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Weizmann Institute of Science
Faculty of Chemistry
Department ofEarth and Planetary Sciences
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  • Date: February 23, 2021

    Carbon and oxygen isotopes in cave formations as a climatic archive

    Cave formations, known as speleothems, grow slowly, layer by layer in karstic caves made of limestone for thousands of years, during which carbonate minerals precipitate from groundwater that drips and flows over the speleothem surface. In new research conducted by Dr. Ziv Sade and Prof. Itay Halevy from the department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the Weizmann Institute, together with colleagues from the University of Mainz, they investigated the potential effect of speleothem geometry on its isotopic composition.

    Read More about Carbon and oxygen isotopes in cave formations as a climatic archive
    Read More about Carbon and oxygen isotopes in cave formations as a climatic archive
  • Date: January 28, 2021

    In honor of Tu Bishvat, the holiday of trees – where to plant a forest?

    In the year 2000, Prof. Dan Yakir, the 2019 Israel prize recipient for Earth sciences, established the research station in the Yatir forest in order to explore the interplay between vegetation, the atmosphere, and the climate system. Recent findings from data analysis of the measurements conducted at the station indicate a considerable carbon sink potential in semiarid soils and forest plantations, and imply that afforestation of even 10% of semiarid land area under conditions similar to that of the study site, could sequester ~400 billion kg of carbon per year over several decades.

    Read More about In honor of Tu Bishvat, the holiday of trees – where to plant a forest?
    Read More about In honor of Tu Bishvat, the holiday of trees – where to plant a forest?
  • Date: January 18, 2021

    Introducing Rei Chemke, the newest faculty member at the EPS

    2020 wasn’t the easiest year, one might say it was somewhat apocalyptic. Still, it also had some bright moments. One of them, for the department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, was the addition of Rei Chemke as a principal investigator. Rei’s research focuses on climate dynamics. He’s interested in large scale processes, particularly in the atmospheric and oceanic flows, temperature and sea ice due to both natural and anthropogenic processes.

    Read More about Introducing Rei Chemke, the newest faculty member at the EPS
    Read More about Introducing Rei Chemke, the newest faculty member at the EPS
  • Date: January 13, 2021

    The most accurate clock of its kind to be sent to Jupiter

    Israelis are not usually known for their exceptional punctuality, but Prof. Yohai Kaspi and Dr. Eli Galanti of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Earth and Planetary Sciences designed a clock so accurate, it will lose less than a second in ten million years. Kaspi is the PI of the atmospheric science experiment of the European Space Agency’s JUICE mission to Jupiter. The clock will be used to perform atmospheric radio-occultations of Jupiter in order to study the properties of its atmosphere.

    Read More about The most accurate clock of its kind to be sent to Jupiter
    Read More about The most accurate clock of its kind to be sent to Jupiter
  • Date: December 22, 2020

    Plastic is Blowing in the Wind

    As the plastic in our oceans breaks up into smaller and smaller bits without breaking down chemically, the resulting microplastics are becoming a serious ecological problem. A new study at the Weizmann Institute of Science reveals a troubling aspect of microplastics – defined as particles smaller than 5 mm across. They are swept up into the atmosphere and carried on the wind to far-flung parts of the ocean, including those that appear to be clear.

    Read More about Plastic is Blowing in the Wind
    Read More about Plastic is Blowing in the Wind
  • Date: November 25, 2020

    Entering the Cloud “Twilight Zone”

    Clouds: We see them as objects with clear-cut shapes and outlines. The satellites that collect cloud data and the climate models built on this data work on this supposition as well. But the line between “cloudy” and “clear” is much hazier than we think.

    Read More about Entering the Cloud “Twilight Zone”
    Read More about Entering the Cloud “Twilight Zone”
  • Date: October 27, 2020

    Cool in the Shade: How Ice Could Exist Near the Lunar Surface

    If humans are to establish any sort of settlement on the Moon, they might do so near one of its poles, where its meager supply of water is stored in the form of ice. That ice has been detected in difficult-to-reach spots: at the bottoms of large, deep craters, down where sunshine cannot reach and temperatures remain below -160o Centigrade.

    Read More about Cool in the Shade: How Ice Could Exist Near the Lunar Surface
    Read More about Cool in the Shade: How Ice Could Exist Near the Lunar Surface
  • Date: October 25, 2020

    Congratulations to Prof. Brian Berkowitz

    Awarded the 2021 John Dalton Medal by the European Geosciences Union
  • Date: July 29, 2020

    Congratulations to Prof. Yinon Rudich

    Elected as a Member of the Academia Europaea
  • Date: June 27, 2020

    The Magnetic History of Ice

    The history of our planet has been written, among other things, in the periodic reversal of its magnetic poles. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science propose a new means of reading this historic record: in ice.

    Read More about The Magnetic History of Ice
    Read More about The Magnetic History of Ice
  • Date: June 16, 2020

    Congratulations to Prof. Itay Halevy

    Elected as a Member of the Israel Young Academy
  • Date: May 25, 2020

    Congratulations to Dr. Eli Galanti

    Maxine Singer Prize for Outstanding Staff Scientists
  • Date: May 13, 2020

    NASA’s Next Destination? Israelis Hopeful as Trident Team in the Finals

    If life does exist outside of Earth in our Solar System, it could be hiding in subterranean oceans flowing under the surface of icy moons. One of the most promising candidates for such an underground liquid body is Triton – aptly named for the son of the sea god Neptune – the planet around which it orbits.

    Read More about NASA’s Next Destination? Israelis Hopeful as Trident Team in the Finals
    Read More about NASA’s Next Destination? Israelis Hopeful as Trident Team in the Finals
  • Date: October 28, 2019

    Congratulations to Prof. Brian Berkowitz

    Elected as a member in the Academia Scientiarium et Artium Europaea
  • Date: August 18, 2019

    How Hot Was the Ocean?

    Geoscientists studying the conditions prevailing in Earth’s earliest oceans have been in disagreement for the past half century. Some, working backwards, think the first ocean was extremely hot – at least 70˚ Celsius – while others believe it was closer to the 15˚C we enjoy today.

    Read More about How Hot Was the Ocean?
    Read More about How Hot Was the Ocean?
  • Date: May 9, 2019

    Israel Prize for Earth Sciences to Prof. Dan Yakir

    The 2019 Israel Prize for Earth Sciences will go to Prof. Dan Yakir of the Weizmann Institute of Science. The Prize committee chose Prof.

    Read More about Israel Prize for Earth Sciences to Prof. Dan Yakir
    Read More about Israel Prize for Earth Sciences to Prof. Dan Yakir
  • Date: March 16, 2019

    Beresheet Lunar Landing Site Revealed

    The main scientific instrument on board the Israeli Beresheet spacecraft, the SpaceIL Magnetometer (SILMAG), has now been successfully turned on in space and data returned to Earth. After its successful launch, Beresheet is circling Earth on its journey to the Moon. Prof.

    Read More about Beresheet Lunar Landing Site Revealed

    Read More about Beresheet Lunar Landing Site Revealed
  • Date: March 13, 2019

    Can an Antifreeze Protein also Promote Ice Formation?

    Antifreeze is life’s means of surviving in cold winters: Natural antifreeze proteins help fish, insects, plants and even bacteria live through low temperatures that should turn their liquid parts to deadly shards of ice. Strangely enough, in very cold conditions, the same proteins can also promote the growth of ice crystals. This was the finding of experiments carried out in Israel and Germany using proteins taken from fish and beetles.

    Read More about Can an Antifreeze Protein also Promote Ice Formation?
    Read More about Can an Antifreeze Protein also Promote Ice Formation?
  • Date: January 16, 2019

    Saturn’s Atmosphere Proves Deep, Its Rings Young

    Cassini was one of the more successful planetary missions, orbiting and returning information on Saturn and its moons for the last 20 years. But as the mission was approaching its end, it was decided to end its life with a non-circular orbit swinging in very close to the planet, followed by a final plunge into the gaseous mass. Kaspi and Galanti joined the Cassini team following their work as part of NASA’s Juno science team, which had employed a similar orbit to produce the most reliable measurements yet of Jupiter’s atmospheric depth.

    Read More about Saturn’s Atmosphere Proves Deep, Its Rings Young

    Read More about Saturn’s Atmosphere Proves Deep, Its Rings Young
  • Date: January 8, 2019

    Congratulations to Prof. Yinon Rudich

    The Henri Gutwirth Research Award
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  • Date: December 16, 2018

    CT for Clouds: A Fleet of Micro-Satellites Will See into the Smallest Clouds

    Ten satellites, each around the size of a shoebox, are slated in a few years to enter orbit and begin filling in some gaping holes in our understanding of clouds and their role in climate. Inspired by medical CT (computed tomography), which observes and maps the interior of a patient, the designers are creating a system that will reveal detailed images of clouds‘ external and internal 3D structures and properties.

    Read More about CT for Clouds: A Fleet of Micro-Satellites Will See into the Smallest Clouds

    Read More about CT for Clouds: A Fleet of Micro-Satellites Will See into the Smallest Clouds
  • Date: October 24, 2018

    In Passing, Plankton Reach the Clouds

    When microscopic plankton in the oceans catch a virus, the forecast might be rain. New research at the Weizmann Institute of Science finds that as plankton die off from viral infection, some of the bits and pieces they leave behind are released into the atmosphere, where they can affect cloud formation and reduce the sun’s glare.

    Read More about In Passing, Plankton Reach the Clouds

    Read More about In Passing, Plankton Reach the Clouds
  • Date: July 23, 2018

    Two Spectacular Celestial Events Grace our Skies at the End of July

    A blood moon will be visible this Friday night, July 27, 2018, during a stunning, relatively rare, occurrence of a total lunar eclipse, when the Sun, Earth and Moon will be completely aligned, resulting in Earth casting a shadow on the lunar surface. This will be the longest lunar eclipse of this century. 

    Read More about Two Spectacular Celestial Events Grace our Skies at the End of July
    Read More about Two Spectacular Celestial Events Grace our Skies at the End of July
  • Date: May 17, 2018

    Congratulations to Prof. Itay Halevy

    Scientific Council Prize for Chemistry
  • Date: May 9, 2018

    Congratulations to Prof. Brian Berkowitz

    Recipient of an outstanding editor award from the European Geosciences Union
  • Date: March 6, 2018

    Unveiling the Depths of Jupiter’s Winds

    Three papers published tomorrow in Nature answer a question that scientists have been asking ever since Galileo first observed the famous stripes of Jupiter: Are the colorful bands just a pretty surface phenomenon, or are they a significant stratum of the planet? The Weizmann Institute’s Prof.

    Read More about Unveiling the Depths of Jupiter’s Winds

    Read More about Unveiling the Depths of Jupiter’s Winds
  • Date: January 28, 2018

    Dry but Fruitful: Semi-Arid Forests Could Offset Climate Change

    We plant forests today because they are “carbon sinks” − they can offset rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. But not all forests are equal when it comes to cooling the planet, and it has not always been clear where new forests can do the most good in the shortest amount of time. The results of a new study in the group of Prof.

    Read More about Dry but Fruitful: Semi-Arid Forests Could Offset Climate Change
    Read More about Dry but Fruitful: Semi-Arid Forests Could Offset Climate Change
  • Date: January 22, 2018

    Triton: The “Odd Moon Out”

    Neptune has one of the most peculiar assortments of moons in our solar system, and Triton is largely to blame. Triton is unusually massive compared to the other Neptunian satellites; but this is not the only characteristic that makes it an outlier. Not only does Triton orbit much farther away from Neptune than its other, smaller moons, it also spins in the opposite direction to the planet.

    Read More about Triton: The “Odd Moon Out”

    Read More about Triton: The “Odd Moon Out”
  • Date: January 14, 2018

    Congratulations to Prof. Yinon Rudich

    Admitted as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRS)
  • Date: November 12, 2017

    Off Track: How Storms Will Veer in a Warmer World

    Under global climate change, the Earth’s climatic zones will shift toward the poles. This is not just a future prediction; it is a trend that has already been observed in the past decades. The dry, semi-arid regions are expanding into higher latitudes, and temperate, rainy regions are migrating poleward.

    Read More about Off Track: How Storms Will Veer in a Warmer World

    Read More about Off Track: How Storms Will Veer in a Warmer World
  • Date: July 31, 2017

    Congratulations to Prof. Yinon Rudich

    Elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union
  • Date: June 14, 2017

    Jupiter, Revealed: Israeli Scientists Peer Beneath the Cloud Cover of Our Solar System's Largest Planet

    Credit: NASA / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt / Seán Doran
     

    Read More about Jupiter, Revealed: Israeli Scientists Peer Beneath the Cloud Cover of Our Solar System's Largest Planet

    Read More about Jupiter, Revealed: Israeli Scientists Peer Beneath the Cloud Cover of Our Solar System's Largest Planet
  • Date: May 18, 2017

    Congratulations to Prof. Yohai Kaspi

    Scientific Council Prize for Chemistry
  • Date: April 5, 2017

    A Blooming Desert in the Heart of the Ocean

    They produce around half the oxygen we breathe and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as well as forming the base of the ocean’s food chain. So it’s no wonder that the single-celled organisms called phytoplankton are a hot topic of research: Their health is essential for the health of the planet.

    Read More about A Blooming Desert in the Heart of the Ocean

    Read More about A Blooming Desert in the Heart of the Ocean
  • Date: February 10, 2016

    Congratulations to Prof. Itay Halevy

    Awarded the Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research
  • Date: July 12, 2015

    Congratulations to Prof. Brian Berkowitz

    Recipient of the O.E Meinzer Award from the Hydrogeology Division of the Geological Society of America
  • Date: April 29, 2015

    Congratulations to Dr. Ishai Dror

    Scientific Council Prize for Outstanding Staff Scientists
  • Date: May 11, 2014

    Congratulations to Prof. Dan Yakir

    Recipient of an Eminent Speakers Award from European Association of Geochemistry
  • Date: September 10, 2012

    Congratulations to Prof. Brian Berkowitz

    Recipient of the M. King Hubbert Award from the National Ground Water Association, USA
  • Date: September 5, 2011

    Congratulations to Prof. Itay Halevy

    The Sir Charles Clore Prize
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Faculty of Chemistry
Weizmann Institute of Science

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Last update:
27 Feb 2021