Current Events

  • 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.
  • Earth's Center Is 1,000 Degrees Hotter Than Previously Thought, Synchrotron X-Ray Experiment Shows
    Scientists have determined the temperature near the Earth’s center to be 6000 degrees Celsius, 1000 ...Read more

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    Earth's Center Is 1,000 Degrees Hotter Than Previously Thought, Synchrotron X-Ray Experiment Shows

    Scientists have determined the temperature near the Earth’s center to be 6000 degrees Celsius, 1000 degrees hotter than in a previous experiment run 20 years ago. These measurements confirm geophysical models that the temperature difference between the solid core and the mantle above, must be at least 1500 degrees to explain why the Earth has a magnetic field. For more information about this study, see the press release from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.
  • Ocean Volcanic Rocks Contain Samples of Recycled Crust
    Scientists have long believed that lava erupted from certain oceanic volcanoes contains materials fr...Read more

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    Ocean Volcanic Rocks Contain Samples of Recycled Crust

    Scientists have long believed that lava erupted from certain oceanic volcanoes contains materials from the early Earth’s crust. But decisive evidence for this phenomenon has proven elusive. New research from a team including Carnegie’s Erik Hauri demonstrates that oceanic volcanic rocks contain samples of recycled crust dating back to the Archean era 2.5 billion years ago. Their work is published in Nature. Oceanic crust sinks into the Earth’s mantle at so-called subduction zones, where two plates come together. Much of what happens to the crust during this journey is unknown. Model-dependent studies for how long subducted material can exist in the mantle are uncertain and evidence of very old crust returning to Earth’s surface via upwellings of magma has not been found until now. For more information about these results, see the press release from the Carnegie Institution.
Drawing by Rei Inamoto.

Hades

Following the defeat of the Titans by the Jovian gods, Hades obtained the kingdom of the underworld. One day, while he was riding through the field of battle, the goddess Aphrodite had her companion Eros playfully shoot an arrow into the heart of Hades.

Struck by Eros' arrow, Hades fell in love with the first young lady he saw, who happened to be Persephone. Hades promptly carried her off into the underworld to be his bride.

Dead souls were escorted to the shores of the River Styx by Hermes, where they were received by the boatman Charon, who rowed them across the River Styx to Hades' kingdom.

Many characters throughout greek myth crossed the path of Hades. Odysseus, the famous greek hero, entered the realm to speek to lost souls. He spoke to his dear friend Tiresias, who told him his destiny. He also came across his dead mother, Anticlea, and the great warrior, Achilles. Odysseus was the only one to successfully make a trip to Hades and return to Earth.

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Science, Evolution, and Creationism

How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable....more

Persephone

Persephone was the Greek goddess of the Underworld and the wife of Hades. Hades fell in love with her after seeing her picking flowers in a plain in Sicily. He decided at once to abduct her and carry...more

Hermes

Hermes was the god of eloquence, games of chance, commerce, and story telling, and was the messenger-god of Zeus. He was the offspring of Zeus and Zeus' mistress-goddess, Maia, who in turn was the daughter...more

Odysseus

The legendary Greek hero Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, a small island off the western coast of Greece. Odysseus was one of the many suitors of the beautiful Helen, the daughter of the king Tyndareus....more

Ophiuchus

The constellation Ophiuchus represents the Serpent Bearer. This large constellation can be seen in the night sky from June through October. Although most of the stars are dim, Ophiuchus' teapot shape...more

Gaea

Gaea was the great deity of the early Greeks. She represented the Earth and was worshipped as the universal mother who had created the universe and borne both the first race of gods (the Titans) and the...more

Hades

Following the defeat of the Titans by the Jovian gods, Hades obtained the kingdom of the underworld. One day, while he was riding through the field of battle, the goddess Aphrodite had her companion Eros...more

Jupiter

In Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of heaven and Earth and of all the Olympian gods. He was also known as the god of justice. He was named king of the gods in the special meeting that followed his...more

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Ready, Set, SCIENCE!, by the National Research Council, focuses on K-8 science classsrooms. Check out the other publications in our online store, as well as classroom materials.

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