In the Grand Canyon, rock layers preserve a relatively continuous record of Earth’s geologic history going back about 2 billion years. But between 520 million and 1.8 billion years, the record is noticeably empty. It’s as if someone broke into a museum and made off with almost an entire wing’s worth of rocks, and sorting out “whodunnit” is one of the coldest cases in all geology.


Now, scientists studying the Grand Canyon’s rocks say that a gigantic Earth-spanning cliff  —with a global glaciat...

For obvious reasons, it's impossible to imagine life on Earth without oxygen. But will it ever run out? And if so, how long will our planet continue to have oxygen?
There are a few scenarios in which we could imagine the end of life on Earth: Climate change, rising CO2, an asteroid impact, the steady brightening of the Sun.
But now there’s another – and scientists say that’s the most likely one to happen.
A group of scientists worked out the most likely cause of Earth becoming uninhabitable, and...

How accurate are existing methods to measure the size of the swivel? The last two international estimates, made in 2017 and 2023, differ by 0.27 inches (7 millimeters), about the height of three stacked nickels. The difference is almost as large as the motion itself.To reduce uncertainty, JPL geoscientist Donald Argus led the development of a new technique based on ultraprecise satellite tracking.Driven by gravity, satellites naturally orbit Earth’s center of mass, as if bound by invisible tethe...

A new study suggests that the climate connection between the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans can be disrupted by major volcanic eruptions, while human-caused greenhouse gas emissions may now be driving an even more unusual breakdown in that relationship.Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) combined paleoclimate evidence with climate model simulations to examine how closely the two ocean basins have behaved over the past several centuries.
Their findings indicate that...

As the world gets hotter, many of its driest regions are expected to get even drier.When this happens, the boundaries of arid regions are expected to creep forward, transforming landscapes and killing off plant life no longer able to cope.Amidst the changes, projections suggest Earth's drylands could grow to cover over 40 percent of the planet's land area by the end of the 21st century, according to a new study in Environmental Research Letters.But in a surprise twist, the most prominent contrib...

More than 80 million people are under an Extreme Heat Warning or Heat Advisory through this week, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters at the service's Weather Prediction Center called this latest heat dome a "steamy air-mass even by mid-to-late August standards." Dangerous record-breaking heat will continue across the South-Central U.S. and expand into the Southwest by mid-week, bringing daytime temperatures into the triple digits. Much of the desert Southwest, including par...

Editor’s Note: This essay discusses how one of the great threats to the restoration of coral reefs is the legal frameworks governing their conservation. An interesting read on how the blue planet is being choked by red tape

Editor’s Note: The rise of the Himalayas didn't just carve out a massive mountain range—it completely rewired the planet. A captivating video from the PBS Eons YouTube Channel explores this domino effect, connecting tectonic uplift to global phenomena such as the loss of plant life in Antarctica, the rise of giant birds in Madagascar, and North America’s sprawling grasslands.

Death Valley and Climate Change
Join PhD field geoscientist Christopher DiLeonardo as he discusses Death Valley's wet past and changing climate.

Editor's note: video courtesy of NASA's archives

We are all connected to and by Earth --- whether it's the trees and plants that give us the oxygen we breathe, the snow-capped mountains that provide the water we drink, or the breathtaking geophysical forces that shape the land beneath our feet. NASA has over 20 satellites measuring the height of oceans and inland water, clouds and precipitation, carbon dioxide and much more. By understanding our changing world, we improve lives and safeguard our future.

https://images.nasa.gov/details-Our%20Planet%20Our%20Home%20An%20Earth%20Day%20Perspective_S

Video Credits:
Producer/Editor: Amy Leniart
Writer: Jim Wilson
Co-Writers: Karen Fox, Amy Leniart, Tylar Greene

For nature-loving travelers who like to climb mountains, embark on rigorous hikes, or bike rocky trails, there’s a whole world of adventurous vacation possibilities in the United States. But some states lend themselves to the great outdoors much more than others. That’s why in April, Kühl, a high-end apparel brand designed for hiking and outdoor activities, released its analysis on outdoor accessibility across all 50 states. The team behind the study concluded the No. 1 adventure-friendly destin...

When we arrive at the Mangatepōpō Road end to start one of New Zealand’s most beloved dayhikes, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the air remains cool, a bracing wind rips across the almost barren, volcanic landscape, and the cloud ceiling hangs so low you can almost reach up and swipe a hand through the fog’s underbelly. But this is New Zealand, where if you’re going to pass on a hike because of a little inclement weather, you’re going to miss out on a lot of hikes...

In times of ever-increasing instagram-fied locales, digital nomad hotspots, and “remote” areas that feel more like Western Europe than wherever the hell they really are, my cravings for a REAL adventure are stronger than ever.

I’m talking about the type of adventure that got me on the road in the first place: raw, gritty, dirtbaggery beauty that reminds me those two fantastical years I spent slumming it around India with just my backpack, a handheld map, and $3000 to my name...