What would happen if a large meteorite or other object hit the Earth? It's something that has engaged the minds and talents of astrophysicists (and students of all ages) for decades. Now the generally curious can create their own simulated impact with Purdue University's "Impact Earth" website. Visitors can browse the Famous Craters area to get started. This part includes some "classics," such as...

When development occurs on Native American lands, there are many interested parties. They include government agencies, non-governmental organizations, human rights groups, and the tribal governments themselves. This is an excellent collection of case studies that have addressed development issues on such lands and it is offered courtesy of the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton...

On November 23, 2018, the US government released Volume II of its Fourth National Climate Assessment report (NCA4), which "provide[s] a thorough examination of the effects of climate change on the United States." This report is a follow up to NCA4 Volume I, which was released in 2017 and focused on assessing the science of climate change. Among the many standout findings of NCA4 Volume II are that...

Ancient climate change meant Antarctica was once covered with palm trees http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2012/08/ancient-climate-change-meant-antarctica-was-once-covered-with-palm-trees/ Palm trees 'grew on Antarctica' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19077439 Persistent near-tropical warmth on the Antarctic continent during the early Eocene...

This blog from the Anthropocene Learning Community at the University of Oklahoma, explores the many ways that humans are impacting the earth. Authored by an interdisciplinary group of ecologists, biologists, anthropologists, sociologists, philosophers, and other scholars, Inhabiting the Anthropocene aims to "provide a kind of 'guided tour' of scholarly literature relevant to the broad theme of the...

Conveying the dynamism of various geologic processes can be hard in the classroom or on the web, but this interactive feature from the Annenberg Media's Learner.org site does quite a fine job of introducing students to plate tectonics, plate boundaries, and such perennial favorites as earthquakes and volcanoes. In the "Earth's Structure" section, visitors can roll the mouse over such features as...

How much do you know about rocks? Well, if you are a bit unsure about distinguishing an igneous rock from a sedimentary rock you'll certainly be on solid ground after taking a tour through this feature created by Annenberg Media. Visitors can make their way through graphically-enhanced sections that include "Types of Rocks", "How Rocks Change", and "The Rock Cycle Diagram". In the "Types of Rocks"...

Based in Stockholm, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) studies a wide range of interactions between both biological and physical processes and interactions with human systems. Their research agenda is impressive, and visitors to their homepage can dive right into their materials by reading one of their recent newsletters or by looking at the news updates. In the "Resources"...

The primary aim of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) is "to deliver scientific knowledge to help human societies develop in harmony with Earth's environment". To achieve this rather broad agenda, the IGBP works in collaboration with other like-minded international organizations, including the World Climate Research Programme. From the homepage, visitors can read an executive...

The International Ground Water Modeling Center -- part of the Colorado School of Mines -- is described as an internationally-oriented information, education and research center for ground-water modeling. It advises on ground-water modeling problems, distributes ground-water modeling software, organizes short courses and workshops, conducts research in practical, applied areas of ground-water...