EurekAlert! News by Subject: Earth Science - News by Subject: Earth Science

Earth Science

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Apr-2026 08:15 ET (3-Apr-2026 12:15 GMT/UTC)

2-Apr-2026

Biochar reshapes soil chemistry to lock toxic arsenic and cadmium, offering a new predictive model for cleanup

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

Heavy metal contamination in soils remains a persistent global challenge, threatening food safety, water quality, and ecosystem health. Now, a new study offers both a clearer understanding of how biochar stabilizes toxic metals and a predictive framework to guide more effective remediation strategies.

Journal: Biochar

2-Apr-2026

Wildfires accelerate winter snowmelt in Oregon's western Cascades, PSU study finds

Portland State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The Pacific Northwest has seen below-normal snow this season — and new research from Portland State University suggests that the region's snowmelt-dependent water resources could face growing challenges in the years ahead as forest fires and winter rainstorms become more frequent.

Journal: Environmental Research Communications

2-Apr-2026

Biochar and plant ash combination restores soil health and protects crops from disease

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

A new study reveals that a simple combination of biochar and plant ash can restore soil health, reduce plant disease, and improve crop resilience by reshaping the hidden ecosystem around plant roots.

Journal: Biochar

2-Apr-2026

When iron misleads: Biochar’s pollution-fighting power depends on hidden chemistry

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

Biochar, a carbon-rich material made from plant waste, is widely promoted as a sustainable solution for removing pollutants from water and soil. However, new research reveals that its effectiveness may be more complex than previously thought, especially when iron is present.

Journal: Biochar

2-Apr-2026

Magnetic biochar gel offers breakthrough solution for arsenic and antimony contamination in rice fields

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A newly developed magnetic biochar material could help farmers grow safer rice in soils contaminated with toxic elements, while also improving crop yields and soil health.

Journal: Biochar

2-Apr-2026

First cataloguing of lakes beneath the Canadian Arctic

University of Waterloo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have created the first map of a network of subglacial lakes in the Canadian Arctic showing 33 bodies of water under glaciers.

Using a decade of ArcticDEM satellite data of the Earth’s surface height, a team of researchers including the University of Waterloo developed a method that allowed them to track the draining and filling of active subglacial lakes in unprecedented detail.

2-Apr-2026

Spectacular fossil treasure trove pushes back origins of complex animals

University of Oxford
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A newly discovered fossil site in southwest China has transformed our understanding of how complex animal life emerged on Earth, revealing that many key animal groups had already evolved before the start of the Cambrian Period. The study, led by researchers at Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History and Department of Earth Sciences as well as Yunnan University in China, has been published today (02 April) in Science.

Journal: Science