Carl Zimmer

The Loom

Hobbit Update

A cluster of pyroxene and plagioclase feldspar crystals from Edison Butte in Oregon seen in doubly polarized light. Credit: Erik Klemetti

A cluster of crystals

Ever wonder how Earth scientists examine rocks? We cut them up and throw them under a microscope ... and then everything seems different.

Examining Rocks Under the Microscope 

Eye level with a grey seal

Humans can't sense their own oxygen levels, but seals can, and it makes diving longer and safer.

How Can Seals Hold Their Breath for an Hour or More?

Looking south from near a pullout along the Mammoth to Norris road just north of the Nymph Lake overlook. On the other side of the marsh is a tree-covered rhyolite lava flow, and at the base of the flow is a new thermal feature marked by a plume of steam and that formed in early August 2024.  (Image Courtesy of: Mike Poland, USGS, September 1, 2024./Public Domain)

New Nymph Lake feature

Learn more about this new hydrothermal feature that could be connected to one from Yellowstone’s past. 

New Hydrothermal Feature Emerges at Yellowstone National Park 

Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba). (Image Credit: Nicole Hellessey)

Antarctic krill

Learn more about how the smell of penguin poo causes krill to stop eating and move frantically. 

The Scent of Penguin Poo Causes Krill to Zigzag Away

Ferruaspis brocksi is the first fossil freshwater Australian Smelt to be found in Australia. (Image Courtesy of: Laura Martin)

Well preserved fish fossil shows stomach content

An unusually well-preserved Australian fossil reveals details about the diet, behavior, and appearance of a 15-million-year-old aquatic species.

Stunning New Fossil Find Shows Stomach Contents and Color of Ancient Fish

Mount Spurr in Alaska erupting in August 1992. Credit: R.G. McGimsey, Alaska Volcano Observatory / U.S. Geological Survey

Spurr Erupting in 1992

With Spurr rumbling near Anchorage, let's look at some of the largest eruptions in the most volcanically active state of the U.S.

Alaska's Largest Eruptions in the Past 10,000 Years

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