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 morexAtmospheric 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 morexMassive 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 morexKansas 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.
Myths about Earth
In cultures around the world, humans have developed stories to help them understand how the Earth came to be, and why things happen. Many of these stories share interesting similarities, which point, perhaps, to deep common concerns of human beings. Explore the links in this section to find out about myths related to Earth, and phenomena that occur at the Earth’s surface.
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Explore Myths about Earth
Egyptian: Geb
Thousands of years ago, Geb was worshipped in lower Egypt as the earth god. Geb was depicted ...Read more
Aztec: Coatlicue
Coatlicue, whose name means "Serpent Skirt," was the Earth goddess of life and death in the ...Read more
Greek: Gaea
Gaea, or Mother Earth, was the great goddess of the early Greeks. She represented the Earth ...Read more
Chinese: Hou Ji
Hou Ji was originally a Chinese hero of royal descent. His ancestor was Huang Di. Tang, the ...Read more
Inca: Pachamama
Incas of ancient Peru believed that Pachamama personified the Earth. Incas ruled Peru from ...Read more
Maya: Bacabs
The Maya believed the Earth was flat with four corners. Each corner represented a cardinal ...Read more
Maori: Papa
According to the Maori people of New Zealand, Rangi was the Sky Father and his wife was the ...Read more
Norse: Midgard
Midgard is the realm where humans live, the Earth. It was created when the god Odin and his ...Read more
Sumerian: Enlil
Enlil was the Sumerian god of Earth and air. Sumerians were living more than three thousand ...Read more
Aspects of the Earth
Explore myths related to phenomena on Earth like storms, wind, rainbows, and more. ...Read moreHistorical 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
Full Earth and Space Science History Calendar (Members only)
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Did you know?
Did you know that, in Japanese and Inuit mythology, there is a Sun goddess rather than a Sun god?Do you know what the Greek goddess, Persephone, has to do with the seasons and the underworld?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?P-wave
xP-wave : A compressional wave (or pressure wave) in the Earth's surface that shakes the ground back and forth in the same direction and the opposite direction as the direction the wave is moving
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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Our Glaciers: Then and Now activity kit helps you see the changes taking place in glaciers around the world. See all our activity kits and classroom activities.
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