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We tend to think of the ground beneath our feet as solid, steady, and unchanging. But forces all around us are constantly at work shaping Earth's surface—usually at a pace too slow to be noticed but occasionally in cataclysmic fits that leave no doubt about their power. Explore the forces that move and shake our dynamic Earth.

About the Dynamic Earth

Photo: Oregon Inlet sandbars

Erosion and Weathering

It's nature's way of sculpting.

Photo: Lake Natron in Tanzania

Plate Tectonics

What makes Earth move and shake?

Did You Know?

Supercontinents

Over eons, drifting tectonic plates sometimes push all the landmasses together to form supercontinents. Most recent was Pangaea, which split into the seven continents of today 200 million years ago.

Related Features

Photo: Earthquake-ravaged Adazapari

Article: Wrath of the Gods—Earthquake in Turkey

The relentless tectonic forces that have rocked the regions around Turkey for millennia nurtured myths of Poseidon and tales of Troy and may explain why Noah had to build an ark.

Photo: Pancake ice and a boat on Lake Mendota, Wisconsin

Article: GeoSigns: The Big Thaw

There's no question that the Earth is getting hotter—and fast. Retreating glaciers, rising seas, and shrinking lakes are some of the global changes already under way.

Photo: Etna's glowing lava

Photo Gallery: Rocks

Ours is a terrestrial planet—the Earth's structure depends on its rocks. Take a look at some of the sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic specimens that shape our world.

Photo: Permafrost melt on an Alaska shoreline

Article: TimeSigns: Now What?

What do you get when you compare hundreds of thousands of years of climate data from glaciers, caves, and coral reefs with new climate change projections? A harrowing forecast.

Earth Topics

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Mexico via Pacifico

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Signspotting

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Discover the extraordinary impact that an average human life has on the world.

Forces of Nature

Photo: A volcano erupting

Guide to the most powerful forces on Earth: earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

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Help conserve the world's natural resources.

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