Although humans are primarily land dwellers, the Earth’s surface is largely water. The world’s oceans make up 99% of the planet’s biosphere and contain the greatest diversity of life. Even the most biologically…

The idea of a biologically diverse environment is easy to imagine in the middle of the tropical rain forest, where there are living organisms all around you, but what about the desert? A…

The land mass of the crust is thin compared to the rest of the Earth’s layers. It makes up only about 1% of the earth’s total mass, but the continental crust can be…

Surprisingly, life is found in many hostile environments on this planet. Very hot temperatures (5,000°C) near volcanic spouts rising from the ocean floor, and polar, subzero temperatures (−84°C) are at the extreme ends…

Native peoples, completely dependent on nature for everything in their lives, worshipped Earth as a nurturing mother. The soil sprouted plants and trees that provided food, clothing, and shelter. The rivers and seas…