Press Releases & Feature Stories Archive - Earth Sciences Division

NASA Scientists Complete 1st Global Survey of Freshwater Fluctuation

03.03.2021

To investigate humans??? impact on freshwater resources, scientists have now conducted the first global accounting of fluctuating water levels in Earth???s lakes and reservoirs ??? including ones previously too small to measure from space.

Suspended Observations: NASA Aeropods Win Industry Recognition

03.02.2021

Aerodynamically stable and designed to hang from a kite string, Aeropods offer a low-cost, low-risk, opportunity for scientists and students to gather imagery and atmospheric data from an aerial perspective.

Breakup at Brunt

03.01.2021

A large iceberg finally split from the Antarctic ice shelf, but another piece stubbornly hangs on.

NASA, LAPAN Launch Ozonesonde From Indonesian Site for 1st Time in 8 Years

02.26.2021

On Jan. 27, scientists on an island in Indonesia launched a weather balloon carrying an ozonesonde ??? an instrument that measures ozone throughout the layers of Earth???s atmosphere. This was the first ozonesonde launch at the site since 2013.

NASA Study Finds Reduced African Grassland Fires Contribute to Short-lived Air Quality Improvements

02.25.2021

NASA researchers have found a small but unexpected decrease in air pollution over some parts of Africa despite growing use of fossil fuels in many countries due to development and economic growth.

NASA Snow Campaign Digs Deep in 2021

02.24.2021

Whether the first snowflakes of winter fill you with glee or make you groan, winter snowfall is a crucial water source for drinking, agriculture and hydropower for more than 1 billion people worldwide.

Fires Raged in the Amazon Again in 2020

02.22.2021

Large numbers of deforestation-related fires burned in the Amazon rainforest, while uncontrolled wildfires blazed in savanna and grassland ecosystems in central Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

Tropical Cyclone Guambe

02.19.2021

Less than a month after a destructive storm in January, another tropical cyclone aims at the East African nation.

Saharan Dust Heading for Europe

02.18.2021

A substantial dust plume drifted over the Atlantic Ocean, with some of the airborne grains steering toward the northeast.

NASA-funded Network Tracks the Recent Rise and Fall of Ozone Depleting Pollutants

02.17.2021

A short-lived resurgence in the emission of ozone depleting pollutants in eastern China will not significantly delay the recovery of Earth's protective "sunscreen" layer, according to new research published Feb. 10 in Nature.

Extreme Winter Weather Causes U.S. Blackouts

02.17.2021

Texas and other central states set records for cold temperatures during a persistent blast of arctic air.

Bright Aurora, Below Freezing

02.13.2021

In early February, fast solar winds brought beautiful northern lights to North America and Europe.

Winter Along the Niagara River

02.12.2021

The fast-flowing river cuts through a snowy landscape as it flows toward Lake Ontario.

Antarctic Icebergs Galore

02.12.2021

The many pieces of Antarctic iceberg A-68 continue to drift near South Georgia Island.

A Watery Day for Lake Lefroy

02.11.2021

Spectacular patterns emerged as stormwater pooled on the salt crust of this ephemeral lake in Western Australia.

Falling for Fallstreaks

02.08.2021

Recent occurrences of the unusual atmospheric phenomenon wowed people in the southern United States.

Trading Surfboards for Snowboards

02.06.2021

Three storms in three weeks have left abundant snow atop Hawaii’s tallest volcanic mountains.

Smoking Sugar Fields in South Florida

02.05.2021

Seasonal crop fires are a staple of the sugar harvest, but the smoke might have health effects.

Snowmelt Timing Near the Great Salt Lake

02.04.2021

Satellite data indicate that snow is melting earlier, changing when and how much the lake is refilled.

NASA Announces New Role of Senior Climate Advisor

02.03.2021

In an effort to ensure effective fulfillment of the Biden Administration's climate science objectives for NASA, the agency has established a new position of senior climate advisor and selected Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Science in New York, to serve in the role in an acting capacity.

NASA Satellites Help Quantify Forests' Impacts on Global Carbon Budget

02.03.2021

Using ground, airborne, and satellite data, a diverse team of international researchers – iincluding NASA scientists – ihas created a new method to assess how the changes in forests over the past two decades have impacted carbon concentrations in the atmosphere.