Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe.

Indiana Earthquake: A magnitude-4.2 earthquake struck Indiana this morning, according to the USGS.

Population 7 Billion: Our amazing planet will be populated by 7 billion people sometime in 2011. How will the planet handle all of us?

Forest Protection in China: In an effort to preserve biodiversity and tackle climate change, China announced plans to expand protection of its forests over the next decade.

Polar Bear Spy Cams: High-tech cameras that look more like droids from "Star Wars" are spying on polar bears in the Arctic islands of Norway.

Previously on Our Daily Planet: Denver Snow and Australia Floods

Reach OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @btisrael.