This contribution is part of the special series of Inaugural Articles by members of the National Academy of Sciences elected in 2023. Contributed by Shuhai Xiao; received April 19, 2024; accepted ...

Here are some ways the world might end in ice, according to science fiction. Earth freezes. Humankind’s remnants huddle in ice caves, fending off giant alien monsters (Snowball Earth). Or people ...

The trap was placed beneath a quiet dock near a sewer pipe. Small fish moved through the weeds as the bait slowly sank. When the trap was finally opened, something unexpected appeared. A tiny pleco ...

During these episodes, known as Snowball Earth, ice sheets spread from the poles toward the equator, turning much of the planet into a frozen world. Scientists have shed light on Earth's built-in ...