The water cycle, or hydrologic cycle, is the continuous circulation of water within the Earth–atmosphere system, driven primarily by solar radiation and gravity. It encompasses phase changes and fluxes such as evaporation and transpiration from surface and biotic reservoirs, condensation in the atmosphere, cloud formation, and subsequent precipitation as rain, snow, or other hydrometeors. Infiltration, percolation, and groundwater flow redistribute water within subsurface reservoirs, while surface runoff and riverine transport return water to oceans and lakes. The water cycle regulates climate, controls energy and mass exchanges, and governs biogeochemical transport across terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric compartments.
A Florida State University paleoclimatologist led the creation of a global database hosting thousands of seawater isotope measurements collected over almost 50 years that will aid scientists in generating more accurate climate ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 14, 2026
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While Reno families were celebrating the 1997 New Year, the Truckee River was surging into the city's downtown streets. A rainstorm was falling on the Sierra Nevada's deep snowpack, melting it rapidly and creating a hazardous ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 16, 2026
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Planting trees is widely promoted as a natural solution to climate change. But a new study led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences finds that the hydrological consequences ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 15, 2026
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60
Nitrate pollution is a growing global environmental challenge due to the extensive use of fertilizer. A study published in Science, led by the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) with the Helmholtz ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 12, 2026
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Human activities have significantly altered the freshwater cycle, threatening its ability to support vital climatic and ecological Earth system processes. A new study led by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 9, 2026
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60
A collaboration of scientists from NASA and Brazilian research institutions has produced a detailed picture of groundwater change across Brazil. The images reveal significant declines in some of the aquifers that are critical ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 8, 2026
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15
About two-thirds of the U.S. is in some stage of drought in late spring 2026, yet at the same time the country has been seeing more intense downpours. It might seem contradictory, but both are symptoms of rising global temperatures.
Environment
May 26, 2026
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14
The volume of water drawn from Scotland's rivers and lochs by the agricultural sector surged by more than 500% during periods of water scarcity in recent years, new research has found. The University of Strathclyde study ...
Environment
May 18, 2026
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10
Grasslands, covering 40% of Earth's vegetated surface, play a crucial role in the global carbon balance but are increasingly threatened by climate-driven water scarcity. A new study published in Science Advances finds, however, ...
Earth Sciences
May 13, 2026
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8
The "Asian Water Towers" (AWTs), a high-altitude region with a mean elevation exceeding 4,000 meters, serve as the primary freshwater source for nearly 2 billion people. While the Indian summer monsoon is well known for shaping ...
Earth Sciences
May 12, 2026
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