How understanding planet Earth became science.

Nat Commun · 2026

editorial · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Humanity’s understanding of planet Earth has evolved from myth and metaphor to measurement and models, yet our questions have remained strikingly similar. This editorial traces that long journey—across culture and centuries—to show how Earth science emerged, matured, and now faces its greatest challenge. Knowing how the planet works is no longer enough—the task ahead is learning how to live with it.