Blog
Mapping the Hidden Boundary Where Land Meets the Sea in Coastal Critical Zones
Stand on a beach at low tide, and you’ll see the waves pull back to reveal sand, rocks, and the occasional crab scuttling away. ...
The Future of Critical Zone Science and Why It Matters for Every Living Being
When scientists talk about the Critical Zone, they’re not tossing around jargon for the fun of it. They’re pointing to the planet’s most vital ...
Why the Closure of the Critical Zone Collaborative Network Could Change Environmental Research
For years, scientists studying the “skin of the Earth”—that fragile layer from bedrock to treetops we call the Critical Zone—have relied on a rare ...
Saltwater Intrusion Is Threatening Coastal Homes – Here’s What Scientists Are Finding
It’s one thing when storms or hurricanes batter coastal towns—you can see the damage, you can patch roofs, you can rebuild docks. But what ...
A Historical Look at How Critical Zone Observatories Changed Earth Science Forever
It’s wild to think about how much we take soil, water, and rocks for granted—until you realize those hidden layers of Earth are basically ...
Ghost Forests Are Spreading Along Coastlines – A Silent Sign of Climate Change
A few decades ago, if you walked along the Carolina coast or even parts of the Chesapeake Bay, you’d have found thick stands of ...
How Big Data Is Revolutionizing Our Understanding of Earth’s Surface
It’s funny—most of us scroll through satellite images on Google Maps like it’s nothing, zooming in on our childhood home or the street corner ...
Inside the Critical Zone Collaborative Network – What It Is and Why It Was Created
If you’ve ever looked down at the ground beneath your feet and thought, “Well, it’s just dirt,” you’d be missing the point entirely. The ...
Life in the Drylands – How the Critical Zone Supports Survival in Harsh Climates
Life in the drylands is a bit like watching nature pull off a magic trick. You look out across what seems like an endless ...
The Urban Critical Zone – How Cities Are Altering the Planet’s Natural Systems
It’s easy to forget, when you’re rushing through a crowded subway station or staring up at a glass tower, that cities are more than ...