20-Year Map of Global Rainfall

This visualization from NASA shows global rainfall patterns over a 22-year span. It incorporates data from a combination of remote-sensing and ground-based sources.

Acid Lake

Add acidity to a healthy lake and see what happens to the plants and animals in this interactive activity adapted from EcoKids.

All Planet Sizes

This illustration from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory shows the approximate sizes of the planets relative to each other. Note that the planets are not shown at appropriate distances from the Sun.

Amplitude

This interactive activity adapted from the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab shows how a pendulum's amplitude changes as you set it swinging from different distances from its axis, and how the amplitude of a sound wave changes as you adjust the volume.

An Alaska Native Community Helps Seals

This video from First Alaskans Institute spotlights the Alaska Native community of St. Paul and its hands-on commitment to care for the land and animals on which it depends.

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Analyzing an Ecosystem

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Alberta, identify the living and nonliving things in an ecosystem. Then look further at the living things to identify the producers, the consumers, and examples of mimicry.

Animal Classification Game

Learn about classes of animals and test your ability to identify animals as mammals, birds, reptiles and more in this interactive activity adapted from Sheppard Software.

Animal Coverings

It takes a thick skin to withstand the hardships that life has to offer. This collection of images shows a variety of animals, each with a slightly different type of protective covering.

Arctic Sea Ice Satellite Observations

In this interactive activity produced for Teachers' Domain, learn how Arctic sea ice has changed over the past 25 years in terms of maximum winter extent, concentration, and the timing of breakup each spring.

Astronomical Images in Different Wavelengths

Visible light is just one portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that a telescope may detect. This collection of images produced for Teachers' Domain features radio wave, infrared, visible light, and X-ray images of distant stars and galaxies as well as images of the telescopes designed to detect the various wavelengths of radiation.

Atmospheric Oxygen

In this feature, adapted from Interactive NOVA: "Earth," students explore the relationship between oxygen concentration and the well-being of various organisms by simulating a change in oxygen levels and observing what happens.

Bighorn Sheep

This video segment from Outdoor Nevada explores the adaptations that help desert bighorn sheep survive in their habitat.

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Biomes

This interactive resource adapted from NASA describes the different temperature, precipitation, and vegetation patterns in seven biomes: coniferous forest, temperate deciduous forest, desert, grassland, rainforest, shrubland, and tundra.

Blood Flow and Thermoregulation

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Alberta, learn about the ways your body can regulate its temperature.

Blood Vessels Help Tumors Grow

In this video segment, adapted from NOVA, Dr. Judah Folkman uses the scientific method to discover how cancer cells induce the formation of new blood vessels, which in turn nourish those cancer cells.

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Carbon Cycle Diagram

This diagram from NASA Earth Science Enterprise illustrates Earth's carbon cycle.

Carbon Cycle Diagram

This diagram from NASA's Earth Science Enterprise illustrates the Earth's carbon cycle .

Carnivorous Plants of Texas

In this video adapted from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, learn about carnivorous plants that act as both producers and consumers in an ecosystem. See sundews and blatterworts capture and digest insects.

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Cell Membrane: Just Passing Through

This interactive feature describes some of the most important structures and functions of the cell membrane.

Cell Transcription and Translation

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Nebraska, learn how and where transcription and translation occur within a cell and observe both processes in detail.

Chemical Bonds

This interactive activity developed for Teachers' Domain demonstrates how attractive forces between atoms create chemical bonds, resulting in the formation of molecules and compounds.

Cloud Types

This interactive resource, adapted from NASA's S'COOL Project Tutorial, explains how you can classify and identify various types of clouds.

Collisions on an Air Track

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Toronto, observe the effect of mass on momentum in elastic and inelastic collisions.

Colorful Creatures

For animals, bright, flashy coloration can serve as a warning or as an invitation. Either way, colorful skin, feathers, and scales yell, "Notice me!" This collection of images shows examples of some of the world's most colorful creatures.

Compost Office

This interactive activity from Keep America Beautiful, Inc. uses illustrated text and a game to explain why it is important to compost, the science involved, and the perfect recipe for decomposition.

Continental Divide: The Breakup of Pangaea

Examine geological evidence found in fossils, rock deposits, and ancient mountains that supports the theory of continental drift in this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium.

Cooking with Sugar

Find out about the chemistry of candy and how sugar reacts at different temperatures to become fudge, caramel, lollipops, and more in this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium.

Counting Neutrons on the Moon

Find out how scientists are using a neutron detector onboard a satellite to try to find water on the Moon in this video adapted from NASA.

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Dance of Development

Watch the "dance" of development as a zebrafish egg divides and differentiates on its way to becoming an embryo in this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium.

Deforestation in Bolivia

This visualization adapted from NASA features two satellite images from 1984 and 2000 that show the dramatic deforestation of the Bolivian rainforest.

The Disappearing Aral Sea

This visualization adapted from NASA features satellite images showing how more than 60 percent of the Aral Sea has disappeared during the last 30 years.

Discovering Antarctica

Take a guided tour of Antarctica by watching brief video segments of its landscape and wildlife in this interactive activity adapted from the British Antarctic Survey.

Documenting Glacial Change

This collection of comparative glacier images adapted from the National Snow and Ice Data Center shows substantial changes in five Alaskan glacier positions over periods of 60 to 100 years.

Earth’s Albedo and Global Warming

In this interactive activity adapted from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, learn about Earth's albedo (the ratio of reflected vs. incident solar radiation), how pollution alters albedo, and how ice-albedo feedback may accelerate global warming.

Earth's Cryosphere: Antarctica

Learn about the different features of snow and ice in Antarctica using satellite imagery in this video segment adapted from NASA.

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Earth's Cryosphere: The Arctic

In this video segment adapted from NASA, take a tour of the cryosphere in North America and the Arctic using satellite imagery.

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Earth System: Drought and Air Quality

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center discusses how a drought can have negative effects locally, for example by increasing the number of forest fires, and also globally, for example by impacting air quality thousands of miles away.

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Earth System: El Niño

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center describes El Niño, how it forms, and the chain reaction of consequences it triggers around the globe.

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Earth System: El Niño's Influence on Hurricane Formation

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center explains how hurricanes develop and why there are fewer hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean in strong El Niño years.

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Earth System: Ice and Global Warming

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center explains ice's role in the Earth system, highlighting the delicate balance that could be upset with a continued rise in temperature due to climate change.

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Earth System: Satellites

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center shows how integral satellites are to everyday life and describes the different types, including orbital and geostationary.

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Electric Charges Interact

Experiment with electric charges to find out how they interact in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.

Energy Flow

This feature, adapted from Interactive NOVA: "Earth," follows the path of energy as it is transferred via the food chain from one type of organism to another.

Energy Flow in the Coral Reef Ecosystem

This video segment, adapted from NOVA, describes the energy flow in a coral reef, including its food web.

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Energy in a Roller Coaster Ride

See potential energy convert to kinetic energy in this interactive activity from WGBH that shows a roller coaster in action.

Engineering for the Red Planet

In this video segment from NASA, robotics researcher Ayanna Howard uses engineering to improve the intelligence of robots in space exploration.

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Erosion and Weathering

Erosion and weathering may be caused by a variety of factors including wind and water. This still collage produced for Teachers' Domain features images of rock, soil, and beach erosion.

Expedition 8 Crew Talks to Students in Japan

In this video segment adapted from NASA, students in Matsuyama City, Japan, interview Expedition 8 Commander and NASA Science Officer Mike Foale and Flight Engineer Alexander Kaleri about life and work aboard the International Space Station.

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Exploring Tidepools

In this interactive activity adapted from the National Park Service, learn about tidepools and then try to identify the organisms that live there.

Galileo on the Moon

Watch Apollo 15 astronaut David Scott perform Galileo's falling objects experiment on the Moon in this video segment from NASA.

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Galileo on the Moon

Watch Apollo 15 astronaut David Scott perform Galileo's falling objects experiment on the Moon in this video segment from NASA.

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Gallery of Visual Illusions

Are your eyes playing tricks on you? Discover more about eyesight and the brain as you test your eyes with these visual illusions adapted from the University of Washington's Neuroscience for Kids Web site.

Gas Properties

In this interactive simulation adapted from University of Colorado’s Physics Education Technology project, change parameters and discover how the properties of a gas vary in relation to each other.

Geothermal Power

This video segment from Vegas PBS shows the important role geothermal energy systems can play in making a more energy-efficient and greener building.

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Global View of the Seasons

This interactive activity produced for Teachers' Domain features satellite data of Earth's seasonal cycles. Visualizations and comparative still images reveal how successfully plants are photosynthesizing at different times of the year.

Global Warming: Carbon Dioxide and the Greenhouse Effect

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE demonstrates the physical property of carbon dioxide that causes the greenhouse effect.

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Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part I

This image from GRID-Arendal depicts the major circulation pattern of the ocean, illustrating interactions between temperature, salinity, and depth.

Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2: A Record of Climate Change

Using images and graphs, this interactive resource illustrates scientists' efforts to study Earth's climatic history for the last 250,000 years by drilling into the Greenland Ice Sheet and examining ice cores. Adapted from the Wright Center for Science Education, Tufts University.

The Habitable Zone

This illustration is an approximate representation of the planets in our solar system and their relation to what scientists call "The Habitable Zone." The planet distances from the sun are measured in Astronomical Units (AU) and are not to scale.

Heat Transfer

In this interactive activity adapted from the Wisconsin Online Resource Center, learn how heat can be transferred in one of three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Helium Is Boring

In this video adapted from the National Science Center, observe a demonstration to discover how helium gas is inert and hydrogen gas is reactive.

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Homo Sapiens Versus Neanderthals

This video segment, adapted from NOVA, explores reasons why Homo sapiens had an advantage over Neanderthals in the pursuit of territory and natural resources.

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How DNA Evidence Works

In this article by An Meeker-O'Connell, discover how DNA evidence is processed before it goes to court.

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How Would You Turn a Bolt in Space?

In this fast-paced NASA Brain Bites™ video, an astronaut demonstrates the impact of microgravity on the use of tools in space.

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Hubble Telescope: Looking Deep

This video segment adapted from the Space Telescope Science Institute shows what the Hubble telescope found when it stared at a single, nearly empty spot in the sky for 10 days in 1995. The unexpected result was a picture of a multitude of galaxies stretching into the distance.

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Hummingbirds

This video segment from Outdoor Nevada explores the traits, behaviors, and habitat of four hummingbird species.

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The Hydrologic Cycle

View the five processes of the hydrologic cycle in this interactive resource adapted from NASA in which animations illustrate condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration.

Infrared Gallery

How would your world look if you saw heat instead of light? In this interactive resource produced for Teachers' Domain, see what familiar objects look like through an infrared camera and watch infrared videos of geysers, mudpots, and hot springs.

Infrared: More Than Your Eyes Can See

In this video segment adapted from NASA, astronomer Michelle Thaller introduces the world of infrared light and demonstrates how infrared cameras allow us to see more than what the naked eye can perceive.

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The Jet Stream and Horizontal Temperature Gradients

Explore and manipulate the relationship between wind speed and temperature gradients in this interactive activity adapted from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle

This video adapted from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department describes how humans are helping restore safe nesting grounds for the critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle to ensure its successful repopulation.

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Laetoli Trackways Diagram

View a diagram of the hominid footprints that archaeologist Mary Leakey's team found at Laetoli in Tanzania.

Life Cycle of a Seed Plant

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Alberta, learn about each step in the life cycle of a seed plant.

Light Pollution

In this interactive activity adapted from the National Park Service, learn how light pollution affects the night sky, animals, and humans, and then explore several possible solutions.

Living from the Land and Sea

In this video segment adapted from the Alaska Native Heritage Center, discover the connections between Alaska Native subsistence culture and the natural cycle of the seasons.

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Losing Permafrost in Alaska

In this video segment adapted from Spanner Films, learn how Alaska Native communities that rely on hunting and fishing are threatened by rising temperatures and melting permafrost.

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Mapping Magnetic Fields

This video adapted from NASA explains how a magnetometer determines magnetic fields around planets.

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Masses and Springs

In this interactive simulation adapted from the University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology project, hang various masses from different springs and see the kinetic, potential, and thermal energy of each spring system. You can even slow time or move your demonstration to another planet.

Mirror Neurons

This video segment, adapted from NOVA scienceNow, introduces the latest research on a system of neurons that plays a part in how people relate to each other.

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Mitochondrial Flyover

This video segment illustrates the three-dimensional structure of a mitochondrion, the organelle that powers nearly every cellular process in your body.

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A Night in the Coral Reef

Coral reefs are often portrayed as brightly lit, bustling underwater marvels full of colorful creatures. This video segment, adapted from NOVA, paints a different picture as it explores the nocturnal behavior of organisms in the reef.

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The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen, one of the most abundant elements in the universe, is essential to life. This interactive activity adapted from the University of Alberta provides an overview of the nitrogen cycle.

Ohm's Law

In this interactive simulation of Ohm’s law, adapted from the University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology project, adjust the voltage and resistance in a circuit, and observe how this affects the flow of current.

Ozone Hole

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center gives a detailed explanation of the catalytic chemical process that has led to the creation of the ozone hole.

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Periodic Table of the Elements

This interactive periodic table developed for Teachers' Domain provides detailed information about the chemical properties of elements and illustrates the electron configurations that determine those characteristics.

Phainopepla Bird

In this video segment from Outdoor Nevada, learn about the eating and migration habits of the Phainopepla, an unusual bird associated with the mistletoe plant.

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Plants-in-Motion

While we tend to think of plants as stationary, they are in constant, though very slow motion, as they respond to environmental factors. Watch plants move in time-lapse videos in this interactive activity adapted from Indiana University.

Prairie Dogs

In this video adapted from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, learn about the prairie dog, the importance of its role in its ecosystem, and how it is affected by an ever-growing human population.

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Projectile Motion

In this interactive simulation adapted from University of Colorado’s Physics Education Technology project, learn about projectile motion by firing various objects from a virtual cannon into the air. Experiment with the settings and try to hit a target.

Radio Waves & Electromagnetic Fields

In this interactive simulation adapted from the University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology project, explore how a radio transmitter broadcasts electromagnetic radiation.

Rattlesnakes

This video segment from Wild Nevada answers questions about the rattlesnake, a reptile that is often misunderstood.

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Richard Glenn: Iñupiaq Geologist

In this interactive resource adapted from Raven Radio/KCAW, listen to Iñupiaq Eskimo and geologist Richard Glenn describe the complementary nature of Alaska Native ways of knowing and the methodology of Western science.

Ringed-Carbon Compounds

In this interactive activity adapted from NOVA, learn about alkaloids and steroids, both examples of compounds with carbon rings. Short videos with interviews, animations, and photographs are featured.

Rotations in Space

Learn about rotational forces by watching astronaut Jeffrey Williams spin objects onboard the International Space Station in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.

Sandhill Cranes

This video segment from Wild Nevada examines one of Nevada's oldest living creatures, the sandhill crane.

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Scorpions

This video segment from Outdoor Nevada takes a look at an ancient desert dweller, the scorpion.

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Solar Power

This video segment from Vegas PBS shows the largest solar power system to date in the U.S. and explains how solar power can serve the needs of large-scale facilities and benefit the environment.

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Sound

This interactive simulation, adapted from the University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology project, illustrates sound waves. Adjust the frequency and amplitude to see and hear how the waves change.

Spectrometry Explained

Find out how light can be used to identify chemical compounds in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.

Supermarket Botany

Can you eat the stem, root, or seed of a plant? In this interactive activity adapted from the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, test your knowledge of plant parts by identifying everyday foods as plant parts.