Becca Owen

Nationwide Soil Microbiome Mapping Project Connects Students and Scientists - Eos Researchers and students are building a comprehensive picture of the microbial life beneath our feet.

This was a fantastic project to learn and write about! eos.org/articles/nat...

What Salty Water Means for Wild Horses - Eos New research monitors how saltwater intrusion is affecting the behaviors of Shackleford Banks’s wild horses.

Increased salinity may be affecting wild horses on the island of Shackleford Banks, North Carolina, says a new study by Matthew Sirianni from @eastcarolinauniv.bsky.social, with comments from Linda Kuhn at the National Park Service, story by @beccapox.bsky.social. #AGU25

Tracing Fire, Rain, and Herbivores in the Serengeti - Eos Increasing amounts of rain fuel grass growth across the ecosystem and, consequently, the cycles of wildfire and animal migration.

🎶 I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen gnus on the Serengeti Plain.🎶

eos.org/articles/tra...

Tracing Fire, Rain, and Herbivores in the Serengeti - Eos Increasing amounts of rain fuel grass growth across the ecosystem and, consequently, the cycles of wildfire and animal migration.

New research to be presented by Megan Donaldson @nichinstitute.bsky.social at #AGU25 examines feedbacks among plants, herbivores, fire, and rainfall in the Serengeti.

Comments from Monica Bond @ University of Zurich & Wild Nature Instititue, story by @beccapox.bsky.social. eos.org/articles/tra...

How Algae Helped Some Life Outlast Extinction - Eos Cooler waters near Norway’s north provided a refuge for phytoplankton during the Great Dying, a new study suggests.

Cooler, relatively high-latitude marine environments may have been refuges for species escaping volatile climate conditions during “The Great Dying” 252 million years ago, new research suggests. #AGUEos

⬆️ New work from @jon-chase03.bsky.social @idiv-research.bsky.social and colleagues, input from Thales A.P. West @vuamsterdam.bsky.social, story from @beccapox.bsky.social.

Upgrading Tsunami Warning Systems for Faster and More Accurate Alerts - Temblor.net Tsunami early warning systems offer important information about impending waves. New systems can increase the timeliness and accuracy of warnings.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox and @bec...

Tsunami early warning systems offer important information about impending waves. New systems, like one that uses prompt elastogravity signals (or PEGS) can increase the timeliness and accuracy of warnings. For more, check out Temblor's latest, by @beccapox.bsky.social

temblor.net/earthquake-i...

Free-Roaming Bison Graze Life into Grasslands - Eos A new study suggests that Yellowstone’s herd of bison accelerates nutrient cycling, offering a glimpse into the North American plains of yesteryear.

New article at @eos.org today! 🦬🦬🦬

Nitrogen Needs Could Be Limiting Nature’s Carbon Capacity - Eos A new study suggests that past calculations of biological nitrogen fixation were overestimated by up to 66%—and that farms growing nitrogen-fixing crops may be filling in the gaps, for better or worse...

Natural plants may be getting less nitrogen than we thought, which could be interfering with their ability to uptake carbon dioxide. eos.org/articles/nit...

Does the atmosphere harbour a resident, growing microbial ecosystem? ⛅

Our @jgrbiogeo.bsky.social article is covered in @eos.org access via the link below 👇

@drmartinezrabert.bsky.social @mioceanologie.bsky.social @cnrs.fr @cnrsecologie.bsky.social @cnrs-insu.bsky.social

Earthquake science illuminates landslide behavior - Temblor.net How scientists model slow-slip earthquakes can also help them understand slow-moving landslides, a common hazard along the West Coast.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox)   Citation:Owen, R....

Temblor's latest, by @beccapox.bsky.social, looks at how modeling of slow-slip earthquakes can also help scientists understand slow-moving landslides, a common hazard along the U.S. West Coast. ⚒️

temblor.net/earthquake-i...

Policy Success: Fees and Bans on Plastic Bags Reduce Beach Trash - Eos Regardless of the patchwork of regulations aimed at limiting plastic bag use in the United States, new research indicates that such legislation does, indeed, limit the number of plastic bags found on ...

Good news: A new study by @annapappp.bsky.social @mit.edu and @kimberlyoremus.bsky.social @udelaware.bsky.social suggests that bans and fees on plastic bags are successful in reducing the number of plastic bags that end up on beaches. eos.org/articles/pol...

Coherent, Not Chaotic, Migration in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna River - Eos The channel threads in braided river systems may be more predictable than previously thought.

The behavior of this river in Bangladesh may be more predictable than previously thought.

An Ancient Warming Event May Have Lasted Longer Than We Thought - Eos New research on the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum used probabilistic analysis to learn more about its duration and how long modern warming could affect the carbon cycle.

Understanding the duration of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum could help scientists better understand the potential effects of modern anthropogenic climate change.

“Thirstwaves” Are Growing More Common Across the United States - Eos Like heat waves, these periods of high atmospheric demand for water can damage crops and ecosystems and increase pressure on water resources. New research shows they’re becoming more severe.

You’ve heard of heat waves. What about thirstwaves?

Anatomy of a tsunami warning - Temblor.net A December 2024 earthquake that occurred off California’s coast highlights concerns surrounding how tsunami risk is communicated.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox.bsky.social)   Citation: ...

In December 2024, an offshore earthquake near the Mendocino Triple Junction triggered a tsunami warning along parts of the U.S. West Coast. This piece, by @beccapox.bsky.social, explores why the warning was issued and some confusion that resulted.

temblor.net/earthquake-i...

Anatomy of a tsunami warning - Temblor.net A December 2024 earthquake that occurred off California’s coast highlights concerns surrounding how tsunami risk is communicated.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox.bsky.social)   Citation: ...

Another new article in @temblorinc.bsky.social on tsunami warnings. Good info for Bay Area friends! temblor.net/earthquake-i...

Virtual Fences, a Rancher’s New Best Friend? A new study from Oklahoma State University shows the potential benefits of virtual fences to grassland birds and pollinators.

New article in @barnraiser.bsky.social—virtual fences are good for grasses and pollinators! 🐝

Water Stored in the Mantle for Millions of Years May Be Linked to Continental Volcanism - Eos New research shows that intraplate volcanism is more likely to occur over areas of the mantle that are more hydrated—particularly those that have been hydrated for a long, long time.

Intraplate volcanism may be linked to hydration levels in the mantle.

eos.org/research-spo...

Food Insecurity Is Linked to Heart Disease and Diabetes in the United States - Eos A new study examines the geographic and demographic connections between health and a lack of consistent access to food, finding that this link is particularly strong in the South.

Those facing food insecurity in the U.S. are also more likely to experience diabetes and heart disease, especially in southern states, according to new research from
@agugeohealth.bsky.social. Words by @beccapox.bsky.social. eos.org/research-spo...

Where the Wetlands Are - Eos Researchers have crafted the most comprehensive map yet of Europe’s wetlands.

Wetlands are not wastelands. A new map by Alexandra Barthelmes and colleagues at @greifswaldmoor.bsky.social catalogs the richness of Europe’s wetlands, with comments from @christiandunn and story by @beccapox.bsky.social

Megadroughts Have Grown in Size and Scope - Eos A new study maps and ranks the largest, longest-lasting, and most severe multiyear droughts from 1980 to 2018.

Megadroughts are on the rise. eos.org/articles/meg...

Take your giant hailstones to the dentist! 🩻🌩️🌨️

Aerosols Could Be Weakening Summertime Circulation - Eos Anthropogenic aerosol emissions may be a culprit behind weakening jet streams and weather systems in the Northern Hemisphere.

Aerosols are teeny tiny, but they can have a major influence on weather. #AGUPubs

Here’s How the Hunga Tonga Eruption Sounded - Eos New Zealanders’ experiences during the Hunga Volcano’s eruption match seismic monitoring data.

People around Aotearoa New Zealand heard the Hunga Volcano erupt. What do those sounds tell scientists about the eruption?

Here’s How the Hunga Tonga Eruption Sounded - Eos New Zealanders’ experiences during the Hunga Volcano’s eruption match seismic monitoring data.

People around Aotearoa New Zealand heard the Hunga Volcano erupt. What do those sounds tell scientists about the eruption?

eos.org/articles/her...

The science of how lost dogs find their way home Wayward canines use powerful senses, including possibly tracking Earth’s magnetic field, to travel back to their owners.

New article this week—lost dogs! Magnets! 🐕‍🦺🧭

A new metric shows which countries experience disproportionate earthquake casualties - Temblor.net A new system for cataloguing earthquake fatalities suggests that five countries have suffered the greatest loss of life over the past 500 years.

@beccapox.bsky.social's latest piece for Temblor explores a new metric to better quantify just which countries are most vulnerable when a major earthquake strikes -- earthquake fatality load. Topping the list: Ecuador, Lebanon, Haiti, Turkmenistan, and Portugal. ⚒️🧪

temblor.net/temblor/new-...

A clearer picture of Cascadia emerges from modern mapping - Temblor.net Information gathered during a 2021 marine research expedition offers insight into the possible behavior of the Pacific Northwest’s most enigmatic fault.

For temblor, @beccapox.bsky.social talked with scientists about a new study of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. In this work, the team imaged the megathrust in unprecedented detail. Findings can illuminate the risk posed to coastal communities by "the really big one" ⚒️🧪

temblor.net/temblor/clea...