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

    x

    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

    x

    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

    x

    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.

Age of Enlightenment


Use these links to learn about scientists from the age of enlightenment:


Friedrich Mohs
Ada Byron
Giovanni Cassini
Charles Darwin
Christian Doppler
Ben Franklin
Edmond Halley
Caroline Herschel
William Herschel
Christian Huygens
Maria Winkelmann Kirch
Nicole-Reine Lepaute
James Clerk Maxwell
Maria Mitchell
Isaac Newton
Louis Pasteur
Giovanni Schiaparelli


Last modified May 1, 2003 by Lisa Gardiner.

Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!

Our online store includes books on science education, ranging from evolution, classroom research, and the need for science and math literacy!

Windows to the Universe Community

News

Opportunities

You might also be interested in:

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

Friedrich Mohs

Friedrich Mohs was a scientist who lived about 200 years ago in Europe. Friedrich's liked to identify minerals. He looked at a crystal closely and checked its hardness to decide which kind it was. He...more

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin was an English Naturalist who lived between 1809-1882. One of the most famous and influential scientists of all time, his ideas changed the ways all other scientists thought. Darwin started...more

Christian Doppler

Christian Doppler was an Austrian mathematician who lived between 1803-1853. He is known for a principle he proposed in 1842. This is now known as the Doppler Effect. He thought that the pitch of a sound...more

Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin was an American scientist and statesman who lived between 1706-1790. He studied electricity and learned of its dangers and possible uses. Franklin developed many inventions that made people's...more

Edmond Halley

Edmond Halley was an English astronomer who lived between 1656-1742. He reasoned that the same comet which he saw in 1682 had appeared before and predicted that it would appear again, about every 76 years....more

William Herschel

William Herschel was born in Germany. He moved to England and worked there most of his life. He lived between 1738-1822. He built powerful telescopes which let him observe the heavens with greater detail....more

Christian Huygens

Christian Huygens was a Dutch physicist and astronomer who lived between 1629-1695. He made improvements in telescopes allowing people to view objects in space with greater detail. Huygens also invented...more

Shop Windows to the Universe

The Winter 2010 issue of The Earth Scientist includes a variety of educational resources, ranging from astronomy to glaciers. Check out the other publications and classroom materials in our online store.

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