Postcards from the Field

Explore collections of Postcards from the Field, virtual postcards from scientists and educators doing field research in places around the world. The links below lead to postcards about what it's like to do all sorts of field science - from studying animals like sharks and penguins, to exploring ice, rocks, the atmosphere, and the ocean. Scientists explore Earth in many ways. Take a look at these postcards and find out how.
<a href="/people/postcards/vocals/dione_rossiter.html&edu=elem&dev=1">Dione Rossiter</a> is a scientist that participated in a research expedition to understand the climate of the southeastern Pacific in fall, 2008 - the <a href="/vocals/vocals_intro.html&edu=elem&dev=1">VOCALS campaign</a>. She got to fly a her scientific instrument aboard a research aircraft above a layer of <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/stratocumulus.html&edu=elem&dev=1">stratocumulus</a> cloud that seemed to go on forever.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Dione Rossiter</em></small></p>What's it like to visit the <a href="/earth/Water/deep_ocean.html&edu=elem&dev=1">deep sea</a> in a manned submersible? These postcards will share some of that excitement with you. The submersible, <a href="/earth/interior/alvin2.html&edu=elem&dev=1">Alvin</a>, makes dives into the deep sea. Check out a <a href="/people/postcards/alvin/photo_album.html&edu=elem&dev=1">photo album</a> of images from the dive, and view the postcards below!<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Tim Killeen</em></small></p>A view of Arica, Chile, at the beginning of a <a href="/people/postcards/vocals/vocals_post.html&edu=elem&dev=1">research campaign to study climate science in the southeastern Pacific</a>. Arica is near the <a href="/earth/atacama_desert.html&edu=elem&dev=1">Atacama Desert</a>, one of the most <a href="/earth/extreme_environments_hot_cold_dry.html&edu=elem&dev=1">arid</a> and barren places on Earth.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Carlye Calvin, UCAR</em></small></p>Oh no! It doesn't look good for these Adelie penguins in the Antarctic. Sea ice covers the top of the ocean next to the Antarctic continent and the Ross Sea. Large cracks open up in the expanse of ice as the ice melts which allows whales to get into parts of the Ross Sea that have not been disturbed or fished for months. Find out more about this <a href="/people/postcards/penguin_post.html&edu=elem&dev=1">penguin research campaign</a> in December 2006 - January 2007.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of <a href="/bio/jean_pennycook.html&edu=elem&dev=1">Jean Pennycook</a></em></small></p>Did you know that deep beneath the surface of the ocean lie hydrothermal vents, which release superheated fluids at the ocean bottom? These fluids are rich in chemicals and minerals that support communities of very <a href="/earth/Life/smokers.html&edu=elem&dev=1">unique organisms</a>, such as the bacteria, large tubeworms, and crabs you see in the picture above!<p><small><em> Image courtesy of Tim Shank, WHOI</em></small></p>Observatories are located in some of the most remote places on Earth. Scientists need to be far away from the <a href="/the_universe/light_pollution.html&edu=elem&dev=1">city lights</a> to see the faintest stars and galaxies.Check out these <a href="/people/postcards/observatory_post.html&edu=elem&dev=1">postcards</a> to see what its like to use a telescope at an observatory!<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Katrien Uytterhoeven</em></small></p>

Explore Postcards from the Field

Postcards from Alvin

Studying the Deep Sea in the Alvin What's it like to visit the deep sea in a manned submersible?  ...Read more

Climate Science in the Southeast Pacific Postcards

VOCALS: Climate Science in the Southeast Pacific For six weeks this October and November, ...Read more

Adelie Penguins of the Antarctic 2008-2009

Adelie Penguins of the Antarctic 2008-2009 Starting in November, the Penguin Science team ...Read more

Tracking Changes in Antarctic Ice Sheets

Tracking Changes in Antarctic Ice Sheets The amount of water locked up in ice sheets is so ...Read more

Postcards from the Observatory

What's it like to use a telescope at an observatory? The Gemini 8-meter telescope NOAO/AURA/NSF ...Read more

Solving Polar Fossil Mysteries Postcards

From October until December 2008 a research team explored below the sea ice ...Read more

Postcards from the Field: Annapurna

Postcards from the Field Annapurna Dare to Dream 2008, is an expedition to Annapurna - the ...Read more

Postcards from the Field: Shark Watching

A Family Expedition Looking for Sharks in the Bahamas This family of five is embarking on ...Read more

Postcards from the Poles: Antarctica

Antarctica is unique. It's cold. It's remote. And for the most part it is covered with ice. ...Read more

Studying Storms Postcards

Studying storms to improve weather forecasts During the summer of 2007 (June to August) a ...Read more

More about Postcards from the Field

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that early Chinese believed that there were ten suns that appeared each day in the sky during the ten-day Chinese week?

Did you know that different cultures imagined different constellations, based on their own cultural context?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Tsunami
xTsunami : A tsunami is a sea wave of local or distant origin that results from large-scale seafloor displacements associated with large earthquakes, major submarine slides, or exploding volcanic islands.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Soil Microbes Produce Less Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Than Expected With Global Warming

In dark, rich soils on every continent, microbes dealing with the effects of climate change aren't accelerating global warming the way scientists had predicted, a study by researchers at the University...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA