Volcanoes Feed the Planet with Nutrients
October 13, 2022
A powerful volcano last January was followed by a phytoplankton bloom. What's the connection?
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Volcanoes Cause Global Warming
January 20, 2022
Volcanic eruptions can warm and cool the climate. Predicting which outcome will occur exceeds the uncertainties in geophysical knowledge.
Mars Volcano Recently Erupted
May 11, 2021
A 20-mile volcanic fissure on Mars may be a recent eruption. Scientists are considering the possibility that Mars is still active.
Europa May Be Another Geyser Moon
May 15, 2018
A re-assessment of data from the Galileo spacecraft appears to confirm suspected eruptions from the surface of Europa, Jupiter's icy moon.
Hidden Volcano Comes to Light
January 17, 2018
It was the largest volcanic eruption in history. It happened five years ago. Did you hear about it? Probably not. Here's why.
It's Curtains for Enceladus
May 11, 2015
The geysers of Saturn's little moon are like sheets instead of jets, spelling trouble for theories of its ancient age and possible life.
Water Worlds Tempt with Life, Not Youth
March 13, 2015
More and more planets and moons are suspected of having liquid water, but what should be the logical implications?
Mercury, Moon May Still Be Erupting
October 17, 2014
Two objects that should be old and dead show surprising activity. Other indications of youthfulness in the solar system are noted.
Io Volcanoes Go Hyperactive
August 7, 2014
The volcanoes on Jupiter's moon are bursting out at record rates, and nobody knows why. Is it the new normal?
Chinese Dinosaurs May Have Been Buried in Volcanic Ash
February 4, 2014
A new analysis of Chinese fossils claims a Pompeii-style eruption buried them suddenly. What does this imply about dating the fossils?
Europa Joins the Geyser Club
December 12, 2013
Hints of watery plumes have been detected on Europa – like Enceladus, at its south pole, too.
What Do Scientists Know About Prehistory?
January 9, 2012
Evolutionary biologists and geologists speak of events happening millions or billions of years ago as concrete facts. They are not observational facts, though; they are inferences from indirect evidence. Indirect evidence can often lead to different conclusions; in fact, some philosophers like Duhem and Quine argue for “under-determination of theory by data,” meaning that data can never converge to support just one theory. Some can demonstrate logically that there are an infinite number of theories that can explain a set of data. Evolutionary scientists counter that there are only one or a few that are reasonable (implying that theirs is among the limited set of reasonable ones). Recent discoveries that threaten to overturn past reasonable theories, though, cast doubt on their confidence.