Amber in Cretaceous Sea Deposits Contains Traces of Ancient Large-Scale Tsunamis

Large amber deposits discovered in northern Japan were likely swept out from a forest to the ocean by one or more tsunamis between 116 and 114 million years ago (Early Cretaceous epoch), according to new research led by the Geological Survey of Japan and Chuo University. Amber deposit from Shimonakagawa Quarry in northern Hokkaido, Japan. Image credit: Kubota et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-96498-2. Traces of ancient tsunamis are hard to identify, as the waves can reshape coastlines and the deposits they leave can be difficult to distinguish from those caused by other high-energy events, such as storms. However, amber, formed on

Silica Secrets: Earth's Organisms and the Art of Mineral Crafting

 Silicon metabolism, or biosilicification, is a critical biological process in various Earth organisms, particularly diatoms, marine sponges, horsetails, and rice plants. These organisms utilize silicon, primarily in the form of silicic acid, to construct intricate and robust structures while maintaining carbon-based biochemistry. Diatoms produce silica frustules that significantly influence marine ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles. Similarly, marine sponges and certain plants like horsetails and rice incorporate silica into their tissues for structural support and stress resilience. This paper explores the mechanisms of silicon uptake and utilization across these organisms and highlights the implications for materials science and biotechnology. Understanding natural silicon metabolism provides insights into evolutionary adaptations and inspires innovative applications in nanotechnology and sustainable materials development.

‘Ramming mass industry is fatal for workers’

Twenty-two years ago, I began addressing silicosis in India’s ramming mass industry, driven by my father’s experience of witnessing its devastating effects in o

How Silica Gel Took Over the World

Silica gel packets seem like the only thing keeping our packaged food crispy and our belongings free of mildew. How on earth did they all get here?

SciTech Chronicles. . . . . . . . .Mar 15th, 2025

  Mundus sine Caesaribus Vol II No 67 299 links Curated Nanomaterials could be used in more accurate sensors for healthcare. https://www.sci...

Quartz discovered for the first time on Mars by the Perseverance rover, attesting to ancient water circulation on the Red Planet – Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie

Silicic acid limitation drives bloom termination and potential carbon sequestration in an Arctic bloom - Scientific Reports

The spring diatom bloom in the Arctic Ocean accounts for significant annual primary production leading to the most rapid annual drawdown of water-column pCO2. Late-winter waters in the Atlantic Arctic & Subarctic Provinces (AASP) have lower silicic acid concentrations than nitrate, which suggests diatom blooms may deplete Si before N. Here we test a facet of the hypothesis that silicic acid limitation terminates the spring diatom bloom in the AASP and the sinking of the senescent and dead diatoms helps drive carbon sequestration. During a 6-week study, diatoms bloomed and progressively consumed silicic acid to where it limited their growth. The onset of growth limitation was concurrent with the minimum pCO2 in the surface waters and increases in both the proportion of dead diatoms and the diatom assemblage sedimentation rate. Data reanalysis within the AASP shows a highly significant and positive correlation between silicic acid and pCO2 in the surface waters, but no significant relationship with nitrate and pCO2 was observed unless data were smoothed. Therefore, understanding the future of the AASP spring diatom bloom requires models that explicitly consider changes in silicic acid supply as a driver of this process.

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