For 20 years, astronauts have been shooting photos of Earth from the space station. Like everything the astronauts do, they are trained for this job. And like everything they do, there is purpose and intention behind it.
The category 2 storm made landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula and is expected to strengthen as it approaches the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Researchers find that ice caps on the mountains of Pluto are made of methane, but develop through an opposite process from that on Earth.
Published Oct 25, 2020
Trees have long been cherished here for timber and for the colors they bring to “the Fall Rhapsody.”
Published Oct 24, 2020
Millions of people in the state live in low-lying coastal areas where land subsidence is exacerbating the risks of sea level rise.
Published Oct 23, 2020
The Cameron Peak and August Complex fires have punctuated a year of natural drama in the American West.
Published Oct 21, 2020Image of the Day Heat Land Fires Human Presence Remote Sensing
Long blue shadows on the snow portend frigid days ahead in this far eastern corner of Siberia.
Published Oct 21, 2020
As springtime arrives in the Andes, winter snow melts to provide an important water source for local communities.
Published Oct 20, 2020
Raised beaches around the bay in Canada’s Ontario Province show how the landscape responded after the last ice age.
Published Oct 19, 2020
Through Italy’s Smart Road Decree, the city was chosen as a test site for autonomous driving vehicles.
Published Oct 18, 2020
Snow and ice influence climate by reflecting sunlight back into space. When it melts, snow is a source of water for drinking and vegetation; too much snowmelt can lead to floods. These maps show average snow cover by month.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes.
Published Aug 28, 2020
The site in Western Australia holds one of the country’s largest and oldest iron ore mines.
Published Oct 17, 2020
For the second year in a row, fires have been widespread and persistent in the South American country.
Published Oct 15, 2020
Analyzing subtle differences in near-infrared and shortwave-infrared light from the landscape, scientists can provide some measure of the severity of wildfire burns.
Published Oct 14, 2020Image of the Day Heat Land Fires Human Presence Remote Sensing
Farms in the historic Oltenia province display a compelling array of shapes and sizes.
Published Oct 14, 2020
These maps show the ‘metabolism” of Earth’s plants and trees. Net primary productivity is the difference between the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during photosynthesis minus the amount released by respiration.
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
An astronaut captured distant and overhead views of a long plume blowing from Iraq across the Middle East.
Published Oct 11, 2020
Satellite images of Earth at night have been a curiosity for the public and a tool of fundamental research for at least 25 years. They have provided a broad, beautiful picture, showing how humans have shaped the planet and lit up the darkness.
Published Apr 12, 2017
Though gentle "effusive" eruptions have been the norm at Kīlauea across the past two centuries, the geologic record shows plenty of evidence that the volcano has had periods when violent, explosive eruptions were common
Published Oct 9, 2020 in Earth Matters
Ocean temperatures can influence weather, such as hurricane formation, and climate patterns, such as El Niño. These maps show the temperature at the surface of the world’s seas and oceans.
Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us what we are looking at, where it is, and why it is interesting.
Published Sep 29, 2020 in Earth Matters
It is the largest estuary in the United States and third largest in the world. Once sculpted and changed by ice, water, and powerful geologic forces over tens of millions of years, today's Bay is shaped by human forces as well.
Published Dec 1, 2016Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes.
Published Aug 28, 2020
A race is on to figure out whether COVID-19 will wax and wane with the seasons. Atmospheric and hydrologic models produced by NASA and other institutions may be key to that research.
Published Jul 14, 2020
Land surface temperatures rise and fall with the heat of the Sun, and they represent how hot or cold the surface would feel to touch. These maps show daytime land temperatures as measured from space.
A few decades ago, the idea of predicting a disease outbreak via satellite was science fiction. But today, researchers can use environmental data to predict when and where some diseases are likely to spread.
Published Jul 9, 2020
NASA satellites and sensors constantly take the pulse of our planet. Researchers apply those observations on local and regional scales to better manage things like food and water supplies, health, safety, land use, and ecosystems.
Published May 1, 2020
Sea salt, volcanic ash, dust, wildfire smoke, and industrial pollution are types of airborne aerosols. Natural aerosols tend to be larger than human-made aerosols. These maps show when and where aerosols come from nature, humans, or both.
Chlorophyll is used by algae and other phytoplankton--the grass of the sea--to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into sugars. These maps show chlorophyll concentrations in the ocean, revealing where phytoplankton are thriving.
After five rounds and 56,000 votes, the readers have chosen their favorite. We have a Tournament Earth 2020 champion.
Published Apr 28, 2020
