Changing Atmosphere
Part of the Climate Change exhibition.
Wild Weather
The atmosphere is warming. We're starting to feel the effects.
A warming atmosphere affects more than just air temperatures: while heat waves and droughts are becoming more common and intense, rainstorms are also becoming more powerful, sometimes provoking dangerous floods.
Additional Resources
Surrounding Earth is a layer of air, the atmosphere, where conditions are always changing.Try your hand at
predicting weather patterns by making a wind vane, a rain gauge, and a barometer.
Climate Change Graphics from the Hall of Planet Earth
A year without a summer? Volcanic eruptions recorded in ice? Take a look at the world through the eyes of a geologist, and see the effects of climate changes.
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Weather vs. Climate
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Intense Storms Have Become More Common
Rainstorms help sustain life, but they're different from intense downpours that causes floods and landslides.
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Air Temperatures Are Rising
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Taking Earths Temperature
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Heat Waves
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Evidence: Ice Cores
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What's an Ice Core?
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How Hot is That Ice?
Ancient snow—now in the form of ice—reveals a lot about past temperatures: the chemical makeup of snow depends on the air temperature...
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The Ups and Downs of CO2
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Clouds and Aerosols
You may not know it, but clouds help control temperatures on Earth. Droplets of water or ice particles suspended in clouds, as well...
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Wind
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Regular Weather?
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Changing Hurricanes