's Dr Paul Rimmer and Prof. Nick Tosca recently featured amongst a panel of earth scientists who discussed this conundrum. Prebiotic chemistry deals with the synthesis and interaction of those organic compounds...


Read more at: Two Cambridge Earth Scientists awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships
Image of, on the left, a man stood smiling in front of shrubbery and on the right stood smiling in front of a rock

Two Cambridge Earth Scientists awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships

8 September 2021

Two Cambridge Earth Scientists have been awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships to help them develop innovative research projects. Dr Owen Weller and Dr David Wallis will be working on solutions to some of the world’s key challenges; from developing new technologies to help identify valuable metal deposits required for a...


Read more at: The “aukward” truth about penguins and their flightless doppelgangers

The “aukward” truth about penguins and their flightless doppelgangers

25 August 2021


Read more at: Dr Emilie Ringe recognised amongst 'Talented 12': 2021 rising stars in chemistry
Image of a woman smiling, superimposed on an illustration of chemical symbols for magnesium

Dr Emilie Ringe recognised amongst 'Talented 12': 2021 rising stars in chemistry

23 August 2021

C&EN , the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS), has unvelied its annual “ Talented 12 ” list. Dr Emilie Ringe , who is jointly based at Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences and Materials Science, is recognised for her pioneering work on plasmonic nanoparticles. These miniscule particles act...


Read more at: The Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge welcomes the new IPCC report
Image of sunset with smoke emitted from power stations

The Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge welcomes the new IPCC report

9 August 2021

CAMBRIDGE -- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has today released the most extensive report on climate change since 2013 . Over the last eight years, scientists have benefited from improved measurements of our climate and more powerful models which are able to simulate future scenarios with increased...


Read more at: Earth's interior is swallowing up more carbon than thought
Satellite image of a volcano from space, shrouded in clouds and spewing volcanic ash

Earth's interior is swallowing up more carbon than thought

21 July 2021

Scientists from Cambridge University and NTU Singapore have found that slow-motion collisions of tectonic plates drag more carbon into Earth’s interior than previously thought. They found that the carbon drawn into Earth’s interior at subduction zones - where tectonic plates collide and dive into Earth’s interior - tends...


Read more at: Student spotlight: Hassan Aftab Sheikh on monitoring air pollution using tree leaves
Image of a busy road in Lahore, surrounded on either side by trees and with a smoggy sky blocking out the sun

Student spotlight: Hassan Aftab Sheikh on monitoring air pollution using tree leaves

8 July 2021

Did you know that scientists can use dust trapped on tree leaves to monitor air pollution? Hassan Aftab Sheikh, PhD student in our Department, is developing this monitoring technique further and is also exploring if trees can filter harmful particles from the air. These particles, which measure less than a billionth of a...


Read more at: Rock crystals from the deep give microscopic clues to earthquake ground movements
Grey volcanic rock containing exotic green nodule: you can see the pistachio green olivine crystals they are made of

Rock crystals from the deep give microscopic clues to earthquake ground movements

30 June 2021

Microscopic imperfections in rock crystals deep beneath Earth’s surface play a deciding factor in how the ground slowly moves and resets in the aftermath of major earthquakes, says new research involving the University of Cambridge. The stresses resulting from these defects – which are small enough to disrupt the atomic...


Read more at: Dr Sasha Turchyn recognised as 2021 R. Berner Lectureship winner
Image of a woman smiling sat at a table

Dr Sasha Turchyn recognised as 2021 R. Berner Lectureship winner

23 June 2021

Many congratulations to Dr Sasha Turchyn who is the recipient of the 2021 R. Berner Lectureship . The Lectureship, which will be presented at the Goldschmidt 2021 conference, is awarded to scientists who show an 'exceptional ability to define globally important biogeochemical processes, develop new understanding, and...


Read more at: Cambridge seismology graduate named engineering hero
Grace standing next to a rock outcrop with a camera

Cambridge seismology graduate named engineering hero

23 June 2021

Grace Campbell , who studied a PhD in seismic hazards with us, was today named one of the 2021 Top 50 Women in Engineering . Grace is an earthquake geologist and remote sensing specialist in Arup ‘s Natural Hazard and Risk Management Team. After gaining a Master’s degree in Earth Sciences at UCL, Grace moved to Cambridge...