Geodynamics

Melting Glaciers Move Lithospheric Plates and Fluctuate Mid-ocean Ridges’ Spreading

Tao Yuan and edited by Prachi Kar June 3, 2026

(Photo by Robin Littlefield, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

The rise and fall of massive ice sheets have shaped Earth’s surface for millions of years, but their influence may extend far deeper than previously recognized. This week in News & Views, Tao Yuan, a PhD student at the University of Colorado Boulder, explores how glacial cycles can alter lithospheric plate motions and even modulate the spreading of mid-ocean ridges. The ongoing melting of glac ...[Read More]

The AI Revolution in Mining: Overhyped, Understood and Absolutely Unavoidable

Nicholas Vafeas and edited by Kleoniki Lydia Theodoridou May 27, 2026

An open-pit mine with a conceptual digital subsurface overlay, illustrating how Artificial Intelligence can help geologists visualise patterns beneath the surface. Source: Nicholas Vafeas

Artificial Intelligence has dominated the world across various sectors. However, it is yet to be decided whether the use of AI in Mineral Exploration (and more broadly in Geosciences) will diminish the expertise and know-how of Geologists or instead provide a valuable tool for the years ahead. In this week’s blog, Dr. Nicholas Vafeas shares his perspective on AI technology in the mining industry a ...[Read More]

“You belong here”: reflections on gender inequality in Academia

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda May 20, 2026

Female support in STEM Earth Sciences. Image generated by IA.

Academia is often imagined as a space driven by merit, curiosity, and scientific collaboration. Still behind publications, conferences, and research achievements, many women in STEM continue to navigate environments shaped by subtle exclusion, normalized inequalities, and power imbalances that are not always openly discussed. In Earth Sciences, where collaboration and field-based research are fund ...[Read More]

Destruction of North China Craton: through the chronotunnel of time

Yu Wang and edited by João Paulo de Souza Bueno May 13, 2026

The Asian continent has fascinated the world for at least 3,000 years with its music, food, and discoveries, as well as its breathtaking landscapes. Most of these incredible landscapes are formed by mountains that can be considered geologically “recent” (such as the Cenozoic formation of the Himalayas). However, there are also ancient terrains, pre-dating the Mesozoic, that pose intrig ...[Read More]