Earth news stories

Illinois has become the 11th state in the country to legalize the recreational use and purchase of marijuana.

Lima, Peru’s capital, is running dangerously low on water, but archaeology may provide an answer in the form of a system of water storage developed by the area’s indigenous people 1,400 years ago.

Doubts have swirled around disputed archaeological ‘discoveries’ of this La Ciudad Blanca, but one fact is finally clear: this rich environment, mythical or not, harbours a unique ecosystem of animal life.

A new study suggests the plant could treat bacterial skin infections

A new approach could catalyze solar energy’s potential to create a brighter future for tribal communities facing energy insecurity and high unemployment.

Exactly what will happen when our planet sweeps through the Taurid Complex is unknown, but astronomers are preparing to observe the contents of the cosmic debris.

Americans prefer a space program that focuses on potential asteroid impacts, scientific research and using robots to explore the cosmos over sending humans back to the moon or on to Mars.

The estimated levels of THC in these samples were higher than wild cannabis would normally produce, suggesting intentional cultivation of the plant for its psychoactive powers.

Nasa has warned about the dangers of asteroids in the future – but not this one.

A grape variety still used in wine production in France today can be traced back 900 years to just one ancestral plant, scientists have discovered.

Even religious bodies are seeing the light when it comes to cannabis. The Church of England will relax a self-imposed ban and consider investments in medical marijuana.

An ancient, cosmopolitan lineage of plants is shaking up scientists’ understanding of how quickly species evolve in temperate ecosystems and why.

What would happen if the hands of time were turned back to an arbitrary point in our evolutionary history and we restarted the clock?

The studies suggest a land bridge connected the West Indies with South America 30 million years ago, allowing the slow-moving animals to reach the islands.

Astronomers are now closely monitoring the upcoming Beta Taurids shower after data analysis showed that this year’s event will bring the swarm of meteors closest to Earth.