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.

Earth's Interior and Surface

Earth, the largest and densest rocky planet, was formed about 4.5 billion years ago. The Earth's interior is divided into four layers, which is typical of rocky planets. Each layer has different characteristics and is made of different elements and minerals.

There are many different types of features on Earth’s surface due to the complexity of our planet. The surface is unique from the other planets because it is the only one which has liquid water in such large quantities. Water forms some features of Earth's surface such as rivers, oceans, beaches and lakes. Other surface features, such as mountains, earthquakes and volcanoes, are formed when large pieces of the Earth’s outer layer move slowly by plate tectonics.

Bison roaming on mixed grass prairie - a type of <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/grassland_eco.html&edu=high">grassland</a> - at Wind Cave National Park (U.S.).  Over one quarter of the Earth's surface is covered by grasslands. Grasslands are found on every continent except <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/polar/polar_south.html&edu=high">Antarctica</a>, and they make up most of Africa and Asia. Grasslands develop where there isn't enough rain for <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/forest_eco.html&edu=high">forests</a> but there is too much rain for <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/desert_eco.html&edu=high">deserts</a>. Grasslands are filled with - you guessed it - grass.<p><small><em> National Park Service</em></small></p>Rainforest vegetation on the Caribbean island of Dominica.  <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/rainforest.html&edu=high">Tropical rainforests</a> are home to thousands of species of animals, plants, fungi and microbes. Scientists suspect that there are many species living in rainforests have not yet been found or described. Rainforests get their name because they receive a lot of rain - an average of 80 inches (203 cm) a year!<p><small><em> NBII Digital Image Library - Randolph Femmer, photographer</em></small></p>Gold or Fool’s Gold? There are two easy ways to tell Fool’s Gold, the <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/geology/min_intro.html&edu=high">mineral</a> <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/geology/min_pyrite.html&edu=high">pyrite</a>, from real gold. First, pyrite leaves a black streak on a white tile whereas gold leaves, well, a gold streak. Also, pyrite is much harder than gold. Pyrite is made up of the <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/geology/periodic_table.html&edu=high">elements</a> iron (Fe) and sulfur (S).  Both of these two elements are among the <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/geology/crust_elements.html&edu=high">eight most abundant</a> in the <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/interior/earths_crust.html&edu=high">Earth’s crust</a>.<p><small><em> Courtesy of Corel</em></small></p>Shortly after 5 am on the 18<sup>th</sup> of April in 1906, most people in San Francisco, CA were awoken by a sudden jolt.  The Earth shook violently in a strong <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/geology/quake_1.html&edu=high">earthquake</a>. It lasted for only about a minute, but caused a lot of damage which destroyed much of the city. This photograph was taken just after an earthquake and fires had ravaged the city.<p><small><em> National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives</em></small></p>An <a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc000905e.php">8.6 magnitude earthquake</a> struck on 11 April 2012 off of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, followed by a strong aftershock. Earthquake motion was primarily horizontal. A tsunami warning was issued for the Indian Ocean, but was cancelled at 12:36 UTC. A tsunami was observed at 1 meter or less. Find out more about <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/geology/quake_1.html&edu=high">earthquake</a> and <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/tsunami1.html&edu=high">tsunami</a> processes. Check out the resources <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/teacher_resources/2011_AGU-NESTA_GIFT_Workshop.html&edu=high">here</a>.<p><small><em>NOAA</em></small></p>Sinkholes are <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/teacher_resources/main/frameworks/esl_bi8.html&edu=high">natural hazards</a> in many places around the world. They are formed when water dissolves underlying <a href="/php/tour_test_mobile.php?page=/earth/Water/carbonates.html&edu=high">limestone</a>, leading to collapse of the surface. Hydrologic conditions such as a lack of rainfall, lowered water levels, or excessive rainfall can all contribute to sinkhole development. On 2/28/2013, a sinkhole suddenly developed under the house outside of Tampa, Florida, leading to the tragic death of its occupant, Jeff Bush.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Southwest Florida Water Management District</em></small></p>

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Explore Earth's Interior and Surface

Interior

Earth has a diameter of approximately 12,756 km (7,972 mi). The Earth's interior consists ...Read more

Surface

Most of the Earth's surface (70%) is covered with water, and the remaining 30% is taken up ...Read more

Surface Features

This image of the surface of the Earth shows the North and South American continents, as well ...Read more

Earthquakes

The expression "on solid ground" is often used to describe something as stable. But sometimes ...Read more

Volcanoes

There are several ways in which a volcano can form, just as there are several different kinds ...Read more

Plate Tectonics

Many forces cause the surface of the Earth to change over time. However, the largest force ...Read more

Elements

An element (also called a "chemical element") is a substance made up entirely of atoms having ...Read more

Geology

Geology means, literally, the study of the Earth. Explore this section to understand the structure ...Read more

Biomes and Ecosystems

Biomes are large regions of the world with similar plants, animals, and other living things ...Read more

Did you know?

Do you know why and where earthquakes happen? Check our our expanded content on earthquakes!

Do you know what slate, gneiss and schist have in common?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Alluvium
xAlluvium : Alluvium is loose gravel, sand, silt, or clay deposited by streams.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Triggers of Volcanic Eruptions in Oregon's Mount Hood Investigated

A new study has found that a mixing of two different types of magma is the key to the historic eruptions of Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain, and that eruptions often happen in a relatively short...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.

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