The fluorescence lidar technology does not only enable a better determination of the origin of particles in the atmosphere. The method can also visualise particle layers that were previously practically invisible. This is the conclusion drawn by a team from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) from the evaluation of 250 hours of lidar measurements over Leipzig in 2022 and 2023. The researchers had repeatedly observed very thin layers of smoke at high altitudes, which originated from forest fires in Canada but could not be seen using conventional methods. This suggests that the upper troposphere over Europe may be more polluted than previously assumed, especially during the summer forest fire season, the research team writes in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The observations suggest that thin layers of smoke can favour the formation of ice clouds. The fluorescence method offers great opportunities for a more detailed investigation of such interactions between aerosols and clouds.

The measurements in Leipzig are once again showing wildfire smoke from Canada. This smoke is therefore not only visible on satellite images, but can now be analysed in more detail using fluorescence lidar technology.

The University of Warwick and UCL astronomers, as part of a global collaboration including partners in Chile, USA, and Europe, have discovered the smallest known star to host a transiting giant planet, which should not exist under leading planet formation theories. 

A new study investigates the environmental factors affecting the occurrence and state of palsa mires, as well as the degradation of palsas. The study covers the entire Northern Hemisphere. The new results are part of a doctoral dissertation to be examined at the University of Oulu, Finland on 6 June 2025.

Most stars in the Universe exist in binary or multiple star systems, where the presence of close-in companion stars in such systems can adversely influence the formation and orbital stability of planets around one of the stars. An international team of astrophysicists led by Professor Man Hoi LEE from the Department of Earth Sciences and the Department of Physics at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Mr Ho Wan CHENG, an MPhil student in his team, has confirmed the existence of a planet in an unprecedented retrograde orbit (moving in the opposite direction to the binary’s orbit) in the nu Octantis (nu Octantis) binary star system and revealed the role of binary star evolution in the origin of this planet. The findings have been published in the journal Nature.

Published in the Journal of Palaeogeography (Chinese Edition), this work underscores the journal’s role as a hub for cutting-edge Earth science research. By integrating regional geology with universal themes, it attracts studies that redefine our understanding of Earth’s past while informing sustainable resource exploration. For scholars, the NCC’s mineral archives exemplify how localized data can unravel global mysteries—a testament to the journal’s commitment to impactful, globally relevant science.

A groundbreaking study by researchers from Chongqing University and the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, reveals that diatoms can transform lunar soil, boosting its water retention and nutrient levels to support robust plant growth. This breakthrough paves the way for sustainable agriculture in lunar habitats, offering a vital step toward humanity’s long-term survival and interplanetary exploration.

Examining the fallout from the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period, researchers found that the species that survived weren’t random.