Earth system science

NASA reports that the James Webb Space Telescope has provided new insights into colossal planet-destroying collisions, capturing observations of debris and aftermath from impacts between planetary bodies. The findings give scientists a rare look at the violent processes that shape planetary systems, echoing the kind of giant impact thought to have formed Earth's Moon.

Researchers writing in Nature argue that environmental legal frameworks need to be updated to reflect Earth system dynamics, meaning the interconnected processes that regulate the planet's climate, ecosystems and stability. They say current laws treat environmental problems in isolation, while issues like climate change and biodiversity loss interact across scales, and legal systems must evolve to manage these systemic risks effectively.