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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:

• EO Explorer

• Global Maps

A photo-essay from NASA’s Earth Science Division — February 2019 Download Earth in PDF , MOBI (Kindle), or ePub formats.

Of all celestial bodies within reach or view, as far as we can see, out to the edge, the most wonderful and marvelous and mysterious is turning out to be our own planet earth. There is nothing to match it anywhere, not yet anyway. —Lewis Thomas

Sixty years ago, with the launch of Explorer 1, NASA made its first observations of Earth from space. Fifty years ago, astronauts left Earth orbit for the first time and looked back at our “blue marble.” All of these years later, as we send spacecraft and point our telescopes past the outer edges of the solar system, as we study our planetary neighbors and our Sun in exquisite detail, there remains much to see and explore at home.

We are still just getting to know Earth through the tools of science. For centuries, painters, poets, philosophers, and photographers have sought to teach us something about our home through their art.

This book stands at an intersection of science and art. From its origins, NASA has studied our planet in novel ways, using ingenious tools to study physical processes at work—from beneath the crust to the edge of the atmosphere. We look at it in macrocosm and microcosm, from the flow of one mountain stream to the flow of jet streams. Most of all, we look at Earth as a system, examining the cycles and processes—the water cycle, the carbon cycle, ocean circulation, the movement of heat—that interact and influence each other in a complex, dynamic dance across seasons and decades.

We measure particles, gases, energy, and fluids moving in, on, and around Earth. And like artists, we study the light—how it bounces, reflects, refracts, and gets absorbed and changed. Understanding the light and the pictures it composes is no small feat, given the rivers of air and gas moving between our satellite eyes and the planet below.

For all of the dynamism and detail we can observe from orbit, sometimes it is worth stepping back and simply admiring Earth. It is a beautiful, awe-inspiring place, and it is the only world most of us will ever know.

NASA has a unique vantage point for observing the beauty and wonder of Earth and for making sense of it. Looking back from space, astronaut Edgar Mitchell once called Earth “a sparkling blue and white jewel,” and it does dazzle the eye. The planet’s palette of colors and textures and shapes—far more than just blues and whites—are spread across the pages of this book.

We chose these images because they inspire. They tell a story of a 4.5-billion-year-old planet where there is always something new to see. They tell a story of land, wind, water, ice, and air as they can only be viewed from above. They show us that no matter what the human mind can imagine, no matter what the artist can conceive, there are few things more fantastic and inspiring than the world as it already is. The truth of our planet is just as compelling as any fiction.

We hope you enjoy this satellite view of Earth. It is your planet. It is NASA’s mission.

Michael Carlowicz Earth Observatory Managing Editor

The astonishing thing about the Earth... is that it is alive.... Aloft, floating free beneath the moist, gleaming membrane of bright blue sky, is the rising Earth, the only exuberant thing in this part of the cosmos.... It has the organized, self-contained look of a live creature, full of information, marvelously skilled in handling the Sun. —Lewis Thomas, The Lives of a Cell

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. —T.S. Eliot, “Little Gidding”

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. —T.S. Eliot “Little Gidding”

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books. —John Lubbock, The Use of Life

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books. —John Lubbock The Use of Life

ice and snow

It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living. —David Attenborough

Imagery and data courtesy of:

• NASA Earth Observatory
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA Landsat Program
• International Space Station (ISS) Crew Earth Observations Facility
• LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team
• MABEL Science Team
• Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System Distributed Active Archive Center (LAADS DAAC)
• EO-1 Science Team
• Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP)
• NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group
• NASA/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS/Japan ASTER Science Team

Adapted for the web by Paul Przyborski

About the Authors

Michael Carlowicz is managing editor of the NASA Earth Observatory. He has written about Earth science and geophysics since 1991 for several NASA divisions, the American Geophysical Union, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and in three popular science books. He is a baseball player and fan, a longtime singer and guitarist, and the proud father of three science and engineering majors.

Kathy Carroll supports the Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. She previously worked as a manager and organizer at for-profit and non-profit organizations and on political campaigns. She is a diehard baseball and hockey fan, and she volunteers with animal rescue organizations.

Lawrence Friedl directs the Applied Sciences Program in the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. He works to enable innovative and practical uses of data from Earth-observing satellites. He has worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and as a Space Shuttle flight controller in NASA’s Mission Control Center. He and his wife have three children, and he enjoys ultimate frisbee and hiking.

Stephen Schaeberle is a graphic designer with the Communications Support Services Center at NASA Headquarters. He holds a bachelor of fine arts from the Pratt Institute, and he has received numerous awards and honors for his work and designs. He enjoys boating and fishing on the Chesapeake Bay.

Kevin Ward manages NASA’s Earth Observatory Group, including the Earth Observatory, Visible Earth, NASA Earth Observations (NEO), and EONET. He holds a master’s degree in library and information science and has spent more than 20 years developing Web-accessible resources in support of NASA Earth science communications. He and his wife have a son and a deep love of music.

Acknowledgments

Just a few names end up on the title page of a book, but it takes an entire cast of people to bring it from idea to draft to finished product. The cast for Earth begins with Maxine Aldred, Andrew Cooke, Tun Hla, and Lisa Jirousek, who shepherded the words and images through design and layout. Thanks are also due to Kathryn Hansen, Pola Lem, Rebecca Lindsey, Holli Riebeek, Michon Scott, and Adam Voiland, whose reporting and writing contributions gave this book its depth. Joshua Stevens, Robert Simmon, Jesse Allen, Jeff Schmaltz, Michael Taylor, and Norman Kuring applied their strong visual sense and processing skills to make each image pop with color and texture while remaining scientifically accurate.

We owe a debt to our scientific and outreach colleagues, who keep the satellites running, the sensors sensing, and the data and imagery flowing. Every one of the images in this book is publicly available through the Internet, truly making science accessible to every citizen. The Landsat teams at the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA, the LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team, and the NASA Earth Observatory deserve extra gratitude for making our planet visible to the scientist and the layman every day.

Earth Science

• Welcome to Harvard
• Climate Solutions

Harvard’s researchers are exploring Earth’s past, predicting its future, and working to understand the hidden mysteries of our home.

The bedrock of Earth science

Explore how the slow, powerful forces within the Earth continue to create and alter the places we call home.

Tectonic plates

Researchers studying when tectonic plates began to shift found that it began much earlier than previously thought, launching the creation of continents, oceans, and other landforms.

Learn more about tectonic plates

How do we predict earthquakes?

A team of Harvard scientists created numerical models to predict an earthquake’s final magnitude 10 to 15 seconds faster than the current best algorithms.

What’s in a volcanic eruption?

Volcanic eruptions include lava and “smoke,” which is actually a mix of water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur gases, and ash.

Are all faults dangerous?

To understand which faults may be the most dangerous, researchers have developed large-scale models of the fault systems in the western United States, Japan, Turkey, and other locations across the globe.

In real time

Earth continues to shift and change, which means we must develop creative solutions for the complex problems that emerge.

The melting of polar ice is shifting Earth itself

As glacial ice from Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic Islands melts, Earth’s crust warps, an impact that can be measured thousands of miles away.

A 2022 volcano eruption altered the chemistry of the stratosphere, reducing ozone levels

Catastrophic floods are exposing the cracks in the flood insurance market

Experts are rethinking design and infrastructure in the wake of major earthquakes

A deadly tsunami in Japan forced people to think more critically about unexpected natural disasters

Polish up on your rock knowledge

Earth rocks!

Explore the gallery

Better understanding our home

Harvard experts are using everything from science to religion to gain a deeper awareness of the world around us.

Correcting ocean warming information

New research corrects decades of sea surface temperature data, solving a long-standing mystery about global climate change.

Detecting earthquakes

Researchers created an algorithm that can separate small disturbances from seismic noise.

Investigating Earth’s fractures

A team of researchers found that hydraulic fractures play a major role in the generation of tectonic tremors.

Exploring an Earth-centric religious philosophy

The philosophy centers on the idea that we are part of and utterly dependent on the living Earth.

Spinning back the globe

Exploring the events and changes in Earth’s past may help us understand what we can except in the future.

Double dinosaur disaster

Along with an asteroid impact, evidence points to volcanoes having a role in the extinction of the dinosaurs, especially the Deccan Traps eruption, which lasted a million years and produced lava formations 6,000 feet thick.

Creating conditions to cultivate life

Research on early tectonic plate movement and a protective magnetic field offer a glimpse of when the Earth was conducive to the development of life on the planet.

Super storms the size of states

During ancient periods of extreme heat, Earth may have experienced cycles of dryness followed by massive rainstorms hundreds of miles wide that could dump more than a foot of rain in a matter of hours.

Terrible tremors around Tennessee

The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 reshaped the landscape and the lives of the people who settled there. So why were they forgotten by the time of the Civil War?

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2.2: Earth Science and Its Branches

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Lesson Objectives

• Define and describe Earth Science as a general field with many branches.
• Identify the field of geology as a branch of Earth Science that deals with the solid part of the Earth.
• Describe the field of oceanography as a branch of Earth Science that has several subdivisions that deal with the various aspects of the ocean.
• Define the field of meteorology as a branch of Earth Science that deals with the atmosphere.
• Understand that astronomy is an extension of Earth Science that examines other parts of the solar system and universe.
• List some of the other branches of Earth Science, and how they relate to the study of the Earth.

Overview of Earth Science

Figure 1.9 : Earth as seen from Apollo 17.

Earth is the mighty planet upon which we all live. Only recently have humans begun to understand the complexity of this planet. In fact, it was only a few hundred years ago that we discovered that Earth was just a tiny part of an enormous galaxy, which in turn is a small part of an even greater universe. Earth Science deals with any and all aspects of the Earth. Our Earth has molten lava, icy mountain peaks, steep canyons and towering waterfalls. Earth scientists study the atmosphere high above us as well as the planet’s core far beneath us. Earth scientists study parts of the Earth as big as continents and as small as the tiniest atom. In all its wonder, Earth scientists seek to understand the beautiful sphere on which we thrive (Figure 1.9).

Because the Earth is so large and science is so complex, Earth scientists specialize in studying just a small aspect of our Earth. Since all of the branches are connected together, specialists work together to answer complicated questions. Let’s look at some important branches of Earth Science.

Geology is the study of the solid matter that makes up Earth. Anything that is solid, like rocks, minerals, mountains, and canyons is part of geology. Geologists study the way that these objects formed, their composition, how they interact with one another, how they erode, and how humans can use them. Geology has so many branches that most geologists become specialists in one area. For example, a mineralogist studies the composition and structure of minerals such as halite (rock salt), quartz, calcite, and magnetite (Figure 1.10).

Figure 1.10 : Mineralogists focus on all kinds of minerals.

Figure 1.11 : Seismographs are used to measure earthquakes and pinpoint their origins.

A volcanologist braves the high temperatures and molten lava of volcanoes. Seismologists study earthquakes and the forces of the Earth that create them. Seismologists monitor earthquakes worldwide to help protect people and property from harm (Figure 1.11). Scientists interested in fossils are paleontologists, while scientists who compare other planets’ geologies to that of the Earth are called planetary geologists. There are geologists who only study the Moon. Some geologists look for petroleum, others are specialists on soil. Geochronologists study how old rocks are and determine how different rock layers formed. There are so many specialties in geology that there is probably an expert in almost anything you can think of related to the Earth (Figure 1.12).

Figure 1.12 : Geology is the study of the solid Earth and its processes.

Oceanography

Oceanography is the study of everything in the ocean environment. More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Most of that water is found in the oceans. Recent technology has allowed us to go to the deepest parts of the ocean, yet much of the ocean remains truly unexplored. Some people call the ocean the last frontier. But it is a frontier already deeply influence by human activity. As the human population gets ever bigger, we are affecting the ocean in many ways. Populations of fish and other marine species have plummeted because of overfishing; contaminants are polluting the waters, and global warming caused by greenhouse gases is melting the thick ice caps. As ocean waters warm, the water expands and, along with the melting ice caps, causes sea levels to rise.

Climatologists help us understand the climate and how it will change in the future in response to global warming. Oceanographers study the vast seas and help us to understand all that happens in the water world. As with geology, there are many branches of oceanography. Physical oceanography is the study of the processes in the ocean itself, like waves and ocean currents (Figure 1.13). Marine geology uses geology to study ocean earthquakes, mountains, and trenches. Chemical oceanography studies the natural elements in ocean water and pollutants.

Figure 1.13 : Physical oceanography studies things like currents and waves.

Climatology and Meteorology

Meteorologists don’t study meteors — they study the atmosphere! Perhaps this branch of Earth Science is strangely named but it is very important to living creatures like humans. Meteorology includes the study of weather patterns, clouds, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Using modern technology like radars and satellites, meteorologists work to predict or forecast the weather. Because of more accurate forecasting techniques, meteorologists can help us to prepare for major storms, as well as help us know when we should go on picnics.

Climatologists and other atmospheric scientists study the whole atmosphere, which is a thin layer of gas that surrounds the Earth. Most of it is within about 10 – 11 kilometers of the Earth’s surface. Earth’s atmosphere is denser than Mars’s thin atmosphere, where the average temperature is -63° C, and not as thick as the dense atmosphere on Venus, where carbon dioxide in the atmosphere makes it hot and sulfuric acid rains in the upper atmosphere. The atmosphere on Earth is just dense enough to even out differences in temperature from the equator to the poles, and contains enough oxygen for animals to breathe.

Over the last several decades, climatologists studying the gases in our atmosphere have found that humans are putting higher levels of carbon dioxide into the air by burning fossil fuels (Figure 1.14). Normally, the atmosphere contains small amounts of carbon dioxide, however, with increases in the burning of fossil fuels more than normal amounts are present. These higher concentrations of carbon dioxide can lead to higher surface temperatures. Much of climate change science is based on the increases of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere and the effect those higher concentrations have on global temperatures. Climatologists can help us better understand the climate and how it may change in the future in response to different amounts of greenhouse gases and other factors (Figure 1.15).

Figure 1.14 : Man-made carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere has been linked to rises in atmospheric temperatures.

Figure 1.15: When hurricanes are accurately forecast by meteorologists, many lives can be saved.

Figure 1.16 : The Hubble Space Telescope

Astronomers have proven that our Earth and solar system are not the only set of planets in the universe. As of June 2015, over a thousand planets outside our solar system had been discovered. Although no one can be sure how many there are, astronomers estimate that there are billions of other planets. In addition, the universe contains black holes, other galaxies, asteroids, comets, and nebula. As big as Earth seems to us, the entire universe is vastly greater. Our Earth is an infinitesimally small part of our universe.

Astronomers use resources on the Earth to study physical things beyond the Earth. They use a variety of instruments like optical telescopes and radio telescopes to see things far beyond what the human eye can see. Spacecraft travel great distances in space to send us information on faraway places, while telescopes in orbit observe astronomical bodies from the darkness of space (Figure 1.16).

Astronomers ask a wide variety of questions. Astronomers could study how an object or energy outside of Earth could affect us. An impact from an asteroid could have terrible effects for life on Earth. Strong bursts of energy from the sun, called solar flares, can knock out a power grid or disturb radio, television or cell phone communications. But astronomers ask bigger questions too. How was the universe created? Are there other planets on which we might live? Are there resources that we could use? Is there other life out there? Astronomy also relies on Earth Science, when scientists compare what we know about life on Earth to the chances of finding life beyond this planet.

Other Branches of Earth Science

Geology, oceanography, and meteorology represent a large part of Earth science, while astronomy represents science beyond Earth. However, there are still many smaller branches of science that deal with the Earth or interact greatly with Earth sciences. Most branches of science are connected with other branches of science in some way or another. A biologist who studies monkeys in rainforests must be concerned with the water cycle that brings the rain to the rainforests. She must understand the organic chemistry of the food the monkeys eat, as well as the behavior between the monkeys. She might examine the soil in which the trees of the rainforest grow. She must even understand the economy of the rainforest to understand reasons for its destruction. This is just one example of how all branches of science are connected.

Below are examples of a few branches of science that are directly related to Earth science. Environmental scientists study the ways that humans interact with the Earth and the effects of that interaction. We hope to find better ways of sustaining the environment. Biogeography is a branch of science that investigates changes in populations of organisms in relation to place over time. These scientists attempt to explain the causes of species’ movement in history. Ecologists focus on ecosystems, the complex relationship of all life forms and the environment in a given place (Figure 1.17). They try to predict the chain reactions that could occur when one part of the ecosystem is disrupted.

Figure 1.17 : In a marine ecosystem, coral, fish, and other sea life depend on each other for survival.

As opposed to an oceanographer, a limnologist studies inland waters like rivers and lakes. A hydrogeologist focuses on underground water found between soil and rock particles, while glaciologists study glaciers and ice.

None of these scientific endeavors would be possible without geographers who explore the features of the surface and work with cartographers, who make maps. Stratigraphy is another area of Earth science which examines layers of rock beneath the surface (Figure 1.18). This helps us to understand the geological history of the Earth. There is a branch of science for every interest and each is related to the others.

Figure 1.18 : Folded strata are layers in the rock that have bent over time. Stratigraphy attempts to explain these layers and the geologic history of the area.

Review Questions

• What are three major branches of Earth science?
• What branch of science deals with stars & galaxies beyond the Earth?
• List important functions of Earth scientists.
• What do you think is the focus of a meteorologist?
• An ecologist notices that an important coral reef is dying off. She believes that it has to do with some pollution from a local electric plant. What type of scientist might help her analyze the water for contamination?
• Design an experiment that you could conduct in any branch of Earth science. Identify the independent variable and dependent variable. What safety precautions would you have to take?
• Therefore, we must utilize the processes of System Science, in order to fully understand the Earth Systems and its variations as a whole.

Points to Consider

• Why is Earth science so important?
• Which branch of Earth science would you most like to explore?
• What is the biggest problem that we face today? Which Earth scientists may help us to solve the problem?
• What other branches of science or society are related to and necessary for Earth science?
• Located at : http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/High_School_Earth_Science/Earth_Science_and_Its_Branches . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

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Top 100 in Earth Science

Explore our most highly accessed Earth science articles in 2017. Featuring authors from around the World, these papers highlight valuable research within Earth science from an international community.

• Collection content
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Site of asteroid impact changed the history of life on Earth: the low probability of mass extinction

• Kunio Kaiho
• Naga Oshima

India Is Overtaking China as the World’s Largest Emitter of Anthropogenic Sulfur Dioxide

• Chris McLinden
• Russell R. Dickerson

A real-time Global Warming Index

• K. Haustein
• M. R. Allen
• D. J. Frame

Changes in regional heatwave characteristics as a function of increasing global temperature

• S. E. Perkins-Kirkpatrick
• P. B. Gibson

New insights into earthquake precursors from InSAR

• Michele Saroli
• Urs Wegmüller

Source and dynamics of a volcanic caldera unrest: Campi Flegrei, 1983–84

• Luca De Siena
• Giovanni Chiodini
• Guido Ventura

Climate induced human demographic and cultural change in northern Europe during the mid-Holocene

• J. S. Sinninghe Damsté

Impact-related microspherules in Late Pleistocene Alaskan and Yukon “muck” deposits signify recurrent episodes of catastrophic emplacement

• Jonathan T. Hagstrum
• Richard B. Firestone
• Ted E. Bunch

Amplified surface temperature response of cold, deep lakes to inter-annual air temperature variability

• R. Iestyn Woolway
• Christopher J. Merchant

Climate of doubt: A re-evaluation of Büntgen and Di Cosmo’s environmental hypothesis for the Mongol withdrawal from Hungary, 1242 CE

• Zsolt Pinke
• László Ferenczi
• Stephen Pow

Global nickel anomaly links Siberian Traps eruptions and the latest Permian mass extinction

• Michael R. Rampino
• Sedelia Rodriguez

Nuisance Flooding and Relative Sea-Level Rise: the Importance of Present-Day Land Motion

• Makan A. Karegar
• Timothy H. Dixon
• Simon E. Engelhart

Hydrogeochemical changes before and during the 2016 Amatrice-Norcia seismic sequence (central Italy)

• Marino Domenico Barberio
• Maurizio Barbieri
• Marco Petitta

Dominant control of agriculture and irrigation on urban heat island in India

• Rahul Kumar
• Vimal Mishra
• Matthew Huber

Doubling of coastal flooding frequency within decades due to sea-level rise

• Sean Vitousek
• Patrick L. Barnard
• Curt D. Storlazzi

High levels of ammonia do not raise fine particle pH sufficiently to yield nitrogen oxide-dominated sulfate production

• Rodney J. Weber
• Athanasios Nenes

Observed drought indices show increasing divergence across Europe

• James H. Stagge
• Daniel G. Kingston
• David M. Hannah

Severe Pollution in China Amplified by Atmospheric Moisture

• Ru-Jin Huang
• Colin D. O’Dowd

Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Survey of Subsidence in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA)

• D. P. S. Bekaert
• B. D. Hamlington
• C. E. Jones

Role of Oceanic and Terrestrial Atmospheric Moisture Sources in Intraseasonal Variability of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

• Amey Pathak
• Subimal Ghosh
• Raghu Murtugudde

Urban Seismology: on the origin of earth vibrations within a city

• Paula Romero

Evidence of local and regional freshening of Northeast Greenland coastal waters

• Mikael K. Sejr
• Colin A. Stedmon
• Søren Rysgaard

New Zealand supereruption provides time marker for the Last Glacial Maximum in Antarctica

• Nelia W. Dunbar
• Nels A. Iverson
• Colin J. N. Wilson

A solar radiation database for Chile

• Alejandra Molina
• Mark Falvey
• Roberto Rondanelli

Evidence of long-term NAO influence on East-Central Europe winter precipitation from a guano-derived δ 15 N record

• Daniel M. Cleary
• Jonathan G. Wynn
• Bogdan P. Onac

Humid heat waves at different warming levels

• Simone Russo
• Jana Sillmann
• Andreas Sterl

Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Seismic Monitoring of The Near Surface: A Traffic-Noise Interferometry Case Study

• Nate Lindsey
• Jonathan B. Ajo-Franklin

Declining pre-monsoon dust loading over South Asia: Signature of a changing regional climate

• Satyendra K. Pandey
• S. Suresh Babu

The first physical evidence of subglacial volcanism under the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

• Ross Lieb-Lappen
• Ellyn Golden

8000-year monsoonal record from Himalaya revealing reinforcement of tropical and global climate systems since mid-Holocene

• Pradeep Srivastava
• Rajesh Agnihotri
• R. Jayangondaperumal

Extreme weather caused by concurrent cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrences

• Andrew J. Dowdy
• Jennifer L. Catto

Drift-dependent changes in iceberg size-frequency distributions

• James D. Kirkham
• Nick J. Rosser
• Witold Szczuciński

Exceptional 20 th century glaciological regime of a major SE Greenland outlet glacier

• Camilla S. Andresen
• Ulla Kokfelt
• David Wangner

Contrasting glacier responses to recent climate change in high-mountain Asia

• Akiko Sakai
• Koji Fujita

The impact of extreme El Niño events on modern sediment transport along the western Peruvian Andes (1968–2012)

• Sergio B. Morera
• Thomas Condom
• Jean L. Guyot

Indian Ocean corals reveal crucial role of World War II bias for twentieth century warming estimates

• M. Pfeiffer
• M. E. Weber

The signs of Antarctic ozone hole recovery

• Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath
• Prijitha J. Nair

Tracing the Vedic Saraswati River in the Great Rann of Kachchh

• Nitesh Khonde
• Sunil Kumar Singh
• Liviu Giosan

Droughts in India from 1981 to 2013 and Implications to Wheat Production

• Xiang Zhang
• Renee Obringer

Half a century of coastal temperature records reveal complex warming trends in western boundary currents

• Nick T. Shears
• Melissa M. Bowen

US Power Production at Risk from Water Stress in a Changing Climate

• Poulomi Ganguli
• Devashish Kumar
• Auroop R. Ganguly

Effect of a positive Sea Surface Temperature anomaly on a Mediterranean tornadic supercell

• Mario Marcello Miglietta
• Jordi Mazon
• Antonello Pasini

Monitoring ground water storage at mesoscale using seismic noise: 30 years of continuous observation and thermo-elastic and hydrological modeling

• Thomas Lecocq
• Laurent Longuevergne
• Klaus Stammler

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2) tracks 2–3 peta-gram increase in carbon release to the atmosphere during the 2014–2016 El Niño

• Prabir K. Patra
• David Crisp
• Kentaro Ishijima

Changes in land use alter soil quality and aggregate stability in the highlands of northern Ethiopia

• Yoseph T. Delelegn
• Witoon Purahong
• Douglas L. Godbold

Zebra rocks: compaction waves create ore deposits

• Ulrich Kelka
• Manolis Veveakis
• Nicolas Beaudoin

Distributed optical fibre sensing for early detection of shallow landslides triggering

• Luca Schenato
• Luca Palmieri
• Paolo Simonini

The role of city size and urban form in the surface urban heat island

• Diego Rybski
• Jürgen P. Kropp

Wind-generated Electricity in China: Decreasing Potential, Inter-annual Variability and Association with Changing Climate

• Peter Sherman
• Michael B. McElroy

A new family of extraterrestrial amino acids in the Murchison meteorite

• Toshiki Koga
• Hiroshi Naraoka

Minimal Holocene retreat of large tidewater glaciers in Køge Bugt, southeast Greenland

• Laurence M. Dyke
• Flor Vermassen

Magmatic tempo of Earth’s youngest exposed plutons as revealed by detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology

• Hisatoshi Ito
• Christopher J. Spencer
• Carl W. Hoiland

Impact of Ocean Warming on Tropical Cyclone Size and Its Destructiveness

• Zhong Zhong

Long-term climate change in the D-region

• Mark A. Clilverd
• Roger Duthie
• Keith H. Yearby

Direct Formation of Structural Components Using a Martian Soil Simulant

• Brian J. Chow
• Tzehan Chen

Surge-type and surge-modified glaciers in the Karakoram

A robust empirical seasonal prediction of winter NAO and surface climate

• P. J. Kushner

Enhanced Arctic Amplification Began at the Mid-Brunhes Event ~400,000 years ago

• T. M. Cronin
• G. S. Dwyer

Peatland Ecosystem Processes in the Maritime Antarctic During Warm Climates

• Julie Loisel
• Ivan Parnikoza

Salinity stratification controlled productivity variation over 300 ky in the Bay of Bengal

• R. Da Silva
• A. Mazumdar
• S. K. Molletti

Climate variability and trends at a national scale

• Jianguo Liu

Nonuniform subduction of the Indian crust beneath the Himalayas

• Simon L. Klemperer

Origin of methane-rich natural gas at the West Pacific convergent plate boundary

• Naoya Kinoshita
• Daniele L. Pinti

Prediction of Indian Summer-Monsoon Onset Variability: A Season in Advance

• Maheswar Pradhan
• A. Suryachandra Rao
• K. S. Shameera

Evaluating the importance of metamorphism in the foundering of continental crust

• Timothy Chapman
• Geoffrey L. Clarke
• Nathan R. Daczko

Identification of the driving forces of climate change using the longest instrumental temperature record

• Peicai Yang

Advancement of magma fragmentation by inhomogeneous bubble distribution

• M. Ichihara

Himalayan glaciers experienced significant mass loss during later phases of little ice age

• Mayank Shekhar
• Anshuman Bhardwaj
• María-Paz Zorzano

Fatty Acid Surfactant Photochemistry Results in New Particle Formation

• Peter A. Alpert
• Raluca Ciuraru
• Christian George

Mantle hydration along outer-rise faults inferred from serpentinite permeability

• Kohei Hatakeyama
• Ikuo Katayama
• Katsuyoshi Michibayashi

Silica precipitation potentially controls earthquake recurrence in seismogenic zones

• Hanae Saishu
• Atsushi Okamoto
• Makoto Otsubo

Patterns of change in high frequency precipitation variability over North America

• Susana Roque-Malo
• Praveen Kumar

Marine self-potential survey for exploring seafloor hydrothermal ore deposits

• Yoshifumi Kawada
• Takafumi Kasaya

Hydrothermal activity, functional diversity and chemoautotrophy are major drivers of seafloor carbon cycling

• James B. Bell
• Clare Woulds
• Dick van Oevelen

A decade of global volcanic SO 2 emissions measured from space

• V. E. Fioletov
• N. A. Krotkov

South Atlantic paleobathymetry since early Cretaceous

• Lucía Pérez-Díaz
• Graeme Eagles

Precipitation in a warming world: Assessing projected hydro-climate changes in California and other Mediterranean climate regions

• Suraj D. Polade
• Alexander Gershunov
• David W. Pierce

Penultimate deglacial warming across the Mediterranean Sea revealed by clumped isotopes in foraminifera

• L. Rodríguez-Sanz
• S. M. Bernasconi
• E. J. Rohling

Emerging negative Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation index in spite of warm subtropics

• Eleanor Frajka-Williams
• Claudie Beaulieu
• Aurelie Duchez

Attribution of recent temperature behaviour reassessed by a neural-network method

• Paolo Racca
• Claudio Cassardo

Disentangling physical and biological drivers of phytoplankton dynamics in a coastal system

• Daniela Cianelli
• Domenico D’Alelio
• Maurizio Ribera d’Alcalà

Extreme coastal erosion enhanced by anomalous extratropical storm wave direction

• Mitchell D. Harley
• Ian L. Turner
• Andrew D. Short

India plate angular velocity and contemporary deformation rates from continuous GPS measurements from 1996 to 2015

• Sridevi Jade
• T. S. Shrungeshwara

Multi-year predictability of climate, drought, and wildfire in southwestern North America

• Yoshimitsu Chikamoto
• Axel Timmermann
• Lowell Stott

Climate and permafrost effects on the chemistry and ecosystems of High Arctic Lakes

• K. E. Roberts
• S. F. Lamoureux
• A. Normandeau

Sensing coral reef connectivity pathways from space

• Dionysios E. Raitsos
• Robert J. W. Brewin
• Ibrahim Hoteit

Potential ash impact from Antarctic volcanoes: Insights from Deception Island’s most recent eruption

Causes and Predictability of the Negative Indian Ocean Dipole and Its Impact on La Niña During 2016

• Harry H. Hendon

Induced seismicity closed-form traffic light system for actuarial decision-making during deep fluid injections

• M. Broccardo
• D. Giardini

On the consistency of seismically imaged lower mantle slabs

• G. E. Shephard
• K. J. Matthews

Volcanic influence on centennial to millennial Holocene Greenland temperature change

• Takuro Kobashi
• Laurie Menviel
• Atsumu Ohmura

Increasing frequency and spatial extent of concurrent meteorological droughts and heatwaves in India

• Shailza Sharma
• Pradeep Mujumdar

New Late Permian tectonic model for South Africa’s Karoo Basin: foreland tectonics and climate change before the end-Permian crisis

• Pia A. Viglietti
• Bruce S. Rubidge
• Roger M. H. Smith

Vegetation morphologic and aerodynamic characteristics reduce aeolian erosion

• Deirdre Dragovich
• Zhibao Dong

Evidence for ice-ocean albedo feedback in the Arctic Ocean shifting to a seasonal ice zone

• Haruhiko Kashiwase
• Kay I. Ohshima
• Hajo Eicken

Arctic cryosphere and Milankovitch forcing of Great Basin paleoclimate

• Matthew Lachniet
• Yemane Asmerom
• Rhawn Denniston

Recognition of a likely two phased extinction at the K-Pg boundary in Antarctica

• Thomas S. Tobin

Birth of an oceanic spreading center at a magma-poor rift system

• Morgane Gillard
• Daniel Sauter
• Gianreto Manatschal

Impact of Multidecadal Climate Variability on United Kingdom Rickets Rates

• Haris Majeed
• G. W. K. Moore

Quick links

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Earth science and climate

The only man permitted in Bhutan’s sacred mountains chronicles humanity’s impact

Information and communication

Beware climate populism

The most ardent deniers of anthropogenic climate change today will become the climate conspiracy theorists of tomorrow

Ákos Szegőfi

When does after begin?

Three earthquakes hit Mexico City on the same date in 1985, 2017 and 2022. The coincidence left the city stranded in time

Lachlan Summers

Palaeontology

The dinosaurs didn’t rule

When we think of changes in Earth’s history as changes of dynasty we miss out on understanding how life really works

Riley Black

Stories and literature

Poet of impermanence

Enheduana is the first known named author. Her poems of strife and upheaval resonate in our own unstable times

Sophus Helle

Deep warming

Even if we ‘solve’ global warming, we face an older, slower problem. Waste heat could radically alter Earth’s future

Mark Buchanan

Anthropology

Memories within myth

The stories of oral societies, passed from generation to generation, are more than they seem. They are scientific records

Patrick Nunn

The return of silvopasture

This ancient practice, nurturing animals and trees in an ecological system, fights climate change and restores the land

Liz Carlisle & Niki Mazaroli

A biologist on the sorrows of documenting the Great Salt Lake’s collapse

Environmental history

Disturbance

How atomic doomsday experiments, fuelled by Cold War fears, shaped then shook ecologists’ faith in self-healing nature

Laura J Martin

Space exploration

There’s no planet B

The scientific evidence is clear: the only celestial body that can support us is the one we evolved with. Here’s why

Arwen E Nicholson & Raphaëlle D Haywood

Our Earth, shaped by life

Darwin was the first to see that all lifeforms, from worms to corals, transform the planet. What does that mean for us?

Olivia Judson

History of science

A singular scientist

James Lovelock was a visionary whose greatest ideas were made possible by his unshakeable independence

Roger Highfield

Oceans and water

Tomorrow’s corals

A warming planet and acid oceans will radically transform marine ecosystems. How will our beloved reefs survive?

Klaus M Stiefel & James D Reimer

The environment

Photographs of rainforests dissolving in acid strike a beautiful note of warning

Ecology and environmental sciences

To renew Yosemite, California should embrace a once-outlawed Indigenous practice

The Antarctic paradox

The most protected place on Earth has become one of the most threatened – and threatening. Can its problems be solved?

Alejandra Mancilla & Peder Roberts

A new Earth rises

How did the planet replace the nation-state to become the prime political object of the 21st century?

Erik Isberg

Childhood and adolescence

When Paradise, California burned, its teens became instant climate refugees

Archaeology

Poseidon’s wrath

Vanished beneath the waves in 373 BCE, Helike is a byword for thinking about disaster, for ancients and moderns alike

Guy D Middleton

How much can science really tell us about the future of climate change?

‘Ice has a memory’ – an Inuit poem contemplates scientific exploration of Greenland

The deep Anthropocene

A revolution in archaeology has exposed the extraordinary extent of human influence over our planet’s past and its future

Lucas Stephens, Erle Ellis & Dorian Fuller

Climate change science is centuries, not decades old, and it was pioneered by a woman

Earth Science Week Essay Contest

Share your thoughts and insights on Earth sciences in our engaging essay competition. Celebrate Earth Science Week 2024 with the essay contest theme: “ How Earth Science Affects Us All ”.

Contest Guidelines

Who can enter.

The essay contest is open to any interested person in grades 6-9. You must also be a resident of the United States to enter.

Your essay should focus on the topic “How Earth Science Affects Us All.”

Earth science involves studying Earth’s structure and processes, including many challenges like natural hazards, climate change, locating safe water, maintaining soil for agriculture, and sourcing clean energy. Knowledge of earth science can be used to understand and address these challenges. Write an essay that describes an example of how understanding a specific earth science concept can help address a challenge currently faced around the world.

The essay must be in English and contain no more than 300 words. Longer essays will be rejected unread.

Must be original, unpublished work

Entries must be previously unpublished, original content and must be the sole property of the entrants, not previously submitted to any other contest. Published material includes that which has been posted on the Internet.

In adherence to our commitment to promoting originality and creativity, the Earth Science Week essay contest strictly prohibits the use of Artificial intelligence (AI) powered resources to ensure that each submission reflects the genuine thoughts and expressions of its author.

What do I need to submit?

The essay contest is limited to one submission per entrant. A valid submission will contain the following information:

• A completed Microsoft Form found here
• One essay focusing on the topic “How Earth Science Affects Us All.”
• An entry form signed by a parent or guardian. Click here to download the essay contest release form.

When is the deadline?

All eligible submissions must be received electronically by 8 p.m. ET, Friday, October 18, 2024 . Your essay submission is considered incomplete until we receive all of these items.

If you have any problems submitting your entry, please e-mail the Earth Science Week staff at [email protected] .

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

Getty Images

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."

Searching for a grad school? Access our complete rankings of Best Graduate Schools.

Grad Degree Jobs With $100K+ Salaries

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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.

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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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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 )

Essay on Earth Science

Students are often asked to write an essay on Earth Science 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 Earth Science

What is earth science.

Earth Science is the study of our planet. This includes the land, oceans, atmosphere, and even what is beneath the ground. Scientists in this field want to understand how Earth works and how it has changed over time.

Inside the Earth

The Earth is made of different layers. Starting from the outside, we have the crust, then the mantle, and the core at the center. These layers are made of rocks and metals, and they can move and change.

Above the Earth

Above the surface, we have the atmosphere. This is a mix of gases that protects us and gives us air to breathe. It also helps control the climate.

Oceans and Land

Earth Science also looks at the oceans and land. Oceans cover most of our planet and are home to many creatures. The land has mountains, valleys, and plains, and is where we live and grow food.

Why Earth Science Matters

Studying Earth helps us predict weather, find resources like water and minerals, and protect our environment. It’s important for our survival and for taking care of our home, Earth.

250 Words Essay on Earth Science

Earth Science is the study of our planet, Earth. It’s about understanding how Earth works and how it supports life. Scientists in this field look at the air, oceans, land, and life on our planet. They also study the stars and planets to see how they affect Earth.

The Layers of Earth

Our Earth is made up of different layers, like an onion. There’s a solid inner core at the center, a liquid outer core around it, a thick layer called the mantle, and a thin crust on the outside. The crust is where we live, and it includes continents and ocean floors.

Weather and Climate

Weather is what’s happening in the sky at any moment, like rain or sunshine. Climate is what the weather is like over a long time in a certain place. Earth Scientists look at patterns to predict the weather and to understand changes in climate.

Earth’s Resources

The Earth gives us many things we need, like water, air, minerals, and fuels. Scientists help find these resources and figure out how to use them without harming our planet.

Protecting Our Planet

Earth Science also helps us know how human activities change our planet. By understanding these changes, we can take better care of Earth. We can learn to use our resources wisely and protect the environment for all living things.

In conclusion, Earth Science is important because it helps us understand our world and how to live on it safely and happily. It’s a big subject that covers many different areas, all about our amazing planet, Earth.

500 Words Essay on Earth Science

Earth Science is the study of our planet. This includes everything from the ground we walk on to the air we breathe. It looks at how the Earth was made, how it changes, and how it might look in the future. Earth Science helps us understand the world around us so we can take care of it better.

Our planet is like a big ball made of different layers. The outer layer, where we live, is called the crust. Below that is the mantle, which is very hot and has rocks that move slowly. Then comes the outer core, made of liquid metal, and the inner core, which is solid metal. These layers work together to make the Earth’s surface move and change.

Rocks and Minerals

Rocks and minerals are the building blocks of the Earth’s crust. There are three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Igneous rocks form when melted rock cools and hardens. Sedimentary rocks are made from small pieces of other rocks or living things that have been pressed together. Metamorphic rocks are made when heat and pressure change other rocks. Minerals are natural substances that are not alive and have a certain chemical makeup. Scientists study rocks and minerals to learn about the Earth’s history.

Water on Earth

Water is very important because all living things need it to survive. Most of the Earth’s water is in the oceans, but it is also found in rivers, lakes, ice caps, and underground. The water cycle describes how water moves from the Earth’s surface to the air and back again. It rains, snows, and the sun makes water evaporate. This cycle is important for weather and climate.

Weather is what the air outside is like each day. It can be sunny, rainy, or snowy. Climate is what the weather is like over a long time in a certain place. Scientists study weather and climate to predict how they will change and how this affects us and the Earth.

Natural Disasters

Sometimes the Earth can be dangerous. Natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and hurricanes happen because of the way the Earth’s crust moves or because of the weather. These events can cause a lot of damage, so scientists try to understand them to keep people safe.

Earth Science also teaches us how to take care of our planet. We learn about pollution, how to use resources wisely, and how to protect plants and animals. By understanding the Earth, we can make good choices to keep it healthy for a long time.

In conclusion, Earth Science is all about learning how our planet works. It covers everything from rocks and water to weather and natural disasters. By studying Earth Science, we can appreciate our world more and work to protect it. It’s a big subject that helps us in many ways, and it’s exciting to learn about the place we call home.

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

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

• Essay on Earthquake Experience
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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

An online essay writing service offers students a range of benefits when it comes to crafting Earth science papers. With access to a team of seasoned writers, students always receive high quality, custom written papers from our experts when they buy essay online here. Our service ensures fast turnaround times, providing timely assistance to meet strict deadlines.

Reliable customer support is available to address any inquiries or concerns along the way. By utilizing our secure online platform, students can confidently collaborate with professional writers to create papers that meet the expectations of their professors and teachers in university, college or high school. What are you waiting for? Get an A+ on your next Earth science paper!

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

Words: 598 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

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

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We are at a pivotal moment

The challenges we face are steep but we stand at the precipice of a golden age of Earth observation.

Earth Science to Action

We are currently either flying or building the tools that humankind can use to meet these challenges. In fact, we have more data and information available to us than ever before – so much so that decision makers cannot access or act on it fast enough, creating a gap between what’s available and what people can do with it. Our new strategy is designed to bridge that gap and accelerate and advance the impact of NASA’s Earth science to meet this moment for the benefit of all humankind.

A thriving world, driven by trusted, actionable Earth science.

Our Missio n

Compelled by our planet’s rapid change, we innovate and collaborate to explore and understand the Earth system, make new discoveries, and enable solutions for the benefit of all.

Strategic Goal

Within a decade, we will advance and integrate Earth science knowledge to empower humanity to create a more resilient world. 

Our Objectives

Holistically observe, monitor, and understand the earth system.

Using the power of science, cutting edge technology, engineering, modern tools and infrastructure, partnerships, and space-based observations, NASA will build a global framework that will allow constructing a comprehensive digital description of the Earth system. This approach will include the Earth environment’s physical and geological systems, including surface and interior, biologic, and chemical components, as well as human and other relevant systems. The outcome will help answer challenging science questions posed by the community and allow a thorough understanding and monitoring of the Earth system and its interconnected nature. It will also allow the emergence of new applications and discoveries to benefit society.

Deliver Trusted Information to Drive Earth Resilience Activities

Based on our history of understanding Earth as a system and its various applications, we will coalesce and cultivate the diverse communities of Earth science, including working across sectors and across agencies, to generate the science-based decision support information needed by users. When appropriate, we will build efficient and interactive end-to-end tools, models, and assessment systems with the needed latencies, at the appropriate temporal and spatial scales, and with the appropriate uncertainty quantification to serve people, communities, decision- and policy-makers, enabling them to take science-based actions. These activities will support efforts to build Earth resilience, including the development of strategies for mitigation, adaptation, and the assessment of various risks and contingencies associated with global change and its impacts. This approach will also include the investigation of potential risks due to crossing thresholds for climate tipping points and the possibilities for cascading environmental and societal impacts.

Our Approach

We will tap into the NASA Earth science community’s end-to-end capability as an open enterprise to incorporate innovation, scientific discovery, and emerging user needs to accelerate the use of Earth science and inform the next iteration of programs, missions, and initiatives.

Download Earth Science to Action Documents and Presentations

Complete strategy

Full strategy booklet (PDF, 24 pages, 6" x 9")

Strategy overview

Brief overview of the strategy (PDF, 2 pages)

Strategy presentation

Slides from Earth Science to Action presentations (PDF)

Unlocking Earth's origins

New asu researcher recreates extreme planet formation conditions to better understand habitable earth-like worlds.

Damanveer Grewal, assistant professor in Arizona State University’s School of Molecular Sciences, utilizes ASU's state-of-the-art high pressure experimental facilities at FORCE to understand the formation of habitable worlds in our solar system and beyond. Photo by Meghan Finnerty/ASU

Looking up at a vast, star-studded sky, people have always wondered: Are we alone in this universe?

It’s a fundamental question that has intrigued and inspired curious minds across all corners of our world. With recent advancements in science and research, this question, once thought to be purely philosophical, is becoming a perfectly testable hypothesis.

Damanveer Grewal , a cosmochemist and assistant professor in Arizona State University’s School of Molecular Sciences , studies the conditions of planet formation and how key elements like carbon, nitrogen, and water behave and are distributed as earth-like worlds form.

“In order for us to think about other potential life, we need to first understand the formation of earth itself, you need to understand the seeds,” said Grewal who also has a dual appointment in ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration. “My work aims to understand what happened in the seeds of earth’s formation, and I use high-pressure experiments and meteorites to benchmark data on.”

Grewal’s work allows scientists to gain a deeper understanding of how our own planet works, how Earth has sustained life, and provides clues about the far reaches of the solar system and beyond.

Exploring the inner workings of our planet 

Earth did not form suddenly. 

Over millions of years, born from a cloud of dust and gas that collapsed to form a spinning disk hovering in space, tiny particles clumped together to form rocks; those rocks collided with one another, melted together, and, over time, the planet grew.

But Earth is unique. During the formation process, just the right distribution of essential elements — nitrogen, carbon and water — remained on the planet, allowing for life to thrive. 

Too much or too little of these critical elements during planet formation can have dramatic impacts on a planet's climate and environment. 

“Venus has too much carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, making it inhabitable with surface temperatures of around 700 degrees Celsius,” Grewal said. “These are the things we need to understand: You can't have too many of these elements on the planet, but how do you find those sweet spots?” 

Combining FORCE and meteorites 

To find that elemental sweet spot, Grewal’s research uses ASU’s Facility for Open Research in a Compressed Environment, or better known as the  FORCE  facility, to recreate and put elements under the extreme conditions of early planet formation. 

Within the state-of-the-art high-pressure experimental facilities, a variety of large presses crush, blast and heat rocks and elemental samples to trace the journey of these elements through each and every step of the planet formation sequence.

“This is a unique capability that no other university in the country has,” Grewal said.

Grewal then takes his work one step further by combining the high-pressure, high-temperature experiments with existing meteorite data. Meteorites provide valuable insights into the chemical composition of early bodies, almost as an elemental time capsule, while the experiments simulate the physical processes.

“What I'm interested in is trying to combine constraints on meteorite data and high-pressure experiments to understand processes that took place very, very, very early in the solar system history and then try to use that information to move ahead in time.”

Already, Grewal’s past work has contributed significantly to the field of astrochemistry, with several papers published in Nature Astronomy , upending a previously held notion that early planetesimals within the inner solar system didn't contain water, showing that they do, and in a separate paper uncovering that early planetesimals, or smaller protoplanets, within the inner solar system also contained nitrogen and carbon . 

The freestyle scientist 

For Grewal, he says, like anyone who’s ever looked up toward the night’s sky and gazed with wonder, his research is rooted in his own curiosity. 

Through his research and teaching at ASU, he hopes to encourage his students to approach science as a creative endeavor.

“My passion as a human being is to understand things,” said Grewal, who created and teaches a new ASU class on the chemistry of planet formation . “(Research) has to be creative, it should be something that you're challenging, that brings interdisciplinary fields together, and of course when you're doing these kinds of risky sciences, sometimes you're going to be proven wrong, but that's also what moves science forward. 

“I'm never going to constrain myself to what I know and what I don't know, and I want to instill that into my students and their research.” 

Unbound, the possibilities — like the universe — are limitless.

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NASA Earth Science Data and Earth Day: A Perfect Combination

The annual global Earth Day observation on April 22 is an opportunity to take some time to reflect on our planet and the interconnected cycles that make our home habitable. For members of NASA's Earth Science Data Systems ( ESDS ) Program and the agency's Earth Science Division , Earth Day is also a chance to show off one of the largest Earth science data collections on the planet—a collection that has grown to 119 petabytes (PB) as of the end of March 2024 .

In keeping with NASA open science policies , these data are yours to use, openly and without restriction. This Earth Day, the agency is providing numerous ways you can connect with these resources.

If you happen to be in Washington, D.C., stop by the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building (East Lobby/300 E Street, SW) to participate in special Earth Day events on April 18 and 19 . During this free event, members of NASA's Earth science programs, projects, and data teams will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., EDT, to guide you through hands-on activities, introduce you to the innovative Earth Information Center , demonstrate how you can use NASA Worldview to interactively explore more than 1,000 data imagery layers, and show off amazing visualizations of Earth data from space on the cutting edge NASA Hyperwall .

Even if you're not in D.C., NASA has resources you can use to learn more about Earth. A special Earth Day Toolkit created by NASA's Earth Science Division has links to agency resources, including videos, activities, and even Earth Day posters you can download. The Toolkit also enables you to connect with the agency's many citizen science projects , where you can help collect data in your community. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California also has a special Earth Day website with links to educational activities and public events.

Of course, your gateway to NASA's Earth science data collection every day of the year is the  Earthdata Website . Whether you are new to using Earth science data or a power user, you'll find the data, tools, and resources for all your explorations in this one location. Plus, our unique Data Pathfinders walk you through data collections around specific topics, such as Agriculture and Water Management , Disasters , Air Quality , Geographic Information Systems (GIS) , and Sea Level Change . And if you have questions about using these data, the Earthdata Forum can connect you with NASA data experts who have the answers.

NASA Earth science data are yours to use and can help make every day Earth Day.

Technologies

April is Earth Month and a great time to explore NASA's more than 9,300 Earth science data collections

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The “Epic Row” Over a New Epoch

By Elizabeth Kolbert

A few months into the third millennium, a group called the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (I.G.B.P.) held a meeting in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Among the researchers in attendance was Paul Crutzen, an atmospheric chemist best known for his research on ozone-depleting chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons. For this work, Crutzen, a Dutchman living in Germany, had received a Nobel Prize, in 1995. In his Nobel lecture, he noted that, given humanity’s heedlessness, it had got off lightly. Millions of pounds of CFCs had been released into the air before anyone had considered the possible consequences. As a result of the chemicals’ behavior in the stratosphere, a “hole” had opened up in the ozone layer over Antarctica. But, if CFCs had turned out to behave just slightly differently, the hole would have stretched from pole to pole before scientists had even had the tools to measure it.

“I can only conclude that mankind has been extremely lucky,” Crutzen said.

At the I.G.B.P. meeting in Cuernavaca, Crutzen found himself growing agitated. His colleagues kept referring to the Holocene, the geological epoch that began at the close of the last ice age, about twelve thousand years ago. At the dawn of the Holocene, the global population was maybe four million—barely enough to fill a city like Sydney or St. Petersburg. By the time of the meeting in Mexico, there were more than six billion people on the planet, and human activity was fundamentally altering such basic Earth processes as the carbon cycle.

“Stop using the word ‘Holocene,’ ” Crutzen blurted out. “We’re not in the Holocene any more. We’re in the . . . ” He paused, searching for the right word. “We’re in the Anthropocene!” During the next coffee break, Crutzen’s neologism was the main topic of conversation. Someone suggested that he copyright the term.

As it turned out, the Anthropocene wasn’t Crutzen’s to claim. Eugene Stoermer, a biologist at the University of Michigan, had coined the word back in the nineteen-eighties, out of much the same frustration. Crutzen got in touch with Stoermer, and the two wrote an essay for the I.G.B.P. newsletter, laying out their case for a new age. Human activities, the pair argued, were altering the planet faster and more dramatically than the geological forces that had shaped it for most of its history.

“It seems to us more than appropriate to emphasize the central role of mankind” by using “the term ‘anthropocene’ for the current geological epoch,” the pair wrote. Not many people read the I.G.B.P. newsletter, so in 2002 Crutzen refashioned the essay for the journal Nature . He listed some of the ways that humans were altering the planet: chopping down rain forests, messing with the climate, and manufacturing novel chemicals, such as CFCs. Once again, Crutzen stressed how fortunate humanity had been so far. Had the ozone layer sustained more damage, large parts of the world could have been rendered uninhabitable. “More by luck than by wisdom, this catastrophic situation did not develop,” he observed.

Many researchers found Crutzen and Stoermer’s term useful. Soon the word “Anthropocene” began popping up in scientific papers. This, in turn, piqued the interest of stratigraphers—the subset of geologists who maintain the planet’s official timetable, the International Chronostratigraphic Chart. Had the Earth really entered a new epoch, in the stratigraphic sense of the term? And, if so, when? The International Commission on Stratigraphy (I.C.S.) set up the Anthropocene Working Group (A.W.G.) to look into the matter. It was still working away last month, when, in a vote that one group member described to me as “Putinesque,” a subcommittee of the I.C.S. decided against adding the Anthropocene to the timetable. The vote might have marked the end of the story, were it not that it was probably just the beginning. As another geologist put it to me, “Voting down the Anthropocene is a bit like trying to vote down plate tectonics. It’s real, it’s there, and we are going to have to deal with it.”

Stratigraphers are used to thinking in vast stretches of time. The International Chronostratigraphic Chart starts with the Hadean eon, which began with the birth of the planet, 4.5 billion years ago. The Hadean lasted five hundred million years and was succeeded by the Archean eon, which went on (and on and on) for 1.5 billion years. The Permian period spanned nearly fifty million years, the Cretaceous period eighty million. Within these periods there were many sub-periods—technically known as epochs—which also lasted a long time. The Cisuralian epoch of the Permian, for example, stretched over twenty-six million years.

But, the closer the chart gets to the present, the narrower the divisions become. The second most recent geological period, the Neogene, lasted just twenty million years. The current period, the Quaternary, began with the start of the ice ages, a mere 2.58 million years ago. The Quaternary is further divided into two epochs—the Pleistocene, which spanned 2.57 million years, and the Holocene, which, for now, is still ongoing.

To mark the boundaries between the various epochs and periods, the I.C.S. relies on what are formally called “global boundary stratotype sections and points” and informally known as “golden spikes.” For the most part, golden spikes are layers of rock that contain evidence of some notable shift in Earth’s history—a reversal of the planet’s magnetic poles, say, or the disappearance of a fossilized species. The golden spike for the start of the Triassic period, for example, is a layer of rock found in Meishan, China, and the shift it records is a mass extinction that killed off something like ninety per cent of all species on Earth. (The Chinese have set up a park in Meishan, where visitors can view the two-hundred-and-fifty-million-year-old rock layer in an exposed cliffside.) With golden spikes, again, the closer you get to the present, the more the present intrudes. In the case of the Holocene, the golden spike is a layer in an ice core from Greenland that’s stored in a freezer in Copenhagen. The layer consists of the compressed remains of snow that fell eleven thousand seven hundred years ago, which corresponds to the end of a cold snap known as the Younger Dryas.

With the exception of the Holocene, the start dates for geological ages have been determined millions of years after the fact. This means that whatever signal is being used to set them has withstood the test of time. The rocks of the Anthropocene, of course, do not yet exist. When the Anthropocene Working Group was formed, in 2009, its first task was to decide whether human impacts on the planet would still be discernible millions of years from now.

After several years of study, the group decided that the answer was yes. The carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels will leave a permanent signature in the rocks of the future, as will the fallout from nuclear testing. Novel ecosystems that people have created by moving plants and animals around the world will produce novel fossil assemblages. Meanwhile, traces of some of the trillions of tons of stuff humans have generated, from transistors to tanker ships, will be preserved, meaning that a whole new class of fossils will appear in the record—so-called technofossils. Before aluminum smelting was invented, in the nineteenth century, aluminum existed on Earth only in combination with other elements. Future geologists will thus be able to distinguish the current epoch via the remains of beer cans—the Bud Light layer.

These and other “distinctive attributes of the recent geological record support the formalization of the Anthropocene as a stratigraphic entity,” members of the A.W.G. noted in a paper that appeared in Science in 2016.

When Crutzen and Stoermer initially proposed the Anthropocene, they suggested that it had begun with the first stirrings of the Industrial Revolution, in the late eighteenth century. The A.W.G. considered this possibility, but ultimately rejected it. In the decades following the Second World War, resource consumption skyrocketed—a development that’s become known as the Great Acceleration. The fantastic growth in the production of new materials such as aluminum and plastic, the group decided, made a date closer to 1950 a more logical starting point for the new epoch.

Last summer, under pressure from the International Commission on Stratigraphy to finish its work, the A.W.G. announced its proposal for a golden spike. It chose a marker similar to the one used for the base of the Holocene, although, in this case, the core came not from an ice sheet but from a lake bottom.

Crawford Lake, which is about thirty miles southwest of Toronto, is what’s known as meromictic, which means that its top and bottom waters don’t mix. As a result of this and other unusual qualities, everything that falls into the lake, from pollen grains to radioactive particles, gets preserved in layers of sediment that can be very precisely dated. The idea was to designate the base of the Anthropocene as the layer of Crawford Lake sediment laid down in 1952—and, more specifically, as the 1952 layer preserved in one particular core kept in a freezer in Quebec. (The United States conducted the first H-bomb tests in 1952, and the fallout from these clearly shows up in the lake bed as a spike in plutonium.) The working group announced its choice of the Crawford Lake core while stratigraphers from around the world were gathered for a conference in Lille, France. But, in a sign of things to come, the group was barred from making the announcement at the conference hall and had to rent a room in a nearby hotel.

In the roughly two and a half centuries since the field of geology was founded, debates over dividing time have often turned nasty. In the eighteen-thirties, for example, several of Britain’s most prominent geologists traded insults in a dispute over rocks from what’s now known as the Devonian period, some four hundred million years ago. One of the parties to the controversy, Henry De la Beche, was a talented artist, and he lampooned his critics in a cartoon that pictured them facing a man with a large nose.

“This, gentlemen, is my nose,” the man says.

“My dear fellow!” the critics respond. “Your account of yourself generally may be very well, but as we have classed you, before we saw you, among men without noses, you cannot possibly have a nose.”

More recently, a fight over whether the Quaternary period should be absorbed into the Neogene caused a rift in the geological community that took many years—and almost as many votes—to resolve. (At one point, the International Union of Geological Sciences [I.U.G.S.], the parent organization of the International Commission on Stratigraphy, withheld funding from the I.C.S. over its handling of the dispute.) The Quaternary managed to survive, but many geologists who work on the Neogene viewed the decision as wrongheaded, and, after the final vote was taken, in 2009, petitioned to have it overturned.

“You come to the Neogene-Quaternary boundary, and there is nothing there,” one stratigrapher complained to Nature .

Even given this history, the fight over the Anthropocene has been a bitter one. On one side are those geologists who argue, à la Stoermer and Crutzen, that human activity has so altered the planet that it no longer makes sense to say we live in the Holocene. The most outspoken members of this camp tend—perhaps not surprisingly—to be members of the Anthropocene Working Group.

“To suddenly have these changes and still call it the Holocene, it becomes a little bit like the way some oceanographers talk about coral reefs,” Jan Zalasiewicz, a British geologist who led the Anthropocene Working Group for many years, told me. “It’s become a kind of zombie epoch. It’s formally still here, but the conditions that characterized it no longer exist.”

In the other camp are those who argue that the Anthropocene, pretty much by definition, lies outside the purview of stratigraphy.

“The stratigraphic record is the past,” Stanley Finney, a geologist at California State University who’s also the secretary-general of the International Union of Geological Sciences, wrote with Lucy Edwards, a stratigrapher with the U.S. Geological Survey. The Anthropocene, by contrast, “is the present and future.”

“It’s something we would need to look back on to understand whether this boundary has a function,” Philip Gibbard, a professor emeritus at the University of Cambridge who’s now the secretary-general of the I.C.S., told me. “Those who propose the boundary would say, Well, the Anthropocene is going to continue on into the future. But I’m afraid we don’t deal with the future as geologists. We only deal with what's preserved in the rock record.”

The simmering conflict came to a boil this past winter. As with many such disputes, this one morphed from a substantive argument into a procedural one. The members of the A.W.G. felt that they’d been railroaded by the I.C.S. into submitting a formal proposal before they were ready to. They also complained that, in the run-up to the vote, Anthropocene proponents, including Zalasiewicz, had been sidelined. (At the time, Zalasiewicz was the chairman of the voting subcommittee—the I.C.S.’s Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy [S.Q.S.]—and the vote was held over his objections.)

“It was like a palace coup, basically,” Colin Waters, the chairman of the A.W.G. at the time, told me.

The final tally—twelve against declaring a new epoch, four in favor, and two abstentions—was released to the Times before most members of the A.W.G. had learned of it. Zalasiewicz—who, along with one of the other subcommittee members, had refused to cast a ballot—questioned the legitimacy of the tally on several grounds, including the fact that he, the chair, had not called it. His objections were quickly brushed aside by the I.C.S.’s governing board.

“ Quest to declare Anthropocene an epoch descends into epic row ,” a headline in the Guardian read.

“I can assure you that the claims that have been made by certain members of the Anthropocene Working Group are rubbish,” Gibbard, who, in addition to serving on the I.C.S. executive board, is a member of the Quaternary subcommission, told me. “They’re just sore losers. The trouble is that the Anthropocene Working Group had developed into nothing more than a—what can I say?—kind of a cult.”

In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I am an Anthropocene partisan. This is not to say I have any particular knowledge of stratigraphy (though, with Zalasiewicz, I once visited the golden spike for the base of the Silurian period, a layer of rock in a cliffside in Scotland). It’s that I find the Anthropocene a helpful neologism—indeed, a necessary one. It’s a succinct way of communicating a messy and profoundly consequential reality. Human activity has become the major driver of change on Earth. And many of the ways in which we’re transforming the planet—by driving once-widespread species extinct or spreading microplastics around the globe—are irreversible across timescales both human and geological.

The term’s utility is, presumably, the reason that it was so widely adopted following Crutzen’s outburst. And its wide adoption, in turn, helps to explain why the recent I.C.S. debate became so charged.

Most laypeople don’t much care about, say, the start date of the Pleistocene. (It was recently moved back almost eight hundred thousand years.) Such abstruse questions seem far removed from present-day concerns. But the debate about the Anthropocene is about the present. It’s where stratigraphy meets the news cycle. Long before the I.C.S. had a chance to rule on it, the Anthropocene had become the subject of movies, books, and art exhibitions. The work of the A.W.G., meanwhile, was generously covered in the press. When the working group announced its decision to plant a golden spike in Crawford Lake, outlets from the Hindustan Times to Deutsche Welle ran stories on the choice.

Many geologists born before the proposed Anthropocene start date seem to have begrudged the would-be time period all this attention. “The Anthropocene epoch was pushed through the media from the beginning—a publicity drive,” Finney, the I.U.G.S. secretary-general, observed to Science dismissively.

The future of the Anthropocene as an official stratigraphic unit is, at this point, unclear. The A.W.G. dissolved after the vote, but, as several members of the group pointed out to me, the leadership of the I.C.S. is due to turn over this summer, after the quadrennial International Geological Congress, set to take place in South Korea. Kim Cohen, a Dutch geologist who, at fifty, is one of the younger members of the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy and who cast a “yes” vote for the new epoch, told me that he expects to see the Anthropocene added to the geological timescale within his life.

“I think many of my fellow S.Q.S. members will not see it,” he added by way of clarification.

But the Anthropocene’s future as an informal time period is assured. It’s too apt—and too important—a term to be abandoned. As Paul Crutzen pointed out in 2002, barring a “meteorite impact, a world war or a pandemic,” humans “will remain a major environmental force for many millennia.” Science recently summed up the situation this way: “ The Anthropocene is dead. Long live the Anthropocene .”

Crutzen died in 2021, so it’s impossible to know what he would have said about the recent I.C.S. vote. I imagine, though, that he would have responded to it much as he did to a question I posed to him back in 2010. What was important about the Anthropocene, he told me at that time, was not whether it was included in geology texts, but whether it prompted people to think more carefully about the consequences of their collective actions.

“What I hope,” he said, “is that the term ‘Anthropocene’ will be a warning to the world.” ♦

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