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Earth Science

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You Can Do It

January 13, 2021

Go to the window and look outside. Are there clouds in the sky? How many? Are they puffy or wispy? Are they blocking sunlight or letting it through? NASA scientists are interested in your answers. They’re using the power of…

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History

Sinking In

May 14, 2020

Everything was quiet at the Pantheon, in Rome, Italy, on the afternoon of April 27. That is, until the ground opened up outside the ancient temple and cobblestones fell into the earth. No one was hurt. The normally crowded public…

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World

City of Trees

April 2, 2020

Karachi, Pakistan, is one of the hottest cities on Earth. In June 2015, more than 1,000 people died there during a heat wave, when temperatures reached nearly 113°F. “It was a terrible time,” Shahzad Qureshi told TIME for Kids. “We…

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United States

California Quakes

July 9, 2019

Two major earthquakes hit Southern California last week. The first struck on July 4, near the Mojave Desert. Its magnitude was 6.4. There were small tremors afterward, called aftershocks. On July 5, the second earthquake hit. With a magnitude of…

United States

Alaska Shakes

December 7, 2018

Highways crumbled and buildings shook as earthquakes jolted Anchorage, Alaska, on November 30. A magnitude 7.0 quake hit first, at about 8:30 a.m. A 5.7 quake followed within minutes. The temblors set off tsunami alarms for islands and coastal areas…

Polar Bear

TFK Library

What is Global Warming?

August 28, 2018

Earth’s climate is changing at an unprecedented rate. As a result, storms and droughts are becoming more intense. Temperatures are rising. Polar ice caps are melting. This is causing oceans to rise. Low coastal areas are flooding. Animals are losing…

luminous mushrooms

TFK Library

What Is Bioluminescence?

August 24, 2018

Fireflies twinkle in a field. Mushrooms illuminate a dark forest. Colorful sea creatures light up the ocean. These natural light displays come from bioluminescent creatures. Bioluminescent organisms can produce their own light. Bioluminescence is a chemical reaction. It takes place…

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TFK Library

What Are Magnets?

August 21, 2018

What do compasses, fans, and high-speed trains have in common? They all use magnets to function. Magnets are rocks or metals that create a powerful, invisible field. This field attracts other magnets and certain metals. The presence of a magnetic…

TFK Library

What Are Volcanoes?

August 14, 2018

Take a bottle of soda. Shake it really hard. Gas bubbles inside the bottle cause a buildup of pressure. Twist the cap off. Pressure is released. Soda shoots everywhere. A volcanic eruption works much the same way. Pressure builds up…

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Science

Celestial Sight

July 30, 2018

People around the world witnessed a total lunar eclipse on Friday, July 28. Known as a blood moon for its deep-red color, the eclipse was visible in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America at different times throughout the…