Current Events

  • 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.
  • Massive Tornado Outbreak on Tornado Alley
    The week of May 19 brings dozens of tornadoes to Tornado Alley in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Io...Read more

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    Massive Tornado Outbreak on Tornado Alley

    The week of May 19 brings dozens of tornadoes to Tornado Alley in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. On May 20th, a massive tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, devastating communities - destroying over 100 homes and hitting two elementary schools and a hospital - with many casualties and deaths. Our thoughts are with our friends and colleagues suffering from these storms. For more on the May 20th storms, see the NOAA Storm Prediction Center Storm Report.
  • Kansas Legislator Proposes Bill to Outlaw Sustainability Education
    A bill has been introduced in the Kansas legislature this week that would prohibit the promotion of ...Read more

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    Kansas Legislator Proposes Bill to Outlaw Sustainability Education

    A bill has been introduced in the Kansas legislature this week that would prohibit the promotion of sustainability. Here is a link to the one-page bill: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2366_00_0000.pdf. See report on Bloomberg News.

More from Windows to the Universe

With over 9000 web pages and over 60 main sections of content, we can't fit it all on one web page! This page provides links to other major sections of content on Windows to the Universe. We hope you enjoy exploring these resources!
What's it like to visit the <a href="/earth/Water/deep_ocean.html">deep sea</a> in a manned submersible? These postcards will share some of that excitement with you. The submersible, <a href="/earth/interior/alvin2.html">Alvin</a>, makes dives into the deep sea. Check out a <a href="/people/postcards/alvin/photo_album.html">photo album</a> of images from the dive, and view the postcards below!<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Tim Killeen</em></small></p>Oh no! It doesn't look good for these Adelie penguins in the Antarctic. Sea ice covers the top of the ocean next to the Antarctic continent and the Ross Sea. Large cracks open up in the expanse of ice as the ice melts which allows whales to get into parts of the Ross Sea that have not been disturbed or fished for months. Find out more about this <a href="/people/postcards/penguin_post.html">penguin research campaign</a> in December 2006 - January 2007.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of <a href="/bio/jean_pennycook.html">Jean Pennycook</a></em></small></p>A sinuous glowing band of <a href="/earth/Magnetosphere/aurora.html">aurora</a> (the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights) loops around the <a href="/earth/polar/polar_south.html">southern polar</a> region in the distance as viewed by astronauts onboard the space shuttle on <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-39.html">STS-039</a>.     <a href="/earth/Magnetosphere/aurora/aurora_colors.html">Aurora are produced</a> when <a href="/physical_science/physics/atom_particle/particle_radiation.html">energetic particles</a> entering the Earth's atmosphere from space interact with <a href="/physical_science/physics/atom_particle/atom.html">atoms</a> and <a href="/earth/geology/molecule.html">molecules</a> in the atmosphere and release energy, emitted as light. <p><small><em>Courtesy of NASA, Astronaut Overmeyer and Dr. Hallinan</em></small></p>On 21 April, 2010, the Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the launch of a filament from the <a href="/sun/atmosphere/photosphere.html">surface of the Sun</a>. These are the most detailed images of the Sun ever taken. The images show light in the <a href="/physical_science/magnetism/em_ultraviolet.html">ultraviolet</a> part of the <a href="/physical_science/magnetism/em_spectrum.html">electromagnetic spectrum</a>. The Sun is now entering another period of <a href="/sun/solar_activity.html">solar activity</a> after several years of a relatively quiet Sun. Activity on the Sun varies on an <a href="/sun/activity/sunspot_cycle.html">cycle of about 11 years</a>.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of NASA/Solar Dynamics Observatory and AIA Consortium</em></small></p>The <a href="http://www.starcount.org">Great World Wide Star Count</a> is an international Citizen Science campaign. The purpose of this event is to encourage everyone to go outside, look skywards after dark, count the stars they see in certain constellations, and report what they see online. This Windows to the Universe Citizen Science Event is designed to encourage learning in astronomy! Have fun everyone!<p><small><em></em></small></p>Explorers, both from long ago and today, use journals to record where they travel and what they discover. With this <a href="javascript:wb_onclick();">online journal</a> you can keep a record of the places you have been, the things you have seen, and what you have learned within the Windows to the Universe web site!<p><small><em></em></small></p>

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Space Weather

Space Weather is the term scientists use to describe the ever changing conditions in space. ...Read more

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Welcome to our Headline Universe section! Although Windows to the Universe isn't a news website, ...Read more

Research Highlights

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Here you will find links to all sorts of pictures, animations, videos, sounds, and interactive ...Read more

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Explore collections of Postcards from the Field, virtual postcards from scientists and educators ...Read more

Kids' Space

Welcome to Kids' Space - a place where we have collected a variety of resources and things ...Read more

Citizen Science

Citizen science projects involve the public in scientific research and data collection. Typically, ...Read more

Motivational Quotes

Everyone needs some inspiration sometime! Here are some quotes that you may enjoy, or find useful in your work, play, or everyday life. ...Read more

Historical Events

5/24 Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, died on this date in 1543 Details
5/30 7.5 magnitude quake hits Quetta, Pakistan in 1935
5/31 7.9 magnitude earthquake hits Peru in 1970

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Did you know that Earth's magnetic poles are not the same as Earth's geographic poles? Find out more with our North magnetic pole interactive!

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Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Plasmoid
xPlasmoid : A structure of plasma and magnetic fields proposed to explain several natural phenomena including magnetic bubbles in magentospheres and ball lightning

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Scientists Study "Glaciovolcanoes," Mountains of Fire and Ice, in Iceland, British Columbia, U.S.

Glaciovolcanoes, they're called, these rumbling mountains where the orange-red fire of magma meets the frozen blue of glaciers. Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which erupted recently, is but one of...Read more

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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