Weather
The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica is 14.6 °C (59 °F), recorded on January 5, 1974. More temperature facts.
The most rainfall ever recorded in 24 hours is 182.5 centimetres (71.9 inches) in Foc-Foc, La Réunion, during tropical cyclone Denise on January 8, 1966.
The most rainfall ever recorded in one year is 25.4 meters (1000 inches) in Cherrapunji, India. More rain facts.
The highest snowfall ever recorded in a one year period was 31.1 meters (1224 inches) in Mount Rainier, Washington State, United States, between February 19, 1971 and February 18, 1972. More snow facts.
The fastest wind speed ever recorded is 484±32 km/h (301±20 mph). This was a 3 second gust recorded by a Doppler on Wheels (DOW) radar unit in Oklahoma City on May 3, 1999. More wind facts.
The heaviest hailstone ever recorded weighed 1.0 kg (2.25 lb) and landed in Gopalganj District, Bangladesh on April 14, 1986.
Clouds can be categorized into a number of different types; these include cumulus, stratus and cirrus. More cloud facts.
The Earth experiences millions of lightning storms every year, they are incredible discharges of electricity from the atmosphere that can reach temperatures close to 54,000 °F (30,000 °C) and speeds of 60,000 m/s (130,000 mph). More lightning facts.
The USA has more tornadoes than any other country in the world, averaging around 1200 a year. This is due largely to its unique geography which forms an area in central USA called “Tornado Alley” which is frequently hit by tornadoes. More tornado facts.
Tropical cyclones (often referred to as hurricanes or typhoons) feature strong winds, driving rain, rough seas and areas of low atmospheric pressure. They frequently form in tropical areas of the globe and can do considerable damage to populated areas. Examples of this include the 1970 Bhola cyclone, Typhoon Nina which hit China in 1975 and more recently in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina which caused great devastation and loss of life when it hit southern parts of the USA.
Cloud
A cloud is a large group of tiny water droplets that we can see in the air.
Clouds are formed when water on Earth evaporates into the sky and condenses high up in the cooler air. Learn more about the water cycle.
Rain, snow, sleet and hail falling from clouds is called precipitation.
Most clouds form in the troposphere (the lowest part of Earth’s atmosphere) but occasionally they are observed as high as the stratosphere or mesosphere.
Clouds can contain millions of tons of water.
There are a range of different types of clouds, the main types include stratus, cumulus and cirrus.
Stratus clouds are flat and featureless, appearing as layered sheets.
Cumulus clouds are puffy, like cotton floating in the sky.
Cirrus clouds are thin and wispy, appearing high in the sky.
There are many variations of these 3 main cloud types including stratocumulus, altostratus, altocumulus, cirrostratus and cirrocumulus.
Fog is stratus type of cloud that appears very close to the ground.
Clouds can also be made of other chemicals.
Other planets in our Solar System have clouds. Venus has thick clouds of sulfur-dioxide
while Jupiter and Saturn have clouds of ammonia.
Flood
A flood is the submerging of normally dry land by an overflow of water.
Depending on their type, floods can develop very slowly over time after extensive rains or in just a few minutes, very quickly, without any sign of rain.
Floods can be a localised event affecting a small area of land or a very large disaster that can have an impact on entire islands or river basins.
There are many types and ways floods can occur, including, due to overflowing rivers, due to extreme coastal events, by natural or artificial ground saturation from excess rainfall, or by catastrophic failure in infrastructure.
River flooding is the most common type of flood event. If the flow rate exceeds the capacity of the river channel then flooding of the surrounding area can occur.
Flash floods are extreme versions of a river flooding event. They can occur very quickly, often without warning and with little or no excessive rainfall. Flash floods are the result of a river blockage either natural or artificial (such as a landslide, glacier, or dam) giving way and releasing a massive amount of built up water.
Areal or urban flooding occurs when low-lying impenetrable ground becomes saturated as rainfall cannot run off as quickly as the accumulation of water. For example, on natural drought hardened or frozen farmland, or on concrete paving.
Coastal and estuary flooding is caused by high sea tidal surges and waves that damage and infiltrate coastal defences. Severe cases can be caused by tsunami, hurricanes or tropical cyclones.
With most cities and towns located at the coast or next to rivers, flood events can be major natural disasters, causing loss of life and damage to land and property.
Floods can damage bridges, roads and other transport links. Infrastructure such as buildings, cars and houses can be left saturated or completely taken by the waters. While sewage systems and power grids can be destroyed.
After floodwaters recede, land can be contaminated with hazardous material, such as building debris, fuel and untreated sewage. Residents are often left without power or clean drinking water which can lead to outbreaks of diseases.
Natural flooding of river plains and deltas each year are essential for farming in many areas of the world as the waters bring nutrient rich silt deposits that create very fertile alluvial soils.
Many ancient communities relied heavily on the annual flooding of floodplain valleys on rivers such as The Tigris-Euphrates, the Nile, and the Ganges.
The Yellow River (Huang He) in China has had the four deadliest flood events in world history. The floods of 1931 resulted in 1 to 4 million people being killed.
Today, advanced computer modelling allows authorities to predict where flooding is likely to occur and how severe it will be.
Hurricane
A hurricane is an intense tropical storm with powerful winds and heavy rain.
Other names for a hurricane include cyclone, typhoon and tropical storm.
While they are essentially the same thing, the different names usually indicate where the storm took place. Tropical storms that form in the Atlantic or Northeast Pacific (near the United States) are called hurricanes, those that form near in the Northwest Pacific (near Japan) are called typhoons and those that form in the South Pacific or Indian oceans are called cyclones.
Hurricanes usually form in tropical areas of the world.
Hurricanes develop over warm water and use it as an energy source.
Hurricanes lose strength as they move over land.
Coastal regions are most at danger from hurricanes.
As well as violent winds and heavy rain, hurricanes can also create tornadoes, high waves and widespread flooding.
Hurricanes are regions of low atmospheric pressure (also known as a depression).
The wind flow of hurricanes in the southern hemisphere is clockwise while the wind flow of hurricanes in the northern hemisphere is counterclockwise.
Weather in the eye of a hurricane is usually calm.
The eye of a hurricane can be anywhere from 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) in diameter to over 200 miles (320 kilometres) but they are usually around 30 miles (48 kilometres).
The winds around the eye of a hurricane are usually the strongest.
Hurricanes can be tracked by weather satellites and weather radar closer to land.
Hurricanes have led to the death of around 2 million people over the last 200 years.
The 1970 Bhola Cyclone that struck Bangladesh killed over 300000 people.
In 2005 Hurricane Katrina killed over 1800 people in the United States and caused around $80 billion dollars worth of property damage. The city of New Orleans was hit particularly hard with levee breaches leading to around 80% of the city being flooded.
Lightning
Lightning is a powerful burst of electricity that happens very quickly during a thunderstorm.
Lightning is caused by an electrical charge in the atmosphere that is unbalanced.
The movement of rain and ice inside a thundercloud creates an electrical charge, with the negative charge (electrons) forming at the bottom of the cloud and the positive charge (protons) forming at the top.
Opposites attract so the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud seeks out a positive charge to connect with.
Lightning can occur inside clouds, between clouds and from clouds to the ground.
Around one quarter of lightning is from cloud to ground.
When lightning strikes the ground it seeks out the shortest route to something with a positive charge, this might be a tree, a tall building or if they’re very unlucky, a person.
Thousands of people are struck by lightning every year.
Direct lightning strikes are usually fatal.
Lightning rods (also called conductors) are metal rods or similar objects that divert lightning safely to the ground, they can often be seen at the top of tall buildings.
Most lightning occurs over land rather than oceans, with around 70% of it occurring in the Tropics.
There are bolts of lightning striking somewhere on Earth every second.
Lightning strikes usually last around 1 or 2 microseconds.
Lightning contains millions of volts of electricity.
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Read our thunder facts for more.
The average temperature of lightning is around 20000 °C (36000 °F).
Lightning is usually produced by cumulonimbus clouds that are very tall and dense.
Lightning can also occur during volcanic eruptions, dust storms, snow storms, forest fires and tornadoes. Check out this amazing picture of volcano lightning or watch it happen in this volcano lightning video!
The study of lightning is known as fulminology.
Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightning.
The Tampa Bay ice hockey team that play in the National Hockey League (NHL) are called the Lightning.
Rain
Rain falls from clouds in the sky in the form of water droplets, this is called precipitation.
Water can also fall from the sky in the form of hail, sleet or snow.
Rain is an important part of the water cycle. Learn how it works with our page explaining the water cycle for kids.
Rain occurs on other planets in our Solar System but it is different to the rain we experience here on Earth. For example, rain on Venus is made of sulfuric acid and due to the intense heat it evaporates before it even reaches the surface!
Weather radar is used to detect and monitor rain.
Rain gauges are use to measure the amount of rain over a certain period of time. Try making your own rain gauge.
The highest amount of rainfall ever recorded in 24 hours is 182.5 centimetres (71.9 inches) in Foc-Foc, La Réunion. This occurred during tropical cyclone Denise on January 8, 1966.
The highest amount of rainfall ever recorded in one year is 25.4 meters (1000 inches) in Cherrapunji, India.
Antarctica is the driest continent on Earth.
Heavy rain can cause flooding and landslides.
Rain allows us to create electricity through hydropower.
Plants need water in order to survive, they receive much of this water from rain.
Forests that experience high levels of rainfall are called rainforests.
Rain with high levels of acid (a low pH) is called acid rain. Caused by the release of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air (often from factories and power stations), it can be harmful to plants and animals.
Rainbow
A rainbow is a multi-colored arc that forms in the sky.
Rainbows are created by both reflection and refraction (bending) of light in water droplets in the atmosphere, which results in a spectrum of light appearing.
A rainbow is in fact a full circle of light. However, due to most people viewing a rainbow on the ground we only see a semi-circle or arc of the rainbow.
A rainbow is not situated at a specified distance, instead it will always be visible to a person at the precise angle freshwater droplets reflect the light which is 42 degrees in the opposite direction of the sun.
A rainbow is not an object, it cannot be approached or physically touched.
No two people see the same rainbow, in fact even our individual eyes see slightly different rainbows. If someone appears to be standing under a rainbow you can see, they will see a different rainbow at the same angle but further away.
Rainbows can be seen not just in rain but also mist, spray, fog, and dew, whenever there are water drops in the air and light shining from behind at the right angle.
Sir Isaac Newton identified the 7 colors of the visible spectrum that together make up white light. All of which are present in a rainbow in the order red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (the acronym or name ROY G BIV is a good way to remember these colors and their order).
Most rainbows we see will be a "primary rainbow" whereby the color red can be seen on the outer edge through to violet on the inner edge.
The sky within a primary rainbow is brighter than the sky outside of the arc. This is due to the fact that the millions of droplets needed to make a rainbow are spherical and overlap to create white light. At the edge however, these colored discs don't overlap so display their individual colors producing the rainbow arc.
A "double rainbow" is where a second, much fainter arc can be seen outside of the primary arc. This is caused by the light reflecting twice inside the water droplets. As a result of this double reflection the colors of the second arc are inverted with violet on the outer edge and red on the inner edge.
The dark, unlit sky between the primary arc and secondary arc is called Alexander's band, after Alexander of Aphrodisias who first described it in 200 AD.
Very rarely, light can be reflected 3 or 4 times within a water droplet which produces even fainter tertiary (third) and quaternary (fourth) rainbows in the direction of the sun.
A "moonbow" is a rare lunar rainbow or night time rainbow produced by light from the moon. Our eyes see it as white even though all colors are faintly present.
A "fogbow" is formed by cloud and fog droplets, they are almost white with very faint colors visible. Fogbows are quite large and much broader than a rainbow.
Snow
Snow forms when water vapor in the atmosphere freezes into ice crystals.
Snowflakes form in a variety of different shapes.
Snow is a form of precipitation, other forms of precipitation are rain, hail and sleet.
Light and fluffy snow is often called ‘powder’.
Heavy snowfalls are often called ‘snowstorms’.
Snowstorms with high winds are often called ‘blizzards’.
Snow reflects a high level of ultraviolet radiation and can cause snow blindness (photokeratitis). Sunglasses, goggles and other eye protection help absorb the ultraviolet rays.
A number of winter sports rely on snow, including skiing and snowboarding.
Recreational activities such as snowball fights, tobogganing and making snowmen are also popular in the snow.
Skis, sleds and snowmobiles are useful transport options through snow.
Snow can lower visibility, making driving conditions dangerous.
The highest snowfall ever recorded in a one year period was 31.1 meters (1224 inches) in Mount Rainier, Washington State, United States, between February 19, 1971 and February 18, 1972.
Temperature
The following are useful formulas for converting degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius (Centigrade) and vice versa:
Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit = (Temperature in degrees Celsius x 1.8) + 32
Temperature in degrees Celsius = (Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit - 32) x (5 / 9)
An interesting temperature related fact is that Fahrenheit and Celsius are equal at -40 degrees.
Recent increases in the Earth’s temperature have been linked to human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels. Global warming has become an important issue for governments around the world and a number of organizations have been created to help deal with climate change.
The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth is 57.8 °C (136 °F), recorded in Al 'Aziziyah, Libya on September 13, 1922.
The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth is −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F), recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica on July 21, 1983.
The highest temperature ever recorded in the USA is 56.7 °C (134 °F), recorded in Death Valley, California on July 10, 1913.
The highest temperature ever recorded in New Zealand is 42.4 °C (108.3 °F), recorded in both Rangiora and Marlborough on February 7, 1973.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Africa is −24 °C (−11 °F), recorded in Ifrane, Morocco on February 11, 1935.
Thunder
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning.
The intense heat from lightning causes the surrounding air to rapidly expand and create a sonic wave that you hear as thunder.
The average temperature of lightning is around 20000 °C (36000 °F).
The sound of thunder can be anything from a loud crack to a low rumble.
Light travels faster than sound so we see lightning before we hear thunder.
The closer you are, the shorter the gap between the lightning and thunder.
The speed of sound is around 767 miles per hour (1,230 kilometres per hour).
The speed of light is around 669600000 miles per hour (1080000000 kilometres per hour).
Thunder is difficult to hear at distances over 12 miles (20 kilometres).
Thousands of years ago philosophers such as Aristotle believed that thunder was caused by the collision of clouds.
Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightning.
The Oklahoma basketball team that play in the National Basketball Association (NBA)are called the Thunder.
Tornado
A tornado is a rapidly spinning tube of air that touches both the ground and a cloud above.
Tornadoes are sometimes called twisters.
Not all tornadoes are visible but their high wind speeds and rapid rotation often form a visible funnel of condensed water.
The Fujita Scale is a common way of measuring the strength of tornadoes. The scale ranges from F0 tornadoes that cause minimal damage through to F5 tornadoes which cause massive damage.
Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 100 miles per hour (161 kilometres per hour).
Extreme tornadoes can reach wind speeds of over 300 miles per hour (483 kilometres per hour).
Most tornadoes travel a few miles before exhausting themselves.
Extreme tornadoes can travel much further, sometimes over 100 miles (161kilometres).
The Tri-State Tornado that travelled through parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana in 1925 left a path of destruction over 219 miles (352 kilometres) long.
The Tri-State Tornado was the deadliest tornado in US history, killing 695 people.
The USA averages around 1200 tornadoes every year, more than any other country.
The majority of these tornadoes occur in a geographically unique area nicknamed ‘Tornado Alley’.
US States most often hit by tornadoes include Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida.
In 1989 the deadliest tornado ever recorded in the world killed around 1300 people in Bangladesh.
In the southern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a clockwise direction.
In the northern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a counterclockwise direction.
A tornado that occurs over water is often called a waterspout.
Weather radars are used to detect tornadoes and give advanced warning.
Basements and other underground areas are the safest places to seek refuge during a tornado. It is also a good idea to stay away from windows.
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases, here on Earth it refers to the movement of air.
It is caused by differences in air pressure. Air rushes from high pressure areas to lower ones.
Short bursts of wind moving at high speeds are known as gusts.
Depending on their strength, winds can be known as a breeze, gale, storm or hurricane.
Wind direction is given by the direction from which the wind comes.
Weather vanes are used to indicate wind direction.
Anemometers are used to measure wind speed. Make an anemometer.
A knot is a unit often used to measure wind speed. Make a wind vane.
Sea breezes occur because heat from the Sun takes longer to warm the sea than the land, creating a difference in air pressure.
Wind can provide energy through the use of wind turbines. More on wind energy.
Sailing ships use wind to power their movement with the help of sails.
Many sports and recreational activities make use of the wind, these include kite boarding, wind surfing, sailing and paragliding.
Solar wind in outer space is a stream of charged particles that come from the Sun.
Saturn and Neptune feature the fastest planetary winds in the Solar System.
Electricity
Modern society relies heavily on the convenience and versatility of electricity. It powers your microwave, helps light your house, lets you watch TV and so much more.
Electric current is measured in amperes (amps).
Electric potential energy is measured in volts.
Two positive charges repel each other, as do two negative charges. Opposite charges on the other hand attract each other.
When an electric charge builds up on the surface of an object it creates static electricity. You have probably experienced static electricity in the form of a small electric shock, which is what happens when the electric charge is quickly neutralized by an opposite charge.
Electric eels can produce strong electric shocks of around 500 volts for both self defense and hunting.
Electric circuits can contain parts such as switches, transformers, resistors and transformers.
A common way to produce electricity is by hydropower, a process that generates electricity by using water to spin turbines attached to generators.
The world’s biggest source of energy for producing electricity comes from coal. The burning of coal in furnaces heats boiler water until it becomes steam which then spins turbines attached to generators.
Lightning is a discharge of electricity in the atmosphere. Lightning bolts can travel at around 210,000 kph (130,000 mph), while reaching nearly 30,000 °C (54,000 °F) in temperature.
Electricity plays a role in the way your heart beats. Muscle cells in the heart are contracted by electricity going through the heart. Electrocardiogram (ECG) machines used in hospitals measure the electricity going through someone’s heart, when the person is healthy it usually shows a line moving across a screen with regular spikes as the heart beats.
You may have heard of direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). The difference between the two is in the way the electrons flow. In DC electrons move in a single direction while in AC they change directions, switching between backwards and forwards. The electricity use in your home is AC while DC comes from sources that include batteries.
Back in the 1880’s there was even a ‘war of currents’ between Thomas Edison (who helped invent DC) and Nikola Tesla (who helped invent AC). Both wanted their system to be used with AC eventually winning out due to the fact that it is safer and can be used over longer distances.
Electric fields work in a similar way to gravity with an important exception being that while gravity always attracts, electric fields can either attract or repulse.
American Benjamin Franklin carried out extensive electricity research in the 18th century, inventing the lightning rod amongst his many discoveries. Lightning rods protect buildings in the event of lightning by conducting lightning strikes through a grounded wire.
Health
It might only take you a few minutes to finish a meal but it takes your body around 12 hours before it has completely digested the food.
The human body needs iron to help perform a number of important functions. Iron helps carry oxygen to parts of your body in the form of hemoglobin. Not having enough can lead to iron deficiency and symptoms such as weakness and fatigue.
Examples of iron rich foods include red meat, fish, chick peas, tofu, beans and lentils.
Red blood cells are created inside the marrow of your bones, they serve the important role of carrying blood around your body.
Antibiotics can be useful in fighting off bacteria but they are ineffective against viruses, this is because bacteria and virus are completely different, both having unique characteristics that need specialized treatments.
Viruses are usually around 100 times smaller than bacteria.
Around 7 million people die every year from food poisoning out of a total of around 70 million cases. Careful food preparation and storage is vital in order to avoid dangerous toxins, viruses and bacteria.
Food allergies are fairly common amongst adults and even more so among children. Around 2% of adults and 8% of children suffer from some type of food allergy where the immune system makes a mistake and thinks a certain food protein is dangerous and attacks it. Well known food allergies can include unwanted reactions to gluten, seafood and peanuts.
Access to clean drinking water can be taken for granted by people living in developed countries. In poorer parts of the world the quality water and pollution can give rise to dangerous diseases and bacteria such as cryptosporidium and e coli.
Obesity can increase the chances of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
In recent times there has been a drop in the amount of physical activity both adults and children do. Some of the reasons for this include new technologies that require less physical labor and increased time watching TV. It has been suggested that at least 60% of the world’s population doesn’t do enough exercise.
In 2007, heart disease was the leading cause of death in the USA.
In 2007 around 13% of all deaths worldwide were caused by cancer. The branch of medicine related to cancer study and treatment is known as oncology.
Infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis lead to around 26% of worldwide deaths in 2002.
Fire
Fire is a chemical reaction that releases light and heat.
Substances combine with oxygen in the air, combusting with a flame and often smoke.
Fires require fuel, oxygen and heat to burn.
Different types of fuel include coal, oil and wood.
Flames are the part of a fire which we can see, they can be different colors, depending on the substance which is burning.
A candle flame typically burns at around 1000 degrees Celsius (1800 Fahrenheit).
Fire is very dangerous to humans as it can easily burn or blister skin. It is important to take safety precautions when using fire.
Fire is also very useful to humans for lighting, heating, cooking and more.
Scientists believe that humans began using fire to cook food in a controlled way around 1 million years ago.
Forest fires can be extremely destructive and are dangerous to both humans and wildlife.
Fires are also an important ecological process that can stimulate growth.
Fires can be stopped in 3 different ways:
Removing the fuel source by exhausting it or taking it away.
Removing the oxygen by smothering the fire.
Removing the heat by absorbing it with water.
Fire extinguishers are often used to control fires by discharging water, foams, carbon dioxide, dry chemicals or other substances.
Science Jobs & Careers
Archaeologist
Archaeologists study human societies that lived in the past through the discovery and analysis of the things that they left behind, this includes artifacts from millions of years ago right up to things developed in recent times.
There are no written records for 99% of human history, this is one of the reasons why archaeology is so important.
Archaeology helps us understand how humans evolved and culture developed.
Archaeologists survey, excavate and analyze data to help us understand the past.
Archaeology is a varied discipline that can involve aspects of art history, classics, physics, chemistry, geography and other fields.
If you want to become an archaeologist it’s a good idea study areas such as statistics, geography and geology.
Archaeology has helped us learn how early human societies used fire, stone tools, metals and agriculture.
Archaeologists have found stone tools in Africa that were created by humans millions of years ago.
The written records of many ancient societies are often biased or misleading due to literature being limited to the rich and powerful rather than the general population, archaeologists must take this kind of thing into consideration while researching.
Popular movies such as Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider and The Mummy feature aspects of archaeology. Being movies however, they tend to oversimplify what can be a painstaking process.
One of the problems archaeologists come across is the looting of artifacts from various archaeological sites such as tombs and burial grounds.
Astronomer
Astronomers study objects found in space such as planets, moons, stars, solar systems and galaxies.
Astronomy is one of the oldest fields of science.
Becoming an astronomer usually requires a high level of education such as a PhD in physics.
Strong math skills are important for astronomers.
Astronomers usually work for Universities or research institutes.
While there aren't a large number of professional astronomers compared to some other scientific fields, there are a large number of amateur astronomers who often share their findings and assist professionals.
Professional astronomers only spend a small amount of time with telescopes, most of their time is spent analyzing images and data. Some work entirely with data observed by other people.
Astrophysics is a branch of astronomy that focuses on the physics of the Universe.
Galileo is often regarded as the father of modern astronomy, learn more about him by checking out our Galileo facts page.
Biologist
Biologists study life in all its different forms, researching important processes and how organisms relate to their environment.
There are a wide range of specialist jobs in the field of biology, including microbiologists, physiologists, geneticists, zoologists and ecologists.
Important subjects related to biology include physics, chemistry, algebra, calculus, statistics and English.
It is important for biologists to have good communication skills as well as being curious, patient and self disciplined.
Some biologists work with objects and processes that are observable by the naked eye (macroscopic) while others work with objects and processes that are very small (microscopic) and can only be seen with the help of microscopes.
Research and development is a common area for biologists to work in, with a PhD generally being needed to lead independent research.
Some biologists use their research to make new products such as biofuels and drugs, this type of applied research includes aspects of business such as whether or not there is a viable market for the product.
Some biologists work in laboratories, while others such as botanists (who study plants), do their research in the field.
Marine biologists can spend time under water and on research ships but also work hard in laboratories and offices running tests and experiments while compiling their findings.
Some biologists work with DNA, isolating specific genes and determining their function.
Chemist
Chemists study various chemical elements and compounds, their properties and how they work together in our bodies and the world around us.
Specialist fields in chemistry include biochemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, physical chemistry and analytical chemistry.
Important subjects related to chemistry include physics, English, algebra, calculus and computer science.
It helps for chemists to have a well rounded science knowledge.
Good chemists usually have an eye for detail, patience, curiosity and the ability to work on their own.
Those who study chemistry can find jobs as researchers, laboratory technicians, teachers and other important roles.
Chemists can be in high demand in industries such as the production of chemicals and pharmaceutical products.
A bachelor’s degree is sufficient for a number of positions but higher areas of research often require a PhD.
Famous chemists include Louis Pasteur and Michael Faraday.
Computer Scientist
Computer scientists apply their knowledge of information theory and computation to computer systems.
Computer scientists usually focus on theory while computer engineers focus on hardware.
Areas of computer science include programming, software engineering, information theory, algorithms, databases and graphics.
Important subjects related to computer science include physics, algebra, calculus and English.
Good computer scientists have strong analytical, problem solving and logic skills.
Communication skills are also an important part of computer science.
A bachelor’s degree is sufficient for a number of jobs related to computer science but higher level roles often require a PhD.
Our increasing reliance on computer systems makes computer science a growing field with computer scientists typically being sought after and receiving high salaries.
A job as a computer scientist may involve creating software, teaching at a university, research and development, consulting or programming.
As a computer scientist you could end up animating movies, testing software, designing video games, evaluating computer systems, working on websites or creating applications for mobile phones.
Engineer
Engineers apply scientific and mathematic knowledge to create solutions for various technical problems.
Engineers and scientists are slightly different, with engineers focusing more on the application of science. They are often seen as the link from scientific discoveries to their application in the real world.
Important subjects related to engineering include physics, chemistry, biology, algebra, calculus and English.
Engineers are typically in demand and receive good salaries.
Engineers usually specialize in one or more disciplines of engineering.
Different disciplines of engineering include chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. These disciplines can be further broken down into even more specialist roles such as molecular engineering and structural engineering.
As an engineer you may work on the production of products, the building of structures, the design of computer systems, the manufacturing of vehicles and other roles.
When building structures, materials, systems and machines, it is important for engineers to be practical with regards to safety and cost.
Engineers can be in charge of large projects that rely on safety and reliability. Engineering societies often have codes of practice and ethics put in place that help maintain good practices and work of a high quality among engineers.
The word engineer comes from Latin words meaning ‘devise’ and ‘cleverness’.
Geneticist
Biologists who study genetics are called geneticists.
Geneticists study genes, heredity and variation of living things.
The study of genetics can be applied to all living things, whether they be bacteria, plants, animals or human beings.
Important subjects related to genetics include biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English.
Genetic courses taken in higher education include genomics, molecular genetics, population genetics, ecological genetics and quantitative genetics.
Geneticists often work as researchers or lecturers at universities.
Working as a geneticist may involve work related to agriculture, medicine, animals and many other areas.
Geneticists can find careers in fields such as gene therapy, biotechnology, animal breeding and medical genetics.
Geneticists may study genetic disorders caused by abnormalities in genes.
Gene therapy uses DNA to help treat disease.
Geologist
Geologists are scientists who study the matter that makes up the Earth. They also study the Earth’s history and the processes that have formed it.
Geologists apply chemistry, biology, physics and other sciences to their work in the field and research in laboratories.
Important subjects related to geology include physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computer science.
Higher level courses related to geology include mineralogy, hydrogeology, sedimentology, palaeontology, physical geology and structural geology.
Geographic information systems (GIS) and mapping skills are also important to geologists.
Geologists are usually logical thinkers, good problem solvers and enjoy working outdoors.
Those who choose geology as a career may work for private firms, non-profit organizations, academic institutions or governments.
There are a large variety of disciplines geologists may specialize in including marine geology, pedology, volcanology, metamorphic petrology, geochemistry and geophysics.
Geologists may study the behavior of rocks, magnetic principles, rock formations, groundwater, the ocean floor, fossils, oil exploration, volcanoes and more.
Marine Biologist
Marine biologists study things that live in oceans.
Marine biology includes everything from small organisms such as plankton right through the very large such as whales.
Subjects important to marine biology include biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics.
Marine biologists are usually curious and have a love of the outdoors, especially the ocean.
Marine biology includes a number of specialist disciplines and marine biologists may choose to focus their study on a particular group of animals.
A bachelor’s degree in marine biology is sufficient for a number of related jobs but a PhD is usually required for independent research and university teaching.
As part of their job, a marine biologist may collect and analyze biological data, study plant life, identify animal species , research environmental effects, communicate findings to the public and much more.
Oceans cover around 71% of the Earth’s surface.
Ocean trenches can reach as deep as 10911 metres (35797 ft) deep.
Mathematician
Mathematicians work in the field of mathematics, studying quantities, space, structure, patterns and change.
Important subjects related to mathematics include computer science, physics and English.
Mathematicians usually have analytical minds, good communication skills and the ability to think abstractly.
Math courses found at colleges and universities include mathematical logic, numerical analysis, discrete mathematics, statistics, probability theory, mathematical analysis and more.
A PhD in mathematics is usually required for roles in universities and well paid jobs in private industry.
Some mathematicians study without applications of their work in mind, this is often known as ‘pure mathematics’.
Other mathematicians apply mathematics to various problems in areas such as physics, business, economics, computer science and engineering.
Mathematicians may research fields such as number theory, computation, statistics, probability, game theory, geometry, logic, set theory and numerical analysis.
As part of a career in mathematics a mathematician may apply theories and techniques to practical problems, develop statistical models, design systems of encryption, create computer simulations, solve complex problems, teach others and much more.
Scientists and mathematicians are slightly different in that scientists use experiments while mathematicians use proofs.
Meteorologist
Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and is especially useful for weather forecasting.
Atmospheric research has applications in weather prediction, climate change and our general understanding of weather patterns.
Scientists who study meteorology are called meteorologists.
Important subjects related to meteorology include physics, chemistry, algebra, calculus and computer science.
Meteorologists usually have good communication skills, strong analytical minds and a passion for events related to weather.
Meteorologists who work on television or radio have excellent communication skills and extra qualifications in areas such as journalism.
A career in meteorology could see you working on air transportation, global warming, pollution control, ozone depletion, droughts, forestry, agriculture and more.
Meteorologists use a range of satellites, weather balloons, radars, sensors and weather stations to study wind velocity, temperature, humidity and air pressure.
Knowing the weather conditions in advance is important to a number of industries including agriculture, shipping, forestry, fishing and transportation.
Weather predictions have improved with the introduction of powerful computers which run complex weather simulations.
Physicist
Scientists who research in physics are called physicists.
Physics is an area of science that covers the study of matter, energy and forces.
Physicists study everything from tiny atomic particles to the entire Universe as a whole.
Physicists observe natural phenomena and use mathematics to develop theories which help explain why they occur.
Some physicists study theory while others apply it to the development of products such as medical equipment and electronic devices.
Physicists are usually good problems solvers with strong analytical minds and a desire to answer big questions.
Important subjects related to physics include chemistry, algebra, calculus, statistics and computer science.
Courses that can be taken as part of a physics degree include thermodynamics, astrophysics, electricity and magnetism, particle physics, nuclear physics, kinematics, quantum physics and more.
It is important for physics students to take a number of courses in mathematics.
Research roles in physics usually require a doctoral degree.
Those who choose a career in physics can work in private industries, academic institutions or government agencies.
Famous physicists include Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.
Psychologist
Psychology involves the study of the mind.
Experts who specialize in various forms of psychology are known as psychologists.
Important subjects related to psychology include English, chemistry, biology, mathematics and statistics.
Psychologists usually have patience, compassion, a good understanding of people and excellent communication skills.
Most roles as a psychologist require a masters or doctoral degree.
Clinical and counseling psychologists often come to mind when thinking about psychologists but there are many other areas psychologists can work in.
Psychologists can specialize in a number of different fields, resulting in possible careers as a medical psychologist, behavioral psychologist, educational psychologist, health psychologist, forensic psychologist, social psychologist and more.
A job as a psychologist may involve observing patients, developing treatments, counseling groups and individuals, administering psychological tests, planning educational programs, writing reports and conducting research.
Psychologists and psychiatrists have similar sounding names and both work to relieve depression and mental stress but there are important differences. Psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication as part of their treatments while psychologists primarily use counseling to aid their patients. They also have different training and educational backgrounds.
Zoologist
Zoologists study the behavior, physiology, classification and distribution of animals, whether they are living or extinct.
Important subjects related to zoology include biology, physics, chemistry, English, algebra, calculus and statistics.
Zoologists have a love of animals and those who work in the field are usually physically fit.
Observing animals in their natural habitat can be a time consuming process, zoologists who work in the field need to be patient and willing to spend time in a variety of locations and environments.
As well as observing and studying animals, zoologists may spend time writing research articles and reports.
Zoologists can also be involved in conservation, protecting endangered animals and their habitats.
Zoologists may find jobs working for government agencies, non-profit organizations, universities, museums and zoos.
A bachelor’s degree in zoology is a minimum requirement for entry level jobs while further qualifications are usually required for higher level research jobs.
As part of their job, zoologists may find themselves organizing studies of animals in their natural habitat, studying specimens under microscope, fundraising, writing reports and scientific articles, making presentations to schools and interest groups, identifying and classifying animals, estimating wildlife populations and much more.
The word ‘zoology’ comes from Greek words meaning ‘animal’ and ‘knowledge’.
Plant
Tree resin which has been fossilized is known as amber, it sometimes contains plant material or small animals that were trapped inside. More tree facts for kids.
Some plants are carnivores, gaining nutrients by eating various small insects and spiders. A well known example of a carnivorous plant is the Venus Flytrap.
Bamboo can be a fast growing plant, some types can grow almost a metre (3.28 feet) in just one day!
While using energy from sunlight, plants turn carbon dioxide into food in a process called photosynthesis.
Around 2000 different types of plants are used by humans to make food.
Onions might taste good but they can be painful to chop. A gas is released when you cut onions that irritates you eyes, the tears you produce while this happens are your body’s way of washing it from your eyes.
In the agricultural industry, to ensure crops of food grow well water is often added to soil in the form of irrigation.
Plant matter found at the bottom of areas with water such as swamps can eventually turn into coal due to a process called metamorphosis (changing form).
There are over 200,000 identified plant species and the list is growing all the time.
Poison ivy produces a skin irritant called urushiol. Touching poison ivy will cause an allergic reaction, usually in the form of an itchy rash on the skin.
Fertilizers are chemicals added to plants to help them grow. Important elements in fertilizers include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Manure (animal waste) is also used as a fertilizer.
Cactus
Cactus is the singular word for the plant, cacti or cactuses are the plural forms.
Cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in South America through to areas of western Canada. One species, Rhipsalis baccifera, is the exception, it is also found in tropical Africa, Madagascar and Sri Lanka. It is thought that droppings from migratory birds dispersed the Rhipsalis seed in these other lands.
The cactus generally lives in dry places prone to drought, such as deserts.
There are 1,500 to 1,800 species of cacti. Each species for the most part fall into one of two core cacti categories, these being opuntias or cactoids.
Cacti come in all shapes and sizes from round and short through to thin and tall. The smallest grow just a few centimeters high and about 1 cm (0.4 in) across. The tallest cactus can reach heights close to 20m (66ft) and up to 1 meter thick.
The ancient Aztec's of South America often depicted cacti in many of their sculptures and drawings. While Mexico's national coat of arms shows an eagle, a snake, and a cactus.
Cacti show many 'adaptations' to conserve water during long dry periods. An adaptation is a trait in a living organism that helps it to survive, populate and evolve.
The spines (thorns, stickers) of a cactus are highly modified versions of plant leaves, there are very few cacti species with true plant leaves. These sharp spines and the thick tough skin of the stem help to protect the cactus from animals who would otherwise have easy access to the liquid inside.
The cactus manages to collect its water using its quite large root system. Small thin roots grow near the surface of the soil and collect as much rainwater as quickly as possible during the few times it rains. Cacti can also have a single long thick root called a taproot which grows much deeper to reach underground water supplies when the top soil is dry.
Cacti can gather and hold a lot of water in their stems. The water is not pure, clear water but is quite a thick viscous liquid. It is drinkable though and has been known to save many peoples lives in the desert.
In the early 1800s when cacti were first taken back to Europe they were cultivated as ornamental plants. Rare species were often sold to collectors for very high prices. Today cacti continue to be grown as houseplants as they are pretty easy to grow and maintain.
Certain kinds of cactus have fruit that are a popular source of food. The dragon fruit (pitahaya) is now widely grown in Asia. The prickly pear or Indian fig are varieties of cacti whereby both the fruit (called tuna in Spanish) and the pads (called nopal in Spanish) can be eaten. The nopal industry in Mexico was worth around US$150 million in 2007 and the fruit (nopal) is an important commercial crop in Mediterranean and North African countries.
Wild cactuses are under threat from building developments, animal grazing and collectors digging them up. All cacti are now included in the 'Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)'. Unless permits are issued, international exports of most species is illegal. Some cacti species are on the more restrictive endangered species list and can only be exported for scientific purposes.
Rose
There are over 100 species of the rose.
We usually call the sharp spikes on the stem of a rose bush "thorns". But these are in fact technically prickles.
The flowers of most species of rose have five petals except for the species 'Rosa sericea' which has only four.
The name "Rose" is often used as a girl's name in English speaking countries.
For hundreds of years the rose has been widely recognized as a symbol of love, sympathy or sorrow.
The rose is most commonly used as an ornamental plant grown in the garden for its beautiful flowers.
The rose can be used in perfumes. The nice scent of the rose comes from microscopic perfume glands on the petals. Sometimes rose petals are also dried and packed for commercial use as decoration or for scent.
Because they're low-maintenance and nice to look at, rose shrubs (classified as a shrub even though some don't look like shrubs for example the climbing rose) are used as landscape plants for hedging (the thorns can discourage intruders) or planted on hillsides as a slope stabilizing method to stop soil erosion.
The fruit of a rose is called a rose hip. The berry-like hip are usually red in color but some can be dark purple or black.
Rose hips of some species are extremely rich in vitamin C, because of this the hip is sometimes made into jam, jelly, or brewed for tea. The hip also has minor medicinal uses, used in food supplements and can be pressed or filtered to make rose hip syrup. Hip seed oil is also used in skin products and makeup products.
Historically the rose was of great importance to the Romans and Egyptians. Romans would use them as room decorations, or wear them on string around their neck and anything which was said "under the rose" was deemed to be a secret. The famous Cleopatra of Egypt was believed to have covered the floor of her palace room with roses before Mark Antony visited her.
The rose can come in all colors although a "black rose" is not actually black it is usually a dark red. Each color has a different meaning or symbolises something different to us for example red means love, orange - desire, yellow - joy etc.
Traditionally England is signified by the rose, it is the country’s national flower. The rose came to prominence there during the 'Wars of the Roses', 1455 to 1485 when the house of Lancaster was represented by the red rose and fought against the house of York which was represented by the white rose.
In 1986 the rose also became the floral emblem of the United States. It is the official flower of four states including the state of New York, Iowa, North Dakota and Georgia.
Sunflower
The sunflower is a large inflorescence, this means the flower head is actually made of many tiny flowers called florets. Central florets look like the center of a normal flower while the outer florets look like yellow petals and together they make up a "false flower". This natural design helps insects and birds to easily see the sunflower and after pollination every little flower or floret produces a seed.
The stem of a sunflower can grow up to 3 m (10 ft) tall and the flower head can be 30 cm (11.8 in) wide.
Sunflowers are very fast growing plants, in the right conditions they can grow 8-12 feet (2.4 m - 3.7 m) tall in six months.
As of 2012, the Guinness World Record for the tallest sunflower is 8.23 m (27 ft) for a sunflower grown in Germany.
Famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh did a series of paintings featuring and called Sunflowers.
The flowers within a sunflower head are clustered in a spiral pattern whereby each floret is oriented towards the next by the golden angle of 137.5°. This produces a pattern of interconnecting spirals. The number of left and right spirals are consecutive Fibonacci numbers. Normally there are 34 spirals in one direction and 55 in the other. Very large sunflowers can have 89 in one direction and 144 in the other.
There are two kinds of sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil which is used in cooking and in margarines is made from black seeds and snack food is made from the striped seeds. The seeds can also be used as bird feed.
Sunflowers can also be processed into a peanut butter substitute called Sunbutter. In Germany, sunflower seeds are mixed with rye flour to make a type of bread (Sonnenblumenkernbrot).
The sunflower is native to the America's and was used extensively by Native American Indians for food, as oil, in bread, medical ointments, dyes and body paints.
Kansas is often known as the Sunflower state and the flower is in fact Kansas's state flower. The sunflower is also the national flower of Ukraine.
Sunflowers can be used to extract toxin such as lead, arsenic and uranium from contaminated soil. For example, sunflowers were used to remove toxins from a pond after the Chernobyl disaster and similar projects took place after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
It is a misconception that flowering sunflower heads track the Sun across the sky during the day. Young flower buds do display movement similar to this behaviour through a process called heliotropism. But a mature flower usually points in a fixed easterly direction.
Tree
Trees are tall plants made of wood.
Plants that aren't quite tall enough to be considered trees are often called shrubs.
Trees can live for thousands of years.
Some trees can grow to around 100 metres (328 feet) in height!
The tallest species of trees in the world include the Coast Redwood, Giant Sequoia, Coast Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce and Australian Mountain Ash.
The Giant Sequoia is not only tall, it is also wide. Because of its amazing size, some believe that the Giant Sequoia is the largest living organism in the world!
Trees produce oxygen and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The roots of a tree usually grow underground, helping keep it stable and providing it with water and important nutrients.
Water and nutrients travel up the tree trunk, through the branches and all the way out to the leaves.
The trunk of a tree is protected by an outside layer of bark.
The way a tree grows through different seasons can be seen by growth rings in the wood, they can even be used to determine the age of a tree.
Planting trees can help prevent erosion.
Wood from trees can be used in a number of different ways including as a building material and energy source (such as a campfire).
Tulip
Currently, there are around 75 wild species of tulips and 150 species in total with over 3000 varieties.
The word tulip is derived from a Persian word called delband, which means turban. It is generally believed that it was called this due to the turban-shaped nature of the flower. However, this might have been a translation error as it was fashionable to wear tulips on turbans at the time.
Tulips are perennials (a plant that lives for more than 2 years), they bloom in spring, usually for only 3-7 days.
Tulips grow from bulbs and being native to mountainous areas the tulip needs a period of cold dormancy, known as vernalization. So they should be planted in the fall (Autumn) and thrive best in climates with cool springs and dry summers.
The tulip is usually sweetly scented and depending on the variety it can grow from a few inches to over two feet tall. The flower has a variety of shapes and it comes in most colors although there are no pure blue varieties.
Tulips normally have one flower per stem, however a few species have up to 4 flowers on a single stem.
Tulips are a part of the lily family.
The tulip is native to central Asia and eventually made its way to Turkey. But it was when the flower was first cultivated in the Netherlands that it really came to prominence.
The Dutch obsession with tulips began with Flemish botanist Carolus Clusius. When he was made director of Leiden University's new Hortus Botanicus (botanical garden) in 1593 he planted some of his own tulip bulbs. As a result, 1594 is considered the official date of tulips first blooming in Holland.
Carolus Clusius was also the first person to identify "broken tulips" which is a viral infection that caused beautiful streaks in the petals. Clusius would go on to create many new color variations of tulips.
Tulips started to become highly prized in Holland in the 1600s as some of Clusius unique tulip variations at Leiden became much sought after.
This led to a period from 1634 to 1637 known as "Tulip mania" when enthusiasm for the new flower started an economic frenzy and one of the world's first 'speculative bubbles'. The value of tulips shot up nearly overnight, they became the most expensive flower in the world, so expensive that they were treated as a form of currency.
At the peak of tulip mania certain bulbs were selling for 10 times more than the annual income of a skilled worker and a valuable tulip bulb could change hands up to ten times in a day. Tulip mania was short-lived though and the whole economy eventually crashed.
Today, the Netherlands is still the world's main producer of commercially sold tulips, producing as many as 3 billion bulbs annually, mostly for export.
Tulip petals are actually able to be eaten, during the Dutch famine of 1944 in WWII people often had to resort to eating sugar beets and tulips.
The tulip is the national flower or Turkey and Afghanistan.
Energy
The word energy comes from the Greek word energeia.
Most types of energy are either a form of kinetic energy or potential energy.
Common examples include heat energy, elastic potential energy, chemical energy, sound energy, nuclear energy, geothermal energy and gravitational potential energy.
Kinetic energy refers to the energy an object has because of its movement. A car in motion has kinetic energy, as does a basketball when you pass or shoot it.
Energy can be transformed from one form to another. In lightning, electric potential energy transforms into light, heat and sound energy.
The law of conservation of energy states that energy can only be transformed, it can’t be created or destroyed.
You might have heard of Albert Einstein’s famous formula E = mc² (energy equals mass multiplied by the speed of light squared).
Food contains chemical energy which is used by living organisms such as animals to grow and reproduce. Food energy is usually measured in calories or joules.
Wind farms contain large numbers of wind turbines which are used to transform wind energy into a useful energy such as electricity. The use of wind power to generate electricity doubled between the years 2005 and 2008. More wind energy facts.
The USA's Mojave Desert is home to the world's largest solar power plant. More solar power facts.
The Three Gorges Dam in China is the world's largest hydroelectric power station. More hydropower facts.
Nuclear power produces around 13% of the world's electricity. More nuclear power facts.
Plants use energy from sunlight during an important process called photosynthesis.
A person standing on a diving board above a swimming pool has gravitational potential energy.
During chemical reactions, chemical energy is often transformed into light or heat.
Stretched rubber bands and compressed springs are examples of elastic potential energy.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is made inside the Earth.
The world geothermal comes from Greek words meaning ‘Earth’ (geo) and ‘heat’ (thermos).
The technology behind geothermal electricity generation has improved substantially but it still only provides a fraction of world electricity generation.
Geothermal power is clean, reliable and cost effective but its availability is often limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries.
Geothermal power plants in the Philippines and Iceland contribute around 30% of their electricity production. In the USA it is less than 1%.
As of 2010, 24 countries around the world use geothermal power to generate electricity while around 70 use it for various forms of heating.
Geothermal heating applications include industrial uses, heat pumps, space heating and bathing in hot springs.
Humans have enjoyed geothermal energy in the form of hot springs for thousands of years.
The oldest known spa fed from a hot spring is believed to be a stone pool found on Lisan Mountain in China, built in the 3rd century BC.
In some parts of Iceland, hot water runs from geothermal power plants under pavements and roads to help melt ice.
Wind Energy
Wind power involves turning energy from the wind into other forms of useful energy.
Wind power can be harnessed in a number of different ways. For example, windmills create mechanical energy, sails move boats and wind turbines generate electricity.
Windmills have been around for a long time, they were used in Persia (Iran) as far back as 200 B.C.
Wind energy is clean and renewable.
Large groups of wind turbines are called wind farms.
Around 80 different countries use wind power to generate electricity commercially (as of 2009).
In 1997 wind power generated only 0.1% of the world’s electricity, this increased to 1.5% in 2008 and 2.5% in 2010.
In some countries such as Denmark and Portugal, wind power contributes around 20% of the total electricity production.
The large blades of wind turbines can interfere with some radar systems used by weather stations or air traffic controls, at times being mistaken for planes or various weather patterns.
Smaller turbines are sometimes used to charge batteries or as backup power in caravans and sailing ships.
Modern wind turbines usually have 3 blades which can reach speeds at the tip of over 320 kph (200 mph).
The tips of large wind turbines can reach heights up to 200 m (650ft).
Wind turbines can even be installed offshore on floating structures, sending the electricity generated back to land with the help of undersea cables.
Solar Power
Solar energy is obtained from sunlight.
Solar energy has been used by humans for a long time for uses such as heating, cooking food, removing salt from seawater and drying clothes.
These days it is also used to create electricity. As technology has improved, solar power costs have decreased and it has become a more viable alternative, competing with energy sources such as coal and oil.
While solar power is becoming more efficient, it only provides a small fraction of the world’s energy supply.
Solar cells convert light energy into electricity.
Solar cells are also called photovoltaic cells.
Solar cells can be used to power portable devices such as calculators.
Large numbers of solar cells are put together to create solar panels.
The largest solar power plant in the world is found in the Mojave Desert, USA.
Spacecraft and space stations such as the International Space Station (ISS) often use solar panels to generate power.
Hydropower
Hydropower uses the energy of moving water for a variety of useful applications.
Hydroelectricity generates electricity by harnessing the gravitational force of falling water.
In 2006, hydroelectricity supplied around 20% of the world’s electricity.
Most hydroelectric power stations use water held in dams to drive turbines and generators which turn mechanical energy into electrical energy.
The largest hydroelectric power station in the world is the Three Gorges Dam in China.
A small number of countries, including Norway, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, Paraguay, Venezuela and Switzerland, produce the majority of their electricity through hydropower.
Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy but the building of the large facilities needed to make it can have negative effects on the environment.
Hydropower has been used to power watermills for thousands of years although cheap electricity has largely made them obsolete in modern times.
The most common type of watermill grinds grains into flour.
Tidal power is another form of hydropower, it uses the energy of tides to create electricity.
Nuclear Power
Nuclear power uses fission (splitting atom nuclei) to produce energy.
Nuclear fusion (joining atom nuclei) also has potential for energy production.
Around 6% of the world’s energy and 14% of the world’s electricity is produced by nuclear power.
There are over 400 nuclear power reactors in use around the world.
Around 30 different countries have operational nuclear reactors.
The largest producers of nuclear power are the US, France and Japan.
Nuclear power provides around 20% of the electricity used in the US.
Nuclear power plants have a relatively good safety record but there is strong debate about the potential risk they pose.
Well known nuclear power plant accidents have occurred in Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and more recently in Fukushima (2011).
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster occurred following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Nuclear reactors produce radioactive waste which can be difficult to dispose of safely.
Nuclear reactors are used to power some military submarines and aircraft carriers.
The Calder Hall nuclear power station in the UK was the first to deliver commercial quantities of electricity (1956).
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