Science and Discovery

Carbon Cycle

3 articles

Editorial illustration for How Thawing Permafrost Turns the Arctic Into a Climate Accelerator
Earth & Environment

How Thawing Permafrost Turns the Arctic Into a Climate Accelerator

Thawing Arctic permafrost, a vast reservoir of ancient organic carbon, is releasing greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane. This process creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop, transforming the Arctic from a climate stabilizer into a climate accelerator.

David Grossman·October 29, 2026
Visual representation of the Earth's carbon cycle, illustrating the balance between natural carbon absorption and human-induced emissions impacting atmospheric CO2 levels.
Explainers

How Does the Carbon Cycle Regulate Climate?

In 2024, the global average atmospheric carbon dioxide reached a new record high of 422.

David Grossman·September 14, 2026
A massive seafloor volcano erupts during an ice age, releasing plumes of ash and lava into the deep ocean, impacting the marine environment.
Earth & Environment

Ice Age Sea Level Drops Boosted Seafloor Volcano Activity, Study Finds

Sediment records from the eastern equatorial Pacific reveal that ancient ice ages, by dropping sea levels, supercharged deep-sea volcanoes.

David Grossman·June 10, 2026