Earth
Satellite Data Shows US East Coast is Sinking
Based on satellite imagery, geologists have determined major cities on the U.S. Atlantic coast are sinking, some areas as much…
Can Alien Civilizations Detect Humanity?
One of the fascinating things about being a human in this age is that we can do more than wonder…
It Doesn't Take Much to Get a Runaway Greenhouse Effect
During the 1960s, the first robotic explorers began making flybys of Venus, including the Soviet Venera 1 and the Mariner…
After Stalling Out for 40 Years, the Largest Iceberg in the World is on the Move
In 1986, a gigantic iceberg separated from the Fichner-Ronne ice shelf in West Antarctica. It was so big that it…
What Would Happen to Earth if a Rogue Star Came Too Close?
Stars are gravitationally fastened to their galaxies and move in concert with their surroundings. But sometimes, something breaks the bond.…
If You’re Trying to Prevent an Asteroid Impact, the Technical and Political Challenges are Staggering
While preparing for the threat of an asteroid strike might seem like a hypothetical exercise, it's really not. The Solar…
Earth’s Past and Future Habitability Depends on Our Protection from Space Weather
A bewildering number of factors and variables led up to the planet we occupy today, where life finds a way…
Earth is Hiding Another Planet Deep Inside
Earth's early history is marked by massive collisions with other objects, including planetesimals. One of the defining events in our…
Devastating Clouds of Dust Helped End the Reign of the Dinosaurs
When a giant meteor crashed into Earth 66 million years ago, the impact pulverized cubic kilometers of rock and blasted…
Venus Might Have Had Plate Tectonics Just Like Earth
Even though Venus is very similar to Earth in many ways, it's a hell-world with a runaway greenhouse effect. It…