In order to get a better understanding of our Earth and especially of its climate, the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and other international research institutes collect a growing volume of observed and measured data for earth-system-research. The global view requires an organization of the data for progressive, scientific illustration and interpretation. AWI has built a data library called PANGAEA with 4D. It files and saves data not only bibliographically but furthermore helps to answer new scientific questions concerning the Earth's actual problems.