NSF's public investment in science, engineering, education and technology helps to create knowledge and sustain prosperity. Read here about the Internet, microbursts, Web browsers, extrasolar planets, and more... a panoply of discoveries and innovations that began with NSF support.

Showing: 1-25 of 25 | Search Discoveries

		Better Prediction Sought for Devastating Floods Research on the geophysical aspects of flooding could be key to developing new, real-time flood warning and forecasting systems Released  September 3, 2009
		Permafrost Could Be Climate's Ticking Time Bomb Researchers conduct fieldwork to track permafrost melting in Alaska and gain insight about the release of carbon into the atmosphere Released  August 5, 2009
		Life Underground Critical to Earth's Ecosystems Scientists travel 'down the rabbit hole' for new view of subterranean biodiversity Released  July 29, 2009
		Caves Reveal Evolution of Ancient Microbes Jenn Macalady's geomicrobiology group is discovering the rules that enable microbes living in dark, oxygen-free environments to adapt and evolve Released  March 27, 2009
		Taking the Pulse of the Forest Michael Loranty describes 'wiring' a forest for research to determine how much water the trees use Released  March 18, 2009
		2008: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities that made news last year Released  March 13, 2009
		Volcanoes, Not Asteroid, May Have Taken Out the Dinosaurs New theory of dinosaurs’ demise looks to India Released  December 8, 2008
		The Bizarre Creatures of Madagascar Paleontologist David Krause describes his search for the ancestors of mammals that live in Madagascar today Released  September 24, 2008
		Crumbling Walls of Ancient Chesapeake Bay Crater Threaten Regional Groundwater Supplies Saltwater intrusion into collapsing crater also allows microbes to flourish Released  August 12, 2008
		Long Wait Before Next China Quake? May 12 earthquake rare and unexpected, geologists discover Released  July 10, 2008
		Fossil Feathers Preserve Evidence of Color Organic material reveals remnants of color pigments Released  July 10, 2008
		Hunt for Fossils Finds Warning for Warming Earth Graduate student Ellen Currano provides a glimpse of paleontological fieldwork, describing how she collects fossil leaves for research studying the effects of climate change on plants and insect herbivores Released  May 27, 2008
		2007: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities reported last year Released  January 30, 2008
		Risky Science at the Top of the World Geology Professor Anne Sheehan recounts obstacles faced doing research in Nepal in September 2001 Released  January 2, 2008
		Feverish Effort Under Way to Understand Mt. Vesuvius Geologist Lucia Gurioli tells how a life-long interest in the A.D. 79 eruption led to her research interest in Vesuvius' volcanic processes Released  December 12, 2007
		Yellowstone Rising Volcano inflating with molten rock at record rate Released  November 13, 2007
		Comet May Have Exploded Over North America 13,000 Years Ago Caused wooly mammoth extinction, global cooling and end of early human Clovis culture Released  August 14, 2007
		Team Selected for the Proposed Design of the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory Released  July 10, 2007
		2006: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported activities highlighted last year Released  January 9, 2007
		Molecules Are Fossils, Too Paleoproteomics lends fresh insight into ancient bones Released  May 17, 2006
		Life Leaves Subtle Signature on Lay of the Land Living things bring out the planet's softer side Released  January 31, 2006
		Deeper View Helps Explain Rio Grande Rift Subsurface revealed down to the Earth's mantle Released  March 1, 2005
		Earth's Core Spins Faster than Earth The motion of the Earth's inner core had never been detected before two seismologists decided to investigate an unproven theory. They discovered that the fast-spinning inner core makes a complete revolution inside the Earth in about 400 years. Released  July 30, 2004
		Pterosaur Heads Were Uniquely Adapted for Flight Taking a high-tech look at fossil skulls, scientists examined the brains of ancient pterosaurs. They found key structures to be specialized and enlarged, a discovery that could revise views of how vision, flight and the brain itself evolved. Released  July 30, 2004
		Deeply Buried Sediments Tell Story of Sudden Mass Extinction Two international teams of researchers recover evidence of a large meteorite that impacted Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago. Released  June 25, 2003