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The human thirst for knowledge has taken us to the outer reaches of space and deep within the physiology of earthbound life. A great irony of scientific and intellectual achievement is that, though we have explored the surface of Mars and seen the birth and death of stars many light-years away from Earth, there is much we don’t know about our own home.
Today, there are projects underway that are helping us understand the dynamism of the Earth. From satellites orbiting miles above our heads to literally groundbreaking technology plumbing the depths under the Antarctic and the ocean floors, scientists are gathering information that is helping us learn more about the Earth’s past, present and future.
Looking down from space, the ALOS satellite or “Daichi” is helping scientists monitor changes taking place on Earth. From tsunami to volcanoes, we’ll see how this state-of-the art observation device is literally and figuratively changing the way we see our planet.
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Learn how researchers are revealing the fascinating story of our planet by boring into the Antarctic ice. Fighting extreme cold and facing the unique challenges of polar geology, these Japanese scientists hope to reveal one million years of history.
It’s adventure on the high seas — and far, far below. Scientists, eager to reveal the secrets of Earth’s interior, are using this first-of-its-kind research ship to drill deep below the ocean floor. Read about the mind-boggling technologies being used to go where science has never gone before: the Earth’s mantle.
Updated November 15, 2006
