The Island of Hawaii is a vast canvas of environments from desert shores to rain forests to frozen mountain heights.
Published Jan 29, 2014
Dry mesas and dunes, as well as rare clouds, give color and texture to a plateau in the Sahara.
Published Jan 27, 2014
Twenty months after a slurry of debris swamped villages and killed dozens of people, scientists have pieced together the events that caused the deadly flood.
Published Jan 24, 2014
The cone-shaped summit is dissected by radial channels that appear like the spokes of a wheel.
Published Jan 20, 2014
The meandering Missouri River doubled back on itself and formed this U-shaped lake.
Published Jan 13, 2014
It is the capital of Utah, headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and “the crossroads of the West.”
Published Jan 6, 2014
The human landscape of Arabian cities stands out clearly when you see the lights.
Published Dec 30, 2013
You know the photo, but do you know the story behind it? A new video explains the circumstances that gave rise to the famous Apollo “Earthrise” photo while recreating the experience with modern data.
Published Dec 24, 2013Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing
Though the volcano has not erupted for thousands of years, scientific evidence suggests it could become active again someday.
Published Dec 23, 2013
Four volcanoes double as islands in Alaska’s Aleutian chain.
Published Dec 16, 2013
Nelson Mandela took the long view of his country and world, as does this photo from the space station.
Published Dec 15, 2013
Photographs taken by astronauts on the ISS in 2003 and 2013 show the evolution of a dune field in Chad.
Published Dec 9, 2013
An astronaut captured this view of an eruption plume amidst a chain of volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.
Published Dec 2, 2013
Though there are no historical accounts, geologic evidence suggests an eruption about 3,100 years ago affected Pre-Columbian settlements in Mexico.
Published Nov 25, 2013
The second largest container port in France is also a World Heritage Site for its unique concrete buildings.
Published Nov 18, 2013
One of Earth’s richest borate deposits is at the center of the largest open-pit mine in California.
Published Nov 11, 2013
A photograph by an astronaut on the International Space Station shows a progressively shrinking glacier in the North Patagonian Icefield.
Published Nov 4, 2013
The largest and most active of several volcanic centers on New Zealand’s North Island is also the island’s highest mountain.
Published Oct 28, 2013
City lights reflect some of the landscape features that determine urban growth patterns in the region.
Published Oct 21, 2013
City lights trace one of the most densely populated portions of the United States.
Published Sep 30, 2013
A key city on the old Silk Road stands midway between Western Europe and China.
Published Sep 23, 2013
Ancient volcanoes collapsed back into the crust of Italy, allowing lakes to form.
Published Sep 16, 2013
Clouds trace out atmospheric eddies and vortices near Baja, California.
Published Sep 9, 2013
Calcium carbonate particles discolored nearly the entirely surface of one of the Great Lakes in August 2013.
Published Sep 2, 2013
Runoff chokes the swollen Amur River in this astronaut photograph taken on August 21, 2013.
Published Aug 28, 2013
The estuary is a haven for marine life and for tourists who come to observe that life.
Published Aug 26, 2013
Tens of thousands of acres in the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness have burned during the 2013 wildfire season.
Published Aug 23, 2013
Some astronauts say these wispy, iridescent clouds are the most beautiful phenomena they see from orbit.
Published Aug 20, 2013
Coastal cities flourish amidst a more moderate climate along the Red Sea.
Published Aug 12, 2013
The narrow strait between Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia is an important passage for ships trying to reach Israel and Jordan.
Published Aug 5, 2013
