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EarthThe 4.5 billion-year-old Earth is the only known astronomical object to harbor life, giving rise to billions of species of stunning diversity, including ours, Homo sapiens. At 5.97 septillion kilograms and 40,000 kilometers in circumference, the third planet from the sun is located in the "Goldilocks zone," giving it the conditions needed to sustain liquid surface water.
Earth is the densest planet in the solar system. It is theorized to contain a solid inner core surrounded by an outer core of liquid iron and nickel, above which sits a slow-moving rocky mantle that move's the crust's tectonic plates. This structure formed over tens of millions of years from remnants of the gas, dust, and rocks left over from the sun's formation.
The Earth’s five-layer atmosphere traps solar energy and maintains an average global surface temperature of 15°C (59°F). Roughly 21% is oxygen, crucial for respiration but highly flammable. Nitrogen (78%) dilutes the oxygen and prevents rapid combustion.Explore Earth
What we've found
As of 2022, China has the largest reserve of rare earth elementsAt 37.9% of estimated global reserves, China possesses twice the amount of REEs as Vietnam, the next closest nation. REEs, or lanthanides, are a set of 17 elements on the periodic table, which, alongside scandium and yttrium, share similar chemical properties that make them difficult to separate from within ores. Elements by Visual CapitalistBoomerang earthquakes reverse direction and ripple back the way they cameComputer simulations show that rapid changes in friction along a fault where an earthquake has traveled for long distances can produce a smaller quake in the opposite direction. Data consistent with the phenomena has only been recorded a handful of times from 2011 to 2023. Discover MagazineEarth's water may have come from comets, asteroids, or its magma oceanBefore Earth's atmosphere formed, any liquid water would have boiled off, preventing the accumulation of water early on to create today's oceans. Planetary scientists continue to debate whether this water was delivered later from comet or asteroid collisions or via reactions between iron oxide in Earth's molten surface and hydrogen gas from the planetary nebula. Short WaveThe Whole Earth Catalog provided an early blueprint for the social internetThe Whole Earth Catalog, a counterculture guide to alternative living, was a repository for hippie ideas. In 1985, its founder decided to bring Whole Earth to the nascent internet with the Whole Earth ‘Lectronic Link, or WELL, an early web forum. JSTOR DailyThe Whole Earth Catalog offered readers tools for healthy eatingThe publication promised hippies "access to tools"—listings for "high quality or low cost" books, devices, and instructions for alternative living, including cultivating natural and organic foods. This archive comprises high-definition scans of nearly all materials published between 1968 and 2002. Whole Earth CatalogEmulating Earth’s light-dark cycle is important for astronaut health and safetyAstronauts aboard the International Space Station experience 16 daily sunrises, but scientists have learned to try to promote circadian rhythms by phasing through several light settings aboard the ISS to improve astronauts’ sleep and productivity. NASAIf the Earth stopped spinning, 85% of the world's population would experience supersonic windsThe planet's equator moves about 470 meters per second—over 1,000 miles per hour—and air there would continue moving at this speed for several minutes if the ground stopped rotating. These conditions would cause tsunamis, global storms, and fling debris fast enough to destroy nearly all human-made structures. xkcd's What If?Earth Day began as a grassroots protest coordinated by a 25-year-oldWith experience as a Vietnam activist and inspired by his upbringing in a polluted mill town, Denis Hayes drew 20 million participants to the first Earth Day after being selected to organize it. The momentum of the event—celebrated across about 10,000 schools and universities—pressured Congress to pass environmental legislation. ThroughlineEarth Day has become the largest civic event in the worldWhat began in 1970 with 20 million Americans now involves more than 1 billion participants across over 190 countries each year. Earth Day now encompasses rallies, cleanups, and climate actions worldwide. EarthDay.orgEarthquake early warning systems do not predict earthquakesSystems like ShakeAlert® use a network of hundreds of ground sensors to detect earthquakes moments after they begin. Since seismic waves travel about 5 km/s, individuals may be notified of earthquakes before they feel the seismic activity has reached them. Pacific Northwest Seismic NetworkAn 800-ton shake table is the world's largest earthquake simulatorAfter the 1995 Kobe earthquake killed over 6,000 people, Japan created E-Defense to reproduce the force of earthquakes and test them against structures as tall as 10 stories, leading to changes in Japanese building codes to reduce collapse rates. VeritasiumThe movement of seismic waves reveals the structure of Earth’s interiorChanges in temperature, density, and composition alter the path of primary and secondary waves, impacting where they are detected along Earth’s surface. These deflections create shadow zones 104 degrees to 140 degrees away from the epicenter, where no waves are directly detected. SciencePrimerView the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded as of 2024In 1960, a magnitude 9.5 earthquake in Chile became the largest in recorded history, leaving about 2 million people homeless. Two of the largest occurred in back-to-back years in Alaska, with 9.2 and 8.7 quakes each generating tsunamis. USGSThe earliest earthquake detection device involved eight ball-wielding dragonsInvented in China in 132 CE, the seismoscope was an urn with dragons facing different directions. If an earthquake occurred, the dragon facing the direction of the tremor released its ball. Like modern seismographs, its mechanism may have involved a suspended weight. Michigan Technological UniversityDifferences in seismic wave speeds let scientists determine an earthquake’s locationBecause primary waves are faster than secondary waves, seismic stations will detect longer gaps between these waves’ arrivals the farther an earthquake is. Calculating the distance to the earthquake from three stations allows its origin to be triangulated. Earthscope ConsortiumEarth is the only planet in our solar system with fireAnd while the sun seems like fire, and other planets have volcanoes, the sun and lava aren't the same thing as fire. To produce fire, a planet needs three ingredients: oxygen, fuel, and heat. No other planet has all three. PBS EonsPortugal's 1775 earthquake is considered Europe's first modern natural disasterAn 8.5-magnitude earthquake off the Portuguese coast nearly destroyed Lisbon, killing thousands, creating 16-foot-wide fissures in the city, and triggering a massive tsunami. Historians credit it with jump-starting the Enlightenment in the region, with many thinkers seeking natural explanations. BBC GlobalExplore the Earth at night from spaceSee the planet in all its luminosity with this NightEarth app, an interactive spherical globe showing real satellite imagery of Earth. Toggle between views of real-time clouds, aurora borealis activity, and more. NightEarthEarth’s tilt and orbit cause the sun to create a figure-eight patternThe shape—called an analemma—can be obtained by photographing the sun from the same location and time daily for a year. The Earth's eccentricity created the analemma's width, and its tilt shifts the sun's height in the sky over the seasons. TED-EdEarth has shifted between extreme warming and cooling phases for 500 million yearsEarth is in an interglacial period of the Quaternary glaciation, resulting in receding glaciers and mild temperatures. However, today's warming trend is occurring much faster than previous warming periods in the climate record. SciShowChanges in Earth's orbital cycles influence the timing of ice agesThese cycles include changes in Earth's orbit shape, tilt, and wobble, all of which alter how much solar energy different parts of Earth receive over time. Due to orbital eccentricity, summers in the Northern Hemisphere last about 4.5 days longer than winters. NASAGCMs simulate Earth system interactions and how human activity impacts climateBy splitting the planet into tiny 3D grid cells, supercomputers can run thousands of equations for each cell to determine the movement of energy, moisture, and other elements across Earth. The equations can also incorporate greenhouse gases to determine how humans affect the climate. South Central Climate Adaptation Science CenterEarth's circumference was estimated over 2,000 years ago using geometry and shadowsBy measuring the angle of the shadow cast in Syene when no shadow was cast in Alexandria, Eratosthenes used the distance between the two cities and trigonometry to estimate the Earth's circumference to within a few percentage points of the actual value. Insider ScienceEarth's inner structure is a dynamic system of layers in constant, slow motionFrom the crust to the core, each of Earth's layers—some solid, some liquid—plays a role in generating its magnetic field, moving tectonic plates, and cycling matter. These details are determined through modeling since humans have only drilled 12 kilometers underground. BBCEarth's core is leaking precious metals, including goldEarth's core, containing 99.999% of all known gold, is leaking trace amounts of precious metals into the mantle. Advanced isotopic methods have detected this leakage at volcanoes in Hawai'i, providing new insights into the movement of material beneath Earth's surface. Popular ScienceScientists investigate Earth's interior by studying seismic wavesScientists investigate Earth's interior by studying seismic wavesBelow Earth's atmosphere lies the crust, which extends to the Mohorovičić discontinuity between five and 20 miles below Earth's surface. Below the crust lies the mantle, the liquid-metal outer core, and the solid inner core, which surpasses 5,200°C. Space.comHumans have existed for just 0.004% of Earth’s historyBorn from the remains of the molecular cloud that birthed the sun, Earth experienced planetary-scale collisions, asteroid impacts, and lava seas. Life became possible after the planet cooled and formed a thin crust, atmosphere, and oceans. Kurzgesagt – In a NutshellWhy is the Earth wet?The fertile, ocean-bearing Earth is surrounded by planets that are dry to the bone. This article details how Earth might've managed to get and stay damp. In the solar system's early days, planets near the coalescing sun were too hot for water. Some worlds farther away, like Jupiter and Saturn, didn't have the same issue, so even some of their moons were covered in water. Scientists aren't exactly sure how the water came to the inner planets, but there are a few theories, such as how asteroids hitting the Earth may have acted like "cosmic water balloons." Popular ScienceThere have been five mass extinction events in Earth’s historyEach extinction event has resulted in the loss of at least 70% of Earth’s species at the time of the event, often due to significant changes in global temperatures. The most recent event occurred 66 million years ago and wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs. Our World in DataHow Earth's 'greenhouse effect' worksThe so-called "greenhouse effect," where various gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat from the sun, is a crucial factor in our planet's ability to sustain life. It's also pivotal in discussions over humanity's impact on changes in the Earth's... British Geological SurveyZoom from Earth to Maisie's galaxyDiscovered by the Webb Telescope in 2022, Maise’s Galaxy (named after the nine-year-old daughter of the scientist who discovered it) was found as part of a survey of a section of the universe known as the Extended Growth Strip, home to thousands of galaxies. This video takes you from Earth to Maise’s galaxy, formed roughly 300 million years after the birth of the universe. CEERS SurveyWhat did Earth look like when dinosaurs roamed?The face of the Earth isn’t remotely the same as when the dinosaurs ruled the roost. The passing of millions of years, plate tectonics, and a spotty track record with asteroid collisions have changed the planet’s surface. Use this interactive globe to see what the Earth looked like millions of years ago. The Dinosaur DatabaseWhy Turkey's earthquakes were so deadlyThe death toll from February 2023 has reached the tens of thousands, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters of the century. The intense seismic activity combined with poor and unregulated construction in many areas to drive fatalities.... ReutersGoogle Earth's time-lapse of fast-growing citiesSee how cities around the globe have changed since 1984 through a global time-lapse video produced by Google Earth. YouTubeWhy parts of the Earth are colder when the planet is closer to the SunThe Earth orbits the Sun in an elliptical shape, and winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth reaches the point in its orbit closest to the Sun, known as perihelion. The lower temperatures result from the hemisphere tilting away from the Sun. Met Office Variations in rock types contribute to uncertainty in earthquake predictionsDifferent rock types can withstand different amounts of stress before breaking and melt at different temperatures within Earth’s interior, preventing uniform modeling. The planet’s uneven mass distribution also creates variations in gravitational force, complicating mantle movement. YouTubeGrasp the earth's orbit around the sun with this interactiveSee why seasons exist with this interactive simulator. Toggle between different views of the earth in relation to the sun and watch as the earth's axis causes the sun to shine at different angles throughout the year, causing the weather to fluctuate and more. This simulator clarifies a process many take for granted. University of Nebraska-LincolnMeet the Earth's 'radiation donuts'Radiation donuts might summon up a certain television cartoon character's favorite snack, but they're something else entirely. Also known as Van Allen belts, these zones of radiation arise from charged particles emitted from the sun and subsequently captured by the Earth's magnetic field. Understanding the underlying physics of the Van Allen belts is critical to modern-day telecommunications. Space Center HoustonDefending Earth against asteroidsThis three-minute video overview explains NASA's ambitious test to slightly alter the course of an asteroid by slamming a fast-moving space probe into its surface. Scientists hope to one day, if needed, use the technique to protect Earth from an asteroid impact. Johns Hopkins UniversityWhat powers Earth's climate system?Explaining the thermodynamics of the climate system, which comprises the fluid envelopes of Earth: the atmosphere, oceans, and cryosphere. AIP PublishingHow does Earth's climate vary in the short-term?Earth's climate variations from months to years Climate-WaterExplore Earth's future climate under different levels of warmingAn incredible interactive project showing how global warming is projected to affect the world, from temperatures to rainfall, droughts and flooding, and more. Carbon BriefDiscover trends in Earth's climate system: What are indicators of climate change?A comprehensive deep dive tracking components of the climate system over time, such as temperature, sea level, sea ice amounts, ocean heat, greenhouse gases, and more (w/charts and graphs). NOAAVisualizing Earth's space garbageAn unsavory byproduct of humanity's brilliant exploration of space, the Moon, and more, is the rapid production of space debris floating around in orbit. Its estimated over 25,000 objects are in orbit, a number that grows everyday as satellites are decommissioned, rockets enter orbit, and more. Now, you can visualize what this debris looks like from a zoomed-out perspective with this brief video. VideoFromSpaceHow Earth formed billions of years agoNASA’s real-time science encyclopedia of deep space exploration. Our scientists and hardworking robots are exploring the wild frontiers of our solar system. NASAThe world's largest waterfall is in the oceanIn the Denmark Strait between Greenland and Iceland, a series of cataracts descend from 2,000 to 10,000 feet beneath the surface. The underwater waterfall is possible because cold water is denser than warm water and quickly sinks in the region. NOAATsunamis are caused by sudden seafloor shifts displacing waterEarthquakes of magnitude 7.0 with hypocenters within 100 km of the seafloor can vertically shift large sections of the seafloor significantly. This seismic activity is more commonly found in subduction zones, where an oceanic plate sinks beneath a continental one. NOAANASA monitors potentially hazardous asteroids and cometsEstablished in 2016, the Planetary Defense Coordination Office characterizes and tracks asteroids and comets passing within 30 million miles of Earth. Over 40,000 near-Earth asteroids have been discovered, although estimates suggest that about 14,000 more such objects remain to be found. NASA ScienceVoyager Station, the world's first space hotel, is planned for 2027The structure spans 488 meters in diameter and will rotate to simulate one-sixth of Earth's gravity while circumnavigating the planet every 90 minutes. The Voyager Station is designed to accommodate 450 guests and 150 crew members, providing amenities such as restaurants, a sports hall, and a movie theater. ArchiExpo e-MagazineHigh solar activity can produce pink and purple aurorasAlthough less common, energetic enough charged particles from the sun that descend to an altitude of about 100 kilometers (62 miles) can strike a mixture of ionized and neutral nitrogen molecules, causing them to emit red and blue light, which our eyes perceive as purple. USA TODAY
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