Earth Sciences
Geomagnetism
Geomagnetism is the branch of geophysics that investigates Earth’s magnetic field, its origins in the planet’s core, its spatial structure, and its variations over timescales from seconds to millions of years. The discipline spans internal field generation by the geodynamo, crustal magnetization, and external sources in the ionosphere and magnetosphere, with applications in navigation, resource exploration, and space-weather hazard mitigation.
Magnetosphere
A magnetosphere is the region of space around an astronomical body where its magnetic field dominates the motion of charged particles. Shaped by interaction with ambient plasma such as the solar wind, magnetospheres include distinct boundaries and current systems, regulate the entry of energy and particles, and play a central role in space weather and atmospheric evolution.
Paleontology
Paleontology is the scientific study of ancient life through the examination of fossils, encompassing the evolution, interactions, and environments of organisms across Earth's history.
Petrichor
Petrichor is the term for the characteristic earthy aroma that arises when rain falls on dry soil. Coined in 1964 by Australian researchers Isabel Joy Bear and R. G. Thomas, the scent reflects a combination of plant-derived oils, microbial metabolites such as geosmin, and physical processes that aerosolize these compounds during light to moderate rainfall.
Volcanology
Volcanology is the scientific study of volcanoes, lava, magma, and related geological phenomena, encompassing their formation, eruption mechanisms, and impacts on the environment and human societies.