This Pacific island is the most plastic-polluted place on Earth

Explore remote, uninhabited Henderson Island in the South Pacific. It may look idyllic from above, but is littered with millions of tons of plastic.

Latest snow on record for thousands of US locations

What's the latest date that measurable snow has fallen in different parts of the United States? Check this interactive map from NOAA to find your record latest snow.

Was another civilization on Earth before humans?

How do we know earlier industrial civilizations on Earth didn't rise and fall long before humans appeared? That's the question posed in a new scientific thought experiment.

March 2018 in top 6 warmest on record

Last month wasn't as hot as March 2016 or March 2017, but it's in the warmest 6 since modern record-keeping began in 1880.

Underwater noise pollution stresses aquatic animals

The roar of motors, ping of military sonar, bangs and blasts from offshore development are distracting, confusing, and even killing, aquatic animals.

Top 10 things about brown recluse spiders

It's their active season. Here are some things you might not know.

Earth’s magnetosphere envelops and protects us

A giant bubble of magnetism protects us from the sun's fury. Take 3 minutes to learn about it, in this new NASA ScienceCast video.

Sahara Desert is expanding

A new study finds that the world’s largest desert has grown by 10 percent since 1920.

Does space weather threaten high-tech life?

The wired Earth of the 21st century is at the mercy of the volatile nature of the sun, says a scientist who studies solar storms.

Antarctic ice grounding lines are shifting

Europe's CryoSat satellite was used - over 7 years - to track 10,000 miles (16,000 km) of Antarctic coastline. It can be seen warm ocean water is eating away at Antarctica's floating margins.