Top 10 Stanford Earth research stories of 2017
From laying the groundwork for a billion-sensor quake network to finding lithium deposits around supervolcanoes, these were our favorite research stories of 2017.
21st-century Earth science is computer intensive and data driven
The satellite and supercomputer are the rock hammer and compass of modern geoscientists whose research spans the gamut from climate change projections and earthquake simulations to energy resources optimization.
Puzzle at the center of the Earth
A chemical reaction between ancient seawater and iron in Earth’s mantle over eons could explain the formation of mysterious blobs in the planet’s interior that dampen passing seismic waves.
Building a ‘billion sensors’ earthquake observatory with optical fibers
The same optical fibers that deliver high-speed internet and HD video to our homes could one day double as seismic sensors for monitoring and studying earthquakes.
Supervolcanoes: A key to America’s electric future?
Most of the lithium used to make the lithium-ion batteries that power modern electronics comes from Australia and Chile. But Stanford scientists say there are large deposits in sources right here in America: supervolcanoes.
Radiated corals of Bikini Atoll may hold insights on cancer
More than 70 years after the U.S. tested atomic bombs on a ring of sand in the Pacific Ocean called Bikini Atoll, Stanford researchers are studying how long-term radiation exposure there has affected corals that normally grow for centuries without developing cancer.
New Techniques for removing carbon from the atmosphere
The world will use 100 million barrels of oil a day for the next 50 years, despite the march toward renewable energy. Will we do that in an uncontrolled way? Stanford Earth researchers are using advanced computer modeling to develop “green oil” practices.
Climate impacts of super-giant oilfields go up with age
Even oilfields aren’t immune to the ravages of time: A new study finds that as some of the world’s largest oilfields age, the energy required to keep them operating can rise dramatically even as the amount of petroleum they produce drops.
Mapping the seawater threat to California Central Coast aquifers
Researchers from Stanford and the University of Calgary have transformed pulses of electrical current sent 1,000 feet underground into a picture of where seawater has infiltrated freshwater aquifers along the Monterey Bay coastline.
Navigating the guts of an ancient submarine canyon
Tourists flock to Point Lobos for its breathtaking coastal views and glimpses of the sea otters and other marine mammals that can be found among its waters. But geologists like Stephen Graham and his colleague Donald Lowe are attracted to Point Lobos for another reason: The weathered rock cropping and loose gravel that line its shores are the remains of an ancient, uplifted submarine canyon that served as a mighty conduit for sediments flowing from beaches and rivers into the deep ocean 55 million years ago.
Stanford researchers measure African farm yields using high-resolution satellites
Stanford researchers have developed a new way to estimate crop yields from space, using high-resolution photos snapped by a new wave of compact satellites.
Media Contacts
Ker Than
School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences
(650) 723-9820, kerthan@stanford.edu
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