Current Events

  • Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather
    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong corr...Read more

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    Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather

    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period. Data analyzed in this study cover the period from 431 to 1649, during which time up to 48 volcanic eruptions are identified in Greenland ice core records through deposition of volcanic sulfate in annual layers of ice. You can find the study (open access), published on 6 June 2013 in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/2/024035/article. Find out more about how volcanoes can influence climate.
  • EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US
    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, acco...Read more

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    EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US

    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, according to the National Weather Service in Norman Oklahoma. The tornado, which remained on the ground for 40 minutes and reached 2.6 miles across (4.2 km), took the lives of 18 people including storm chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young. For more information on the tornado, visit http://ow.ly/i/2hfDG.
  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

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    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.

Geology

Geology means, literally, the study of the Earth. Explore this section to understand the structure of the Earth and its surface features, what causes earthquakes and tsunamis, and why volcanoes form and erupt. Learn about minerals, which form the building blocks of rocks, and how rocks are made and destroyed. Learn about Earth’s fascinating history, the variety of life forms which have roamed the surface over the millennia, and the dramatic changes that have happened over Earth’s long history.

You can get your own minerals and fossils, as well as the Fall 2010 issue of The Earth Scientist on Rocks and Minerals in our online store!

A <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/2/024035/article">study</a> of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between <a href="http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/interior/eruptions.html">volcanic eruptions</a> and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period, from 431 to 1649. During this time up to 48 volcanic eruptions were identified in Greenland ice core records through deposition of volcanic sulfate in annual layers of ice. Find out more about <a href="http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/geosphere_volcanoes_influence_on_climate.html">volcanoes and climate</a>.<p><small><em>Image Courtesy of Marco Fulle</em></small></p>Scientists are still trying to learn how the <a href="/earth/interior/volcanism.html">volcanic</a> Hawaiian Islands formed. One theory is that they are made by upwelling plumes of <a href="/earth/interior/lava.html">lava</a> from the mantle inside the <a href="/earth/earth.html">Earth</a>. Scientists have obtained data that makes a strong case for the existence of a deep mantle plume below the Hawaiian islands.<p><small><em>Image Courtesy of Paul Johnson, University of Hawaii</em></small></p>Although we humans have never experienced fast <a href="/earth/climate/climate.html">global warming</a>, our planet has. And our planet keeps records of what happened. The oldest records that the <a href="/earth/earth.html">Earth</a> keeps are in its <a href="/earth/geology/sed_intro.html">rocks</a>. In this image, <a href="/headline_universe/olpa/methane_28may08.html">geologists Chris von der Borch and Dave Mrofka</a> collect sediment samples in South Australia. These rocks hold clues to help explain why climate changed abruptly 635 million years ago.<p><small><em> Courtesy of Martin Kennedy, UCR</em></small></p>Gold or Fool’s Gold? There are two easy ways to tell Fool’s Gold, the <a href="/earth/geology/min_intro.html">mineral</a> <a href="/earth/geology/min_pyrite.html">pyrite</a>, from real gold. First, pyrite leaves a black streak on a white tile whereas gold leaves, well, a gold streak. Also, pyrite is much harder than gold. Pyrite is made up of the <a href="/earth/geology/periodic_table.html">elements</a> iron (Fe) and sulfur (S).  Both of these two elements are among the <a href="/earth/geology/crust_elements.html">eight most abundant</a> in the <a href="/earth/interior/earths_crust.html">Earth’s crust</a>.<p><small><em> Courtesy of Corel</em></small></p>Sinkholes are <a href="/teacher_resources/main/frameworks/esl_bi8.html">natural hazards</a> in many places around the world. They are formed when water dissolves underlying <a href="/earth/Water/carbonates.html">limestone</a>, leading to collapse of the surface. Hydrologic conditions such as a lack of rainfall, lowered water levels, or excessive rainfall can all contribute to sinkhole development. On 2/28/2013, a sinkhole suddenly developed under the house outside of Tampa, Florida, leading to the tragic death of its occupant, Jeff Bush.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Southwest Florida Water Management District</em></small></p>An <a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc000905e.php">8.6 magnitude earthquake</a> struck on 11 April 2012 off of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, followed by a strong aftershock. Earthquake motion was primarily horizontal. A tsunami warning was issued for the Indian Ocean, but was cancelled at 12:36 UTC. A tsunami was observed at 1 meter or less. Find out more about <a href="/earth/geology/quake_1.html">earthquake</a> and <a href="/earth/tsunami1.html">tsunami</a> processes. Check out the resources <a href="/teacher_resources/2011_AGU-NESTA_GIFT_Workshop.html">here</a>.<p><small><em>NOAA</em></small></p>

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Explore Geology

Earth's Interior and Surface

Earth, the largest and densest rocky planet, was formed about 4.5 billion years ago. The Earth's ...Read more

Minerals (and the Stuff They Are Made Of!)

Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. They are non-living, solid, and, like all matter, ...Read more

Rocks and the Rock Cycle

Rocks are always on the move through the rock cycle! Click on parts of this rock cycle diagram ...Read more

Earth's Layers and Moving Plates

The main force that shapes our planet’s surface over long amounts of time is the movement ...Read more

Earthquakes

The expression “on solid ground” is often used to describe something as stable. Usually the ...Read more

Volcanoes

There are several ways in which a volcano can form, just as there are several different kinds ...Read more

Fossils and Earth History

The Earth has been around for approximately four and a half billion years! The geologic time ...Read more

Scientists Who Study Rocks

Geology is the study of rocks and geologists are the people who study them! There are many ...Read more

Rocks, Minerals, Fossils in Online Store

Available Now! Beautiful specimens that inspire curiosity and demonstrate the inherent beauty of our planet. ...Read more

Earth Science Literacy Framework

This Earth system science literacy guide identifies the Big Ideas and fundamental concepts ...Read more

Historical Events

6/25 Hermann Oberth,a Romanian and German physicist, was born on this date in 1894 Details
6/28 Maria Mitchell, an American astronomer, died on this date in 1889 Details
6/29 George Hale, an American astronomer, was born on this date in 1869 Details

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Did you know?

What are dip-slip and transform faults? Find out more on our geologic fault page!

Do you know why volcanic ash is a problem for air travelers?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Rayleigh wave
xRayleigh wave : A Rayleigh wave is a seismic surface wave causing the ground to shake in an elliptical motion, with no transverse, or perpendicular, motion.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Scientists Study "Glaciovolcanoes," Mountains of Fire and Ice

In the spring of 2010, the eruption of a volcano called Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland cancelled many flights in Europe. Eyjafjallajökull is a glaciovolcano, which means it's a volcano that is covered by...Read more

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Young Voices for the Planet DVD in our online store includes 8 films where students speak out and take action on climate change.

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation and NASA, our Founding Partners (the American Geophysical Union and American Geosciences Institute) as well as through Institutional, Contributing, and Affiliate Partners, individual memberships and generous donors. Thank you for your support! NASA AGU AGI NSF