Planet Earth, features and articles | Educational Science

Dec 31, 2010

Our Daily Planet: Brazil Mudslides and a Cross-Eyed Opossum

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe. Brazil mudslides: More than 300 people are dead after pouring rain triggered mudslides north of Rio de Janeiro. Illegal fishing: Italy is among six nations that illegally fished in...

Dec 31, 2010

Our Daily Planet: Mount McKinley Solo Climber and Sydney's New Baby Gorilla

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe. Polar Swim: One polar bear recently showed off its endurance by swimming continuously for nine days. The bear covered 426 miles (687 kilometers) according to a new study. Chinese...

Dec 31, 2010

Roger That: Endangered Whales Heard Loud and Clear Near Greenland

North Atlantic right whales were heard loud and clear near an old Greenland hunting ground they long ago disappeared from, a new study reports. About 2,000 right whale calls were recorded near Cape Farewell Ground, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) east of southern Greenland. During the 19th century, these waters...

Dec 31, 2010

Our Daily Planet: Record Snowfall and Lion Meat Tacos

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe. Record Snow: Another winter storm slammed the northeastern United States overnight. The latest snowfall makes this January the snowiest in history for New York City. Deadly Time for Sea...

Dec 31, 2010

Mysterious Night-Shining Clouds Getting Brighter

Clouds bright enough to see at night are not as hard to find as they once were. These so-called night-shining clouds are still rare rare enough that Matthew DeLand, who has been studying them for 11 years, has seen them only once. But his odds are increasing. [Related: In Images:...

Dec 31, 2010

Our Daily Planet: Whopper Winter Storm and Cyclone Yasi

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe. Whopper Winter Storm: A massive winter storm is on the way and is expected to stretch from the Colorado Rockies to New England. The storm could impact 100 million...

Dec 31, 2010

Our Daily Planet: Massive Winter Storm and Surviving a 1,000-Foot Fall

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe. Winter Storm: A massive winter storm is pounding the Midwest on its way to New England. Areas near Chicago could see up to 2 feet (0.6 meters) of snow....

Nov 30, 2012

WATCH LIVE - News on Earthquakes, Mars, Climate Change & More: AGU 2012 Meeting

The annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the largest meeting for geoscientists each year, will be taking place in San Francisco this week from Dec. 3-7. Thousands of scientists will descend on the Moscone Center to present and hear about the latest findings in their field, be it seismology,...

Nov 30, 2012

Best Earth Images of the Month November

A new look (Image credit: Optics Express)It's quite a treat to get a look at the shimmering, mysterious northern (or southern) lights. But you've probably never seen them like this. Norwegian researchers have built a new camera that's provided a more detailed glimpse of dazzling auroras than ever before, as...

Nov 30, 2012

Best Earth Images of the Week Dec. 7, 2012

Sleepy Panda (Image credit: Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo)Xiao Liwu, the 4-month-old giant panda cub at the San Diego Zoo, is getting more svelte though not less sleepy. The baby bear dozed off during his exam this week, caretakers said, but they were able to get a good look at...

Nov 30, 2012

Ancient Earthquake Foreshadowed 2011 Japan Disaster

Hindsight is 20/20, the saying goes, and new research shows that may be the case in the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan's Tohoku region in 2011. Before that quake, seismic hazard maps for the area said there was no danger of a large earthquake along the Japan Trench,...

Nov 30, 2012

Best Earth Images of the Week Dec. 14, 2012

Mission possible (Image credit: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)Thousands of tadpoles are on a journey from Cleveland to Puerto Rico as part of an effort to save their critically endangered species. The traveling tadpoles are Puerto Rican crested toads, and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is part of the Species Survival Plan that...

Nov 30, 2012

Hurricane Sandy Moved Barrier Islands

Barrier islands pummeled by Hurricane Sandy shifted inland during the storm, a natural response to sea level rise, according to surveys conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. Barrier islands are ribbons of sand running parallel to the coast, both in the Atlantic Ocean and around the world. In the United...

Nov 30, 2012

The 7 Hottest Climate Change Stories of 2012

Climate Change in 2012 Sea level rise is swamping coasts; Rodanthe in the Outer Banks of North Carolina is pictured. (Image credit: Andrew Kemp, Yale University)This year saw many climate-related stories making headlines. Some were annual rites that have become familiar in recent years, such as the international climate talks,...

Nov 30, 2012

Tornado Alley Map, Stats (Infographic)

Tornadoes, nature’s most violent storms, are spawned from powerful thunderstorms. With whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate neighborhoods in seconds. The greatest number of tornadoes in one calendar month is 543, in May 2003. The highest recorded tornadic wind speed is...