Polar News and Notes Earth and Space Science

On March 20, the Spring Equinox, NASA invites a worldwide audience to observe Sun-Earth Day. Among the events planned is a webcast at 1:00 p.m. EST, featuring a panel of scientists, students monitoring the sun, and images and visualizations.  
With the theme Our Sun, Yours to Discover, the NASA Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum hopes to […]

On January 15 and 16, the International Year of Astronomy will be launched with an opening ceremony at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, France.
One of the goals of the year-long program is to “increase scientific awareness among the general public through the communication of scientific results in […]

The world’s largest neutrino telescope is being constructed on and under Antarctica ice. Known as IceCube, the telescope consists of strings of 60 optical detectors, each string more than half a mile long and frozen in the ice. Atop each string is a pair of 600 gallon tanks filled with clear ice and containing two […]

Tonight at 7pm EST we’re having an online chat in the TappedIn online learning community - http://tappedin.org. We’ll be working our way through the December 2008 issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears online magazine. If you can’t join us, you can still take “our tour” below. We meet the first Thursday of each […]

Jessica Fries-Gaither will present the workshop “Energy Sources of the Polar Regions” on Saturday, December 6 at the National Science Teachers Association regional conference in Cincinnati, OH. The workshop is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. in Room 211 of the Duke Energy Center. We hope you’ll join us for an interactive session exploring lessons and activities […]

Did you know that Antarctica is home to the world’s southermost active volcano? Do you teach about the forces that change Earth’s surface: wind, water, and ice? If so, you’ll want to check out the latest issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears cyberzine!
In the December 2008 issue, Earth’s Changing Surface, you can explore […]

Millions of southern Californians are expected to take part in the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history at 10 a.m. on November 13.
The Great Southern California ShakeOut drill is based on a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault.
Not only is the drill unique in its size but it is also […]

Solar radiation, albedo, and the natural resources of the polar regions are all part of the newest issue of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears: Energy and the Polar Environment. In this issue, you can:
Learn about the albedo (reflectivity) of Earth’s various surfaces and how increased melting of polar ice caps will affect Earth’s energy balance
Find […]

Do you want to learn more about rocks, minerals, and what they can teach us about Earth’s past? Have you ever wondered what types of rocks are found in Antarctica? If so, then the September issue of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears is for you! In Issue 6: Rocks and Minerals, you can:
Learn geology basics […]

With articles and lesson plans, the September issue of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears gets down to the rocks and minerals that lie below all that ice and snow. The web site OneGeology strips all earth’s coverings—plants, soils, water, and man-made structures—away to launch the first-ever collection of digital geological maps of the world.
 Earth and […]