Within the Canadian Shield, hydrogen gas is steadily building up naturally among some of the oldest rocks on Earth. Geochemists at the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa have for the first time measured its presence, mapped its concentration and tracked its long-term accumulation, shedding new light on this source of natural, or white, hydrogen. The findings demonstrate that natural H₂ accumulates in substantive volumes, that it can be trapped and preserved on long time scales, and that high concentrations and discharge rates can be sustained over periods of years, making it possible to assess the economic viability of this emerging energy source and point to a new approach to hydrogen exploration — one that could accelerate greenhouse gas reductions and expand hydrogen’s role in the clean energy transition.

Researchers have discovered new rodent-like species that inhabited the ancient Arctic 73 million years ago. Their fossil teeth offer surprising clues on where they came from and how they outlived the dinosaurs. 

Intensive agriculture poses a significant threat to global biodiversity. However, one aspect of biodiversity in farmland is little studied: algae. Most people have seen algae growing in streams, lakes or the sea. However, algae have also adapted to survive in dryer, harsher conditions on land. In fact, soil algae are thought to be responsible for about 6% of the vegetation production on Earth. This led a research team at the universities of Göttingen and Kassel to investigate the algae in the surface soils of farmland. Their pilot study revealed more than 100 different algae, likely to be made up of hundreds of individual species. Unlike most other microbes, these algae showed seasonal variation in their communities. These are the first steps towards understanding the factors that determine the diversity of these important microorganisms. The results were published in the Journal Frontiers in Microbiology.

 

Hydrogen gas formed by natural processes in the subsurface of mountain ranges could represent a promising source of clean energy. A new international study led by Unil and GFZ shows that erosion plays a key and complex role in the formation and accumulation of this natural resource. This research confirms that the Pyrenees and the Alps could constitute key targets for natural hydrogen exploration.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo have developed a game-based rainfall–runoff model that allows users to explore how floods form by adjusting land and environmental conditions. A classroom study with high school students showed that interactive, trial-and-error gameplay with score-based feedback improved their understanding of complex hydrological processes.

The climate of the ancient Eastern Mediterranean was far more turbulent than previously thought — and a new study suggests that people adapted anyway.