Nature Geoscience, Published online: 24 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02044-8

Comparisons between thermomechanical models and Venusian rift morphologies indicate that rifts on Venus are still, or were recently, active and may have undergone faster extension than usually assumed, potentially because of mantle plume activity.

Nature Geoscience, Published online: 24 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02047-5

Climate model ensembles suggest tropical cyclones will bring more rain as the world warms, but increases may be smaller than expected. Atmospheric dryness reduces how much rain storms produce, offsetting extra moisture and stronger storms.

Nature Geoscience, Published online: 23 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02053-7

A sudden rise in aerosols makes clouds more active for about a day. Then the effect fades as the atmosphere adjusts and warms aloft, reducing the contrast that helps clouds grow, according to cloud-resolving model simulations.

Nature Geoscience, Published online: 22 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02050-w

Shifting atmospheric circulation patterns over Europe since the 1980s have been the major cause of increasingly severe droughts on the continent, according to nudged circulation climate model simulations.

Nature Geoscience, Published online: 21 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02058-2

Most major mass extinctions in Earth history are linked to greenhouse gas emissions causing warmer and drier climates. Research shows these perturbations also led to widespread wildfires and the expansion of fern savannahs during one of the most acute events at the end of the Triassic period, potentially holding lessons for the future.

Nature Geoscience, Published online: 21 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02048-4

Fern savannahs spread rapidly following the collapse of the forest ecosystem during the end-Triassic mass extinction, setting the conditions for widespread wildfires, according to an analysis of the darkening of fossil pollen and spores.