Stories by Shannon Hall

The U.S. Northeast may be more geologically active than thought

The discovery, although mysterious, might provide a new window into the depths of our most familiar star

A new model suggests ice-locked worlds might contain oases of temperate land that could support life

New claims that increased snowfall in eastern regions could offset melting in the western side of the continent might not stand the test of time

Continents and volcanoes nearly came to a halt billions of years ago, creating a huge planetary pressure cooker

Rattlesnake Ridge is collapsing in Washington State. As residents hurry to safety, scientists try to figure out which way rocks will fall

High-pressure experiments explore what it might take to make exoplanets habitable

The unmanned aircraft offer an intimate look at a crater’s fiery inner workings

The massive slabs of Earth’s crust might have started their journey more than 3.5 billion years ago

New findings add a layer of complexity to how highly specialized animals colonized these unique environments

Volcanic eruptions have now been tied to all five major mass extinctions

Some of the universe's most luminous objects have disappeared much faster than expected

A new study finds plate tectonics may be hard to sustain on exoplanets

Although not all the studies agree, most climate scientists argue that, yes, Antarctica is losing mass in a warming world 

A new study sheds light on how damaging black holes can be to the habitability of planets throughout the Milky Way and the universe

Future geologists will find thousands of human-made minerals in the ruins of our civilization

A new study of ancient ash links an El Chichón eruption to a time of inexplicable cultural upheaval in Maya history

A new map of the Milky Way will improve understanding of stellar physics—and ultimately of our galaxy’s entire history

Changing technology and fickle humans are pushing art into the science of aggregating surveys

The Gaia spacecraft’s new chart may drastically improve our understanding of the physics of stars, and ultimately of our galaxy’s entire history

A team of astronomers think the torrid and toxic world was once a cozy home for potential life

Testing the limits of predictions, some geologists say long-silent Colli Albani might be starting a new eruption phase

Now that astronomers have detected gravitational waves, they are seeking the origins behind the black hole duos that give rise to them

Geologists find that ancient underwater structures off Greece were likely created by methane jets and bacteria