There are many grand and basic research questions in earth sciences. The answers to these questions could profoundly affect our understanding of the planet on which we live, and could strongly promote the development of basic research in earth sciences. The 10 major scientific problems were identified in “Origin and Evolution of Earth: Research Questions for a Changing Planet” by US National Research Council in March, 2008. These questions are: ①How did Earth and other planets form? ②What happened during Earth′s “dark age” (the first 500 million years)? ③How did life begin? ④How does Earth′s interior work, and how does it affect the surface? ⑤Why does Earth have plate tectonics and continents? ⑥How are Earth processes controlled by material properties? ⑦What causes climate to change—and how much can it change? ⑧How has life shaped Earth—and how has Earth shaped life? ⑨Can earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and their consequences be predicted? ⑩How do fluid flow and transport affect the human environment? These scientific issues could have important guiding value to our country for earth sciences.