The view from space is deepening our understanding of Earth's complexity.
Earth is unlike any other planet orbiting our Sun.
It is geologically active, has a complex atmosphere, holds an abundance of liquid water, and most important, it sustains life. Scientists can now observe the global effects of local phenomenon or find evidence of changes occurring in milliseconds or millennia. Earth is a dynamic planet of constantly interacting systems of air, water, ice, rock, and life. Some of the more obvious results of these interactions are floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and famines. A volcano erupting in Indonesia can propel a fine dust miles into the atmosphere that then circles the globe for months.