Upending an evolutionary theory proposed in the 1950s, scientists have found that the groups most resistant to extinction also contain the greatest ecological diversity – their members perform a larger number of different functions in ecosystems.
"It's not a surprise that no one would support Yucca," says Stanford's Rodney Ewing, who led a 2018 study that recommended moving responsibility for disposing of nuclear waste to an independent nonprofit corporation.
After a rigorous selection process, Stanford Geological and Environmental Sciences alumna Jessica Watkins, BS '10, has been selected as one of the five women to join NASA as an active astronaut.
Nuclear waste must be moved to dry-cast storage, which "is probably safe for tens of hundreds of years but shouldn’t be considered a final solution," says Rod Ewing .
The world's oldest trees, like those at Cairo, have a big effect on the ancient climate though weathering that causes chemical reactions, says Kevin Boyce.
How did those planets form? Could they exist in our universe? Could Star Wars really happen? Stanford Earth experts on planetary formation, processes and habitability discuss the science behind the fictional saga.
Mathieu Lapôtre's research helps quantify how vegetation influences river mobility and proposes a new theory on how river movement may have influenced ancient Earth’s climate.
Stanford faculty, students and scholars will join researchers from the Earth and planetary sciences and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations and discussions about the world’s most pressing challenges Dec. 9-13 in San Francisco.
