In May, the Jackson School of Geosciences’ Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course travelled to Port Aransas to gather data on coastal processes in and around Corpus Christi Bay. The class included several field course firsts, including use of a landing craft for deploying instruments in the bay’s shallows, a LIDAR-equipped drone, and extra days for lectures,… Continue Reading Extended Field Course Helps Students Gain New Insights into Texas Coastal Geology – Banner

The oceans help to limit global warming by soaking up carbon dioxide emissions. But scientists have discovered that intense warming in the future could lessen that ability, leading to even more severe warming. The discovery comes from a study led by The University of Texas at Austin in which researchers analyzed a climate simulation configured… Continue Reading Ocean Surface Tipping Point Could Accelerate Climate Change – Banner

An everyday quirk of physics could be an important missing piece in scientists’ efforts to predict the world’s most powerful earthquakes. In a study published in the journal Science, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin discovered that a frictional phenomenon could be key to understanding when and how violently faults move. That’s because… Continue Reading Earthquake Scientists Have a New Tool in the Race to Find the Next Big One – Banner

The tropical oceans are home to the most diverse plankton populations on Earth, where they form the base of marine food chains. Modern plankton biodiversity in the tropics is a surprisingly recent development and the result of 8 million years of global cooling, according to a study led by researchers at The University of Texas… Continue Reading Climate Change Could Cause Mass Exodus of Tropical Plankton – Banner

Scientists have discovered a new layer of partly molten rock under the Earth’s crust that might help settle a long-standing debate about how tectonic plates move. Researchers had previously identified patches of melt at a similar depth. But a new study led by The University of Texas at Austin revealed for the first time the… Continue Reading Scientists Detect Molten Rock Layer Hidden Under Earth’s Tectonic Plates – cover