We all know Earth is special, but we may not fully appreciate how good we have it on this planet. Unlike its planetary neighbors, Earth has remained habitable for billions of years thanks to a ...

Similar processes are likely for other essential trace elements, such as iron or manganese, which are crucial for marine ecosystems and the carbon cycle. "Our research shows that mangroves play a ...

Viruses play a major role in the functioning of ecosystems. They profoundly influence the dynamics of microbial communities, flow of matter and global biogeochemical cycles. Yet despite their ...

Life on Earth has long been understood to run on two main energy sources. One comes from sunlight, captured by photosynthesis. The other comes from chemical reactions, such as microbes feeding on ...

Freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, play a critical role in sustaining biodiversity, regulating biogeochemical cycles, and ...

The remnants of ice attached to the coast offer astounding insights into the climate history of past millennia. An international research team led by the CNR Institute of Polar Sciences (Italy) and ...