Climate Science
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical body known to host life. A differentiated terrestrial world with active plate tectonics, abundant surface water, and a protective atmosphere and magnetosphere, it formed about 4.54 billion years ago. Its oceans cover roughly 71% of the surface, and the atmosphere is dominated by nitrogen and oxygen, with rising trace greenhouse gases shaping modern climate.
Ocean
The ocean, also known as the global ocean, is the body of salt water that covers approximately 71 percent of the Earth's surface. This interconnected system is fundamental to life on Earth, regulating climate, shaping weather patterns, and supporting a vast array of biodiversity. It is traditionally divided into five major basins: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic oceans.
Oceanography
Oceanography is the interdisciplinary study of Earth’s global ocean, encompassing its physical dynamics, chemical composition, geological structures, and biological systems. The field integrates shipboard surveys, autonomous observing networks, satellite remote sensing, laboratory analyses, and numerical modeling to understand circulation, climate regulation, ecosystems, and the seafloor. Contemporary oceanography addresses issues such as ocean warming, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and mapping of the largely unexplored seabed.
Tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground, characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud and capable of producing winds exceeding 300 miles per hour. These atmospheric phenomena are among the most destructive weather events on Earth, with the majority occurring in the central United States within an area known as Tornado Alley.