Earth Science
Earth Science covers all facets of how the earth works, from from volcanoes to the world's oceans.
Worldwide Droughts Uncover Ancient Relics, Ruins and Remains
450 Huge Geometrical Earthworks in the Amazon Hint at Past Civilizations
Ancient Egyptians Believed Cats Had 'Divine Energy'
What Exactly Is the Eye of the Sahara, aka the Richat Structure?
The Driest Place on Earth: Chile's Atacama Desert
Caspian Sea: The World's Largest Lake (Yes, You Read That Right)
10 Longest Rivers in the U.S.: From the Missouri to the Brazos
What Is the Smallest State in the USA? Looking at Area and Population
Venice Isn't Alone: 7 Sinking Cities Around the World
Where Have All the Seashells Gone?
HowStuffWorks: 10 Weird Sea Creatures
Who owns the oceans?
Learn More / Page 4
Rip currents are the number-one concern for beach lifeguards: About 80 percent of all beach rescues are related to rip currents. Learn what they are and what you should do if you get caught in one.
By Tom Harris
Countless movies and television shows depict quicksand as some kind of living creature that sucks its victims down into a bottomless pit, never to be heard from again. Well, you can't believe everything Hollywood tells you.
By Kevin Bonsor
Few things have done as much harm to humanity as fire, and few things have done as much good. Find out where fire comes from and see why it behaves the way it does. The answers might surprise you!
By Tom Harris
Advertisement
If you ask anyone interested in surfing, they'll probably tell you that you need to be on the West Coast in order to find the biggest waves. But why is that? Why are the waves bigger on the West Coast when compared to the East Coast of the U.S.?
On a planet that is 70 percent water, people don't have enough clean, safe water to drink. We're in a water crisis, and water rights are becoming a big issue. What happens if we just plain run out?
By Josh Clark
You probably know that the North Pole does not stay in the same spot. The North and South Poles can actually change positions. What causes this? Find out in this article.
In its purest form, it's odorless, nearly colorless and tasteless. It's in your body, the food you eat and the beverages you drink. All forms of life need it. What substance is more necessary to our existence than any other? Water.
Advertisement
Water is just hydrogen and oxygen, so why can't we do what nature does and combine the two? Unfortunately, it's not that simple, and the results can be rather ... explosive.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the world's largest landfill, and it can be found in the middle of the Pacific. Millions of pounds of trash collect here.
Earthquakes and volcanoes get all the press. But the landslides they trigger are often more devastating. What makes the ground suddenly rip downhill, taking trees and homes with it?
You might never notice the relentless movement of the oceans unless their waters went eerily still. What forces drive the oceans every second of the day?
Advertisement
It's not a trick; before you are a number of reptilian footprints in the rock. They're dinosaur tracks, preserved for thousands of years. But how did they possibly get there?
Some people believe that dinosaurs were relatives of today's birds. But, you might ask, if that's so, why didn't they have feathers? Funny you should ask.
Also known as "freak waves," these colossal walls of water have been alleged to be in the range of 100 feet or more. Learn what separates rogue waves from other large waves, what causes them and find out about some of the better-known rogue wave incidents.
Sand dunes belch, moan and hum. They roll across the desert, seeking out new locales. You might even say they breed. It's no wonder people call these giant sand formations lifelike.
By Debra Ronca
Advertisement
Hollywood makes T. rex seem fast and agile, but some scientists think it was a scavenger, like a vulture. So which was it?
Rough times call for creative measures. The world is filled with oceans, and oceans are filled with wave energy that could potentially be transformed into power. Is wave energy a viable fossil fuel alternative?
By Jane McGrath
Ever since its discovery in 2000, a dinosaur fossil named Leonardo has held the interest of paleontologists the world over. A 3-D model of the animal even toured the world. So what's the big deal?
Fossils tell a story, much like the clues at the scene of a crime. Researchers look for evidence and paleontologists study that evidence to answer questions about the past.
Advertisement
Dinosaur eggs and the embryos inside can teach us a lot about dinosaur reproduction and behavior. But how do scientists get the rocky embryos out from the equally rocky shells?
It's colorless, odorless and definitely life-sustaining, but is it invisible to the naked eye? Not usually. So what's going on with everyone's favorite liquid?
By Robert Lamb
We all know the cartoons of prehistoric people running from dinosaurs aren't realistic. But many animals living today have ancestors from that time.
Everyone knows that once a bone has fossilized, it's hard as a rock, right? So how did scientists find soft tissue inside a broken dinosaur bone?
Advertisement
Researchers think the Chicxulub crater was caused by the massive asteroid that also killed off the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. What else do we know about this peak-ring crater?
By Mark Mancini
Did you know that sand dunes can sing? And, their artistic curves certainly make for a gorgeous photograph. In fact, you might call the sand dune the diva of the desert.
By Debra Ronca