KILL 'EM ALL They buzz. They bite. And they have killed more people than cancer, war, or heart disease. Ever since there have been humans, mosquitoes have been biting us, and we’ve been trying to kill them. Oh, and we visit a mosquito factory in eastern Brazil. And after listening, read this, from Radiolab producer Andy Mills: what if we don't kill 'em all? Special thanks to reporter David Baker Science - Home Bill Moyers Reports: Earth on Edge - Ecosystems Ecosystems are communities of interacting organisms and the physical environment in which they live. They are the combination and interaction of the plants, animals, minerals, and people in any given area of the Earth. A small bog, a single sand dune, or a tiny patch of forest is an ecosystem. But ecosystems are also forests covering thousands of kilometers, a major river system, a desert. Every centimeter of the planet is part of an ecosystem. Maybe the most familiar natural ecosystems are our backyards or parks near our home. In our heavily industrialized societies, work, religious expression, and recreation often take place in urban areas. It is our very reliance on ecosystems that is threatening them. For comprehensive data about the world's ecosystems, visit EarthTrends at www.earthtrends.wri.org/.
The Population Biology of Isle Royale Wolves and Moose: An Overview | The Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale 1. Five decades of wolf-moose dynamics The wolves and moose of Isle Royale have been studied for more than five decades. The most important events in the chronology have been essentially unpredictable. 2. Each symbol on this graph represents the density of moose (read from the horizontal axis) and the density of wolves (read from the vertical axis) for a particular year. Wolf and moose densities are the total number of wolves and moose on Isle Royale, divided by the size of Isle Royale, 544km2. This graph tells a great deal about how wolf and moose populations are interconnected. By contrast, if moose abundance was determined primarily by wolf predation, and if wolf abundance was a good indication of predation pressure, then wolf and moose abundance would be negatively related. This graph shows that wolf and moose abundances are neither positively nor negatively related. 3. The most remarkable observation is just how variable kill rate is. 4. 5. 6. So how is it on Isle Royale? 7. 8. 9.
125 Great Science Videos: From Astronomy to Physics & Psychology Astronomy & Space Travel A Brief, Wondrous Tour of Earth (From Outer Space) - Video - Recorded from August to October, 2011 at the International Space Station, this HD footage offers a brilliant tour of our planet and stunning views of the aurora borealis.A Universe from Nothing - Video - In 53 minutes, theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss answers some big enchilada questions, including how the universe came from nothing.A Year of the Moon in 2.5 Minutes - Video - The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been orbiting the moon for over a year. The footage gets compressed into 2 slick minutes.A Day on Earth (as Seen From Space) - Video - Astronaut Don Pettit trained his camera on planet Earth, took a photo once every 15 seconds, and then created a brilliant time-lapse film.Atlantis's Final Landing at Kennedy Space Center - Video - After more than 30 years, the space shuttle era comes to a close. Video runs 30 minutes. Physics Biology & Chemistry Environment, Geology and & Ecology
Earth Floor: Biomes There are many different kinds of plants and animals on the Earth, but only certain kinds are naturally found at any particular place. (We are not counting zoos here!) For example, cacti are found in the desert, polar bears are found in the Arctic, and elephants are found in central Africa and India. These average weather conditions, such as the range of temperature and rainfall that typically occur in a particular location like Minnesota, are called the climate of that location. Plants and animals don't live in isolation, but they live together with other plants and animals in an interdependent group called an ecological community. A distinct ecological community of plants and animals living together in a particular climate is called a "biome." The locations of these different biomes across the face of Earth are shown in different colors in the map* above. Next
WolfQuest Extreme Weather 2011 A year for the record books From extreme drought, heat waves and floods to unprecedented tornado outbreaks, hurricanes, wildfires and winter storms, a record 14 weather and climate disasters in 2011 each caused $1 billion or more in damages — and most regrettably, loss of human lives and property. NOAA's National Weather Service has redoubled its efforts to create a "Weather-Ready Nation", where vulnerable communities are better prepared for extreme weather and other natural disasters. NOAA forecasts, advisories, watches, warnings and community-based preparedness programs have been and will continue play an even greater role in enhancing the economy and saving lives. Get historical and current billion-dollar disaster information from NOAA's NCDC »
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Using the Carbon Cycle Interactive Game in the Classroom - Windows to the Universe Have students read the Windows to the Universe page entitled The Carbon Cycle. Introduction: Ask students to (based of the reading) list the places where carbon is found on Earth. As a class, brainstorm why carbon is important and why carbon is sometimes hazardous. Tell students that for this online interactive game, they are all playing the role of carbon atoms. They will travel through the carbon cycle. Students write a paragraph about their trip through the carbon cycle. Carbon is the 12th element in the periodic table. The carbon cycle is one of the biogeochemical cycles. The six locations along the online game board "map" (atmosphere, plants, soils, shallow ocean, deep ocean, and marine life) are called carbon reservoirs or carbon pools. In this interactive game, students assume the identify of carbon atoms that are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned.