Earth science
When the Whole Planet Froze Over: Snowball Earth
Snowball Earth is the hypothesis that Earth’s surface was once almost entirely covered in ice during the Cryogenian Period. This article explains how the idea arose, the ice-albedo
Earth science
You are browsing the English interface. Articles without a published translation are clearly marked and open in Korean.
43 articles found
Earth science
The Moment an Underground Pressure Cooker Bursts: Geysers
A geyser is a hot spring that shoots out groundwater heated underground, together with steam, at regular intervals. This article covers where the name came from, the conditions gey
Earth science
A Band of Water Vapor Flowing Through the Sky: Atmospheric Rivers
An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor, evaporated from warm oceans, that flows along the lower atmosphere for thousands of kilometers. We look at where the nam
Earth science
Cold Seawater Rises from the Deep: Upwelling
Upwelling is the process in which cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep rises to fill the gap left when wind pushes surface water away. We look at how it works, where it happens,
Earth science
When Volcanoes Block the Sun: Volcanic Winter
A volcanic winter is a drop in global temperatures lasting several years after a huge, sulfur-rich eruption spreads tiny sulfuric acid droplets through the stratosphere and blocks
Earth science
When Compasses Pointed South: Geomagnetic Reversal
A geomagnetic reversal is when Earth’s magnetic north and south poles swap places. This piece covers how Earth’s magnetic field is made, how scientists found traces of past reversa
Earth science
The Whole Sea Comes Rushing In: Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of giant, very long waves created when a huge volume of seawater is displaced at once by an undersea earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption. This piece c
Earth science
When Glaciers Melt, the Land Rises: Isostasy
Isostasy is the idea that the crust floats on the denser mantle and balances at a height set by its thickness and density. This piece covers how the theory arose, the Airy and Prat
Earth science
Why Cities Run Hotter: The Urban Heat Island
An urban heat island is when a city runs warmer than the countryside around it. This piece covers Luke Howard’s early records in London, why pavement and buildings trap heat, how t
Earth science
Less Rain Beyond the Mountains: The Rain Shadow Effect
Why is one side of a mountain range lush and the other dry? Moist air rises up the windward slope and drops its rain, then sinks, warms, and dries on the leeward side. This piece c
Earth science
The Ocean's Giant Conveyor Belt: Thermohaline Circulation
How does the ocean carry heat around the planet? This article covers how temperature and salt drive deep-ocean currents, the route of the global conveyor belt, its effects on clima
Earth science
An Invisible Lid Over the Sky: Temperature Inversion
Why does a layer of air form that gets warmer, not colder, with height? This article explains how temperature inversions form and their types, their effects on fine dust, fog, and