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.

Chinese Mythology

Visit the links to learn about Chinese myths related to objects in the sky, the Earth, and aspects of their world.

Back to the World Map
In ancient times, Chinese people believed that there were twelve Moons as there were twelve months in one year. It was believed that the Moons were made of water. The name "mother of moons" is associated with that of <a href="/mythology/moon_china.html&edu=high">Heng-o</a>. This image shows the detail of an eighteen-century embroidered emperor's robe including a white hare, which was believed to have lived in the moon.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.</em></small></p>

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Explore Chinese Mythology

The Ten Suns

Antique inscriptional documents tell us how during the time of the Chou dynasty (c. 1027-221 ...Read more

The Moon: Heng-O

In ancient times, Chinese people believed that there were twelve Moons as there were twelve ...Read more

The Creation: Pan-Ku

According to a primitive Chinese myth, at the beginning of time only chaos existed. The universe ...Read more

Historical Events

5/30 7.5 magnitude quake hits Quetta, Pakistan in 1935
5/31 7.9 magnitude earthquake hits Peru in 1970
6/8 Giovanni Cassini, an Italian-French astronomer, was born on this date in 1625 Details

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Did you know?

Did you know that many cultures have had myths about the Sun?

Do you know the difference between a P-wave and an S-wave?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Riparian
xRiparian : The bank of a river or other body of water; may include the floodplains

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Mysterious Clouds Produced When Aircraft Inadvertently Cause Rain or Snow

As turboprop and jet aircraft climb or descend under certain atmospheric conditions, they can inadvertently "seed" mid-level clouds, causing narrow bands of snow or rain to develop and fall to...Read more

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