Earth Sciences

China says there is no "geopolitical motive" behind the ongoing expansion of its operations in Antarctica, including newly lodged plans for a seasonal station on the icy continent.

Strange, tilted geological formations spotted on Mars may be ancient beaches on the shore of a huge ocean, data from China's Zhurong rover suggests.

Australia's newest icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, will embark on her maiden scientific voyage next week.

The latest eruption of Mount Etna has drawn crowds of tourists to the region, which have congested streets and paths for rescue workers.

Geoscience Australia says Darwin and the Latrobe Valley are more likely to experience "strong ground shaking". The latter is among the sites the Coalition has identified as a potential home for a nuclear reactor. 

From red urchins to orange sea cucumbers, researchers monitoring the fastest-melting glacier in East Antarctica are surprised by new-found biodiversity under the ice at Bunger Hills.

Sea life in Antarctica.

Authorities believe the nation is now "much better prepared" to deal with a tsunami than it was two decades ago, but community awareness is low. 

Today is summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. Here's what you can expect from the "longest day of the year".

Thousands of Australians contribute data to the Bureau of Meteorology, but it's the Nichols family's multi-generational commitment that sets them apart.

The origin of the strange clearing, which is still visible today, was detected by a scientist trawling through satellite data.

Chinese ice-breaker Xue Long stops in at Hobart as a gateway to Antarctica.

Otto and Bruno Bell have always loved the natural world. They have become experts on some of the tiniest snails and weevils, and now a species of weevil is set to be named after them.

Australia has warmed by 1.51 degrees as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. The BOM and CSIRO State of the Climate report shows it has fuelled extreme heat events over land and oceans, longer fire seasons and more intense heavy rainfall.

On the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, near fissures spewing hot water, a submersible stumbled upon a thriving community of animals living in cavities below.

Weather conditions and shifting sands temporarily reveal an ancient "elder" forest on a Tasmanian beach, preserved from thousands of years ago.

Western science has long debated when the towering pillars of the Pinnacles came to be. A new study suggests most of the spires formed when a particularly wet period dissolved the surrounding rock.

Rising a couple of millimetres per year on average, Mt Everest is having a growth spurt. A new study suggests that a "pirated" river thousands of years ago might have given it a boost.

A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years will not be enough to prevent a 15-centimetre sea level rise for Pacific Island nations, according to new research. 

While parts of Australia's east coast are forecast for warm weather, a cold polar air mass is expected to bring rain and temperature declines of up to 20 degrees Celsius across the continent's south-east before the end of the week.