Our Ever Changing Earth (July 2005)
Special Editions

Cover; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

A Deeper Understanding; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Mariette DiChristina; 1 Page(s)

Letter from the Editor

Table of Contents; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Staff Editor; 2 Page(s)

The Evolution of Earth; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Claude J. All¿gre and Stephen H. Schneider; 10 Page(s)

The evolution of this planet and its atmosphere gave rise to life, which shaped Earth's subsequent development. Our future lies in interpreting this geologic past and considering what changes--good and bad--may lie ahead

Earth before Pangaea; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Ian W. D. Dalziel; 8 Page(s)

The North American continent may be more nomadic than most of its inhabitants

The Mid-Cretaceous Superplume Episode; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Roger L. Larson; 6 Page(s)

Earth has an erratic "heartbeat" that can release vast amounts of heat from deep within the planet. The latest "pulse" occurred 120 million years ago

Probing the Geodynamo; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Gary A. Glatzmaier and Peter Olson; 8 Page(s)

Scientists have wondered why the polarity of Earth's magnetic field occasionally reverses. Recent studies offer intriguing clues about how the next reversal may begin

The Core-Mantle Boundary; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Raymond Jeanloz and Thorne Lay; 8 Page(s)

This interactive zone may be the most dynamic part of the planet, directly affecting Earth's rotation and magnetic field

The Evolution of Continental Crust; Our Ever Changing Earth; by S. Ross Taylor and Scott M. McLennan; 6 Page(s)

The high-standing continents owe their existence to Earth's long history of plate-tectonic activity

Panoramas of the Seafloor; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Lincoln F. Pratson and William F. Haxby; 6 Page(s)

Modern sonar techniques map the continental margins of the U.S. and reveal the richly varied scenery usually hidden underwater

Sculpting Earth from Inside Out; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Michael Gurnis; 8 Page(s)

Powerful motions deep inside the planet do not merely shove fragments of the rocky shell horizontally around the globe--they also lift and lower entire continents

Earth's Mantle below the Oceans; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Enrico Bonatti; 10 Page(s)

Samples collected from the ocean floor reveal how the mantle's convective forces shape Earth's surface, create its crust and perhaps even affect its rotation

How Erosion Builds Mountains; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Nicholas Pinter and Mark T. Brandon; 8 Page(s)

An understanding of how tectonic, erosional and climatic forces interact to shape mountains permits clearer insights into Earth's history

Earthquake Conversations; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Ross S. Stein; 8 Page(s)

Contrary to prevailing wisdom, large earthquakes can trigger or inhibit one another in unexpected ways. This exciting discovery could dramatically improve scientists' ability to pinpoint future shocks

The Threat of Silent Earthquakes; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Peter Cervelli; 6 Page(s)

A lack of rumbling does not necessarily make an earthquake harmless. Some of the quiet types could presage devasting tsunamis or larger, ground-shaking shocks

New Light on Deep Earthquakes; Our Ever Changing Earth; by Harry W. Green II; 9 Page(s)

Until about 15 years ago, it was a mystery how deep earthquakes could occur. Recent results have now demonstrated mechanisms for such rock failures at great depths