Planet Earth
Earth is one big spinning mystery in a constant state of change. With more than 4.5 billion years of history locked inside a ball of molten rock and iron, our planet is made up of a vast array of geological wonders, carved by the oceans, shaped by the shifting plates beneath our feet and sculpted by weather across the surface.
Our team of expert science writers and editors are here to reveal our planet’s secrets — from the deepest depths of the ocean, through the coldest places on Earth to the very edge of space — keeping you up to date with the latest discoveries with planet Earth news, articles and features.
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Tsunamis up to 90 feet high smash into New Zealand every 580 years, study finds
By Stephanie Pappas published
A new method of assessing tsunami risk in New Zealand finds that giant waves could hit the country's shores once every 500 years.

Experts are certain 2023 will be 'the warmest year in recorded history'
By Harry Baker published
After the warmest autumn ever, researchers are confident 2023 will be the hottest year on record before it has even finished.

Underwater volcano riding a sinking tectonic plate may have unleashed major earthquakes in Japan
By Sascha Pare published
A seamount sitting on a subducting tectonic plate off the coast of Japan and plowing its way into Earth's mantle may be at the root of several magnitude 7 earthquakes in the past 40 years.

6 million-year-old 'fossil groundwater pool' discovered deep beneath Sicilian mountains
By Sascha Pare published
Fresh water that trickled down into Earth's crust 6 million years ago became trapped thousands of feet beneath the Hyblaean Mountains in Sicily, forming an aquifer that has not budged since.

What is a supervolcano? The answer isn't so simple.
By Sascha Pare published
Supervolcanoes are defined by their ability to produce supereruptions — explosions of more than 240 cubic miles of volcanic material. But scientists disagree on how useful the term is.

Breach of key global warming threshold 'inevitable' as carbon emissions hit record high
By Ben Turner published
At the current emissions level, there is a 50% chance that global warming will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius consistently in about seven years, new research suggests.

Strange yellow glass found in Libyan desert may have formed from lost meteor impact
By Elizaveta Kovaleva published
A strange type of glass that was discovered in 1933 in the Libyan desert may come from a meteorite, an analysis shows, but impact crater is still missing.

How long will Earth exist?
By Donavyn Coffey published
Humans will likely die long before our planet does.

What is Point Nemo, the remote, watery satellite graveyard where the ISS will go to die?
By Emma Bryce published
In the furthest, deepest reaches of the ocean, there is a watery graveyard where the world's satellites and space stations go to rest.

Japan's new volcanic island has erupted again — and the dramatic explosion was caught on camera
By Sascha Pare published
An underwater volcano that gave birth to a new island off Japan's Iwo Jima island has erupted again, sending huge plumes of ash and smoke into the sky in footage released by Japan's Coast Guard.
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