ScienceIQ.com

1816 - The Year Without A Summer

Most global temperature change occurs over a long period of time, centuries rather than years, and in small increments. But in 1816, the Northeastern part of the United State and Northern Europe were hit with successive cold fronts that brought snow and ice, and dropped temperatures almost to the freezing point. Spring started out cold, but by June ...

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1816YearSummer
Geology

How Much Water in an Inch of Snow?

If the snowfall amounts were translated into equivalent volumes of water - then how much water would that be? Using a rule of thumb that each 10 inches of snow, if melted, would produce one inch of ... Continue reading

HowMuchWaterinanInchofSnow
Geology

Igneous Rocks, Born of Fire

Rocks are naturally occurring solid mixtures of substances primarily made of minerals. There are three kinds of rock on earth - igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock. Sedimentary rock forms from ... Continue reading

IgneousRocksBornofFire
Biology

Regeneration 101

So who is the greatest regeneration superhero of all? Among vertebrates the lowly salamander is the champion 'comeback kid.' We humans are pitiful by comparison. We can often regrow the tip of a ... Continue reading

Regeneration101
Biology

Yes! We Have New Bananas

Did you know that a plant disease determined what banana variety is in your market? Bananas, which originated in Africa and are now grown in every tropical region, are perhaps the most popular fruit ... Continue reading

YesWeHaveNewBananas

Bryce Canyon

BryceCanyonBryce Canyon is a small national park in southwestern Utah. Named after the Mormon Pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, Bryce Canyon became a national park in 1924.

Bryce is famous for its worldly unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. The erosional force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater has shaped the colorful limestone rock of the Claron Formation into bizarre shapes including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called 'hoodoos.' Tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name, these whimsically arranged rocks create a wondrous landscape of mazes, offering some of the most exciting and memorable walks and hikes imaginable.

Ponderosa pines, high elevation meadows, and fir-spruce forests border the rim of the plateau and abound with wildlife. This area boasts some of the world's best air quality, offering panoramic views of three states and approaching 200 miles of visibility. This, coupled with the lack of nearby large light sources, creates unparalleled opportunities for stargazing.