Earth Science

Latest image from June 2nd Fast Facts In late May 2024, a volcanic fissure on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula reawakened, marking the latest in a series of eruptions that began in December 2023. The initial lava flow rates were among the highest recorded in recent eruptions near Grindavík. An i

Quick Photo Insights • Two vast cloud bands recently stretched from the eastern Indian Ocean to Australia, delivering intense rains. These moisture-transporting atmospheric rivers are common but rarely occur simultaneously. • One system brought over 150 millimeters (6 inches) of rain in less th

The eruption of Fernandina, the youngest and most volcanically active island in the Galápagos, began on March 2, 2024. This uninhabited island, teeming with wildlife, witnessed lava flowing from a fissure on the volcano's southeast flank, an occurrence documented by Landsat 8 satellite imagery.

Image Insights Some people call it the Blue Marble, but few have looked quite like this. NASA scientists have compiled Arctic and high latitude data using natural-colour images from the Suomi-NPP satellite's Visible/Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). A composite image of Europe, Asia, No

Quick Photo Insights • The vast Libyan Desert stretches toward the Mediterranean Sea, which fades into the horizon in this photograph taken by an External High-Definition Camera (EHDC) on the International Space Station (ISS). The burnt reds and oranges of the desert and the dark-toned mountains

On April 8, 2024, a remarkable event unfolded as a total solar eclipse graced regions spanning Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Witnessed by millions, the skies transformed into a surreal darkness as the Moon gracefully interposed itself between Earth and the Sun, momentarily dimming its bril

Photo Summary • Each spring, phytoplankton blooms off the Alaskan coast create striking blue and green water patterns. • Diatoms typically bloom first after sea ice breaks up, fueled by nutrient-rich Bering Sea Water, while coccolithophores thrive later in nutrient-poor waters. • The blooms'