The turn of this decade was marked by a Black Summer. Wildfires raged through Australia, killing dozens of people and an estimated one billion wildlife. While localized, the impact of these fires was global, as smoke blew across the Pacific Ocean and emitted 306 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. The Black Summer is a stark reminder of the importance of understanding our planet, our impact on it, and forging an environmentally sustainable path of human progress.