Moon Phases!

This is a diagram of the moon phases












Sunlight is coming from the right side of the screen lighting up half of the moon in each phase. However we can only see half of the moon where only half is being lit up. Depending on the moons position depends on what we see. Try to draw out the moon phases on your own without looking at the picture. Next time you're eating oreos twist the cookie in half scrape off the cream to make different moon phases out of your oreos. This is a great excuse to eat 8 oreos tell your parents it's for science!

28,000 Rubber Ducks Lost at Sea

In 1992 a Cargo Shipping container filled with 28,000 rubber ducks fell into the ocean. These little rubber ducks started popping up in different oceans all of the world and still are today! Learn more here! These ducks actually taught us about the ocean currents which are listed on page 4 of your Earth Science Reference Table. See if you can track the route the ducks took using page 4 of your Earth Science Reference Table. What do you think about all the plastic floating around in the ocean with the ducks? How can we solve this pollution problem?

Science Connections!

Did you know Geology is connected to all of the sciences?

In high school they tend to separate Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Really these are very intertwined and they shouldn't be looked at separately. Geology is especially connected to all of the sciences. For example there is geomicrobiology which combines geology and biology. There is geochemistry combining geology and chemistry. Also Geophysics which combines you guessed it geology and physics. In the future it is possible sciences will start being taught together or they might be taught to build onto each other. For example first teach chemistry then biology because biology has some chemistry in it and chemistry makes up everything. This means Earth Science would probably be taught last. Once you have a foundation of these things you can learn how earth science connects to the rest of the sciences.

What do you think is the most interesting? Geomicrobiology, Geochemistry, or Geophysics. Research one or more! Do you agree or disagree with how high schools are currently teaching?

What The Heck is Global Warming Anyway?

Global Warming is a natural process in our atmosphere. The picture above shows incoming solar radiation (INSOLATION)  entering our atmosphere. Once it enters our atmosphere some is absorbed and some is reflected back out of our atmosphere.
So WHAT is the problem? We are prouducing a lot of Greenhouse gasses. Greenhouse gasses create a thick blanket allowing less of the INSOLATION to leave.
When INSOLATION cannot leave it becomes trapped in our atmosphere and warms up the Earth.

HOW MUCH WARMER COULD IT GET? Click here to find out how much warmer the Earth could become in your lifetime!

It's hard to know exactly how big planets and suns are. Here is a video to give you an idea just how big big can get Star Size Comparison

Also try this awesome website go from microscopic to macroscopic just by moving your mouse!

Hope you have a better perspective on size now!

Want to learn more about the sun? Download the ap 3D sun for current news and fun sun facts!

Here is a fun song to help you remember some facts about Alfred Wegener the father of plate tectonics! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1-cES1Ekto
REMEMBER
Divergent plate boundaries <- ->
Convergent plate boundaries -> <-
Transform plate boundaries slide past each other
A map of tectonic plates and these rules can be found on page 5 of your Earth Science Reference Tables.

It's a Pyrite Life for Me!

Page 16 of your Earth Science Reference Table is a table of Properties of Common Minerals. A mineral occurs in nature, is made up of inorganic substances, and has a definite crystal structure. To identify an unknown mineral you can use this table. Check the luster, hardness, cleavage, fracture, streak, and color then follow the chart. With that information you can identify your mineral. It's just like figuring out a puzzle! Two easy minerals you can identify are Magnetite and Pyrite. MAGNETite has magnet in it's name and it is the only mineral that is magnetic. Pyrite is commonly known as fools gold because it is the same color as gold. An easy way to remember the name is to say "It's a pyrite life for me!" Pyrite looks like gold and sounds like pirate. Pirates like gold!

So remember MAGNETite and It's a Pyrite life for me!