Our Planet

There might be a 9th planet beyond Pluto [and it’s a giant!]

Astronomers now think there’s a 9th planet in the solar system almost certainly (hint: it’s not Pluto). The farthest planet from our Sun is probably a giant, smaller than Neptune but likely larger than the Earth. It is informally called Phattie, but commonly known as Planet Nine.

If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel [The most accurate map of the Solar System]

The Solar System is vast and complex, encompassing countless celestial bodies such as planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. To visualize the vastness of our cosmic neighborhood, we often use maps and models that represent the planets and their orbits in a scaled-down form. However, even the most detailed models can fail to convey the true scale of the Solar System. One intriguing way to explore the scale of our cosmic surroundings is to imagine if the Moon were only one pixel in diameter on a map. This thought experiment can help us appreciate the sheer enormity of the distances and sizes involved in our Solar System.

Machimosaurus rex: a giant prehistoric crocodile discovered in the Sahara

The Sahara desert, with its endless stretches of sand and searing heat, may not be the first place you’d expect to find a prehistoric sea monster. But that’s exactly where National Geographic grantee Federico Fanti and his team of paleontologists made an astonishing discovery: the remains of a massive marine crocodile named Machimosaurus rex.

With estimated lengths of up to 30 feet (9.14 meters) and razor-sharp teeth, M. rex was a true apex predator of the Late Jurassic seas. Fanti and his colleagues pieced together the crocodile’s fossilized bones, unlocking clues about its anatomy, behavior, and evolutionary history. This groundbreaking research sheds new light on the ancient ecosystems of North Africa and the fascinating creatures that roamed them millions of years ago.

Anthropocene: The New Geological Era, According to Scientists

Our planet is experiencing a new geological era, according to a growing number of scientists. The Anthropocene, as it is being called, marks the first time in Earth’s history that human activities have had a significant and lasting impact on the planet’s ecosystems, geology, and climate. The term “Anthropocene” is derived from the Greek words “anthropos,” meaning human, and “kainos,” meaning new, to reflect the idea that humans are the driving force behind this new epoch. While the idea of the Anthropocene is still a subject of debate among some scientists, the concept has gained widespread acceptance and is viewed as a call to action to address the environmental challenges that our planet faces today.

10 Most Beautiful Earth Images Taken From the International Space Station in 2015

Nile at Night from International Space Station (September 22, 2015)

The International Space Station (ISS) has been orbiting Earth since 1998, providing scientists and astronauts with a unique vantage point to observe and study our planet. In addition to its scientific mission, the ISS has also captured some of the most breathtaking images of Earth from space. In this article, we will take a look at the 10 most beautiful Earth images taken from the ISS in 2015. From stunning views of the Northern Lights to majestic mountain ranges and turquoise waters, these images remind us of the incredible beauty of our planet and the importance of protecting it for future generations.

Here’s what Earth would look like if all the ice melted

Our planet is getting warmer every year, and the horrible fact is, global warming is accelerating. As a natural result, the glaciers are melting at an increasing speed. What if all the Earth’s ice melted?

Almost 10% of the world’s land surface is currently covered with glaciers, mostly in places like Greenland and Antarctica. The amount of water locked up in ice and snow is only about 1.7 percent of all water on Earth (332,500,000 cubic miles, or 1,386,000,000 cubic kilometers), but the majority of total freshwater on Earth, about 68.7%, is held in ice caps and glaciers. And if all land ice melted the seas would rise about 70 meters (about 230 feet).

What if all this ice melted? What would Earth look like? Alex Kuzoian of Business Insider prepared a video showing the effects of the global melting, and if it happens, “this would dramatically reshape the continents and drown many of the world’s major cities.”

Hottest and Coldest places on Earth

Earth has a mild climate that is conducive to supporting life, with most regions experiencing temperatures that are not too extreme. However, there are also areas that have incredibly hot or cold temperatures. From the blistering heat of the world’s deserts to the bone-chilling cold of the polar regions, our planet offers a wide range of environments. Here are the hottest and coldest places on Earth and what makes them unique.

Hyperion: The Tallest Tree in the World

Standing at an awe-inspiring height of 379.7 feet (115.7 meters), a redwood tree named “Hyperion” holds the title of the tallest tree in the world. This majestic giant, found in the lush forests of California, is not only remarkable for its height but also symbolizes the sheer power and mystery of nature. Hyperion towers above the forest canopy, its top reaching towards the sky, a testament to the enduring strength and resilience of the natural world.

Around the World in Eighty Days [Jules Verne]

The map of Jules Verne's Around the Wold in Eighty Days

When I was a child, one of my favorite books was (and still is) Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. Published in 1873, the novel tells the story of Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman, and his newly employed French valet Passepartout.

If Earth’s lifetime was the distance from LA to New York City

Our old planet, the Earth is 4.54 billion years old. In fact, the human mind can no longer make any sense of large numbers like that. Numbers like 1, 2, 14, 20, 50 are all quantities that we encounter quite frequently in our daily lives. And our brain evolved to conceptualize numbers like that: our ancestors saw two lions; they hunted five deer in one hunting party, the population of their tribe was 20, etc…

But when the numbers are getting big, i.e. 1,000; 10,000… the problem begins: these numbers become increasingly difficult to conceptualize. Now, what happens when we try to conceptualize quantities like billions, like the Earth’s age? We can’t actually rationalize the immensity of such a big number. Because we haven’t a model of 4.54 billion that’s been compressed into something recognizable to the human mind.