What are the Earth System’s Four Spheres?
The systems of the earth can be divided into two main areas: geosphere and biosphere.
What is a Snow Devil?
Miniature vortexes of wind can stir up snow in a formation known as a snow devil.
What is a Polynya?
Polynya is an oceanography term borrowed from the Russian (полынья) to refer to an open body of water surrounded by ice.
The World’s Highest Concentration of Hoodoos
Hoodoos are tall, thin rock spires that occur all around the world.
What are Qanats?
Qanat are underground water channels developed during ancient times to carry water using gravity via a gentle downward slope.
Spacecraft Cemetery
Ever wonder what happens to satellites and other space debris that make it back to Earth? The spacecraft cemetery is home to spacecraft, freighters, satellites, and space stations that have been retired from their jobs in space.
Where is Point Nemo?
Point Nemo is a pole of inaccessibility that marks the furthest location from the ocean to the nearest coastline.
What are Gravity Hills?
There are hundreds of gravity hills around the world and they are characterized as places where a geographical optical illusion has been created.
Transcontinental Cities
A transcontinental city is a city that exists on land over more than one continent. There are more than a few transcontinental cities in the world. Learn about cities that straddle continental divides.
What are Ghost Nations?
Ghost states are states that function just like any other nation, but for various political reasons go unrecognized by the rest of the international community.
What are Sprites?
Although not much is known about sprites or the factors that create them, scientists do know that sprites are created by neutrally charged cloud discharges.
Cloud Streets
Cloud streets are cumulus clouds that form in long bands along cylinders of rotating air and are roughly parallel to the ground.
Atmospheric Rivers
Atmospheric Rivers are trails of moisture in the atmosphere composed of condensed water vapor.
Relief Inversion
When looking at aerial and satellite imagery, telling the difference between a canyon and a mountain can sometimes be tricky due to an optical illusion known as relief inversion.