The role of Earth science in meeting society’s
needs continues to grow in importance. Earth
science develops skills that help students become better
problem solvers, including three-dimensional analysis and
comprehension of time and scale. Earth scientists use
these skills to ensure a supply of clean water, explore for
oil, gas, and coal, map the oceans, track severe weather,
and discover the Earth materials we need to build our
homes and roads, and the minerals and nutrients we need
to farm the land.