The materials provided with this collection present the facts surrounding the spill and ongoing research, monitoring, and restoration efforts. More general education products from previous spills are provided to help educators present the concepts of human impacts on the ocean, oil specific impacts, spill clean-up, and the effects of toxins on natural environments. Toolkit of educational materials ... Full description.

Lava flows and their effects on areas surrounding volcanoes are explained in this United States Geological Survey (USGS) publication. Examples are sited from the Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes in Hawaii, and the Unzen volcano in Japan. The site also links to specific case studies of lava flow destruction. Full description.

This outline of a presentation on extinction reviews the various catastrophic events that could lead to extinction and lists the five great mass extinctions. Climate change is identified as the linking factor and recovery is also explained. Full description.

This article describes the issues of rising sea level, subsiding ground, and increasingly persistent flooding in the ancient city of Venice which are threatening treasured architecture and works of art. There is also a discussion of the risks, benefits, and expense of the proposed solution to the flooding, a massive set of gates intended to block the entrances to the Venetian lagoon. Full description.

The information at this site will help students while they are interpreting the results of building contest and shake table testing. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) national seismic-hazard map is shown and explained, the four broad interrelated objectives of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program are stated, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) is explained, and its accomplishments ... Full description.

This chapter from the book History of Life describes the results of the K-T extinction and looks at the Impact theory and a giant volcanic eruption as possible causes. The essay covers the catastrophic scenarios for extinction that could result from these events. After reviewing the paleontological record across the K-T boundary, the author concludes that it is not clear that the catastrophes themselves ... Full description.