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Thanks to the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite—the nation’s first operational satellite in deep space—you can see daily pictures of the Earth. NASA launched the satellite last February and handed the reigns over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a little over a week ago.
NOAA says it will use the satellite to "monitor and warn of severe and potentially dangerous space weather events." Solar storms can produce the beautiful Northern Lights or Aurora borealis, we were treated to here in the U.S. earlier this week, but they can also cause "major disruptions to our infrastructure," says NASA.
The DSCOVR satellite is carrying a camera—EPIC, or Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera—which regularly snaps photos of the Earth from its position in space about a million miles away. A slideshow of the Earth's full rotation is then posted to a website and tweeted out. You may remember hearing about EPIC, which took the "Blue Marble" photo that wowed everyone, including President Obama, in July. And the space camera also snapped a rare picture of the dark side of the moon in August.
If you're geeking out about space and looking for more, you can watch a live stream of two astronauts doing a spacewalk to perform maintenance at the International Space Station.
Astronomer Carl Sagan said we have to cherish our "pale blue dot" because it's the "only home we've ever known." President Obama said the "blue marble" photo was a "beautiful reminder that we need to protect the only planet we have." And earlier this week astronaut Scott Kelly gave us this image to reflect upon ahead of the Paris climate talks:
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Record flood water levels in Venice hit again on Sunday making this the worst week of flooding in the city in over 50 years.
By Brian Barth
Late fall, after the last crops have been harvested, is a time to rest and reflect on the successes and challenges of the gardening year. But for those whose need to putter around in the garden doesn't end when cold weather comes, there's surely a few lingering chores. Get them done now and you'll be ahead of the game in spring.
By Bailey Hopp
If you had to choose a diamond for your engagement ring from below or above the ground, which would you pick … and why would you pick it? This is the main question consumers are facing when picking out their diamond engagement ring today. With a dramatic increase in demand for conflict-free lab-grown diamonds, the diamond industry is shifting right before our eyes.
Measles Outbreak in Samoa Kills 6. Schools Closed. State of Emergency Declared
(R) The measles virus pictured under a microscope. PHIL / CDC
The Pacific Island nation of Samoa declared a state of emergency this week, closed all of its schools and limited the number of public gatherings allowed after a measles outbreak has swept across the country of just 200,000 people, according to Reuters.
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By Alison Cagle
Rising above the Arizona desert, the Santa Rita Mountains cradle 10,000 years of Indigenous history. The Tohono O'odham Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and Hopi Tribe, among numerous other tribes, have worshipped, foraged, hunted and laid their ancestors to rest in the mountains for generations.
Native Americans are disproportionately without access to clean water, according to a new report, "Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States: A National Action Plan," to be released this afternoon, which shows that more than two million Americans do not have access to access to running water, indoor plumbing or wastewater services.
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By Nanticha Ocharoenchai
In the Czech Republic, horses have become the knights in shining armor. A study published in the Journal for Nature Conservation suggests that returning feral horses to grasslands in Podyjí National Park could help boost the numbers of several threatened butterfly species.
Despite huge strides in improving the lives of children since 1989, many of the world's poorest are being left behind, the United Nations children's fund UNICEF warned Monday.