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What Is Earth Science?

Article by: hobart m. king , phd, rpg.

Earth Science is the study of Earth and its neighbors in space. The image above is the first full-hemisphere view of Earth captured in the 21st Century. It was acquired by NOAA's GOES-8 satellite on January 1, 2000 at 12:45 AM Eastern Standard Time. Image by the GOES project.

Introduction

Earth Science is the study of the Earth and its neighbors in space. It is an exciting science with many interesting and practical applications. Some Earth scientists use their knowledge of the Earth to locate and develop energy and mineral resources. Others study the impact of human activity on Earth's environment, and design methods to protect the planet. Some use their knowledge about Earth processes such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes to plan communities that will not expose people to these dangerous events.

The Four Earth Sciences

Many different sciences are used to learn about the Earth; however, the four basic areas of Earth science study are: geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. A brief explanation of these sciences is provided below.

Mapping the inside of a volcano: Dr. Catherine Snelson, Assistant Professor of Geophysics at New Mexico Tech, sets off small explosions on the flank of Mount Erebus (a volcano in Antarctica). Vibrations from the explosions travel into the Earth and reflect off of structures below. Her instruments record the vibrations. She uses the data to prepare maps of the volcano's interior. Photo courtesy of Martin Reed, the National Science Foundation and the United States Antarctic Program . Learn more about what Dr. Snelson and others are doing to learn about Mount Erebus .

Geology: Science of the Earth

Geology is the primary Earth science. The word means "study of the Earth." Geology deals with the composition of Earth materials, Earth structures, and Earth processes. It is also concerned with the organisms of the planet and how the planet has changed over time. Geologists search for fuels and minerals, study natural hazards, and work to protect Earth's environment.

Mapping lava flows: Charlie Bacon, a USGS volcanologist, draws the boundaries of prehistoric lava flows from Mount Veniaminof, Alaska, onto a map. This map will show the areas covered by past lava eruptions and can be used to estimate the potential impact of future eruptions. Scientists in Alaska often carry firearms (foreground) and pepper spray as protection against grizzly bears. The backpack contains food and survival gear, and a two-way radio to call his helicopter pilot. Charlie's orange overalls help the pilot find him on pick-up day. Image by Charlie Bacon, USGS / Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Meteorology: Science of the Atmosphere

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and how processes in the atmosphere determine Earth's weather and climate. Meteorology is a very practical science because everyone is concerned about the weather. How climate changes over time in response to the actions of people is a topic of urgent worldwide concern. The study of meteorology is of critical importance in protecting Earth's environment.

Hydrologic Cycle: Earth Science involves the study of systems such as the hydrologic cycle. This type of system can only be understood by using a knowledge of geology (groundwater), meteorology (weather and climate), oceanography (ocean systems) and astronomy (energy input from the sun). The hydrologic cycle is always in balance - inputs and withdrawals must be equal. Earth scientists would determine the impact of any human input or withdraw from the system. NOAA image created by Peter Corrigan.

Oceanography: Science of the Oceans

Oceanography is the study of Earth's oceans - their composition, movement, organisms and processes. The oceans cover most of our planet and are important resources for food and other commodities. They are increasingly being used as an energy source. The oceans also have a major influence on the weather, and changes in the oceans can drive or moderate climate change. Oceanographers work to develop the ocean as a resource and protect it from human impact. The goal is to utilize the oceans while minimizing the effects of our actions.

Astronomy: Science of the Universe

Astronomy is the study of the universe. Here are some examples of why studying space beyond Earth is important: the moon drives the ocean's tidal system, asteroid impacts have repeatedly devastated Earth's inhabitants, and energy from the sun drives our weather and climates. A knowledge of astronomy is essential to understanding the Earth. Astronomers can also use a knowledge of Earth materials, processes and history to understand other planets - even those outside of our own solar system.

The Importance of Earth Science

Today we live in a time when the Earth and its inhabitants face many challenges. Our climate is changing, and that change is being caused by human activity. Earth scientists recognized this problem and will play a key role in efforts to resolve it. We are also challenged to: develop new sources of energy that will have minimal impact on climate; locate new sources of metals and other mineral resources as known sources are depleted; and, determine how Earth's increasing population can live and avoid serious threats such as volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslides, floods and more. These are just a few of the problems where solutions depend upon a deep understanding of Earth science.

Earth Science Careers

If you are a pre-college student, you can start preparing for a career in Earth science by enrolling in the college preparation program and doing well in all of your courses. Science courses are especially important, but math, writing, and other disciplines are also used by Earth scientists during every working day.

Some universities have Earth Science programs but most offer more specific training in programs such as geology, meteorology, oceanography or astronomy. In these programs you will be required to take some challenging courses such as chemistry, physics, biology and math. Earth science is an integrated science, and professionals in that field must solve problems that require a knowledge of several fields of science.

If you already have a degree in another discipline such as biology, chemistry, geography, or physics, you might be able to go to graduate school and obtain a Master's degree in one of the Earth sciences. That will most likely require taking some undergraduate courses to meet program entry requirements. However, if you have a strong interest in Earth science it is probably worth doing.

At present, job opportunities in many areas of the Earth sciences are better than average. Opportunities in geology are especially good.

Visit the website of a school that offers a geology degree, get in touch with the geology department, let them know you are interested, and make arrangements to visit the campus. Don't be hesitant. Good schools and professors want to be contacted by interested students.

Find Other Topics on Geology.com:

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Earth science benefits everyone.

Our lives and civilization depend upon how we understand and manage our planet—Earth processes affect us all. Weather patterns influence the availability of water resources and the potential for forest fires; Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and floods can kill large numbers of people and cause millions or even billions of dollars in property damage.

Just as Earth systems directly affect each of us, we – as individuals, communities and nations—affect our planet. Expanding technologies and growing populations increase demand on natural resources. As we extract and use these resources, we have an impact on Earth today, which will in turn affect those who come after us. To enhance our stewardship of the environment, we must proceed into the future with a sound understanding of Earth systems.        

Earth science knowledge enables us to think globally and act locally— to make sound decisions about issues important in our lives as individuals and citizens. People who understand how Earth systems work can make informed decisions about where to buy or build a home out of harm’s way. They can debate and resolve issues surrounding clean water, urban planning and development, national security, global climate change, and the use and management of natural resources.

An informed society, conscious of our complex relationships with our planet, recognizes the importance of and insists on Earth science education at all grade levels— elementary, secondary, and adult education. When we emphasize Earth science education, everyone benefits.

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Chapter 1 Introduction to Geology

1.2 Why Study Earth?

The simple answer to this question is that Earth is our home — our only home for the foreseeable future — and in order to ensure that it continues to be a great place to live, we need to understand how it works. Another answer is that some of us can’t help but study it because it’s fascinating. But there is more to it than that:

• We rely on Earth for valuable resources such as soil, water, metals, industrial minerals, and energy, and we need to know how to find these resources and exploit them sustainably.
• We can study rocks and the fossils they contain to understand the evolution of our environment and the life within it.
• We can learn to minimize our risks from earthquakes, volcanoes, slope failures, and damaging storms.
• We can learn how and why Earth’s climate has changed in the past, and use that knowledge to understand both natural and human-caused climate change.
• We can recognize how our activities have altered the environment in many ways and the climate in increasingly serious ways, and how to avoid more severe changes in the future.
• We can use our knowledge of Earth to understand other planets in our solar system, as well as those around distant stars.

An example of the importance of geological studies for minimizing risks to the public is illustrated in Figure 1.2. This is a slope failure that took place in January 2005 in the Riverside Drive area of North Vancouver. The steep bank beneath the house shown gave way, and a slurry of mud and sand flowed down, destroying another house below and killing one person. This event took place following a heavy rainfall, which is a common occurrence in southwestern B.C. in the winter.

The irony of the 2005 slope failure is that the District of North Vancouver had been warned in a geological report written in 1980 that this area was prone to slope failure and that steps should be taken to minimize the risk to residents. Very little was done in the intervening 25 years, and the results were deadly.

Physical Geology Copyright © 2015 by Steven Earle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What Earth Science Is and Reasons to Study It

There are many types of Earth science, including the study of Earth's inner layers.

How to Become an Earth Scientist and Why

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The diversity of topics under the earth science umbrella makes the field special, according to scholars within the discipline.

Someone fascinated by natural objects like glaciers and crystals or awestruck by scenic landscapes ranging from deserts to swamps should be aware of an academic discipline that focuses on solving the mysteries surrounding Earth's history and destiny.

What Earth Science Is and What Earth Scientists Do

Earth science concentrates on investigating how the planet works and why. This field delves into the many layers of the Earth and explains how those pieces fit together into a cohesive structure. The interdisciplinary subject not only provides insight into the mechanics of the solid parts of the planet, but also illustrates the inner workings of the liquid and gaseous portions. It addresses questions about the origins and evolution of the atmosphere, various land formations and bodies of water.

This branch of science includes research into what the globe might have looked like in the past, the way it might appear in the future and how it fits into the universe as a whole, which facilitates comparisons with other planets like Venus and Mars.

Earth science is inextricably connected to astronomy , which is the study of outer space, since the behavior of the sun and moon influences conditions on Earth and there are many space hazards that could potentially destroy the Earth, such as asteroids and comets.

Earth science is highly relevant to the welfare of humanity, as it allows people to predict and prepare for natural disasters such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions. It also helps people locate and extract valuable raw materials that are hidden underground, ranging from fresh water and fossil fuels to minerals and precious metals.

"From where certain crops prefer to grow, to why there’s a hill on the horizon, to the shape of the coastline, every natural feature on a landscape can be explained through Earth Sciences," Gemma Cassidy, who has a Ph.D. degree in earth science, wrote in an email. "Beyond the natural world, an Earth Scientist will have been involved in getting the electricity and/or gas in your home and the petrol/diesel into your car, as well as finding the rare earth elements for your smart phone. Perhaps most crucially, it is Earth Scientists who work to understand where is safe for us to live, and help to assess how you mitigate risk in a city in a volcano/earthquake/hurricane-prone area."

Types of Earth Science

Here are some of the major categories within earth science, an enormous academic discipline that encompasses multiple areas of study.

• Atmospheric science
• Climatology or climate science
• Environmental science
• Geochemistry
• Geochronology
• Geomorphology
• Meteorology
• Oceanography
• Paleontology
• Stratigraphy
• Volcanology

Steven A. Hauck II, professor and chair of earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, notes that some earth scientists concentrate on water while others focus on oceans or rocks. Earth scientists may examine the Earth's core or its magnetic field, he says.

How to Become an Earth Scientist

Although a majority of earth scientists have a bachelor's degree, this credential isn't a requirement for all earth science jobs. "Most earth scientists have a four-year college degree," Hauck says. "I wouldn't say all."

Aspiring earth scientists should plan to pursue a four-year degree in this area, he says, and some types of earth science occupations may demand graduate education. A master's or doctorate is usually necessary for a research career, Hauck explains.

Doug Gouzie, a professor of geology at Missouri State University , advises future earth scientists to get a "good, solid foundation" in math and chemistry , since knowledge of both those areas is valuable within the earth science field.

What You Can Do With an Earth Science Degree

An earth science degree is marketable within the energy and mining industries. The credential is also helpful within positions that focus on environmental sustainability and that which can be based at government agencies or private-sector companies, Hauck says.

"Earth science is a really broad field," he explains. "It's not just about rocks or fossils. It's about understanding the world around us and how it works and so there are many different ways of doing that."

Cassidy, who oversees various scientific journals that relate to her field of study for the academic publisher Wiley, notes that earth scientists can find a variety of jobs.

"Oil, gas and mineral extraction have always been options for Earth Scientists, but there are a vast array of other careers available such as geoenvironmental work, geotechnical engineering, or hydrogeology," she says. "There is also the option to continue in a research career, and continue to study pressing topics like climate change or natural hazards. Other, less direct options include teaching, and of course, publishing."

What Makes Earth Science Unique

Curiosity about how Earth compares to other planets and what occurs below its surface led Hauck to study and learn about the differences and similarities between the Earth and other planets.

"Where we live is this really thin layer on top of an immense planet that's mostly beneath our feet, right? And so I was really excited about trying to connect what we see at the surface with what's happening in the 99% of the planet that's beneath our feet and trying to understand that," Hauck explains, adding that he was also intrigued by the possibility of analyzing extraterrestrial environments.

Gouzie says one of the best aspects of a job as an earth scientist is getting to go out and have adventures in interesting locations like caves and coastlines.

Unlike chemists who frequently use undiluted substances, earth scientists typically deal with raw materials with a hodgepodge of ingredients, Gouzie explains. "I get to see the variety of all the impurities – the imperfections – and I find that kind of neat, because it's kind of like psychologists dealing with people," he says. "You're not dealing with something that is pure and completely predictable."

The diversity of topics under the earth science umbrella makes the field special, according to scholars within the discipline. Earth science incorporates ideas from biology, chemistry and physics, so it tends to be a practical area of study, scholars say.

Gouzie once worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researching landfill leakages, and he has investigated the way dangerous substances can move through groundwater and threaten the health of humans. He now focuses on caves and sinkholes. Because earth science examines tangible objects and addresses a wide array of issues, the field may be especially attractive to some aspiring scientists, especially those who would prefer to concentrate on concrete problems, he says.

There are some challenging aspects of earth science. For instance, certain inaccessible parts of the Earth, like its inner core, are impossible to observe directly. Scientists need to be creative about finding ways to deduce information about these remote regions, such as by monitoring seismic wave activity through machinery.

Additionally, earth scientists sometimes have to work in harsh or hazardous environments such as arctic or volcanic regions.

Rachel Barr, vice president of sustainability at UBQ Materials – an Israeli company that converts waste into recyclable thermoplastic – notes an urgent need for people to study earth science.

"There's never going to be enough people who have studied this and who are engaged in this area," says Barr, who earned a master's degree in environmental science at Yale University in Connecticut. "The more people involved, the better it is for the whole society, as well as the planet."

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About Earth Sciences

The Division of Earth Sciences supports proposals for research geared toward improving the understanding of the structure, composition, and evolution of the Earth, the life it supports, and the processes that govern the formation and behavior of the Earth's materials.  The results of this research will create a better understanding of the Earth's changing environments, and the natural distribution of its mineral, water, biota, and energy resources and provide methods for predicting and mitigating the effects of geologic hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides.

Earth science is the study of the Earth's structure, properties, processes, and four and a half billion years of biotic evolution.  Understanding these phenomena is essential to maintenance of life on the planet.  The expanding world population demands more resources; faces increasing losses from natural hazards; and releases more pollutants to the air, water, and land.   Sustaining our existence requires scientific understanding of the natural materials and processes linking the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.  Life prospers or fails at the surface of the Earth where these environments intersect.

The knowledge gained and the services provided by earth scientists help society cope with its environment in many ways.  Their knowledge about the structure, stratigraphy, and chemical composition of the earth's crust helps us locate resources that sustain and advance our quality of life.  Understanding the forces in the crust, and the natural processes on the surface allows us to anticipate natural disasters such as volcanoes and earthquakes, and geologic environments, such as damaging mining practices or improper waste disposal, gives us information to correct such practices and design more benign procedures for the future.  Finally, a comprehensive perception of planetary physics will allow us to anticipate major changes in global environmental conditions and control or acclimate to those changes. 

In general use, the term "earth science" often includes the study of the earth's atmosphere (meteorology or atmospheric science), the water flowing on and beneath  the surface of continents (hydrology), and the earth's seas and oceans (oceanography or ocean sciences). The NSF organizational taxonomy defines earth science as including the fields of "solid-earth" science (geology, geochemistry, and geophysics (plus continental hydrology. It excludes the "fluid-earth" sciences of oceanography and atmospheric science, which have their own respective divisions in the organization, and are covered in other reports in this series. The NSF Division of Earth Sciences is part of the Geosciences Directorate that also includes the divisions of Atmospheric Sciences and Ocean Sciences. The term "geosciences" is similarly used to represent only the "solid-earth" sciences or solid and fluid sciences depending on the context, so care must be always exercised when interpreting data regarding the earth science fields from various sources.

Banner Photo Credit: Volcanic Eruption.  ©Tom Pfeiffer ( www.decadevolcano.net/VolcanoDiscovery.com )

Planet Earth, explained

Our home planet provides us with life and protects us from space.

Earth, our home planet, is a world unlike any other. The third planet from the sun, Earth is the only place in the known universe confirmed to host life.

With a radius of 3,959 miles, Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system, and it's the only one known for sure to have liquid water on its surface. Earth is also unique in terms of monikers. Every other solar system planet was named for a Greek or Roman deity, but for at least a thousand years, some cultures have described our world using the Germanic word “earth,” which means simply “the ground.”

Our dance around the sun

Earth orbits the sun once every 365.25 days. Since our calendar years have only 365 days, we add an extra leap day every four years to account for the difference.

Though we can't feel it, Earth zooms through its orbit at an average velocity of 18.5 miles a second. During this circuit, our planet is an average of 93 million miles away from the sun, a distance that takes light about eight minutes to traverse. Astronomers define this distance as one astronomical unit (AU), a measure that serves as a handy cosmic yardstick.

Earth rotates on its axis every 23.9 hours, defining day and night for surface dwellers. This axis of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees away from the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun, giving us seasons. Whichever hemisphere is tilted closer to the sun experiences summer, while the hemisphere tilted away gets winter. In the spring and fall, each hemisphere receives similar amounts of light. On two specific dates each year—called the equinoxes—both hemispheres get illuminated equally.

Many layers, many features

About 4.5 billion years ago, gravity coaxed Earth to form from the gaseous, dusty disk that surrounded our young sun. Over time, Earth's interior—which is made mostly of silicate rocks and metals—differentiated into four layers.

For Hungry Minds

At the planet's heart lies the inner core, a solid sphere of iron and nickel that's 759 miles wide and as hot as 9,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The inner core is surrounded by the outer core, a 1,400-mile-thick band of iron and nickel fluids. Beyond the outer core lies the mantle, a 1,800-mile-thick layer of viscous molten rock on which Earth's outermost layer, the crust, rests. On land, the continental crust is an average of 19 miles thick, but the oceanic crust that forms the seafloor is thinner—about three miles thick—and denser.

Like Venus and Mars, Earth has mountains, valleys, and volcanoes. But unlike its rocky siblings, almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered in oceans of liquid water that average 2.5 miles deep. These bodies of water contain 97 percent of Earth's volcanoes and the mid-ocean ridge , a massive mountain range more than 40,000 miles long.

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Earth's crust and upper mantle are divided into massive plates that grind against each other in slow motion. As these plates collide, tear apart, or slide past each other, they give rise to our very active geology. Earthquakes rumble as these plates snag and slip past each other. Many volcanoes form as seafloor crust smashes into and slides beneath continental crust. When plates of continental crust collide, mountain ranges such as the Himalaya are pushed toward the skies.

Protective fields and gases

Earth's atmosphere is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and one percent other gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and argon. Much like a greenhouse, this blanket of gases absorbs and retains heat. On average, Earth's surface temperature is about 57 degrees Fahrenheit; without our atmosphere, it'd be zero degrees . In the last two centuries, humans have added enough greenhouse gases to the atmosphere to raise Earth's average temperature by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit . This extra heat has altered Earth's weather patterns in many ways .

The atmosphere not only nourishes life on Earth, but it also protects it: It's thick enough that many meteorites burn up before impact from friction, and its gases—such as ozone—block DNA-damaging ultraviolet light from reaching the surface. But for all that our atmosphere does, it's surprisingly thin. Ninety percent of Earth's atmosphere lies within just 10 miles of the planet's surface .

The silhouette of a woman is seen on a Norwegian island beneath the Northern Lights ( aurora borealis ).

We also enjoy protection from Earth's magnetic field, generated by our planet's rotation and its iron-nickel core. This teardrop-shaped field shields Earth from high-energy particles launched at us from the sun and elsewhere in the cosmos. But due to the field's structure, some particles get funneled to Earth's Poles and collide with our atmosphere, yielding aurorae, the natural fireworks show known by some as the northern lights.

Spaceship Earth

Earth is the planet we have the best opportunity to understand in detail—helping us see how other rocky planets behave, even those orbiting distant stars. As a result, scientists are increasingly monitoring Earth from space. NASA alone has dozens of missions dedicated to solving our planet's mysteries.

At the same time, telescopes are gazing outward to find other Earths. Thanks to instruments such as NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, astronomers have found more than 3,800 planets orbiting other stars, some of which are about the size of Earth , and a handful of which orbit in the zones around their stars that are just the right temperature to be potentially habitable. Other missions, such as the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, are poised to find even more.

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Earth and Space Science for the Benefit of Humanity

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The March for Science is appropriately being held this weekend on Earth Day 2017 . The broad theme for the March is “Science is Essential,” and this is applicable also to Earth Day. It may seem that with our growing cities, air conditioning, modern infrastructure, and energy-enabled amenities, we can be more isolated from our environment and less dependent on Earth than our ancestors, but the opposite is true: We are more intimately connected than ever before. Many aspects of modern society depend critically on rich real-time data and sophisticated models about all aspects of our planet and its space environment. Growing populations and development are taxing natural resources and increasingly altering Earth’s land, ecosystems, atmosphere, ice sheets, rivers, and oceans on a global scale. Globalization makes our societies, including the most developed ones, more sensitive to disruptions. These interdependencies make research in the Earth and space sciences critically important for society.

A collection of essays and other recent Special Collections across the American Geophysical Union journals illustrate, celebrate, and illuminate these deep connections. Three broad and generally underappreciated themes emerge across this collection. These themes have important implications in the context of recent U.S. and international political developments.

The first theme is that the notion that “basic” or “curiosity-driven” research is distinct from “applied” research is increasingly an anachronism. Most of the cutting-edge research being conducted by Earth and space scientists has direct relevance to society. This relevance is not new but is more extensive and broadly connected than in the past. Geologic research has long been a key contributor to energy and mineral exploration. But research motivated by curiosity about how the Earth works has also led to important resource discoveries. For example, deep ocean drilling to improve understanding of the ocean crust and sediments in the Gulf of Mexico in the late 1960s led to the discovery of vast oil resources.

Today, the connections are broader. Businesses, societies, and economies operating from local to global scales are critically dependent on real-time data about our planet, increasingly at very fine spatial and temporal scales. In turn, these data feed improved models that both address new research questions and provide operational data and forecasts for societal decisions, from governments to individual farmers and shippers. Examples abound. Detailed real time mapping of ocean currents helps us understand how the oceans mix, directly helping companies save fuel in ocean transportation, trade, fishing, and recreation. Understanding subtle changes in Earth’s rotation tells us about Earth’s core and history but also improves GPS signals on which we increasingly rely. A huge amount of global data of great variety, including from citizen science as well as research into numerical methods and statistics, is necessary to provide ever more accurate weather and water-supply forecasts, yielding major economic benefits, and protecting people, crops, and ecosystems. Observations of the sun and of our near-space environment are used to protect our electrical grids, satellites, and airline passengers as well as to improve the fidelity of GPS signals. Testing of sensors on other planets has improved or led to new satellites that provide key data on Earth. And Earth and space science information provide critical insights for addressing many health concerns, from air pollution to human and agricultural pandemics.

The second theme is that these current capabilities have developed, and are critically dependent on, international collaborations, cooperation, and funding. These collaborations include scientists, of course, but they also involve governments and businesses. Global data for a global economy requires global research and data-collection efforts, which require global collaboration and cost-sharing. In addition, it is clear that understanding of local weather requires rich global data; snowfall in the Sierra Nevada is influenced by dust entrained in the atmosphere from Asia and Africa. Understanding the course of one volcanic eruption or earthquake improves understanding of the next one elsewhere in the world. The costs of research and infrastructure, including satellites, have increasingly been shared worldwide. The U.S. economy, as that of every country, greatly benefits from this global research collaboration and shared financing for Earth observations. These collaborations are needed to maintain and expand our global observing effort and the economic and security benefits that it enables.

The third theme, already introduced, is the inclusion of rich data from monitoring all parts of Earth’s processes and its environments (present and past) into sophisticated models that are used both to understand Earth’s processes and to inform critical societal decisions. This understanding is regularly included in engineering models used to mitigate hazards or design better structures. Likewise, such models provide weather forecasts, help predict water supply and coastal erosion, prepare cities and regions for natural hazards and climate change, and help coordinate responses to disasters in real time. Improvements to these models depend on global data, including data whose collection was originally motivated by scientific research.

Although there has been great progress over several decades in using research in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity, the collection of essays also highlights many areas where further progress is both possible and needed. These include new applications, constraining uncertainty, and improving models and forecasts. The authors of these essays also discuss how Earth and space scientists can better communicate both what we know and don’t know and where further improvements are within reach. The Earth complex, and the desire for more effective understanding and communication, is strong.

Two critical threats have emerged to the societal benefits provided by Earth and space science. The first is increasing nationalistic tendencies worldwide that threaten the international collaborations that have facilitated the development of global research, funding, and data collection. Our understanding of Earth processes and current global capabilities – and the economic and societal benefits – have developed directly because scientists and students have been allowed to interact internationally, conduct research worldwide, share global observation platforms, secure temporary and permanent positions in other countries, and attend international conferences. Restricting this exchange will directly harm existing capabilities and limit future scientific advances. Because this international cooperation is critical to understanding the Earth as a system, the Earth and space sciences are particularly vulnerable to such restrictions.

The second threat is proposed funding cuts in major science agencies in the United States and elsewhere. These cuts will do the most harm in two critical areas: collecting and interpreting important data, and training and engaging new scientists. The infrastructure supporting scientific data, especially relating to our planet, is fragile and needs new support for long-term preservation and connectivity, as well as broader availability and sharing of data given its critical economic and scientific role. We need better and more systematic data about our impact on the environment, not less. Instead, U.S. agencies are facing the prospect of substantial cuts, spurring efforts to “ save the data .” As Harold Varmus noted in commenting on the proposed cuts to the NIH budget, the cuts are likely to fall most heavily on the youngest aspiring scientists. The proposed cuts send a message that these jobs are not valued, and that the resources needed to support both the long-term collection of data and the training of the next generation of scientists are not guaranteed.

Earth Day and the March for Science both celebrate the increasingly valuable benefit of Earth and space science research for society. It is also an opportunity to appreciate how these impacts are rooted in a very deep understanding of our planet and its past, present, and future environments. This connection between science and society can and should be made even stronger, for even greater benefit to humanity.

—Brooks Hanson, Director Publications, AGU; email: [email protected] ; Jenny Lunn, Assistant Director, Publications, AGU; Ben van der Pluijm , Editor-in-Chief, Earth’s Future;  John Orcutt , Editor-in-Chief , Earth and Space Science;  Rita Colwell , Editor-in-Chief , GeoHealth;  Susan Trumbore , Editor-in-Chief , Global Biogeochemical Cycles;  Thorsten W. Becker , Editor-in-Chief , G-Cubed;  Noah Diffenbaugh , Editor-in-Chief , Geophysical Research Letters;  Robert Pincus , Editor-in-Chief , JAMES;  Mike  Liemohn , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Space Physics;  Uri ten Brink , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Solid Earth;  Peter Brewer , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Oceans;  Minghua Zhang , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Atmospheres;  Steven A. Hauck II , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Planets;  Bryn Hubbard , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Earth Surface;  Miguel Goni , Editor-in-Chief , JGR: Biogeosciences;  Ellen Thomas , Editor-in-Chief , Paleoceanography;  Philip Wilkinson , Editor-in-Chief , Radio Science;  Mark Moldwin , Editor-in-Chief , Reviews of Geophysics;  Delores J. Knipp , Editor-in-Chief , Space Weather;  John Geissman , Editor-in-Chief , Tectonics; and   Martyn Clark , Editor-in-Chief , Water Resources Research

Hanson, B., J. Lunn, B. van der Pluijm, J. Orcutt, R. R. Colwell, S. Trumbore, T. W. Becker, N. Diffenbaugh, R. Pincus, M. Liemohn, U. ten Brink, P. Brewer, M. Zhang, S. A. Hauck II, B. Hubbard, M. Goni, E. Thomas, P. Wilkinson, M. Moldwin, D. J. Knipp, J. Geissman, and M. Clark (2017), Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity, Eos, 98 , https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EO071991 . Published on 20 April 2017.

Text © 2017. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.

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Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Importance of Earth Science

Everything in the world around us is built upon the Earth, grows on the Earth, or depends on the environment of the Earth in some way. Welcome to this world. Much of human history has been influenced directly or indirectly by earth science. Today as much as ever, major opportunities and problems are tied to Earth and to our understanding of it.

In California, from before the Gold Rush days of the 49ers to the most recent earthquakes, the inhabitants have had an intimate relationship with geology, whether they have thought about it or not. Within its boundaries, this state contains examples of virtually everything geological.

The word "volcano" comes from the little island of Vulcano in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily. Centuries ago, the people living in this area believed that Vulcano was the chimney of the forge of Vulcan -- the blacksmith of the Roman gods. They thought that the hot lava fragments and clouds of dust erupting form Vulcano came from Vulcan's forge as he beat out thunderbolts for Jupiter, king of the gods, and weapons for Mars, the god of war. In Polynesia the people attributed eruptive activity to the beautiful but wrathful Pele, Goddess of Volcanoes, whenever she was angry or spiteful. Today we know that volcanic eruptions are not super-natural but can be studied and interpreted by scientists.

EARTHQUAKES

One of the most frightening and destructive phenomena of nature is a severe earthquake and its terrible effects. An earthquake is a sudden movement of the Earth, caused by the abrupt release of strain that has accumulated over a long time. For hundreds of millions of years, the forces of plate tectonics have shaped the Earth as the huge plates that form the Earth's surface slowly move over, under, and past each other. Sometimes the movement is gradual. At other times, the plates are locked together, unable to release the accumulating energy. When the accumulated energy grows strong enough, the plates break free. If the earthquake occurs in a populated area, it may cause many deaths and injuries and extensive property damage.

Today we are challenging the assumption that earthquakes must present an uncontrollable and unpredictable hazard to life and property. Scientists have begun to estimate the locations and likelihoods of future damaging earthquakes. Sites of greatest hazard are being identified, and definite progress is being made in designing structures that will withstand the effects of earthquakes.

LAND SLIDES

Landsliding is a significant hazard along many hillslopes. Many factors contribute to slides, including geology, gravity, weather, groundwater, wave action, and human actions. Typically, a landslide occurs when several of these factors converge.

For example, many slides on Puget Sound occur in a geologic setting that places permeable sands and gravels above impermeable layers of silt and clay, or bedrock. Water seeps downward through the upper materials and accumulates on the top of the underlying units, forming a zone of weakness.

Floods kill people and destroy homes in many parts of the United States every year. Federal agencies estimate that an average of over 125 people die every year in the United States because of flooding, although losses vary widely from year to year. Property damage ranges into the billions each year, and has been rising in recent decades.

Of course the live video of a family clinging to their car in a swollen river as rescuers winch down from a helicopter is so compelling that few viewers can change channels. But flooding is also worth covering because if people are informed, they can make decisions that will save lives and reduce property loss.

Few subjects in the Earth sciences are as fascinating to the public as dinosaurs. The study of dinosaurs stretches our imaginations, gives us new perspectives on time and space, and invites us to discover worlds very different from our modern Earth.

From a scientific viewpoint, however, the study of dinosaurs is important both for understanding the causes of past major extinctions of land animals and for understanding the changes in biological diversity caused by previous geological and climatic changes of the Earth. These changes are still occurring today. A wealth of new information about dinosaurs has been learned over the past 30 years, and science's old ideas of dinosaurs as slow, clumsy beasts have been totally turned around. We have learned answers to some frequently asked questions about dinosaurs, with current ideas and evidence to correct some long-lived popular misconceptions. Although much has been discovered recently about dinosaurs, there is still a great deal more to learn about our planet and its ancient inhabitants.

Diamond may well be the world's most versatile engineering material as well as its most famous gemstone.  The superiority of diamond in so many diverse industrial applications is attributable to a unique combination of properties that cannot be matched by any other material.  For example, diamond is the strongest and hardest known material and has the highest thermal conductivity of any material at room temperature.  Diamond that does not meet gem-quality standards for color, clarity, size, or shape is used principally as an abrasive, and is termed "industrial diamond."  Even though it is more expensive than competing abrasive materials, diamond has proven to be more cost effective in numerous industrial processes because it cuts faster and lasts longer than any rival material.  Synthetic industrial diamond is superior to its natural diamond counterpart because it can be produced in unlimited quantities, and, in many cases, its properties can be tailored for specific applications.  Consequently, manufactured diamond accounts for more than 90% of the industrial diamond used in the United States.

Glaciers are made up of fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses. Glaciers form when snow remains in one location long enough to transform into ice. What makes glaciers unique is their ability to move. Due to sheer mass, glaciers flow like very slow rivers. Some glaciers are as small as football fields, while others grow to be over a hundred kilometers long.

Presently, glaciers occupy about 10 percent of the world's total land area, with most located in polar regions like Antarctica and Greenland. Glaciers can be thought as remnants from the last Ice Age, when ice covered nearly 32 percent of the land, and 30 percent of the oceans. An Ice Age occurs when cool temperatures endure for extended periods of time, allowing polar ice to advance into lower latitudes. For example, during the last Ice Age, giant glacial ice sheets extended from the poles to cover most of Canada, all of New England, much of the upper Midwest, large areas of Alaska, most of Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and other arctic islands, Scandinavia, much of Great Britain and Ireland, and the northwestern part of the former Soviet Union.

Gold is a gleaming symbol of California's bounty and wealth. It was the lure, the promise of California for hundreds of thousands of argonauts who overwhelmed California during the Gold Rush. Gold unleashed the forces that rocketed California to immense growth and development. It sparked a swirl of hopes and dreams, myths and legends, contributions and conflicts.

But the legacies of the Gold Rush are complex--sometimes triumphant, sometimes troubled. It what seemed the blink of an eye, California's first people were overrun by a world rush. Miners saw nature as a force to be overcome to get at the golden treasure. Other rushes followed gold: agriculture, oil, real estate, motion pictures, military industry, computers. California became the nation's industrial, agricultural, and population leader. But the bounty and beauty of the region have paid a price for these achievements. The scales have not always been balanced. Immigrants still come, but the gold they seek is mostly metaphorical; not precious metal but opportunity.

Yellowstone National Park is home to some 10,000 thermal features, over 500 hundred of which are geysers. In fact, Yellowstone contains the majority of the worlds geysers. Within Yellowstone's thermal features can be seen the product of millions of years of geology at work. Much of Yellowstone sits inside an ancient volcanic caldera (the exploded crater of a volcano). The last major caldera forming eruption occurred 600,000 years ago. For hundreds of thousands of years following that, subsequent lava flows slowly filled in most of the caldera. Even now, in some places, nearly molten rock resides as little as 2-5 miles below the surface. Heat from the volcanic activity makes its presence known by heating ground water and creating the therma features we now see. The four basic types of thermal features present in the Park are geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mudpots. Many of these are concentrated in Yellowstone's major geyser basins: Upper, Midway, Lower, Norris, West Thumb, Shoshone and Heart Lake.

Oil and natural gas touch our lives in countless ways every day. Together, they supply 65 percent of our nation's energy. They fuel our cars, heat our homes and cook our food.

But did you know that oil and natural gas also help generate the electricity that powers our daily lives? Or that crude oil supplies the building blocks for everything from dent-resistant car fenders to soft drink bottles to camping equipment?

Explore this area to learn more about oil and natural gas, how they are produced and how they become the products you count on. You'll also find useful tips on how to conserve energy and use oil and natural gas products in ways that protect you, your family and our environment.

A cave or cavern is any naturally occurring void, recess, or system of interconnecting passages beneath the earth.  Caves underlie 20% of the United States.  These unique and sensitive environments harbor rare animal life, fragile mineral formations and valuable ground water resources.

Cave formations, such as stalactites and stalagmites, take hundreds to thousands of years to form.  These irreplaceable resources provide aesthetic enjoyment for cave visitors.  Mineral deposits, such as onyx and amethyst clusters, also give caves their natural beauty.

Clues from past people and past cultures can be found in caves.  Artifacts such as arrowheads, pottery, woven slippers and tools help archaeologists answer questions about how past cultures lived.  Caves provided shelter and natural resources for prehistoric people.  Rock carvings and mudglyphs inside caves also offer us insight into the lives of these people.

Mountains are produced by forces in the earth that cause parts of the earth's crust to rise while others sink. Uplift of the crust, combined with chemical and physical erosion by air, water, and ice over millions of years, produces the spectacular scenery found in mountains.

At the very high temperatures and pressures found miles below the earth's surface, rocks can actually flow when density differences are produced by differential heating and cooling of parts of the mantle and lithosphere. The flowing of rocks in the mantle and lithosphere subjects parts of the crust to tension (pulling apart), while other parts are subjected to compression (squeezing together). Rocks are relatively weak and brittle under tension and, consequently, crust under tension tends to break up into giant blocks. Rocks are stronger under compression but when the compressive forces get very large, rocks deform by flowing, folding, and breaking.

• Last Updated Nov 10, 2022

Conserving Earth

Earth’s natural resources include air, water, soil, minerals, plants, and animals. Conservation is the practice of caring for these resources so all living things can benefit from them now and in the future.

Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Geography, Geology, Conservation

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Earth ’s natural resources include air , water , soil , minerals , fuels , plants, and animals. Conservation is the practice of caring for these resources so all living things can benefit from them now and in the future. All the things we need to survive , such as food , water, air, and shelter , come from natural resources. Some of these resources, like small plants, can be replaced quickly after they are used. Others, like large trees, take a long time to replace. These are renewable resources . Other resources, such as fossil fuels , cannot be replaced at all. Once they are used up, they are gone f orever . These are nonrenewable resources . People often waste natural resources. Animals are overhunted . Forests are cleared, exposing land to wind and water damage. Fertile soil is exhausted and lost to erosion because of poor farming practices. Fuel supplies are depleted . Water and air are polluted . If resources are carelessly managed, many will be used up. If used wisely and efficiently , however, renewable resources will last much longer. Through conservation, people can reduce waste and manage natural resources wisely. The population of human beings has grown enormously in the past two centuries. Billions of people use up resources quickly as they eat food, build houses, produce goods, and burn fuel for transportation and electricity . The continuation of life as we know it depends on the careful use of natural resources. The need to conserve resources often conflicts with other needs. For some people, a wooded area may be a good place to put a farm. A timber company may want to harvest the area’s trees for construction materials. A business may want to build a factory or shopping mall on the land. All these needs are valid, but sometimes the plants and animals that live in the area are forgotten. The benefits of development need to be weighed against the harm to animals that may be forced to find new habitats , the depletion of resources we may want in the future (such as water or timber), or damage to resources we use today. Development and conservation can coexist in harmony. When we use the environment in ways that ensure we have resources for the future, it is called sustainable development . There are many different resources we need to conserve in order to live sustainably. Forests A forest is a large area covered with trees grouped so their foliage shades the ground. Every continent except Antarctica has forests, from the evergreen -filled boreal forests of the north to mangrove forests in tropical wetlands . Forests are home to more than two-thirds of all known land species . Tropical rainforests are especially rich in biodiversity . Forests provide habitats for animals and plants. They store carbon , helping reduce global warming . They protect soil by reducing runoff . They add nutrients to the soil through leaf litter . They provide people with lumber and firewood. Deforestation is the process of clearing away forests by cutting them down or burning them. People clear forests to use the wood, or to make way for farming or development. Each year, Earth loses about 14.6 million hectares (36 million acres) of forest to deforestation—an area about the size of the U.S. state of New York. Deforestation destroys wildlife habitats and increases soil erosion. It also releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere , contributing to global warming. Deforestation accounts for 15 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation also harms the people who rely on forests for their survival, hunting and gathering, harvesting forest products, or using the timber for firewood. About half of all the forests on Earth are in the tropics —an area that circles the globe near the Equator . Although tropical forests cover fewer than 6 percent of the world’s land area, they are home to about 80 percent of the world’s documented species. For example, more than 500 different species of trees live in the forests on the small U.S. island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. Tropical forests give us many valuable products, including woods like mahogany and teak , rubber , fruits, nuts, and flowers. Many of the medicines we use today come from plants found only in tropical rainforests. These include quinine , a malaria drug; curare , an anesthetic used in surgery; and rosy periwinkle , which is used to treat certain types of cancer . Sustainable forestry practices are critical for ensuring we have these resources well into the future. One of these practices is leaving some trees to die and decay naturally in the forest. This “ deadwood ” builds up soil. Other sustainable forestry methods include using low-impact logging practices, harvesting with natural regeneration in mind, and avoiding certain logging techniques , such as removing all the high-value trees or all the largest trees from a forest. Trees can also be conserved if consumers recycle . People in China and Mexico, for example, reuse much of their wastepaper, including writing paper, wrapping paper, and cardboard. If half the world’s paper were recycled, much of the worldwide demand for new paper would be fulfilled, saving many of Earth’s trees. We can also replace some wood products with alternatives like bamboo , which is actually a type of grass. Soil Soil is vital to food production. We need high-quality soil to grow the crops that we eat and feed to livestock . Soil is also important to plants that grow in the wild. Many other types of conservation efforts, such as plant conservation and animal conservation, depend on soil conservation. Poor farming methods, such as repeatedly planting the same crop in the same place, called monoculture , deplete nutrients in the soil. Soil erosion by water and wind increases when farmers plow up and down hills. One soil conservation method is called contour strip cropping . Several crops, such as corn, wheat, and clover , are planted in alternating strips across a slope or across the path of the prevailing wind . Different crops, with different root systems and leaves, help slow erosion.

Harvesting all the trees from a large area, a practice called clearcutting , increases the chances of losing productive topsoil to wind and water erosion. Selective harvesting —the practice of removing individual trees or small groups of trees—leaves other trees standing to anchor the soil. Biodiversity Biodiversity is the variety of living things that populate Earth. The products and benefits we get from nature rely on biodiversity. We need a rich mixture of living things to provide foods, building materials, and medicines, as well as to maintain a clean and healthy landscape . When a species becomes extinct , it is lost to the world forever. Scientists estimate that the current rate of extinction is 1,000 times the natural rate. Through hunting, pollution , habitat destruction, and contribution to global warming, people are speeding up the loss of biodiversity at an alarming rate. It’s hard to know how many species are going extinct because the total number of species is unknown. Scientists discover thousands of new species every year. For example, after looking at just 19 trees in Panama, scientists found 1,200 different species of beetles—80 percent of them unknown to science at the time. Based on various estimates of the number of species on Earth, we could be losing anywhere from 200 to 100,000 species each year. We need to protect biodiversity to ensure we have plentiful and varied food sources. This is true even if we don’t eat a species threatened with extinction because something we do eat may depend on that species for survival. Some predators are useful for keeping the populations of other animals at manageable levels. The extinction of a major predator might mean there are more herbivores looking for food in people’s gardens and farms. Biodiversity is important for more than just food. For instance, we use between 50,000 to 70,000 plant species for medicines worldwide. The Great Barrier Reef , a coral reef off the coast of northeastern Australia, contributes about $6 billion to the nation’s economy through commercial fishing , tourism , and other recreational activities. If the coral reef dies, many of the fish, shellfish , marine mammals , and plants will die, too. Some governments have established parks and preserves to protect wildlife and their habitats. They are also working to abolish hunting and fishing practices that may cause the extinction of some species. Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are fuels produced from the remains of ancient plants and animals. They include coal , petroleum (oil), and natural gas . People rely on fossil fuels to power vehicles like cars and airplanes, to produce electricity, and to cook and provide heat. In addition, many of the products we use today are made from petroleum. These include plastics , synthetic rubber, fabrics like nylon , medicines, cosmetics , waxes, cleaning products, medical devices, and even bubblegum.

Fossil fuels formed over millions of years. Once we use them up, we cannot replace them. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource. We need to conserve fossil fuels so we don’t run out. However, there are other good reasons to limit our fossil fuel use. These fuels pollute the air when they are burned. Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Global warming is changing ecosystems . The oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic , which threatens sea life. Sea levels are rising, posing risks to coastal communities. Many areas are experiencing more droughts , while others suffer from flooding . Scientists are exploring alternatives to fossil fuels. They are trying to produce renewable biofuels to power cars and trucks. They are looking to produce electricity using the sun, wind, water, and geothermal energy — Earth’s natural heat. Everyone can help conserve fossil fuels by using them carefully. Turn off lights and other electronics when you are not using them. Purchase energy-efficient appliances and weatherproof your home. Walk, ride a bike, carpool , and use public transportation whenever possible. Minerals Earth’s supply of raw mineral resources is in danger. Many mineral deposits that have been located and mapped have been depleted. As the ores for minerals like aluminum and iron become harder to find and extract , their prices skyrocket . This makes tools and machinery more expensive to purchase and operate. Many mining methods, such as mountaintop removal mining (MTR) , devastate the environment. They destroy soil, plants, and animal habitats. Many mining methods also pollute water and air, as toxic chemicals leak into the surrounding ecosystem. Conservation efforts in areas like Chile and the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States often promote more sustainable mining methods. Less wasteful mining methods and the recycling of materials will help conserve mineral resources. In Japan, for example, car manufacturers recycle many raw materials used in making automobiles. In the United States, nearly one-third of the iron produced comes from recycled automobiles. Electronic devices present a big problem for conservation because technology changes so quickly. For example, consumers typically replace their cell phones every 18 months. Computers, televisions, and mp3 players are other products contributing to “ e-waste .” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans generated more than three million tons of e-waste in 2007. Electronic products contain minerals as well as petroleum-based plastics. Many of them also contain hazardous materials that can leach out of landfills into the soil and water supply. Many governments are passing laws requiring manufacturers to recycle used electronics. Recycling not only keeps materials out of landfills, but it also reduces the energy used to produce new products. For instance, recycling aluminum saves 90 percent of the energy that would be required to mine new aluminum.

Water Water is a renewable resource. We will not run out of water the way we might run out of fossil fuels. The amount of water on Earth always remains the same. However, most of the planet’s water is unavailable for human use. While more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is freshwater . Out of that freshwater, almost 70 percent is permanently frozen in the ice caps covering Antarctica and Greenland. Only about 1 percent of the freshwater on Earth is available for people to use for drinking, bathing, and irrigating crops. People in many regions of the world suffer water shortages . These are caused by depletion of underground water sources known as aquifers , a lack of rainfall due to drought, or pollution of water supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.6 billion people lack adequate water sanitation . More than five million people die each year from diseases caused by using polluted water for drinking, cooking, or washing. About one-third of Earth’s population lives in areas that are experiencing water stress . Most of these areas are in developing countries. Polluted water hurts the environment as well as people. For instance, agricultural runoff—the water that runs off of farmland—can contain fertilizers and pesticides . When this water gets into streams , rivers , and oceans, it can harm the organisms that live in or drink from those water sources. People can conserve and protect water supplies in many ways. Individuals can limit water use by fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, planting drought-resistant plants, and buying low-water-use appliances. Governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations can help developing countries build sanitation facilities. Farmers can change some of their practices to reduce polluted runoff. This includes limiting overgrazing , avoiding over-irrigation, and using alternatives to chemical pesticides whenever possible. Conservation Groups Businesses, international organizations , and some governments are involved in conservation efforts. The United Nations (UN) encourages the creation of national parks around the world. The UN also established World Water Day, an event to raise awareness and promote water conservation. Governments enact laws defining how land should be used and which areas should be set aside as parks and wildlife preserves. Governments also enforce laws designed to protect the environment from pollution, such as requiring factories to install pollution-control devices. Finally, governments often provide incentives for conserving resources, using clean technologies, and recycling used goods. Many international organizations are dedicated to conservation. Members support causes such as saving rain forests, protecting threatened animals, and cleaning up the air. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an alliance of governments and private groups founded in 1948. The IUCN works to protect wildlife and habitats. In 1980, the group proposed a world conservation strategy . Many governments have used the IUCN model to develop their own conservation plans. In addition, the IUCN monitors the status of endangered wildlife, threatened national parks and preserves, and other environments around the world. Zoos and botanical gardens also work to protect wildlife. Many zoos raise and breed endangered animals to increase their populations. They conduct research and help educate the public about endangered species . For instance, the San Diego Zoo in the U.S. state of California runs a variety of research programs on topics ranging from disease control in amphibians to heart-healthy diets for gorillas. Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, England, work to protect plant life around the world. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank , for example, works with partners in 54 countries to protect biodiversity through seed collection. Kew researchers are also exploring how DNA technology can help restore damaged habitats. Individuals can do many things to help conserve resources. Turning off lights, repairing leaky faucets, and recycling paper, aluminum cans, glass, and plastic are just a few examples. Riding bikes, walking, carpooling, and using public transportation all help conserve fuel and reduce the amount of pollutants released into the environment. Individuals can plant trees to create homes for birds and squirrels. At grocery stores, people can bring their own reusable bags. And people can carry reusable water bottles and coffee mugs rather than using disposable containers. If each of us would conserve in small ways, the result would be a major conservation effort.

Tree Huggers The Chipko Movement, which is dedicated to saving trees, was started by villagers in Uttar Pradesh, India. Chipko means hold fast or embrace. The villagers flung their arms around trees to keep loggers from cutting them down. The villagers won, and Uttar Pradesh banned the felling of trees in the Himalayan foothills. The movement has since expanded to other parts of India.

Thirsty Food People require about 2 to 4 liters of drinking water each day. However, a day's worth of food requires 2,000 to 5,000 liters of water to produce. It takes more water to produce meat than to produce plant-based foods.

Tiger, Tiger Tigers are dangerous animals, but they have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them. Today there are only about 3,200 tigers living in the wild. Three tiger subspecies the Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers have gone extinct in the past century. Many organizations are working hard to protect the remaining tigers from illegal hunting and habitat loss.

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Related Resources

Essay on Importance of Earth

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Earth in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Earth

The earth: our home.

Earth is our home planet, providing us with life-sustaining resources. It offers us water, air, food, and shelter, all necessary for our survival.

Source of Life

Earth is the only known planet to harbor life. Its unique conditions, like the presence of water and suitable temperature, make life possible.

Provider of Resources

Earth provides us with natural resources like water, minerals, and plants. These resources are essential for our survival and development.

Importance of Preservation

Preserving Earth is crucial. We must protect it from harm, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for future generations.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Earth

The quintessential planet: earth.

Earth, our home planet, is the only known celestial body to support life, making it unique and invaluable. The importance of Earth is multifaceted, encompassing its role in sustaining life, maintaining biodiversity, and providing resources.

The Life-Sustaining Sphere

Earth’s unique position in the solar system, neither too close nor too far from the sun, enables it to maintain an ideal temperature for life. This ‘Goldilocks Zone’ allows for the existence of liquid water, a prerequisite for life as we know it. The planet’s magnetic field protects life from harmful solar radiation, further emphasizing Earth’s role as a life-sustaining sphere.

A Haven of Biodiversity

Earth is a haven of biodiversity, hosting millions of species, each playing a crucial role in the ecosystem. This biodiversity contributes to the planet’s resilience, allowing it to recover from disturbances. Moreover, it provides us with a wealth of genetic material, which has potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry.

Earth’s crust is rich in resources, from metals to fossil fuels, which have been instrumental in human development. These resources have fueled technological advancements, enabling us to build civilizations, explore space, and connect globally.

In conclusion, Earth’s importance is undeniable. It is a life-supporting, biodiversity-rich, resource-providing planet. However, its finite resources and fragile ecosystems are under threat due to human activities. Therefore, it is imperative to understand and respect the value of Earth, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Earth

The essence of earth.

The Earth, our home, is not just a physical entity with vast ecosystems and diverse species. It’s a complex, interconnected system that provides the fundamental necessities for life to thrive. Its importance is immeasurable, and its preservation is crucial for the survival and progress of humanity.

The Abode of Life

Earth is the only known celestial body that harbors life. Its unique position in the solar system, the presence of water, and the protective atmosphere create the ideal conditions for life to evolve. The diversity of life forms, from the simplest microorganisms to the most complex mammals, is a testament to Earth’s nurturing capabilities. The biodiversity contributes to the stability of ecosystems, which in turn supports human life.

Earth is a rich reservoir of natural resources that sustain human civilization. The fertile soil nourishes our crops, the forests provide timber, and the minerals beneath the surface are used to create a multitude of products. The oceans, covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, are a source of food, transportation, and even renewable energy. These resources are not just commodities; they are the building blocks of our society.

Climate and Weather Patterns

The Earth’s climate system plays a vital role in shaping life on our planet. The complex interplay of atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial processes results in a variety of weather patterns and climatic zones. These conditions influence the distribution of ecosystems and species, agricultural practices, and human settlements. Understanding how this system works is essential for predicting weather, managing natural disasters, and addressing climate change.

The Earth as a Teacher

The Earth is a living textbook, offering lessons in a wide range of disciplines. Geologists study Earth to understand its past, deciphering the history of life and climate from rocks and fossils. Astronomers look at Earth to learn about other planets, using it as a reference point. Ecologists and biologists study Earth’s ecosystems to unravel the complex web of life. These studies are not only academically enriching but also crucial for developing sustainable practices.

The Need for Preservation

Despite its resilience, Earth is under pressure from human activities. Deforestation, pollution, and climate change are just a few examples of how we’re altering the planet. Protecting Earth is not just about preserving beautiful landscapes for future generations. It’s about ensuring the survival of humanity and the countless species that share this home with us. Our actions today will determine the future of Earth.

In conclusion, Earth’s importance extends beyond its role as our home. It’s a life-giving entity, a provider of resources, a regulator of climate, and a source of knowledge. As we continue to explore the universe, we must remember that Earth remains our most important discovery. The preservation of Earth is not just an environmental issue; it’s a matter of survival and prosperity for all life forms.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Importance of Earth Day
• Essay on Green Earth
• Essay on Earth Day

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• Published: 16 January 2008

Earth science and society

• Frank Press 1  

Nature volume  451 ,  pages 301–303 ( 2008 ) Cite this article

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The unique set of challenges that face humankind today mean that it is more essential than ever that Earth scientists apply their understanding of the planet to benefit society and that society invite them to do so.

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In a single sentence of a speech to the Royal Society, in London, in 1988, Margaret Thatcher succinctly connected science to the creation of social wealth when she said: “the value of Faraday's work today must be higher than the capitalization of all the shares on the stock exchange.” Add a few other examples of the work of scientists that has transformed society, such as the Green Revolution in world agriculture, the transistor revolution that opened closed societies to change and the biomedical revolution set off by molecular biology, and the benefits of science to society take on real meaning. The Earth sciences have a unique role in this regard, which was underscored by the twentieth-century US historian Will Durant when he is said to have cautioned: “Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” Today, Durant might add a few new vulnerabilities faced by civilization, which I comment on later in this article.

Engagement by scientists in societal matters is not without its problems. An essential element of a democratic society is the accountability of elected officials, who make the final decisions but are answerable to the people. When a serious social problem is addressed, however — one that involves technical matters — scientists are frequently called on for advice. More often than not, the available data are incomplete, the issue is politically charged and the scientists must hold to the integrity of the scientific process in the face of their own personal biases and possible conflicts of interest. In such circumstances, scientists can help decision-makers by describing a range of possible outcomes — assuming there is enough information to do so. However, there are crisis situations where default judgments are needed: that is, where decisions must be made and there is not enough time for more years of research. In this case, I for one would prefer to solicit the views of the most qualified experts in the field in full knowledge of the possible difficulties noted above. Climate change may be such an issue. Crispin Tickell, a former British ambassador to the United Nations, argued the issue this way 1 : “Scientists should be much braver ... I think this ethics argument — should they speak or shouldn't they — is a lot of nonsense. Scientists cannot promise certainty any more than economists can when they call for changes in taxes or interest rates. Uncertainty is part of the human condition. Caution, in any case, may in reality be recklessness. We must always look at the cost of doing nothing.”

In negotiating the conditions for my position as science adviser to US president Jimmy Carter in early 1977, I learned that he selected me because I was an Earth scientist. To me this signalled his estimate of the important issues he would have to confront in his term of office. I asked the president for the authority to convene panels of experts to sort through technical issues that might relate to a presidential decision, and this proved to be an important mechanism for providing the counsel of the ranking specialists in a field. On occasion, the president, who was technically competent, chose not to follow our advice, but he respected the process and, where appropriate, he explained the political rationale for his decision.

There are numerous examples of both the contributions that Earth scientists have made to society, and of the effects that society has had on the disciplines within Earth science, and I discuss just a few of them here.

Natural resources

Just about everything we use — our metals, many of our chemicals, our building materials, silicon for our transistors, our energy resources — comes from the ground. These resources are discovered by geologists who tell us how they were formed, how to find them, and that they will not last forever. Unfortunately, mining can be a dirty business that ravages the environment. Environmental scientists now counsel conservation, recycling and substitution as alternatives to the mining of diminishing resources.

Fresh water, a life-sustaining resource, is faced with growing chemical pollution together with increasing demand. A new threat reported by glaciologists is the retreat of glaciers with the beginnings of global warming. They alert us that this will reduce Earth's water-storage capacity and seasonal freshwater run-off in many regions, threatening water supplies for drinking and irrigation.

Living on a violent planet

The same forces that have made our planet so uniquely conducive to life by providing us with continents, oceans and a beneficent atmosphere have also made it a violent planet subject to earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides and floods. Earth scientists share with public authorities the responsibility for showing humankind how to live with these natural hardships and minimize the loss of life and property. In all these cases, they do this by public education, recommending intelligent land use together with regulations that require disaster-resistant design of buildings and other structures. In the case of natural disasters, science can provide early warning with increasing reliability. Earthquake prediction still remains an elusive goal, but real-time seismology is offering hope of improved mitigation (see page 271 ).

Climate change

Worrisome as these natural threats are, humankind itself has now become a new troubling force that competes with geology in its power to change our planet. Our ability to alter the chemistry of the atmosphere and thereby change global climate now compares with the natural swings in climate found in the geological record extending back in time over millions of years (see page 279 ). This is an awesome responsibility because of the profound consequences for humankind and all other living species. In 1896, Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius calculated that doubling the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) content in the atmosphere would raise Earth's temperature by 5–6 °C. He proposed that the release of CO 2 by the combustion of coal would produce global warming. At long last, more than 100 years after Arrhenius's warning, Earth scientists have finally won over most of the world's political leaders to the view that the increased emission of greenhouse gases caused by human activity is responsible for measurable levels of global temperature rise since the mid-twentieth century. The scientists were able to present evidence of troublesome changes in physical and biological systems that could be observed. They could cite detailed observations of receding glaciers, reduced sea-ice cover on the Arctic Ocean, more frequent extreme weather events, early-blooming trees and acidifying oceans. This cause-and-effect linkage was the stunning message in a report by a scientific panel appointed by the United Nations. Hundreds of climate experts from 120 governments contributed to this statement, issued in 2007 by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2 , and have been rewarded for their efforts by a share in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize — arguably the highest recognition that scientists can receive for a contribution to society.

In addition, many leading climate scientists are taking what is for them an unusual but necessary action. They are 'going public': that is, expressing in public forums their anxiety about the possible disastrous consequences by the end of this century of unchecked global warming. They are rousing the general public, making this an economic and ethical issue for many business leaders and a political issue for the governments of many countries. Climate experts are now being joined by the many political leaders they have briefed in arguing that even in the absence of absolute certitude (which does not exist for any scientific theory), reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions is mandated because of the non-trivial possibility that global warming could trigger disastrous social and environmental changes. Climate change is an example of a problem faced by scientist-advisers in counselling governments when the issue is politically charged and the early data are incomplete. These scientists persisted, however; the flow of observations and computations buttressed their case, and they are now forcing economic and political action.

The ozone hole

Perhaps the most successful example of advice by Earth scientists informing government policy is that of the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement that became effective in 1989 to control the production of industrial chemicals that threatened to destroy the ozone layer in the stratosphere. The rapidity of negotiation and implementation following the publication of the scientific data was remarkable. In 1995, atmospheric chemists Paul Crutzen, Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work more than two decades earlier on the formation and decomposition of ozone. Molina and Rowland 3 had proposed that a class of normally harmless, commonly used industrial compounds called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, could drift up to the stratosphere. There, photodissociation of the CFCs in a catalytic reaction could produce atomic chlorine that would destroy ozone. Earth's ozone layer, the protective shield that filters cell-damaging solar ultraviolet radiation from reaching the biosphere, could be thinned. In the 1980s, when Earth scientists and others were trying to gain public attention for a possible environmental disaster, a highly placed US government official offered advice that ranks with Marie Antoinette's counsel to starving Parisians: “Let them eat cake.” He proposed that as a cheap and effective solution people should wear hats and sunglasses and use sunscreen. Fortunately, ozone depletion over Antarctica was discovered by the British Antarctic Survey in 1985. In the following year, a team of international scientists led by Susan Solomon of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made in situ measurements in the 'ozone hole'. The chemistry of the ozone hole was confirmed. With this evidence, wiser political voices prevailed, and a treaty was rapidly negotiated. By 2007, some 191 countries had ratified the Montreal Protocol, which now envisages the complete phasing out of ozone-depleting substances.

The nuclear test-ban treaty

Nuclear weapons cannot be developed with confidence that they work without testing. An enforceable ban on testing would thus be a powerful deterrent both to the proliferation of states with nuclear arsenals and to concealed advances in weapons development by nuclear-capable states. We would not be as close as we are today to such a ban without either the work of Earth scientists or the influence of society on the field of seismology. For some 40 years, the United States, Russia and other countries with nuclear weapons have been trying to reach agreement on methods to verify compliance with a test-ban treaty by developing a reliable tool to detect clandestine underground testing of nuclear weapons. Seismic detection of explosions was the obvious technology, but in the early years of negotiations over a treaty, the field of seismology was insufficiently developed to do the complete job of detecting a nuclear explosion, locating it and stating with confidence that the event was an explosion and not an earthquake. That was the driver that transformed the tiny academic research field of seismology into a military–industrial–academic complex that would expose seismologists to the seductions of huge funding increases, co-option by government officials with political agendas, distortion of their research priorities and biased selection of data in publications and testimony.

The first negotiations for a test-ban treaty consisted of several meetings of US, British and Soviet scientists in Geneva, beginning in 1958 (in what follows, I draw on the excellent descriptions of the early history of the nuclear test-ban negotiations in refs 4 and 5 ). The government of the Soviet Union was leery of foreign inspectors roaming freely in their country in search of evidence for clandestine tests, and Soviet seismologists presented seismological data that supported this political policy, claiming that their seismic networks could easily detect even small detonations of chemical explosives at distances of hundreds of kilometres. The US government thought the Soviets capable of and willing to evade a treaty, and US government scientists presented apparently contradictory evidence of how difficult it was to observe seismic waves generated by the much larger underground nuclear explosions in the United States. They maintained that they would need many seismic stations in the Soviet Union, as well as inspections, to monitor clandestine underground nuclear explosions. Each side suspected the motives of the other's scientists in presenting seemingly slanted evidence in support of their government's political position, but subsequent scientific work revealed that differing regional geology could account for the contradictions. It turned out that the ancient, colder (having a lower geothermal gradient) crustal and mantle rocks of the Eurasian continental shield are more effective at generating and propagating seismic waves from an explosion than are the rocks under the Nevada test site, which sits in a geologically younger region where conditions tend to muffle seismic waves.

To avoid disruption of the negotiations because of the conflicting technical positions of the delegations, the administration of President Eisenhower launched a research programme in seismology called Vela Uniform. An advisory panel was appointed by the president's science adviser James Killian of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to prepare a research plan. The panel, chaired by science administrator Lloyd Berkner, consisted of 14 members, of whom 9 were distinguished university professors, including 6 of the nation's leading academic Earth scientists. The highly respected Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the Department of Defense was designated to manage Vela Uniform, and the Berkner Report set its research agenda. Kai-Henrik Barth reported 4 : “Vela Uniform supported almost every US seismologist and even a number of foreign scientists during the 1960s. From 1959 to 1961, funding for seismology increased by a factor of 30 and remained at this level for the better part of the 1960s.” Of great importance to the development of seismology is the fact that the government managers of these research funds knew how to find and support the best scientists and provided them wide latitude in the selection of their own research topics, knowing that this was in the best long-term interest of the government.

As far as seismology is concerned, fears about militarization of the field during the cold war, and distortion of the research agenda into narrow sectors of special interest to government patrons, never materialized. On the contrary, the US government's generous support of academic Earth scientists with few limitations over the decades not only led to the development of many advanced methods for differentiating between nuclear explosions and earthquakes but also enabled seismologists to make extraordinary contributions to the study of plate tectonics and to the unravelling of the dynamics of Earth's internal heat engine.

The seismological methods that were developed also had a crucial role in facilitating the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty by the United Nations in 1996, by giving states confidence that compliance with the treaty could be verified. A global international monitoring system of 170 seismic stations, which should be capable of detecting and identifying nuclear explosions as small as 1–2 kilotonnes (ref. 6 ), is now being installed as part of the treaty. This should be sufficient to inhibit any rogue nation from secretly developing a nuclear weapon. I am sure that it will also lead to new discoveries about Earth's interior and provide useful data for early warning of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions in remote regions.

Earth scientists should be proud of the contributions to society they are making in the course of applying and advancing their science. The wider application of old knowledge still serves many purposes, including lessening the destruction of natural disasters. The latest challenge is to apply the new understanding of our planet that has been uncovered by research to halt and reverse the environmental damage inflicted by humankind.

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217 Awesome Earth Science Topics For All Your Essay Needs

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey into the captivating realm of Earth science? Whether you’re a student seeking inspiration or striving to improve your essay writing skills, this blog post is your ultimate guide. We’ve curated a list of 217 free Earth science topics that will spark your curiosity.

Additionally, we’ll share valuable tips to help you craft stellar essays and research papers that impress your professors. So, grab your pen and let’s dive into the fascinating world of Earth science exploration and effective academic writing!

Let’s Talk About Earth Science Papers

Earth science is a broad scientific discipline that focuses on understanding the Earth’s physical processes, its history and its place within the larger universe. It encompasses various fields of study, including geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy, among others.

A good Earth science essay should effectively convey knowledge and understanding of the subject matter while engaging the reader. Here are some key elements that can contribute to a strong Earth science essay:

• Clear and coherent structure. The essay should have a logical structure with a clear introduction, body paragraphs that present and develop ideas, and a conclusion that summarizes the main points.
• Well-defined thesis statement. The essay should have a central thesis statement that clearly states the main argument or purpose of the essay.
• Accurate and relevant information. The essay should demonstrate a solid understanding of Earth science concepts and incorporate accurate and up-to-date information.
• Critical analysis and interpretation. A good Earth science essay goes beyond presenting information and includes critical analysis and interpretation of the data or concepts being discussed.
• Use of appropriate language. Use clear, concise, and precise language to convey your ideas effectively. Avoid jargon or technical terms that may confuse the reader.
• Visual aids and examples. Utilize visuals, such as diagrams, graphs, or images, to enhance the understanding of complex concepts or data.
• Proper referencing and citations. Give credit to the sources of information used in your essay by citing them properly. Follow a recognized citation style, such as APA, MLA or Chicago.
• Engaging and concise writing style. Keep your writing engaging and concise. Use active voice, varied sentence structures, and avoid unnecessary repetition.
• Proofreading and editing. Before submitting your essay, carefully proofread it for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Also check the overall coherence and flow of ideas.

However, one of the key elements of a great Earth science paper is its topic. A great topic can earn you bonus points from your professor. The good news is that you don’t have to waste any time searching for original topic ideas because we have a comprehensive Earth science topics list for you right here:

Interesting Earth Science Topics

Explore captivating subjects like plate tectonics, volcanoes, and the effects of climate change on ecosystems in our curated list of interesting Earth science topics:

• Plate tectonics: Unveiling the dynamic forces shaping Earth’s crust.
• Climate change impacts: Exploring the effects on ecosystems.
• Volcanic eruptions: Unraveling the mysteries of volcanic activity.
• Weather forecasting: The science behind it.
• Renewable energy sources: Examining sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.
• Soil erosion: Investigating the causes and impacts on agricultural productivity.
• Geologic hazards: Earthquakes, landslides and their potential dangers.
• Ocean acidification: Consequences of carbon dioxide absorption by oceans.
• Sustainable water management: Balancing human needs with freshwater resources.
• Geological time scale: Unlocking the timeline of Earth’s ancient history.
• Space exploration: Discovering new frontiers beyond our planet.

Earth Science Essay Topics

Craft an engaging essay by choosing from a variety of Earth science essay topics such as the formation of mountains, the impact of erosion or the role of water in shaping Earth’s surface:

• The impact of climate change on coastal erosion and landforms.
• The role of plate tectonics in shaping Earth’s geology.
• The process of weathering and its effects on rock formations.
• Exploring the causes and consequences of volcanic eruptions.
• The significance of water cycles in sustaining life on Earth.
• Understanding the formation and characteristics of different soil types.
• The impact of deforestation on biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Examining the formation and properties of different types of rocks.
• The role of glaciers in shaping landscapes and contributing to sea-level rise.
• Exploring the causes and consequences of Earthquakes and tsunamis.
• The importance of the ozone layer in protecting Earth from harmful UV radiation.
• Investigating the process of fossilization.

Earth Science Persuasive Essay Topics

Make a compelling argument in your essay by selecting one of our awesome Earth science persuasive essay topics. Take your pick now:

• The urgency of addressing climate change: A call to action.
• Renewable energy sources: The key to a sustainable future.
• The devastating impacts of deforestation: Time to save our forests.
• Ocean acidification: A silent threat to marine life and ecosystems.
• The importance of conserving water: Preserving our most precious resource.
• The alarming rise of plastic pollution: Urgent steps for a cleaner planet.
• The role of geothermal energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• The significance of biodiversity conservation: Protecting Earth’s web of life.
• Fracking: Balancing energy needs and environmental concerns.
• The impact of air pollution on human health: Time for clean air initiatives.
• Overpopulation: Sustainable solutions for a crowded planet.
• The role of sustainable agriculture in mitigating climate change.

Meteorology Topic Ideas

Dive into captivating meteorology topics such as the causes and consequences of severe weather events with our unique meteorology topic ideas:

• The impact of El Niño on global weather patterns.
• Exploring the formation and characteristics of supercell thunderstorms.
• The role of atmospheric pressure in predicting weather changes.
• Understanding the mechanisms behind hurricane intensification.
• Investigating the effects of climate change on precipitation patterns.
• Analyzing the relationship between air pollution and weather conditions.
• Examining the factors influencing tornado formation and path prediction.
• The significance of cloud types in forecasting severe weather events.
• The role of jet streams in shaping weather patterns across regions.
• Exploring the impact of topography on local microclimates.
• Investigating the link between solar activity and Earth’s climate variability.

Easy Topics In Earth Science

Explore the basics of Earth science with easy topics covering rock types, the water cycle, or different soil characteristics with our list of easy topics in Earth science:

• The formation and types of rocks found on Earth.
• Exploring the water cycle and its importance in Earth’s ecosystems.
• Understanding the movement of Earth’s continents.
• The role of volcanoes in releasing gases.
• Investigating the causes and effects of Earthquakes.
• Exploring the different types and properties of soil on Earth.
• Examining the impact of erosion on landforms and ecosystems.
• The significance of fossils in understanding Earth’s history and evolution.
• Understanding the formation and features karst landscapes.
• Exploring the importance of biodiversity in maintaining Earth’s ecosystems.
• Investigating the effects of climate change on Earth’s polar regions.
• The role of glaciers in shaping landforms and contributing to sea-level rise.
• Understanding the processes of weathering.

Soil Science Topic Ideas

Investigate the role of soil in agriculture, the effects of erosion on ecosystems, or the impact of soil pollution on human health with our original soil science topic ideas:

• Soil erosion: Causes, impacts, and prevention measures.
• Nutrient cycling in agricultural soils: Processes and management strategies.
• Soil pollution: Sources, effects, and remediation techniques.
• Soil pH and its influence on plant growth.
• Soil compaction: Implications for agriculture and remedial practices.
• Organic matter content in soil: Sustainable management practices.
• Soil microbiology: Role of microorganisms in nutrient cycling and soil health.
• Soil fertility management: Enhancing nutrient availability for crop production.
• Soil moisture retention and its impact on plant water uptake.
• Soil classification systems: Understanding soil types and their characteristics.
• Soil remediation techniques for contaminated urban environments.
• Soil carbon sequestration: Strategies for mitigating climate change.

Controversial Topics About Earth

Engage in debates surrounding controversial Earth science topics like fracking or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Choose one of these exceptional controversial topics about Earth:

• Climate change: Causes, extent and human contribution.
• Fracking: Environmental impacts and potential risks.
• Genetically modified organisms in agriculture: Safety concerns.
• Deforestation: Balancing economic development and environmental conservation.
• Nuclear energy: Benefits, risks and the future of nuclear power.
• Animal agriculture and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
• Plastic waste and its effects on marine ecosystems.
• Vaccination versus vaccine hesitancy: Individual rights and societal impact.
• Geoengineering: Manipulating the Earth’s climate as a solution to global warming.
• Overpopulation: Resource depletion, environmental strain and ethical dilemmas.
• Electric vehicles and the future of transportation: Environmental benefits.

Environmental Science Research Topics

Conduct impactful research on environmental science by choosing one of our brand new environmental science research topics. Get bonus points on your paper:

• Impact of deforestation on local biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Assessing the effectiveness of renewable energy sources in reducing carbon emissions.
• The role of microplastics in contaminating marine food webs.
• Investigating the effects of air pollution on human health in urban areas.
• Examining the relationship between climate change and agricultural productivity.
• Assessing the sustainability of current water management practices in arid regions.
• Evaluating the impact of industrial waste on soil quality.
• Investigating the potential of biofuels as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
• Exploring the effects of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems.
• Assessing the ecological implications of invasive species in natural habitats.
• Investigating the link between deforestation and climate change feedback mechanisms.
• Examining the effectiveness of conservation strategies for endangered species.

Earth Science Topics For High School

Impress your teachers and peers by writing a paper on one of our Earth science topics for high school. Yes, all of these are tailored specifically for high school learners:

• The formation and characteristics of volcanoes and volcanic eruptions.
• Investigate the processes of erosion and its impact on landforms.
• Understanding the causes and effects of Earthquakes and seismic activity.
• Explore the dynamics of glaciers and their role in shaping landscapes.
• Investigate the processes involved in the formation of different types of rocks.
• Understanding the composition and layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.
• Explore the formation and features of different types of caves.
• Investigate the causes and impacts of coastal erosion.
• Understanding the formation and characteristics of different types of soils.
• Explore the role of plate tectonics in shaping Earth’s continents.
• Investigate the impact of human activities on the Earth’s environment.

Astronomy Topic Ideas

Embark on a cosmic journey with captivating astronomy topics, exploring the formation of stars and galaxies, exoplanets or the history of space exploration with one of these awesome astronomy topic ideas:

• The life cycle and evolution of stars in the universe.
• Investigate the properties and formation of exoplanets.
• Explore the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.
• Study the cosmic microwave background radiation and its implications.
• Investigate the existence and nature of black holes.
• Understanding the formation and dynamics of galaxies.
• Explore the origins and composition of the Solar System.
• Investigate the potential for life on other planets and moons.
• Study the properties and behavior of supernovae.
• Understanding the structure and evolution of the universe.
• Explore the phenomenon of gravitational waves and their detection.
• Investigate the nature and properties of quasars and active galactic nuclei.
• Study the relationship between cosmic rays and high-energy astrophysical phenomena.

Earth And Space Science Topics

Uncover the interconnections between Earth and the cosmos with one of our interesting Earth and space science topics. All of these topics are 100% free for your use:

• Investigating the impact of space weather on Earth’s magnetic field.
• Exploring the formation and characteristics of impact craters.
• Understanding the processes associated with satellite collisions.
• Investigating the geologic history of other planets and moons.
• Exploring the role of water on Mars and the potential for past or present life.
• Understanding the interactions between Earth’s atmosphere and space weather events.
• Investigating the potential for asteroid mining.
• Exploring the formation and evolution of planetary systems beyond our own.
• Investigating the impact of coronal mass ejections on Earth’s climate.
• Understanding the role of gravitational forces in shaping celestial bodies.
• Exploring the potential for human colonization of other planets.

Geology Topic Ideas

UnEarth the wonders of geology with topics covering mountain formation, erosion processes, or the geological history of specific regions. Choose one of our geology topic ideas:

• Plate tectonics: The Earth’s shifting puzzle pieces.
• Volcanic eruptions: Unleashing the fury from deep within.
• Geological time scale: Unraveling Earth’s ancient history.
• Rock formations: Sculptures of nature’s geological artistry.
• Fossil record: Clues to life’s past hidden in stone.
• Earthquakes: Tremors that shape the planet’s surface.
• Geothermal energy: Harnessing the Earth’s internal heat.
• Mineralogy: Investigating the building blocks of rocks.
• Sedimentary processes: Layers of Earth’s time-stamped stories.
• Geomorphology: Shaping landforms through natural forces.
• Geological hazards: Understanding and mitigating natural risks.
• Glacial erosion: Carving landscapes with icy precision.

Earth And Environmental Science Topics

Explore the intersection of Earth science and environmental issues with one of these unique Earth and environmental science topics. All our topics should be perfect for 2023:

• Climate change: Understanding the global warming phenomenon.
• Renewable energy: Harnessing sustainable power sources for the future.
• Biodiversity loss: Investigating the decline of Earth’s species.
• Water pollution: Examining the impacts of contaminated water sources.
• Deforestation: Uncovering the consequences of widespread tree removal.
• Ocean acidification: Exploring the effects of carbon dioxide on marine ecosystems.
• Environmental policy: Analyzing the role of legislation in protecting the planet.
• Soil degradation: Assessing the depletion of nutrient-rich soils.
• Air pollution: Investigating the impacts of pollutants on human health.
• Sustainable development: Balancing economic growth with environmental preservation.

Fun Earth Science Topics

Pick one of our fun Earth science topics and start writing your essay in minutes. All of these topic ideas are 100% original and are guaranteed to get you a top grade:

• The wonders of weather: Exploring meteorological phenomena.
• Rocks and minerals: Unveiling the secrets beneath our feet.
• Volcanoes: Nature’s fiery spectacles and their impact.
• The water cycle: From raindrops to oceans and back.
• Ecosystems: Delving into the intricate web of life.
• Plate tectonics: How Earth’s puzzle pieces shape our world.
• Climate change: Unraveling the causes and consequences.
• The power of Earthquakes: Shaking things up with seismic energy.
• The role of glaciers: Carving landscapes and shaping history.
• Fossils: Unlocking ancient mysteries of life on Earth.
• Oceans: Discovering the vast realms beneath the waves.
• The delicate balance of ecosystems: Exploring interconnections.
• Space weather: Studying the Sun’s influence on our planet.

Earth Science Topics To Write About In 2023

Stay up to date with current advancements in Earth science by focusing on topics relevant to 2023. In fact, we have a whole list of Earth science topics to write about in 2023:

• The impact of climate change on coastal erosion patterns
• Emerging technologies for sustainable energy generation and storage
• Advances in predicting and mitigating natural disasters
• Ocean acidification and its effects on marine ecosystems
• Exploring the role of geothermal energy in a carbon-neutral future
• Unraveling the mysteries of Earth’s magnetic field reversals
• Investigating the link between air pollution and human health
• Assessing the long-term impacts of deforestation on climate change
• The role of volcanic activity in climate patterns and atmospheric chemistry
• Understanding the interactions between land, water, and atmosphere
• Analyzing the impacts of urbanization on local climate and biodiversity

Oceanography Topic Ideas

Dive into the depths of oceanography with captivating topics exploring marine ecosystems, climate change impacts on coral reefs, or ocean currents and tides. Here are some great oceanography topic ideas:

• The impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems.
• Explore deep-sea hydrothermal vents and their unique organisms.
• Understanding the role of ocean currents in climate regulation.
• The effects of plastic pollution on marine biodiversity.
• Investigate the causes and consequences of coral bleaching.
• Explore the mysterious world of bioluminescence in the ocean.
• Examine the influence of tides on coastal erosion and deposition.
• The role of upwelling in nutrient distribution and marine productivity.
• Investigate the formation and characteristics of ocean gyres.
• Understanding the impact of overfishing on marine food webs.
• Explore the ecological significance of marine protected areas.
• Investigate the link between climate change and ocean circulation.

Engaging Earth Science Topic Ideas

Capture your readers’ attention with engaging topics and write the best essay in your class. Here is a list of brand new and engaging Earth science topic ideas:

• Exploring the mysteries of deep-sea ecosystems.
• Unveiling the forces behind volcanic eruptions.
• The role of climate change in the decline of coral reefs.
• Unraveling the geological history of the Grand Canyon.
• How plate tectonics shape our planet’s surface.
• Investigating the fascinating world of weather patterns.
• The impact of deforestation on biodiversity.
• Understanding the formation of groundwater resources.
• Uncovering the secrets of ancient fossils.
• The science of Earthquakes: mitigating their effects.
• Exploring the consequences of natural disasters.
• The fragile beauty of glaciers.
• Investigating the potential hazards of asteroid impacts on Earth.
• The incredible diversity of rock formations.
• Examining the impact of human activity on ecological systems.

Informative Earth Topics For An Essay

Educate and inform your readers with topics focusing on biodiversity conservation, pollution impacts on ecosystems, or the benefits of renewable energy sources. Pick one of these informative Earth topics for an essay:

• The water cycle: How Earth’s precious resource is recycled
• Volcanoes: The fiery forces that shape the Earth’s landscape
• Coral reefs: Underwater cities of biodiversity
• Plate tectonics: Unraveling the puzzle of Earth’s shifting crust
• Weather patterns: Exploring the science behind rain, wind and storms
• Deforestation: Consequences of losing Earth’s green lungs
• Groundwater: The hidden reservoirs beneath our feet
• Fossils: Clues to the evolution of life
• Earthquakes: Causes, effects and measures for safety
• Hurricanes: The powerhouses of destructive storms
• Glaciers: Frozen giants melting away
• Asteroids: Planetary defense
• Rocks and minerals: The building blocks of Earth’s geology
• Climate change: Human influence on a changing climate
• Ecosystems: Understanding the interconnected web of life on Earth

An Essay Writing Service You Can Trust

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What are key steps for writing an Earth science essay?

Research, organize your ideas, create a clear thesis, and provide evidence-based arguments. There are other steps involved, of course. Our expert English essay writing services can help you with your paper if you need assistance.

How to choose a compelling and relevant topic for an Earth science essay?

You should consider current issues, recent discoveries or ongoing research in the field. Or you can just choose one of our topics. We’re updating the list regularly.

How important is proper citation in an Earth science essay?

It is extremely important. Proper citation adds credibility, acknowledges sources and allows verification. Without it, you will get penalized.

What are some strategies for presenting complex concepts in an Earth science essay?

Use clear language, provide examples, make effective use of visuals, and structure your essay logically. Also, don’t forget to take into account the expertise of your audience.

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Earth Science — The Beauty of Earth: An Essay on the Magnificence of Our Planet

The Beauty of Earth: an Essay on The Magnificence of Our Planet

• Categories: Earth Science

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Published: Mar 8, 2024

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The natural wonders of earth, the diverse inhabitants of earth, preserving the beauty of earth.

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The Importance of Teaching Earth Science

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, January/February 2018 Issue

By Adam Stone

Earth science has long been the poor cousin of STEM programs. It takes a back seat to technology and even among the straight sciences, rocks and rivers get short shrift alongside the physical sciences—properties of matter, motion, gravity.

“It’s the least glamorous, it requires the least specialized equipment, it’s not as shiny. And the modern applications of it are less straightforward and less clear,” says Michael Walker, a high school teacher at the Village School, a 1,200-student K–12 institution in Houston.

Walker is among those calling for a bigger role for earth science in the STEM curriculum. “Our students have to start making decisions about how we use our resources, and that means they have to know what is there, how is it used, and what are the consequences,” he says.

Let’s look at ways to implement earth science in the K–12 classroom.

Make It Hands-On

From a pedagogic point of view, earth science has a big advantage in that it is inherently tangible. The very opposite of abstract or theoretical subjects, it can be talked about in practical terms: water, air, rock. Oceans, meadows, volcanoes. These are the basics of the shared human experience, and teachers can leverage that edge to get kids excited.

“A lot of the topics that are part of an earth science curriculum are relevant to a person’s daily life,” says Jacqueline Huntoon, provost at Michigan Technological University. She has been helping to develop the new middle school science curriculum Mi-STAR , for Michigan Science Teaching and Assessment Reform.

Her approach relies heavily on hands-on experience.

“In the past students would be asked to memorize fifty different minerals or some set of chemical formulas. That’s not really intriguing or interesting to every kid on the block,” she says. “We like to start with something tangible and concrete, so that all the students can have a shared experience. We’ll look at those ‘helicopter’ seed pods, for example. When you drop them, they spin. Why do they spin? You can make a model of that. You get the kids to figure out as of much of this on their own, with the teacher as a guide, before you start lecturing about the concepts.”

Look at Processes

Earth science can be more than just a summation of facts: it can be a descriptor of processes, a way of understanding how complex actions and interactions unfold in the natural world.

A professor of earth sciences in the School of Science at Indiana University, Gabriel Filippelli has taken this approach in working with high school students and teachers to incorporate earth science into the STEM classroom. He counts the effort a success if kids leave knowing three core processes:

• How climate change causes ocean acidification and what that does to coastal regions;
• How lead poisoning impacts neurological development, as seen by following lead through the environment and learning how the body processes it;
• Elemental synthesis in stars as a marker of the age of the universe.

Taken together, these processes incorporate much of the nature world: physics and chemistry, ecology and astronomy. By teaching processes, he’s encouraging kids to synthesize all that they are learning, to begin to develop a large-scale vision of the interrelationship of scientific ideas.

Moreover, the process-based approach helps students to ground the earth science ideas in their own experiences.

“You want to teach the theory, but you also want to show them why these things matter in nature. So you show them how, as the ocean warms, the amount of oxygen in the ocean goes down and what the consequences are of that. Those are the things that students remember in the long term,” says Filippelli.

Even a modestly funded school can find ways to introduce earth science processes. “One easy thing is species presence or the timing of species arrival, or the timing of first buds. Right there in the school yard they can observe and measure. When I sit here, how many amphibians do I see? What bird species do I see? The teacher then can keep this going over time, and that becomes the core of citizen science. They can reflect on how it changes from year to year,” he explains.

Observe the processes near at hand, then connect these to larger processes. From there it’s a short leap to core concepts of earth science, which in turn can be connected to other topics across the sciences.

Teach Cycles

Just as Filippelli talks about “processes,” Walker likes to emphasize “systems” as a way to make earth science come alive.

How do rocks form, change, shift over time? How does water enter the ecosystem, where does it go? “By looking at entire systems, it gives you a useful tool for taking any large, complex idea and breaking it down into manageable components,” he says.

“When you first learn about something like plate tectonics, that is a big concept, thinking that the entire surface of the Earth is always moving and being transformed. When students try to think about these big ideas it can be a little bit overwhelming. Turning it into a system makes it a little more accessible, a little less intimidating,” he notes.

He’ll let the kids throw in their own ideas: consider the “system” of soccer, or of a banana, for example. Almost anything can be slotted in to the basic format, with students asking where it comes from, how it may grow and change, what kinds of outcomes it may generate.

“You can apply the systems approach at multiple scales. One system can be nested within another system. So within the rock cycle you can break down sedimentary rock into a smaller system. Or you could scale up, to see how the rock cycle fits into the formation of the solar system. It’s all the same basic kind of thinking,” he says.

Dig in the Dirt

“One of the best ways to put earth sciences into any STEM program is to provide students with opportunities to garden,” says Donna Grim, principal of Green Valley Elementary School in Danville, CA.

“Calculating the rate of growth and the many variables found in the growing cycle is an excellent way to incorporate earth science vocabulary, and meaningful hands-on activity,” she advises. “Tools and approaches used can vary but students allowed to experiment can use cameras for documentation, create graphs to compare growth, make iMovies to explain lessons learned, and more. The use of technology should be a natural extension of the earth science experience.”

Huntoon extends this idea of connectedness, encouraging teachers to help kids interface with their own local ecosystems as a way to engage in earth sciences.

“We have really focused on a place-based approach. We want to make everything we teach relevant to students’ lives, so we focus on their local areas as much as possible. This helps to connect them, which helps to make them more informed about how science can help us make good decisions,” she says.

In this way, earth science becomes a doorway into a wider understanding of science as a foundational pursuit. “Kids need to use science as a tool to look at problems in their local communities. That’s really powerful. Now they know what science is all about and just how powerful it can be as a force for making good decisions,” she notes.

Not surprisingly, the internet offers a range of valuable tools to help educators introduce earth science into the STEM classroom. A few select examples:

• ClimateSim offers a web-based climate change simulator. Advanced high school students can tinker with emissions levels and watch greenhouse gas levels rise. For more on the topic, Explaining Climate Change offers a range of teaching materials.
• For the zoological side of earth science, National Geographic Kids offers video clips of animals and a detailed exploration of prehistoric life for use with K–12 students.
• Virtual Earthquake introduces students to the concepts of seismology, showing how scientists graph and measure seismic activity.
• At Grades of Green , educators can tap into 40+ hands-on activities and projects highlighting environmental stewardship.
• NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab offers a number of online resources, including teaching tools to help explain the rising seas and a variety of classroom activities built around space topics.

Advocates say these and other tools can play a vital role in getting kids to explore their surroundings. The tools of earth science can take students beyond the textbook, relating basic STEM learning to tangible outcomes and practical experience.

“I don’t have anything against pure theoretical chemists, but most of us have to deal with the nuances in the real world,” Filippelli says. “When you spill a chemical and it goes into the ground water, organisms take it in at a certain rate. That requires an understanding of how biology and chemicals and earth materials work together—and that is exactly what we do.”

Adam Stone is a seasoned journalist with 20+ years’ experience. He covers education, technology, government and the military, along with diverse other topics.

2 comments on "The Importance of Teaching Earth Science"

I never thought about how earth science is used every day so kids would benefit from learning about it. Maybe I can find a program that can teach my kids more about it. Then I could take it their school board meetings and see what the other parents think.

I like what Walker said about how we need to incorporate earth science and STEM into the classroom so the students can learn how to make decisions about the Earth’s resources. Lately I’ve been interested in learning more about the importance of science in early childhood education. I hadn’t thought about the importance of resource decision making, so thanks for pointing out that benefit.

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Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life

Science is a systematic process in which various theories, formulas, laws, and thoughts are analysed and evaluated in order to determine the truth about the facts of anything.

This systematic process studies and generates new knowledge from any kind of activity that occurs in the nature around us or in the universe, of which we are a tiny part.

Table of Contents

Science is essential.

• Importance of Science in Society
• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Science is a methodical process of extracting true facts from any given thought by adhering to a set of rules known as methodology.

It includes the following:

• Observation: The observations are made based on the collected data and measurements.
• Evidence: If any evidence is gathered for further processing of data evaluation.
• Experiment : Using the data and evidence gathered, experiments are carried out to test the assumption.
• Initiation: Identify the facts based on data and evidence analysis.
• Re-examination and complex analysis: To ensure the veracity and authenticity of the results, the data and evidence are examined several times and critically analysed.
• Verification and review of the results: The results of the experiment are verified and tested by experts to ensure that they are correct.

Science is concerned with generating new knowledge and proving new hypotheses by collecting and analysing data in a systematic manner.

There are numerous scientific disciplines:

• Astrophysics
• Climate science
• Atmospheric science

Importance of science in society

Science and technology play an important role in today’s changing world. Everything from the road to the buildings, the shop to the educational instructions is the result of modern science and technology. Almost everything we see in society is the result of applied science and technology. Even the toothpaste we use to clean our teeth after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night are products of science and technology.

Electricity

The discovery of electricity was the first modern scientific marvel. It has altered our way of life, society, and culture. It’s a fantastic source of power and energy.

The radio and television Lights, fans, electric irons, mills, factories, and refrigerators are all powered by electricity.

Transport and Communication

Science has simplified and shortened our communication. Ships, boats, trains, buses, and cars can be found on the seas, rivers, and roads. All of these are scientific gifts.

Telegraph, telephone, fax, and wireless communication are also important modes of communication. Trains, steamers, aeroplanes, buses, and other modes of transportation make communication quick and easy.

Medicine and Surgery

• It elevates one’s overall standard of living, quality of life, and life expectancy.
• It aids in detecting and treating diseases, ailments, and conditions.
• It dissects the molecular mechanism of any disease and helps to develop drugs and pharmaceuticals.
• Basic Medical Sciences, in addition to curative care, sow the seeds of preventive care.
• It teaches researchers, doctors, scientists, and even laypeople about living a healthy lifestyle.
• It fosters a fundamental understanding of medical science principles, which may be useful in the future.

Agriculture

A great deal of agricultural research was conducted, which resulted in the production of artificial fertilisers, which are now a basic requirement for all agricultural activities. Agricultural education is now taught in schools across the country. Scientists have gone so far as to study the genomic makeup of plants to select crops that can withstand harsh climate changes. Improved farming techniques have been developed using new technologies such as computer science and biotechnology.

Science has played an important role in agriculture, and the two cannot be separated. Science must be used to help produce better yields on a small piece of land for the world to be able to provide enough food for all of its citizens.

Read more: Chemistry of Life

New scientific understanding may result in new applications.

The discovery of the structure of DNA, for example, was a major breakthrough. It served as the foundation for research that would eventually lead to many practical applications, such as DNA fingerprinting, genetically engineered crops, and genetic disease tests.

New technological developments may result in new scientific discoveries.

For example, the development of DNA copying and sequencing technologies has resulted in significant advances in many areas of science.

Scientific research may be motivated by potential applications.

For example, the possibility of engineering microorganisms to produce drugs for diseases such as malaria motivates many microbe genetics researchers to continue their research.

Frequently Asked Questions on Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life

What role does science play in our lives.

It helps us live a longer and healthier life by monitoring our health, providing medicine to cure our diseases, alleviating aches and pains, assisting us in providing water for our basic needs – including our food – providing energy and making life more enjoyable by including sports, music, entertainment, and cutting-edge communication technology.

How has science influenced our daily lives?

Science has changed how we live and what we believe since the invention of the plough. Science has allowed man to pursue societal concerns such as ethics, aesthetics, education, and justice, to create cultures, and to improve human conditions by making life easier.

How has science made our lives easier?

When scientific discoveries are combined with technological advancements, machines make managing our lives easier. Science has created everything from household appliances to automobiles and aeroplanes. Farmers can now save their crops from pests and other problems thanks to advances in science.

What is the social significance of science and technology?

The essence of how science and technology contribute to society is the creation of new knowledge and then the application of that knowledge to improve human life and solve societal problems.

Why is science education important in the 21st century?

Exemplary science education can offer a rich context for developing many 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and information literacy, especially when instruction addresses the nature of science and promotes the use of science practices.

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How space exploration benefits life on Earth: Q&A with David Eicher

We spoke to Astronomy magazine editor-in-chief David Eicher about key challenges facing our planet, the importance of space exploration for humanity, and the possibility of life beyond Earth

29 Apr 2024  •  , 10 min. read

With Starmus Earth: The Future of Our Home Planet around the corner, we sat down with David Eicher, the Astronomy Magazine editor-in-chief and one of the event’s speakers, to hear his thoughts on a diverse range of subjects – from the most pressing challenges facing our home planet to the mysteries of the universe and the possibility of life beyond Earth.

WeLiveSecurity: Did you observe the solar eclipse that occurred recently? What was it like for you?

David Eicher: I had a wonderful time observing the recent solar eclipse in Dallas, at Love Field Airport, with a big group of people including representatives from Celestron, the most prominent manufacturer of telescopes for the astronomy hobby. We set up at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at the airport and also partnered with The Weather Channel, the TV station in the United States that broadcasts continuous weather information. So I was off and on camera throughout the day with meteorologist Alexandra Wilson, and we discussed all sorts of things about the eclipse. The weather in Texas looked bleak on eclipse morning, but a short time before the eclipse started the clouds parted and we had a perfect view of the eclipse. We had 3 minutes 51 seconds of totality and it was a spectacular sight! 

Was it a special moment for an astronomer such as yourself?

It is always a very special moment to see a total eclipse. Although we’ve known about the precision of solar system orbits since the days of Johannes Kepler in the 17 th  century, it always amazes people to count down and see an eclipse start just when it is calculated to begin. Quite a few people who have never seen an eclipse become emotional when seeing their first one — some tear up! It is always special. I’ve seen 13 total eclipses, and it always strikes you with the majesty of the cosmos, and reminds us of how small we are down here on Earth. 

David J. Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of Astronomy magazine since 2002. He is author, co-author, or editor of 21 books on science and American history and is known for having founded a magazine on astronomical observing, Deep Sky Monthly, when he was a 15-year-old high school student.

You will be a part of the STARMUS festival in Bratislava. What are you most looking forward to?

I am always looking forward to Starmus, and our leader Garik [ Garik Israelian – ed. note] always designs the festival so it is surprising and even more magnificent than the last one. I will be speaking on galaxies, hosting some of the main festival on stage, helping to organize and run the astrophoto school and the star party. So I will be busy with lots of stuff. But I think there’s nothing more special at Starmus than seeing dear old friends once again, and making new friends. The Starmus crowd is really composed of special, and magical people who love and value their knowledge of science, and the great celebration of being human through our wonderful music. 

This year's festival theme is "The Future of Our Home Planet." What is your perspective on this question and what is the biggest challenge our society is facing today?

This is of course a very critical time to always remember the question of the future of our home planet. We take Earth as a habitat and our life on Earth for granted. It is in now way guaranteed to be stable forever. We know that life on Earth will come to an end a billion years from now when the Sun boils the oceans off our planet through its increasing radiation. But global warming and climate change driven by carbon dioxide emissions — really a very simple and straightforward and obvious problem, not complicated to understand — threatens future generations of life on our planet in the immediate future. We must use Starmus and the expertise of climate scientists who will speak to us to curtail emissions and take better care of our planet before the situation is suddenly and irreversibly too late. 

DON'T MISS: What makes Starmus unique? Q&A with award-winning filmmaker Todd Miller

Can astronomy contribute to combating climate change or potentially solving other challenges we face today? If so, which ones?

Astronomy can definitely contribute to combating climate change. We must share the knowledge of what is happening to Earth, and too many people are uninformed, have agendas to avoid doing the right thing (like working for industries like oil and gas), or simply don’t care about what happens to life on the planet a hundred generations from now. Most people care only about their own present time in the cosmos and their own life experience. We need to share as much clear knowledge as we can with the world, with the public, with the media, from leading climate scientists like many who will be in Bratislava.

Only by constantly beating the drum can we raise awareness among all the peoples of the world to really push change forward. We can certainly use astronomy to raise awareness of other problems too. One that is a little more squarely on astronomy is light pollution. Two centuries ago everyone in the world had a dark night sky. Now most places are flooding photons skyward, ruining our view of the universe, and accomplishing nothing but wasting energy and making energy companies wealthy. 

Can you personally imagine permanently leaving Earth and living on another planet?

I would love to leave Earth and live on another planet, at least for a while, in a sense of grand adventure. But it is really incredibly difficult to ponder, unlike the sci-fi stories we love. The most earthlike worlds near us, Mars for example, are really very hostile places. Matt Damon may grow potatoes on Mars in the movies, but in reality it is a very cold, dry, and difficult environment, and even traveling to Mars is a very long and dangerous gambit, in terms of complexities of spaceflight, radiation exposure, and expense. So we have a long, long way to go as humans, in reality, until we are permanently or semi-permanently on other worlds. 

I can really imagine such a thing – one of my favorite movies is 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I think the journeys to other habitable planets and actually living on another world are a long, long way off. Even getting to another solar system outside our own would require a vast and almost unimaginable amount of energy, and would be an extremely long trip at best, on human timescales. But it would be a wonderful adventure!

What discovery, which is within reach or at least imaginable, do you think could cause a dramatic shift in the course humanity is currently taking?

I think the largest discovery in terms of shaking up our society on Earth will be the discovery of life on another world. We know through spectroscopy that chemistry is uniform throughout the universe, and we know that organics are common everywhere. The only sample of cometary material returned to Earth, by the Stardust mission, contained amino acids. We know that countless worlds exist in the cosmos. The Milky Way Galaxy contains something like 400 billion stars, nearly all with planetary systems, we believe, and the universe holds at least 100 billion galaxies. The idea that life or advanced life only exists here is crazy. And yet we don’t yet have the evidence that life exists elsewhere. When it arrives, it will be psychologically and philosophically earth-shaking to everyone who is alive. 

FURTHER READING: 'A woman from Mars': Life in the pursuit of space exploration

As a science communicator, do you think we are successful in communicating scientific findings today that are trustworthy or believable by the majority of the population?

I think we are at the best moment in history thus far in terms of communicating science to the public. More high-quality science is happening now than ever before, and we are communicating the results in great detail. But the Internet does offer vast numbers of low-quality sites, along with all sorts of nonsense on social media, and so we need to constantly beat the drum that people need to think about sources and find high-quality, credible sources of information. Many people take any source of info they read at the same level, and of course there’s lots of nonsense out there along with meaningful information. 

What do you think is currently the biggest mystery or challenge in the world of astronomy?

The biggest mystery in the world of astronomy is the nature of dark energy. In 1998 astronomers found that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, driven by an unseen force known as dark energy. We know that this force makes up about two-thirds of the matter/energy in the cosmos, and we don’t yet know what it’s made of. Would you like a guaranteed Nobel Prize? Solving the mystery of dark energy will get you one. 

What do we learn about humanity when we look into the distant reaches of space?

When we look into the distant reaches of space, we learn a vast amount about humanity. After all, we are, as Carl Sagan famously said, literally made of star stuff. The atoms in our bodies were literally produced either in the early days of the cosmos, in so-called Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, or mostly in the deaths of low-mass and high-mass stars. They are simply rearranged in our living bodies. So we are looking out into space to see our own origin story — where we came from, perhaps why we are here, and maybe even where we are going.

Some argue that it doesn't make sense to explore the depths of space when we need to address serious problems here on Earth. What do you think are the greatest benefits of what we have already learned about the universe and space?

DE: The struggle between spending monies and effort on things right here on Earth and for exploration and understanding of the universe is an old one. On one hand, the exploration of space is an intellectual pursuit. If you don’t care at all about the nature of the universe you live in, or where you came from, or why you exist, and you simply want to have a good hamburger for lunch and be left alone, so be it. But the efforts and expense of exploring the cosmos have often paid off with enormous benefits in multiple ways, just as the early explorations of the globe via sailing ships also paid off in practical ways. Do you value having your cell phone? What it does for you in your everyday life? The space programs of NASA and other agencies have fueled all manner of technologies that also get used in everyday life. Without the Apollo program, you would have microchips the way we do now and your precious cell phone. And there are countless other examples of benefits that have come from scientific research. So it is really naïve to think of “either we explore the universe or make life better on Earth.” The two in fact are linked. 

Is the universe infinite?

This is a really good question, and the simple answer is that we don’t know!! :) I mentioned dark energy before. We know that the size of the cosmos is at least 93 billion light-years — that’s the diameter of the visible universe we can observe. But in a complicated way, if dark energy is what we think it might be, then the universe might really be infinite. It sounds like science fiction, but it may be true. We just don’t know yet. Stay tuned! 

How does astronomy or astrophysics address the question of parallel universes?

Mathematics tells us that other universes could exist. In astrophysics we use the term multiverse a lot, short for multiple universes. But knowing that something is mathematically possible and actually observing it are two different things. By definition, we can observe things in our universe, but can’t see beyond it. So if other universes exist, we may never know. Some astronomers are toying with ideas that the evidence for other universes could somehow be imprinted in some way in our universe, and we could detect this, but this is a long way from certain. So there very well might be other universes, and the odds are leaning toward the notion that if there are, we may never know about them.

Thank you for your time.

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• What is Public Health?

To Protect Human Health, We Must Protect the Earth’s Health

“The Earth crisis now represents a humanitarian crisis,” says Sam Myers. But there are solutions that serve both people and the planet.

Public Health On Call

Human activities have transformed and degraded Earth’s natural systems. But it’s not just the planet that endures the harms of things like pollution and climate change. Changes like rising ocean temperatures and CO2 levels have cascading effects that threaten the future of humans.

In this Q&A, adapted from the  April 22 episode of Public Health On Call ,  Joshua Sharfstein , MD, talks with  Sam Myers , MD, faculty director of the new  Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health and founding director of the  Planetary Health Alliance , about this interdisciplinary approach to understanding how the state of the planet impacts human health and well-being.

What is planetary health?

Planetary health is a cross-disciplinary field that has emerged in the last eight or nine years. It focuses on how our transformation of nature—our degradation and alteration of all of our planet's natural systems—is coming back to affect our health.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, global-scale pollution of air, water, and soil, changes in land use and land cover—all driven by human activity—are resulting in increased burdens of disease and impacting all dimensions of human health. We want to understand what those dynamics are and how we can address them.

What are some examples of changes impacting human health?

We know that ocean warming is changing the size of both fish and fisheries. It’s also changing where the fisheries are located, moving them away from the tropics and toward the poles. We did a study to determine how many people depend on wild-harvested fish for critical nutrients and live close to a threshold of insufficient intake of those nutrients—what we define as the vulnerable population to these changes. We found that over a billion people fall into this category.

We’ve also found that crops like rice, wheat, and maize—foods that provide most of the calories in the global diet—tend to lose essential nutrients when grown at elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide like the ones we expect to see by about the middle of this century.

In our  free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) experiments , we grew 41 cultivars of those kinds of crops in seven locations across three continents over 10 years. We found that growing these staple food crops at high CO2 levels significantly reduces the amount of iron, zinc, and protein they contain. We then modeled what these findings would mean for populations in 150 countries and found that the CO2 effect alone would cause around 150-200 million people to be pushed into nutritional insufficiency of these nutrients.

Other research has shown that growing different cultivars of rice at elevated CO2 resulted in B vitamins being reduced by almost 30%. We used that data to model what that might mean for the risk of things like neural tube defects, and we found really large impacts.

What other environmental factors does planetary health consider?

Changing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere is just one very specific biophysical change, but we're changing all the biophysical conditions that our entire food production system has been developed to be optimized for: temperature, precipitation, amount of arable land, pollinators, and pest and pathogen relationships. All of those things are now changing in response to human activity in ways that usually represent headwinds for global food production, in terms of both quality and quantity.

How does planetary health address the extreme scale of the changes humans are causing the environment and the consequences of those?

The field of planetary health has emerged out of a recognition that the pace and scale at which we're transforming all our natural systems has become a global health crisis.

The global health impacts of the Earth crisis are kind of a silent pandemic, and there are parallels to the COVID pandemic we've just come out of. The COVID pandemic required massive mobilization of new technologies, investments in economic stimulus and foreign assistance, respect for science, and urgent global behavior change. This silent pandemic is probably much more impactful to human health. It could be addressed in a very similar way, but we’re doing very little.

You can't respond to a crisis until you recognize that there is a crisis. As you are trying to raise concern over planetary health, how is that warning signal being received?

The field is growing very quickly. We started the  Planetary Health Alliance about eight years ago, and we now have more than 400 organizations involved in more than 70 countries. There's been a very rapid proliferation of new courses, degree programs, and journals in planetary health. We’re also seeing government agencies adopting planetary health as a frame, including the European Union, certain national governments, and the UN system.

There has been a rapid understanding and recognition of the global health urgency related to the Earth crisis, but it's a drop in the bucket of what is really needed to fully mobilize and address the crisis.

Are there solutions that can address multiple problems at once?

Yes. From a policy standpoint, the goal is to find opportunities to both optimize human health and well-being and reduce our ecological footprint. In order to protect and regenerate the Earth’s natural life support systems, we have to change the way we’re living. The good news is there are a lot of ways we can do this, and many of these changes also have major co-benefits.

For example, switching to clean, renewable energy is important to addressing climate change. Doing so also reduces the amount of air pollution, which drives something like 9 million deaths every year. Greening our cities and designing them to be walkable and bikeable not only reduces greenhouse gasses and increases biodiversity; these changes also provide major mental and physical health benefits.

What is the Planetary Health Alliance and what does it do?

Contrary to what it sounds like, the Planetary Health Alliance doesn’t fight for the planet’s health—they’re fighting for human health and the health of other species.

It’s a recognition that the well-being of all life on earth depends on stable natural life support systems. Things like degradation of biodiversity, pollution, and land use change all interact with each other in very complex ways that affect these foundational conditions for all life on Earth:

• The quality of air that we breathe.
• The quality of water that we consume.
• The quality and quantity of food we can produce.
• Exposure to infectious disease and extreme weather events.

And these impacts are driving an urgent set of health problems.

The Alliance functions as sort of the backbone organization for this growing global field. That includes curating new knowledge, writing the  first textbook for the field , developing core competencies for education, creating a  platform to support educators and planetary health around the world, organizing an  annual meeting , and putting out  a newsletter .

One half of the Alliance’s focus is to create and support a global community of practice. The other half is what we call “mainstreaming planetary health,” which means taking that community of practice, the new knowledge, and conceptual frameworks out of the field and connecting them to action.

We’re working to ensure that policymakers, the private sector, and the general public are aware that the Earth crisis now represents a humanitarian crisis and that there are a variety of solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

Tell us about the Planetary Health Institute you've started at Johns Hopkins.

The Institute is the first example of a major university using planetary health as a lens to bring faculty and students together across all of its schools and centers. The Institute is bringing together people in the arts and humanities, engineers, natural scientists, and people in government, law, and policy around this central project of planetary health. We’ll focus on research, education, policy, practice, and clinical  programs . And already, there are all kinds of interesting interdisciplinary initiatives at Hopkins that are focused on planetary health: One on planetary health cities, one on Indigenous health, and another one on food systems, just to name a few.  

This interview was edited for length and clarity by Aliza Rosen.

• Healthy Planet, Healthy People
• New Johns Hopkins Institute Aims to Safeguard Human Health on a Rapidly Changing Planet (JHU Hub)
• Planetary Health: Thinking About the Earth Crisis as a Humanitarian Crisis (podcast)

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Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Tagged by Source for Science-on-a-Sphere

• Released Monday, April 22, 2024
• Visualizations by:
• Andrew J Christensen
• and Mark SubbaRao
• Scientific consulting by:

This visualization shows the CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021, split into four major contributors: fossil fuels in orange, burning biomass in red, land ecosystems in green, and the ocean in blue. The dots on the surface also show how atmospheric carbon dioxide is also being absorbed by land ecosystems in green and the ocean in blue. Though the land and oceans are each carbon sinks in a global sense, individual locations can be sources at different times.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_10-6-2023a_co2_foursources_quality_ScienceOnASphere_1024p30.mp4 [81.2 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_10-6-2023a_co2_foursources_quality_ScienceOnASphere_2048p30.mp4 [268.4 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_10-6-2023a_co2_foursources_quality_ScienceOnASphere_copied [512.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_10-6-2023a_co2_foursources_quality_ScienceOnASphere_copied.00001_print.jpg (1024x512) [86.3 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_10-6-2023a_co2_foursources_quality_ScienceOnASphere_copied.00001_searchweb.png (320x180) [71.9 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_10-6-2023a_co2_foursources_quality_ScienceOnASphere_copied.00001_thm.png (80x40) [5.9 KB]

This visualization shows the CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021, split into four major contributors: fossil fuels in orange, burning biomass in red, land ecosystems in green, and the ocean in blue. The dots on the surface also show how atmospheric carbon dioxide is also being absorbed by land ecosystems in green and the ocean in blue. Though the land and oceans are each carbon sinks in a global sense, individual locations can be sources at different times.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas driving global climate change. However, its increase in the atmosphere would be even more rapid without land and ocean carbon sinks, which collectively absorb about half of human emissions every year. Advanced computer modeling techniques in NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office allow us to disentangle the influences of sources and sinks and to better understand where carbon is coming from and going to. This is equirectangular imagery intended for projection on NOAA Science-on-a-Sphere globe.

This visualization only shows the fossil fuel component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_FF_quality_ScienceOnASphere_1024p30.mp4 [68.5 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_FF_quality_ScienceOnASphere_2048p30.mp4 [214.6 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_FF_quality_ScienceOnASphere [512.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_FF_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_print.jpg (1024x512) [77.8 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_FF_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_searchweb.png (320x180) [58.9 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_FF_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_thm.png (80x40) [5.2 KB]

This visualization only shows the fossil fuel component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

This visualization only shows the burning biomass component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BB_quality_ScienceOnASphere_2048p30.mp4 [79.4 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BB_quality_ScienceOnASphere_1024p30.mp4 [25.7 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BB_quality_ScienceOnASphere [512.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BB_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_print.jpg (1024x512) [59.2 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BB_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_searchweb.png (320x180) [39.8 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BB_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_thm.png (80x40) [4.2 KB]

This visualization only shows the burning biomass component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

This visualization only shows the land ecosystems component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_NEE_quality_ScienceOnASphere_1024p30.mp4 [37.9 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_NEE_quality_ScienceOnASphere_2048p30.mp4 [118.3 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_NEE_quality_ScienceOnASphere [512.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_NEE_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_print.jpg (1024x512) [76.1 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_NEE_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_searchweb.png (320x180) [52.5 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_NEE_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_thm.png (80x40) [4.9 KB]

This visualization only shows the land ecosystems component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

This visualization only shows the ocean component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_OCN_quality_ScienceOnASphere_1024p30.mp4 [28.2 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_OCN_quality_ScienceOnASphere_2048p30.mp4 [92.8 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_OCN_quality_ScienceOnASphere [512.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_OCN_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_print.jpg (1024x512) [73.6 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_OCN_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_searchweb.png (320x180) [54.2 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_OCN_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_thm.png (80x40) [5.1 KB]

This visualization only shows the ocean component of CO2 being added to Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

This visualization only shows the land and ocean surface absorption of CO2 from Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_SINKS_quality_ScienceOnASphere_1024p30.mp4 [51.3 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_SINKS_quality_ScienceOnASphere_2048p30.mp4 [189.5 MB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_SINKS_quality_ScienceOnASphere [512.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_SINKS_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_print.jpg (1024x512) [97.4 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_SINKS_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_searchweb.png (320x180) [46.1 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_SINKS_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001_thm.png (80x40) [4.6 KB]

This visualization only shows the land and ocean surface absorption of CO2 from Earth's atmosphere over the course of the year 2021.

• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BORDERS_quality_ScienceOnASphere [4.0 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BORDERS_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001.png (4096x2048) [461.8 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BORDERS_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001.jpg (4096x2048) [369.9 KB]
• SOS_TaggedCO2_4-1-2024a_co2_BORDERS_quality_ScienceOnASphere.00001.exr [2.3 MB]

This image provides the global land borders used in the animations above. Some video producers may prefer to overlay this on top of the other animations to highlight geographic points of interest.

• TaggedCO2_SOSColorbar.png (1500x600) [100.4 KB]
• TaggedCO2_SOSColorbar_print.jpg (1024x409) [36.1 KB]

SOS label file: taggedCO2_labels.txt

• Earth Information Center
• Science On a Sphere

Please give credit for this item to: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

Visualizers

• Andrew J Christensen  (SSAI)
• Mark SubbaRao  (NASA/GSFC)
• Helen-Nicole Kostis  (USRA)
• Brenda Lopez-Silva  (SSAI)
• Anansa B. Keaton-ashanti  (NASA/GSFC)
• Greg Shirah  (NASA/GSFC)

Technical support

• Laurence Schuler  (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
• Ian Jones  (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
• Lesley Ott  (NASA/GSFC)

Release date

This page was originally published on Monday, April 22, 2024. This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 3:42 PM EDT.

Papers used in this visualization

Weir, B., Ott, L. E., Collatz, G. J., Kawa, S. R., Poulter, B., Chatterjee, A., Oda, T., and Pawson, S.: Bias-correcting carbon fluxes derived from land-surface satellite data for retrospective and near-real-time assimilation systems, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9609–9628, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9609-2021, 2021.

Datasets used in this visualization

Geos carbon dioxide.

Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.

OCO-2 and Keeling Curve: Trends in global atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) 1958-present

Trends in atmospheric methane (ch₄), oco-2 and keeling curve: trends in global atmospheric carbon dioxide (co₂), trends in atmospheric nitrous oxide (n₂o), global atmospheric methane (ch₄), global atmospheric carbon dioxide (co₂), global carbon dioxide 2020-2021, you may also like..., no results., an error occurred. please reload this page and try again..

What is the importance of Earth Day?

E arth Day was first celebrated over 50 years ago, but its roots go further back. It was the brainchild of a Wisconsin US Senator, Gaylord Nelson, who had a lifelong love of nature. He was spurred into action by a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969.

He wanted to use the energy of student anti-war protests to harness the growing public consciousness about pollution in the air and water through an organized “nationwide environmental teach-in” on college campuses. Nelson enlisted the help of a Pete McCloskey, a US Representative from California, and the two recruited a young activist Denis Haynes. The latter gave the event its name, ‘Earth Day’.

People were becoming aware that not all was well with nature when rivers and lakes covered in an oily sludge were catching fire. Likewise, animals were developing deformities or just dying off. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which was published in 1962, made people begin to take note of the degradation of the land, air and water because of pollution. Especially the effects of contamination from a now-banned pesticide DDT.

Earth Day helped channel that growing awareness and concern for the environment as well as spreading it further afield. It also shows the inextricable links between pollution and public health while promoting the need to protect our planet’s natural resources for future generations.

At the same time, it celebrates the diversity of Earth’s ecosystems along with honoring achievements that have been made by the environmental movement. These include legislation to get rid of dangerous pesticides and chemicals, ensure clean water and air, as well as provide greater protections for wildlife to name just a few.

Earth Day was a smashing success from the beginning. The first Earth Day on 22 April 1970 saw around 10 percent of the US population, or about 20 million Americans, take to the streets to protest against the deterioration of the environment and the impacts of industrial development.

Earth Day has now grown into an international event. Over 1 billion people participate each year in 192 countries. It is considered the largest secular observance in the world.

Sounds of Mars: Ingenuity Essay Excerpt

Alabama student Vaneeza Rupani reads from her essay, which inspired NASA to name the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity.

This audio clip has been adjusted to simulate what it might sound like in the atmosphere of Mars. Scientists on the Perseverance rover team took into account the three key variables of atmospheric temperature, density and chemistry to generate this Mars version.

Sounds of Mars: Ingenuity Essay Excerpt (Earth)

(mp4) (7.22 MB)

(wav) (1.28 MB)

Sounds of Mars: Ingenuity Essay Excerpt (Mars)

(mp4) (6.38 MB)