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.

Humans and the Things They Do

This page contains answers to questions that have to do with human life. They explore human biology, science professions, science projects and much more! Click on a topic to see our "Quickie" questions archive or scroll down for more in-depth answers.

Quickie Humans and the Things They Do


Astronauts/Astronomers(21 questions)
Other Scientists(40 questions)
Technology(49 questions)
Space Missions(126 questions)
Other Things They Do(284 questions)


In-depth questions and answers

1)"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."...planned or spontaneous?
2)What things can students do as homework science projects?
3)Do you think that in another century the human race will be able to travel to Pluto?
4)What does it take to become an astronaut?
5)Who will be the first person on Mars?
5)Does the millennium actually begin on January 1, 2000, or on January 1, 2001?
6)What would life be like if humans lived on Mars?
7)Do different parts of the body demonstrate different degrees of two-point discrimination?
8)Are there any places that you can become weightless other than space?
9)What do you know about the 'Star of Bethlehem' that was mentioned in the New Testament of the Holy Bible?
10)If I wanted to become an astronomer, how would I go about doing that?
11)Why haven't we sent a manned mission to Mars?
12) How do Astronauts Live in Space?


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