It’s been 50 years since Apollo 13’s safe return to Earth

After an explosion damaged their spacecraft, the Apollo 13 astronauts - on their way to the moon - were in dire peril. Read about the human ingenuity that led the Apollo 13 mission to a safe and successful conclusion.

Coronavirus Explained: What it does to your body that makes it so deadly

How the coronavirus infects and how it makes people sick.

Satellite data show 30% drop in air pollution over northeast U.S.

Satellite data show drop in air pollution over the major metropolitan areas of the U. S. Northeast.

Sustain What: Join Sunday’s Unbroken Circle song and story swap

Colombia University's Earth Institute in New York and host Andrew Revkin bring you a Sunday morning online session featuring musicians and experts in human sustainability on planet Earth.

EarthSky’s essential coronavirus links

Updated April 9, 2020. African Americans more likely to get COVID-19. What’s next after stay-at-home orders are lifted? Worries about a global “poverty tsunami." Coronavirus arrived in New York from Europe. Tweets from the frontlines. More.

Fossil skull suggests human ancestors emerged 200,000 years earlier than thought

This newly discovered fossil is a hugely important find, say scientists. It means that one of our earliest ancestors possibly originated in southern Africa. Read more

April 3 is John Burroughs’ birthday

John Burroughs - born in 1837 - was one of the 1st nature writers. He said: "I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."

More essential coronavirus links March 24-April 2

A roundup of information from physicians, scientists and journalists about the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to model a pandemic

Behind every government announcement, there is an army of epidemiologists predicting how the virus will spread, and how to beat it. Note that this story doesn't deal specifically with the University of Washington models released April 5, projecting U.S. infections and deaths from COVID-19 in the coming months. But it does provide insights into how scientists create models.

Ancient 4-limbed fish reveals origin of human hand

The origin of digits in land vertebrates is hotly debated, but a new study suggests that human hands likely evolved from the fins of Elpistostege, a fish that lived more than 380 million years ago.