Recent Features
Climate and Earth’s Energy Budget
January 14, 2009
Earth’s temperature depends on how much sunlight the land, oceans, and atmosphere absorb, and how much heat the planet radiates back to space. This fact sheet describes the net flow of energy through different parts of the Earth system, and explains how the planetary energy budget stays in balance.
Earth Perspectives
November 24, 2008
In 2008, as NASA celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Earth Observatory asked a number of Earth scientists what we have learned about our home planet by going into space.
Correcting Ocean Cooling
November 5, 2008
Scientists revise their conclusion that the ocean has cooled since 2003.
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From the Archives
- Drought and Deluge Change Chesapeake Bay Biology
November 2, 2005
In September 2008, after years of population declines, NOAA declared the Chesapeake Bay’s crab fishery a federal disaster (press release). This article from 2005 describes how NASA scientists used satellite observations to study how heavy rain and drought affect the amount of pollution that enters the bay.
- Dry Times in North America
September 25, 2000
Recurring droughts are common in the American West, and a 2008 report from the U.S. Climate Change Science Program cautions that they may become more common (press release). This article from 2000 describes how scientists use data from satellites and rain gauges along with tree-rings and lakebed sediments to understand and predict drought in North America.
- Benjamin Franklin
August 13, 1999
Famous for studying lightning by flying a kite in a thunderstorm, American Benjamin Franklin also contributed to early scientific knowledge of weather, climate, and oceanography.
Most Popular
- Cities at Night: The View from Space
April 22, 2008
Astronauts onboard the International Space Station capture nighttime photographs of city lights, spectacular evidence of humanity's existence, our distribution, and our ability to change our environment.
- Global Warming
May 21, 2007
Global warming is happening now, and scientists are very confident that greenhouse gases are responsible. This article explains what global warming is, how scientists know it's happening, and how they predict future climate.
- Tropical Deforestation
March 30, 2007
Tropical forests are home to half the Earth's species, and their trees are an immense standing reservoir of carbon. Deforestation will have increasingly serious consequences for biodiversity, humans, and climate.
- Hurricanes: The Greatest Storms on Earth
November 1, 2006
Few things in nature can compare to the destructive force of a hurricane. Called the greatest storm on Earth, a hurricane is capable of annihilating coastal areas with sustained winds of 155 mph or higher and intense areas of rainfall and a storm surge. In fact, during its life cycle a hurricane can expend as much energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs!
- How on Earth was this Image Made?
March 25, 2003
Remotely sensed Earth observations can include everything from sonar measurements used to map the topography of the ocean floor to satellite-based observations of city lights. Combining observations collected by a variety of instruments at different times and places allow scientists to create an otherwise impossible view of the Earth, showing underwater mountain ranges, cloud-free skies, and city lights that are brighter than daylight. Such visualizations are invaluable for interpreting complex data and communicating scientific concepts.