The Institute of Earth Sciences is dedicated to learning and studying the processes that shape our planet’s present and geological past. Research and studies within the institute cover the systems of Earth (the solid earth, biosphere, oceans and atmosphere), and focus on the relationship between these and the environment. Our students and researchers engage with a wide array of questions, including: how are mountain ranges and drainage systems formed? Where are diamonds created and what can they teach us about the development of the Earth’s mantle? In which environments did life develop during the prehistoric era? How do ocean currents impact the climate on Earth? How can we minimize uncertainty in climate models? And how do clouds condense? To answer these questions and others, research groups use research laboratories that are among the most advanced in the world.