The Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only known celestial object to host and sustain life. Land, which consists of continents and islands, covers around 29.2 percent of the Earth’s surface. Water covers the remaining 70.8 percent, primarily in the form of oceans, seas, gulfs, and other salt-water bodies, but also in the form of lakes, rivers, and other freshwater bodies, which together make up the hydrosphere. The polar areas of the Earth are mostly covered with ice. The Earth’s outer layer is divided into several rigid tectonic plates that migrate across the surface over millions of years, while the Earth’s interior remains active, with a solid iron inner core, a liquid outer core that generates Earth’s magnetic field, and a convective mantle that drives plate tectonics.

Nitrogen and oxygen make up the majority of the atmosphere on Earth. Tropical regions get more solar energy than polar regions, which is then redistributed by air and ocean circulation. Greenhouse gases are also essential in regulating the temperature of the Earth’s surface. The climate of an area is influenced by a variety of variables, including latitude, elevation, and proximity to moderating seas, among others. Severe weather, such as tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, and heatwaves, may occur in almost any location and have a significant influence on people’s lives.

The gravity of the Earth interacts with the gravity of other objects in space, particularly the Moon, Earth’s sole natural satellite. The Earth takes 365.25 days to circle the Sun. Seasons on Earth are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation in relation to its orbital plane. Tides are caused by the gravitational contact between Earth and the Moon, which also stabilizes Earth’s position on its axis and slows its rotation. The largest and most massive of the four rocky planets, Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System.

Earth originated around 4.5 billion years ago, according to radiometric dating estimates and other data. Life originated in the waters within the first billion years of Earth’s existence and began to impact the atmosphere and surface of the planet, resulting in the development of anaerobic and, subsequently, aerobic species. According to certain geological evidence, life might have begun as early as 4.1 billion years ago. Since then, life has evolved and thrived thanks to a combination of Earth’s distance from the Sun, physical characteristics, and geological history. Biodiversity has experienced extended periods of growth, interrupted by major extinctions, throughout the history of life on Earth. Over 99 percent of all creatures that have ever existed on our planet have become extinct. On Earth, almost 8 billion people live and rely on the biosphere and natural resources for their life. Humans are having an increasingly negative influence on the Earth’s surface, hydrology, atmospheric processes, and other living things.

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