The most severe droughts in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean arose when multiple natural climate cycles coincided, according to a new study from Stockholm University published in Science Advances. The findings shed new light on the climate conditions surrounding the Late Bronze Age collapse and may help improve understanding of future drought risks in a warming world.

ETH researchers have developed innovative computer models to study the rift valley systems on Venus. The simulations indicate that recently formed rift valleys feature high, broad flanks, whereas older valleys tend to subside and are less elevated. The new findings can help us identify geologically active regions that require particularly close examination for future Venus missions. 

A new Dartmouth study finds that many of Syria's archaeological sites were damaged during Syria's civil war not just by looting but that, in areas occupied by the Turkish military, sites were systematically bulldozed. The findings are published in the journal Heritage.

A team of Virginia Tech geoscientists found a new way to look at the widespread impacts of dams on river temperatures: using Landsat thermal infrared imagery to gather data on rivers across the United States. By using satellite imagery instead of site-specific on-the-ground measurements, researchers can draw from a much larger pool of data.

Existing computer models used to guide decisions about energy infrastructure and contamination often treat microbes as fixed and unchanging, even though they constantly adapt to their surroundings. University of Maine researchers are aiming to close the gap by analyzing microbial genetic information using artificial intelligence to identify the biological processes that most strongly influence underground chemical reactions. Those insights will then be integrated into existing subsurface models, allowing scientists to better simulate how microbes, minerals and groundwater interact in changing environments.

Calculating a fossil’s position throughout geological history is a complex process. In palaeontology and other disciplines, determining a location in the past is quite a challenge that requires refined computational tools to process large volumes of data. Now, the BIOST3 Research Group at the University of Barcelona has designed an open-access web interface for the general public that simplifies this process and facilitates access to high-quality palaeogeographic reconstructions. This innovative tool, the Paleocoordinates Calculator (PACA), will help to overcome the technological barrier to facilitate access to high-quality paleogeographic reconstructions.