Planet Earth news, feature and articles

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A collage with an illustration of DNA
Invisible DNA lurks everywhere in the environment — and we're on the verge of decoding its secrets Environments are littered with the DNA of the creatures that inhabit them. Analyzing it could provide a real-time view of how our planet is changing.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.
Incredible places: A window onto extraordinary landscapes on Earth Every week, we open a window onto an incredible place and highlight the fantastic history and science behind it.
A composite image of various photos of planet Earth taken from space by satellites or astronauts.
Earth from space — Incredible images of our planet from above Satellite imagery and astronaut photos provide a unique perspective of our planet. These aerial snaps can also highlight rare phenomena from a wide range of scientific disciplines including climate change, meteorology, animal behavior, volcanology, marine science and many more. Every week, we take a bird's eye view of Earth and explain what's really happening in these incredible images.

Latest about Planet Earth

a woman with two children drawing water from a well in the desert

Why is this giant desert turning green? Scientists may finally know the answer.

By Olivia Ferrari published

Many deserts face worsening droughts, but India's Thar Desert has become 38% greener in the past 20 years due to increased rainfall and expanding agriculture in the region, according to a new study.

Climate change
A researcher examines the Lava Creek Tuff in Wyoming. We see flat-topped mountains in the background.

'It was amazing': Scientists discover ash from 2 mystery volcanic eruptions in Wyoming

By Sascha Pare published

Scientists have found previously undocumented ash deposits buried beneath the Lava Creek Tuff in Wyoming — and at least one of them could be from an unknown volcanic eruption, they say.

Volcanos

Winter sea ice cover lowest on record

By Patrick Pester published

The Copernicus Climate Change Service has revealed that March 2025 saw the lowest sea ice maximum extent in the 47-year history of the satellite record – the warmest March on record for Europe.

Climate change
Demonstrators attend rally outside National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters to oppose the recent worker firings, in Sliver Spring, Md., on Monday, March 3, 2025.

Scientific research is the lifeblood of our economy. Now, a wrecking ball has come.

By Andrew Rosenberg published

Opinion DOGE cuts to NOAA Fisheries aren't making anything more efficient — they're stripping the ability of fishers to adapt their businesses to changing conditions. Similar impacts are being felt across different disciplines, and the U.S. science community must choose whether to look inward, hoping for better days, or to fight back.

Opinion
Looped video footage of a large shadow moving across North America

Watch moon's shadow race across US during 2024 total solar eclipse

By Harry Baker published

Earth from space Multiple spacecraft captured the moon's shadow sweeping across North America at more than 1,500 mph during the 2024 total solar eclipse, as millions of people looked up to witness totality.

Earth from space
Stunning tropical landscape of Madagascar highlands during a storm with a flash of lighting in the background.

Tropical tree in Panama has evolved to kill its 'enemies' with lightning

By Jacklin Kwan published

Tonka bean trees survive lightning strikes — and use the powerful electric shocks to kill their competitors.

Plants
an aerial view of a river

Scientists say these North American rivers 'shouldn't exist.' Here's why they do.

By Rebecca Dzombak, Eos.org published

At first glance, these waterways make no sense. A new review article details why they are the way they are.

Rivers & Oceans

Massive magma eruptions may have ripped Africa and South America apart

By Stephanie Pappas published

Huge outpourings of magma accompanied the split between South America and Africa 135 million years ago.

Geology
Two reconstructions showing the location of the north polar vortex over the Arctic on March 1, 2025 and over Northern Europe on March 20, 2025.

'Major disruption' has caused Arctic polar vortex to slide off North Pole, scientists say

By Sascha Pare published

A sudden stratospheric warming event reversed the winds that make up the northern polar vortex on March 9. A new animation shows the vortex also moved away from the Arctic towards Europe.

Weather
View of China's Rainbow Mountains with differently colored bands of sandstone.

Rainbow Mountains: China's psychedelic landscape created when 2 tectonic plates collided

By Sascha Pare published

The colorful swirls and stripes that characterize China's Rainbow Mountains would have remained hidden without the epic tectonic collision that created the Himalayas.

Geology
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