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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.

Learn More
Photo: Lake Natron in Tanzania

Plate Tectonics

What makes Earth move and shake?

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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.

More About Plate Tectonics

News: Latest Science and Space Stories

VIDEO: Lab Probes Universe's Secrets
WEEK IN PHOTOS: Texas Sinkhole, Myanmar Cyclone, More
VIDEO: What If Earth Warms 6 Degrees?
Earliest Known American Settlers Harvested Seaweed
PHOTOS: Chile Volcano Hurts Animals, Farms
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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.

Read More
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.

Read More
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.

See the Photos
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.

Read More

Earth Topics

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Photo: Puerto Escondido

Mexico via Pacifico

Find unusual vacation spots and journey through Mexico.
Photo: Road sign

Signspotting

Take a tour of the world's quirkiest signs.

View signs

Order Human Footprint on DVD Today
Image: Cover of Human Footprint DVD

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

Buy the DVD

Forces of Nature
Photo: A volcano erupting

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

Experience

Support Conservation
Photo: Two penguins

Help conserve the world's natural resources.

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National Geographic Kids

Image: A cross-section of the human head

Play games, watch videos, and much more in this just-for-kids site.

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