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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 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.
This is an image of Venus.
Click on image for full size
NASA/JPL

The Earliest History of Venus

As the process which formed them came to an end, the planets may have been left in either of the following two states:

  • very warm, separated into layers, with lots of water on the surface, with volcanic activity, as well as continental drift.
  • cold and rocky, needing to be warmed from the inside before activity is seen on the surface. The planet never separates into layers, and the planet never forms a core.
With Venus, the first case is probably the most likely.

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Ready, Set, SCIENCE!: Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science Classrooms

What types of instructional experiences help K-8 students learn science with understanding? What do science educators teachers, teacher leaders, science specialists, professional development staff, curriculum designers, school administrators need to know to create and support such experiences?...more

The History of Venus

The Earth-planets formed with the gathering of rocky material and volatiles out of the primitive solar nebula. As they finished forming, the surface continued to be hit by the remanent of planetary material...more

Does Venus Have a Surface in Motion?

Like Mars, there is no plate tectonics on the surface of Venus. The surface of Venus does not *seem* to have changed or moved in billions of years. Unlike the case of Mars, however, careful examination...more

Alpha Regio

Alpha Regio is an example of what is known as a "Plateau Highland" of Venus. The only volcano known to be found on Alpha Regio is Eve Mons. A Plateau Highland is like a continent, and is different from...more

Aphrodite Terra

Aphrodite Terra, the Greek name for the goddess Venus, is about the size of half the continent of Africa, and is to be found along the equator of Venus. Aphrodite Terra is different from Ishtar Terra in...more

Beta Regio

Beta Regio is an example of what is known as a volcanic rise, which makes Beta Regio more like an island than a continent. Volcanic rises such as Beta Regio are broad, sloping highlands over 1000 miles...more

Ishtar Terra

Ishtar Terra is one of the Plateau Highlands of Venus, is found near the north pole, and is about the size of the continental United States. Ishtar Terra contains the four main mountain ranges of Venus...more

Venus Channels

This image clearly shows a channel where something once flowed. Without proper measurements, scientists can only guess what sort of liquid may have once flowed through this channel. On Earth, such channels...more

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