Hubble: A View to the Edge of Space, www.exploratorium.edu/origins/hubble , will open your eyes to the glorious wonders that outer space holds. Click on Tools to take a virtual tour of the Hubble Telescope, learn how it is serviced and discover cool facts about its history. Next, get to know the folks who work on this amazing machine when you visit People. Then check out Ideas to see the inspiring thoughts that have changed the way we see the universe around us.
Calling all special agents! Your detective skills are needed at Didyouknow.info, www.diduknow.info/agents , to discover who or what is damaging ancient artifacts. Scroll through the different cases that are in need of your specialized attention and choose a challenge. Try to solve the mystery of the Peruvian wooden figure or find out how the beautiful ivory tusk was blackened. Once you read through the documentation of the object's damage, identify the culprit from a list of suspects. We need your help to crack these cases.
Feast your eyes upon some of the world's rarest treasures at The Splendor of Diamonds, www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/si-gems . Mouse around the diamonds, and click on one that tickles your fancy. Check out the Pumpkin Diamond to see which movie star wore this gorgeous gem when she accepted an Oscar. Put on rose-colored glasses for The Steinmetz Pink that took 20 months to cut into a perfect oval shape. Then plunge into The Ocean Dream and discover a diamond with a true blue hue. This site will leave a sparkle in your eyes without putting a dent in your wallet!
Feel the Earth move under your feet when you try Understanding Earthquakes, http://whyfiles.org/094quake . There is no doubt that earthquakes have left many places in ruins. Scroll down to Jam Session to learn all about friction, tectonic plates and stress to see how these elements play a role in earthquake creation. Among these fascinating pages is The Quake Next Door, full of info on why certain places seem more likely to suffer from quakes, such as California, while others, such as New York, seem to escape the devastation.
You won't need sunglasses when you gaze upon Sun Struck at http://whyfiles.org/115sun . Click on Solar Horsepower to learn how "fiery" our sun can be. For example, did you know that every 11 years the sun enters an especially active phase? So watch out for crazy sun-powered storms in 2011. If you are tired of manmade fireworks, see the universe produce its own in Northern Lights, where sun particles are ejected from its glowing surface to produce spectacular results.