The Water Planet: Origin of the Solar System
Several billion years following the "Big Bang," a cloud of dust and gas began to condense and rotate, taking on a spherical shape. Eventually, the dust grains within this rotating cloud would coalesce and become the sun and planets of the solar syst...
The Water Planet: Earth Without Water, An
From its likely role in the formation of life, to its impact on global climate, the world ocean has shaped planet Earth to an extent that is almost impossible to overstate. Perhaps the best way to fully grasp the enormity of the ocean's impact is to...
The Water Planet: Origin of Life on Earth
There is no definitive evidence that proves beyond a doubt where water originated. But wherever it came from, water did eventually cover more than two-thirds of Earth's surface. The implications of this for the formation of life on planet Earth were...
The Water Planet: Early Earth
At one time, Earth was a very different planet than it is today. Its atmosphere, in particular, bore very little resemblance to the one that we depend on for the air we breathe. It probably consisted primarily of carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas.
The Water Planet: Big Bang, The
The "Big Bang" is the commonly accepted theory of the origin of the universe. Most scientists believe this cataclysmic explosion took place about fourteen billion years ago. It is widely thought that the universe has been expanding ever since.
The Water Planet: Water: Earth's Distinguishing Characteristic
The third planet out from the sun, Earth is unique in many ways. But perhaps the most significant is that seventy percent of Earth's surface is covered with water.