EPS News

Scientists have long known that biodiversity has increased over geological time, but corresponding trends for the sheer abundance of living things have never been calculated, until now. The findings add to data suggesting that conserving biodiversity is essential for the health of humans and our planet.

During the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s 2025 diploma ceremony, Dean Arun Majumdar reminded new graduates that inquiry is the source of innovation. Plus, Centennial Teaching Assistant Awards and EPS Department Studnet Awardees.

New research shows that elevation changes and earthquakes in Italy’s Campi Flegrei volcanic area are caused by rising pressure in a geothermal reservoir – not magma or its gases, as commonly thought. Channeling water runoff or lowering groundwater levels could reduce risks for surrounding communities.

In honor of Earth Day, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability community members share what energizes them about sustainability efforts locally and around the world.

Schaefer discusses the recent excitement over a detection of possible hints of biological life on planet K2-18b.

Sustainability Accelerator Innovations Tackle Greenhouse Gas Removal: At the start of Associate Professor Jane Willenbring’s talk, a crinkling sound filled the room: earthworms burrowing through the soil. She explained how worms sequester carbon and why she believes the project can scale, using the fishing industry’s worm production for bait as a successful model that could be emulated.

For millions of years after the end-Permian mass extinction, the same few marine survivor species show up as fossils all over the planet. A new study reveals what drove this global biological uniformity.

Stanford scientists discuss the social and environmental costs of mining sand from the ocean and sand’s role in climate adaptation.

Ermakov combines planetary science and exploration to learn new – and often surprising – details about the structure and evolution of planetary bodies.

A search for ancient deposits of sandy material expected at continental margins has come up empty. Stephan Graham bridges a prominent geological gap that hints at poorly understood, powerful, global-scale erosion processes, illustrating profound changes caused by climate upheaval.

A search for ancient deposits of sandy material expected at continental margins has come up empty. This prominent geological gap hints at poorly understood, powerful, global-scale erosion processes, illustrating profound changes caused by climate upheaval.

The shapes and textures of quartz grains speak to the processes that molded and transported them. A new tool from Stanford researchers, Michael Hasson and Mathieu Lapôtre, enables quick, accurate, insightful analysis of this sand, which can be used in geology, geoarchaeology, forensics, and more.

The shapes and textures of quartz grains speak to the processes that molded and transported them. A new tool from Stanford researchers enables quick, accurate, insightful analysis of this sand, which can be used in geology, geoarchaeology, forensics, and more.

His research spanned mineralogy, geochemistry, materials science, nuclear materials, physics, and chemistry, leading to the development of techniques to predict the long-term behavior of materials used in radioactive waste disposal.

His research spanned mineralogy, geochemistry, materials science, nuclear materials, physics, and chemistry, leading to the development of techniques to predict the long-term behavior of materials used in radioactive waste disposal.

New research provides the clearest evidence to date that a rapid burst of evolution 540 million years ago could have been caused by a small increase in oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere and shallow ocean waters.

Emily Snell, BSH Geological Sciences ’24, is passionate about studying how to mitigate hazards from volcanic eruptions to nearby communities, and connects these interests to global challenges like climate change.

On April 8, hundreds of members of the Stanford community gathered on the Oval as part of the earth and planetary sciences (EPS) department’s watch party for the partial solar eclipse, complete with informational guides and free solar viewing glasses.

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) is hosting a viewing event from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Oval for members of the Doerr School of Sustainability and other Stanford community members. Viewing glasses will be provided for 300 attendees. 

Kemi Ashing-Giwa was in the middle of a college biology class, learning about Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (aka the zombie-ant fungus), when an idea sprang to mind. “I was like, ‘Ah, I love fungi. I’m going to write a short story about fungus zombies.’” As soon as class ended, she opened a Google document and began.

A Stanford dune expert discusses watching desert-based movies from the perspective of a geoscientist, the realities of otherworldly dunes, and what his research can tell us about the ancient environment of Earth and other planets.