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.
Explore Planet Earth
Editor's Picks
Latest about Planet Earth
![A handwritten note was found in a Jewish prayer book copied in 1446. It describes the devastation wrought by a series of earthquakes that struck the town of Camerino that year.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQneWJWQmfqzeV7oKjaTZ6-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
500-year-old Hebrew note reveals 'lost' earthquake swarm in Italy
By Tom Metcalfe published
A Hebrew note found in the Vatican Library describes a 1446 earthquake swarm previously unknown to seismologists.
![Green plants sprouting through cracks in mud](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4wjbyG2aUMgccFjRLyzjW-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Mysterious hybrid species discovered hiding among 144-year-old 'zombie seeds' from secretive experiment
By Harry Baker published
Scientists participating in one of the longest-running active scientific experiments have discovered a surprising hybrid plant hiding among seeds buried at a secret location on a university campus since 1829.
![A aerial view of the new island and its eruption plume.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RABRuhsLtvWZvhvY4k39u6-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Underwater volcanic eruption gives birth to new island in the Pacific
By Sascha Pare published
A volcanic eruption off the Japanese island of Iwo Jima on Oct. 30 led to the formation of a new 330-foot-wide island just north of the explosion site.
![Ice calving from the fracture zone of a glacier crashes into the ocean in Greenland](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Alarming collapse of Greenland ice shelves sparks warning of sea level rise
By Ben Turner published
Three of North Greenland's eight enormous ice shelves have already undergone complete collapse.
![Aerial view of road amidst trees during autumn, Vermont, United States, USA.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
By Amanda Heidt published
Plants draw on a suite of pigments to produce energy from sunlight, and in the fall, some become more obvious than others.
![Blue sky and white cloud nature background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why is the sky blue?
By Donavyn Coffey published
The sky's blueness isn't from reflecting the water. Instead, its color has to do with scattered light.
![An area of biodiversity on Cacho De Coral, a newly discovered pristine coral reef.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QCQbud4n8LWXsMpEotd53P-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Pristine coral reefs discovered near Galápagos Islands are thousands of years old and teeming with life
By Sascha Pare published
Scientists on a 30-day expedition off the coast of Ecuador have mapped two coral reefs and two seamounts more than 1,000 feet beneath the ocean surface.
![Illustration of a protoplanet smashing into Earth just after it formed.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yJDb25hmJC3GKppMJCmhwQ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
A 'protoplanet' that created the moon may be hiding deep inside Earth
By Stephanie Pappas published
Mystery blobs in Earth's mantle may be chunks of a Mars-sized space rock that crashed into our planet 4.5 billion years ago, scientists discover.
![A skull shaped feature on the floor of a caldera](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FkPqkoYRNr257TdysHDMvA-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Astronaut captures image of a glowering 'skull' lurking in a giant volcanic pit in the Sahara
By Harry Baker published
NASA has released a new image of an eerie, cranium-shaped caldera in the Sahara Desert, which looks like it is staring right at the orbiting camera.
![A tree burns in a forest fire at nighttime.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPCgssEpePooVESRWCTzH4-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
The 'safe' threshold for global warming will be passed in just 6 years, scientists say
By Sascha Pare published
New research suggests we have just six years left to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and two decades to keep temperatures below the 2 C threshold in the Paris Agreement.
Live Science newsletter
Stay up to date on the latest science news by signing up for our Essentials newsletter.