Radiocarbon dating, luminescent sand grains, and climate records point to drought as the reason for the civilizations’ demise.
Richard J. Sima
Richard Sima is a science writer based in Baltimore, Md. He covers the environmental and life sciences and has written for Eos, Scientific American, Discover, and elsewhere. He has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University and an undergraduate degree in neurobiology from Harvard College.
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Protected Areas Are Not Safe from Climate Change
A new study showing the most vulnerable protected areas—the poles and the subtropics—could help prioritize their care.
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Mentorship During a Pandemic: Transitions from Lab and Sea to Virtual
With mentorship having gone virtual this past summer, three geosciences programs offer case studies about how to form meaningful connections during a time of social distancing.
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Accessibility and Fieldwork in the Time of Coronavirus
Fieldwork in the geosciences is increasingly relying on groundwork laid by accessibility advocates.
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A Golden Opportunity to Save Shwedagon Pagoda’s Acclaimed Dome
The dome is replaced every 5 years, and researchers are studying how to make the gold more durable.
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El Agua Subterránea es la “Conexión Occulta” Entre la Tierra y el Océano
La importancia del agua subterránea dulce para los ecosistemas costeros es revelada utilizando el primer modelo numérico a escala global.
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The Future of Big Data May Lie in Tiny Magnets
New research in the field of neuromorphic computing uses tiny magnets and their magnetic fields to optimize computing algorithms.
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Humans Colonized Polynesia Much Earlier Than Previously Thought
Evidence from mud, charcoal, and feces suggests humans arrived in East Polynesia during the driest period in 2 millennia.
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Groundwater Is the “Hidden Connection” Between Land and Sea
The importance of fresh groundwater to coastal ecosystems is revealed using the first computer model at a global scale.
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Mapping Lightning Strikes from Space
A new technique spatially tracks lightning in real time and has been adapted by the National Weather Service.