earth

A NASA mission to a potentially dangerous asteroid has let researchers map out its future trajectory like never before.

Some unusual meteorites suggest that Earth got its water at its start, rather than forming dry and being watered by comets later on.

The two satellites, which are collectively called GRACE and will replace two retired probes, are one of the most important tools for understanding the effects of climate change.

In 2015, to great fanfare, NASA announced a planet discovery considered a milestone in the hunt for another Earth. But now some researchers say it's not clear that this planet actually exists.

When it comes to facing global warming, dealing with climate change and making informed choices for our cherished "project of civilization," we've been asking the wrong question, says Adam Frank.

In this visualization, based on data collected by scientists, we see Earth changing — its plants, surface winds, and sea currents responding to the energy coming from the sun, says Marcelo Gleiser.

We owe our existence to little photosynthetic bacteria — but there is much more to this story, as life can only mutate and adapt when the planet offers the right conditions, says Marcelo Gleiser.

Classification of planets offers a way to see how Anthropocenes — and a successful route through them — might be part of a continuum of planetary evolution, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.

We know how damaging and costly, in many ways, such natural phenomena can be — but the devastation is not surprising, once you know how much energy is involved, says astrophysicist Marcelo Gleiser.

The job posting has elicited headlines about how the space agency is seeking a person to defend Earth from aliens. But it's really more about microorganisms than little green men.

Don't worry: Astronomers say asteroid 2014 JO25, which is more than a third of a mile wide, will fly harmlessly past our planet. Still, it should come close enough to be visible with small telescopes.