Alexander von Humboldt was born 250 years ago in Berlin, Germany. He was a daring polymath and his work was foundational in many disciplines, influencing generation of scientists.  Humboldt’s hallmark was a holistic approach, a global vision of what would now be called systems science, integrating geology, physics and biology in an attempt to better understand Earth's complexities. Among his achievements were a quantification of the Earth's magnetic field, the establishment of isotherms, the documentation of plant diversity and its relationship to global and regional climate, understanding how volcanoes work and minerals, including diamond, genesis. He also was well ahead in recognizing the anthropogenic impact on the planet, promoting internationally collaborative science. Here, we welcome presentation that pertain to all of Humboldt’s research themes, and discuss where the international geosciences community today stands in lights of the Humboldt's lessons. A G-Cubed theme will collect contributions on these topics.