Earth Day at Home Illustration

This Earth Day, go on a webquest to see how NASA helps study and protect the land, air, water, and ice. Click and explore the eleven topics below that demonstrate how NASA studies our planet's interconnected systems to better our world. Then see how much you’ve learned by taking the interactive quiz. You may want to open the quiz in a separate tab or browser window so you can answer questions as you explore the topics. Good luck!


A small visualization of Earth and its orbiting science satellites, labeled.

1. A World of Data From Space

NASA’s earliest fleet of Earth-observing satellites studied clouds and weather. Now we can measure wind speed, track fires, estimate tree height and much more using satellite data. Use Earth Now to explore NASA's satellites and the data they collect.


A house and a city sitting on their own pieces of land while floating in space.

2. NASA In Your Life

Have you ever wondered why space exploration should matter to you? Or how the work of NASA scientists and engineers affects your daily life? “Spinoffs” are commercial products and services derived from NASA technology.


A penguin looking down at an egg it's protecting.

3. Finding Adelie Penguin Populations

Did you know that satellite data can help scientists find penguin populations?


Earth at night as seen from space, with most lights showing in North America.

4. Bright Nights and City Lights

Did you know we can learn about Earth by observing it at night from space? A sensor aboard the NASA-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite allows scientists to study Earth's atmosphere and surface during nighttime hours.


Visualization of an electric airplane flying through the clouds

5. NASA Aeronautics Works to Lower Emissions

NASA is exploring technologies so aircraft can use electricity instead of jet fuel to power flight. See how much we are trying to reduce emissions with new electric aircraft.


A wildfire burning a forest

6. Seeing Wildfires From Space

Explore how NASA uses satellites to detect wildfires around the world.


A female astronaut inside the International Space Station with a big drop of water floating in front of her face

7. Astronauts Drink What?

As Earth Day celebrates its 50th anniversary, the International Space Station, or ISS, celebrates its 20th year of continuous human presence in space. That's a lot of water needed to sustain astronauts. Did you know that water from unusual sources is filtered and reused on the ISS?


A boat called an icebreaker makes its way across Arctic sea ice.

8. Arctic Sea Ice

The Arctic sea ice cap is an expanse of frozen seawater floating on top of the Arctic Ocean and neighboring seas. Every year, it expands and thickens during the fall and winter and grows smaller and thinner during the spring and summer.


An aircraft with a very pointed nose is about to take off.

9. Supersonic Flight

NASA is building an experimental aircraft called the X-59 for quiet supersonic flight over land.


An whiteboard illustration of a monkey sitting on a branch and pointing up at the sky, where twin satellites fly by.

10. Scale in the Sky

Did you know we can improve drought, flood and wildfire forecasts by monitoring changes in Earth's gravity from space?


Corals reefs as seen from space

11. Looking Back at Earth

The International Space Station doesn’t just help us study space. It provides a whole new perspective on our home planet.


Screenshot of a webquest quiz

Take the Quiz

Test your new knowledge of NASA's work in Earth and environmental sciences.