Scientists recently concluded an expedition aboard the research vessel JOIDES Resolution to learn more about Atlantis Massif, an undersea mountain, or seamount, that formed in a very different way than the majority of the seafloor in the oceans.

The huge changes in the Earth’s crust that influenced human evolution are being redefined, according to new research. The Great Rift Valley of East Africa — the birthplace of the human species — may have taken much longer to develop than previously believed.

Filmmaker James Cameron descended 35,756 feet (6.77 miles/10.89 km) to reach the “Challenger Deep,” the ocean’s deepest point located in the Mariana Trench, in his specially designed submersible DEEPSEA CHALLENGER. The attempt was part of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific expedition by Cameron, National Geographic and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research and exploration. Cameron is the only individual ever to complete the dive in a solo vehicle and the first person since 1960 to reach the very bottom of the world in a manned submersible.

Scientists have investigated how much carbon the natural forests of Sri Lanka contain. The results are important for work to reduce deforestation of tropical countries, and for international negotiations in climate policy relating to a new climate agreement.

A key NASA instrument that can directly measure the impact of solar events on Earth’s upper atmosphere has weighed in on the huge flare that impacted Earth last week.