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
Geb was worshipped in lower Egypt as the Earth god. He was depicted as a bearded man with a ...Read more
Aztec: Coatlicue
Coatlicue, whose name means "Serpent Skirt," was the Earth goddess of the Aztecs. Aztecs were ...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 was the Earth goddess. Pachamama and her husband ...Read more
Maya: Bacabs
The Maya believed the Earth was flat with four corners. Each corner was a direction shown by ...Read more
Maori: Papa
The Maori people of New Zealand believe that at the beginning of time the sky was so in love ...Read more
Norse: Midgard
In Norse mythology, Midgard is the Earth. It was created when the supreme 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
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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?Did you know that in Norse mythology, there is a huge rainbow bridge called Bifrost that connects Midgard, the realm of humans, to Asgard, the home of the gods?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?Ooids
xOoids : Small (< 2 mm), spheroidal, layered sedimentary grains, usually composed of calcium carbonate, but sometimes made up of iron- or phosphate-based minerals.
Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
Scientists Find Signs of “Snowball Earth” Amidst Early Animal Evolution
Near the Earth’s equator is where you could find some of the warmest places on Earth. But it wasn’t always like that. It used to be cold at the equator, so cold that ice formed on land and in the ocean....Read more
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