Earth

Artemis II astronauts return to Earth after historic crewed mission to the Moon

After 10 days in space, Artemis II astronauts are set for a splashdown in the Pacific, marking humanity’s return to the Moon's vicinity for the first time since Apollo.

NASA astronaut and Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover is pictured here in the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II lunar flyby April 6, 2026.
The NASA Artemis II crew, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover, embrace inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home following a flyby of the far side of the Moon on April 7, 2026.

Artemis II astronauts brace for fiery return to Earth

A wheel loader operator fills a truck with ore at the MP Materials rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California, January 30, 2020; illustrative.

Trump administration to take 10% stake in USA Rare Earth in $1.6b. deal, sources say

 Life beyond Earth may exist in far stranger places than scientists once thought, a new study suggests. January, 22.

Habitable worlds may be far more common than thought, Israeli study says


Pumping groundwater has caused the Earth's rotation to shift - study

The distribution of water on the planet affects how mass is distributed. Like adding a tiny bit of weight to a spinning top, the Earth spins a little differently as water is moved around.

 The Earth is seen rotating in space (Illustrative).

Ancient rocks reveal late flourishing of Eukaryotic life - study

These findings suggest a significant ecological turning point, known as the "Tonian transformation," that shaped Earth's history.

 A cell is seen undergoing mitosis. Eukaryotic life is defined by being complex and multicellular (Illustrative).

Earth Poetica: Israeli plastic art exhibit highlights environmental risks

Beverly Barkat’s work installed at WTC on 50th anniversary of World Environment Day.

 Earth Poetica.

NASA spacecraft documents how Jupiter's lightning resembles Earth's

Lightning is the most powerful naturally occurring electrical source on Earth.

 This artist's concept of lightning distribution in Jupiter's northern hemisphere incorporates a JunoCam image from the NASA spacecraft Juno with artistic embellishments. Data from NASA's Juno mission indicates that most of the lightning activity on Jupiter is near its poles.

Jewish, Black climate activist fights for 'intersectional climate justice'

Sharona Shnayder, 23, becomes one of National Geographic Society's 15 Young Explorers

Sharona Shnayder at a beach cleanup day in Tel Aviv in 2023

How did Earth get its water? Exoplanet research raises new theories

Israeli-born scientist says study is the first step in determining whether there is life on planets beyond our solar system.

Satellite view of Israel and the Middle East

How can we defend Earth against asteroids? This scientist has an idea

The traditional approach to this hypothetical scenario is to deflect the orbit of the incoming threat, but a scientist recently proposed an innovative approach.

 An asteroid is seen heading toward Earth in this illustrative image

Study explains how primordial life survived on 'Snowball Earth'

"Compared to the most recent Ice Age, glacier coverage was much more extensive and, more importantly, much of the ocean was frozen," Xiao said.

Planet Earth globe

Asteroid the size of 22 tuna fish to fly closer to Earth than the Moon - NASA

Asteroid 2023 DZ2 is set to fly very close to the Earth on Saturday and was initially feared to be on a collision course for Earth in 2026.

 An asteroid is seen heading toward Earth in this illustrative image

Africa is splitting into two as new ocean forms, researchers say

Shifting tectonic plates have been splitting the continent since the East African Rift – a 35-mile-long crack in Ethiopia’s desert – emerged in 2005. 

 A tanker drives near a chasm suspected to have been caused by a heavy downpour along an underground fault-line near the Rift Valley town of Mai-Mahiu.