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

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    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

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    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

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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.

Postcards from the Field

Explore collections of Postcards from the Field, virtual postcards from scientists and educators doing field research in places around the world. The links below lead to postcards about what it's like to do all sorts of field science - from studying animals like sharks and penguins, to exploring ice, rocks, the atmosphere, and the ocean. Scientists explore Earth in many ways. Take a look at these postcards and find out how.
<a href="/people/postcards/vocals/dione_rossiter.html">Dione Rossiter</a> is a scientist that participated in a research expedition to understand the climate of the southeastern Pacific in fall, 2008 - the <a href="/vocals/vocals_intro.html">VOCALS campaign</a>. She got to fly a her scientific instrument aboard a research aircraft above a layer of <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/stratocumulus.html">stratocumulus</a> cloud that seemed to go on forever.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Dione Rossiter</em></small></p>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>A view of Arica, Chile, at the beginning of a <a href="/people/postcards/vocals/vocals_post.html">research campaign to study climate science in the southeastern Pacific</a>. Arica is near the <a href="/earth/atacama_desert.html">Atacama Desert</a>, one of the most <a href="/earth/extreme_environments_hot_cold_dry.html">arid</a> and barren places on Earth.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Carlye Calvin, UCAR</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>Did you know that deep beneath the surface of the ocean lie hydrothermal vents, which release superheated fluids at the ocean bottom? These fluids are rich in chemicals and minerals that support communities of very <a href="/earth/Life/smokers.html">unique organisms</a>, such as the bacteria, large tubeworms, and crabs you see in the picture above!<p><small><em> Image courtesy of Tim Shank, WHOI</em></small></p>Observatories are located in some of the most remote places on Earth. Scientists need to be far away from the <a href="/the_universe/light_pollution.html">city lights</a> to see the faintest stars and galaxies.Check out these <a href="/people/postcards/observatory_post.html">postcards</a> to see what its like to use a telescope at an observatory!<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Katrien Uytterhoeven</em></small></p>

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6/25 Hermann Oberth,a Romanian and German physicist, was born on this date in 1894 Details
6/28 Maria Mitchell, an American astronomer, died on this date in 1889 Details
6/29 George Hale, an American astronomer, was born on this date in 1869 Details

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Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

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Umbra
xUmbra : The shadow cast by a celestial body

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Research Highlights

Soil Microbes Produce Less Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Than Expected With Global Warming

In dark, rich soils on every continent, microbes dealing with the effects of climate change aren't accelerating global warming the way scientists had predicted, a study by researchers at the University...Read more

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The Spring 2011 issue of The Earth Scientist is focused on modernizing seismology education. Thanks to IRIS, you can download this issue for free as a pdf. Print copies are available in our online store.

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