To find out more visit our sister website,. Some of the features of our planet that make it great for sustaining life are changing due to the ongoing effects of climate change. Earth's vast oceans provided a convenient place for life to begin about 3.8 billion years ago. Most notably, Earth is unique in that most of our planet is covered in liquid water, since the temperature allows liquid water to exist for extended periods of time. However, the name Earth is a Germanic word, which simply means “the ground.” Potential for LifeĮarth has a very hospitable temperature and mix of chemicals that have made life abundant here.

All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old.

Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of which are made of rock and metal. While Earth is only the fifth largest planet in the solar system, it is the only world in our solar system with liquid water on the surface. Our home planet is the third planet from the Sun, and the only place we know of so far that’s inhabited by living things.

Nasa earth view