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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
Thousands of years ago, Geb was worshipped at the city of Heliopolis in lower Egypt as the ...Read more
Aztec: Coatlicue
Coatlicue, whose name means "Serpent Skirt," was the Earth goddess of life and death in the ...Read more
Greek: Gaea
Gaea was the great deity of the early Greeks. She represented the Earth and was worshipped ...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 personified the Earth. Incas ruled Peru from ...Read more
Maya: Bacabs
The Earth was conceived by the Maya as flat with four corners. Each corner represented a cardinal ...Read more
Maori: Papa
According to the Maori people of New Zealand, Rangi was the Sky Father and his wife was the ...Read more
Norse: Midgard
Midgard is the realm where human beings live. Midgard, the Earth, was created from the flesh ...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
10/4 Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to successfully orbit the Earth. was launched on this date in 1957 Details
10/4 German physicist Max Planck died on this date in 1947 Details
10/5 Robert Goddard, an American physicist, was born on this date in 1882 Details
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Did you know?
Did you know that, in Egyptian mythology, the sky goddess Nut married the Earth god Geb, and that the Sun god Re was angry, and so forced them to separate?Do you know what the Greek goddess, Persephone, has to do with the seasons and the underworld?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?Loess
xLoess : An aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt and lesser and variable amounts of sand and clay that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate. Loess is usually homogeneous, highly porous, and is traversed by vertical capillaries t
Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
Mysterious Clouds Produced When Aircraft Inadvertently Cause Rain or Snow
As turboprop and jet aircraft climb or descend under certain atmospheric conditions, they can inadvertently "seed" mid-level clouds, causing narrow bands of snow or rain to develop and fall to...Read more
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