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Zelda Breath of the Wild Geology Tour: Death Mountain

This post, and posts like it, is an attempt to make real-life geological phenomena more accessible to a rising generation of tech-savvy, gaming youth. Studies have shown that there is room in education for the use of virtually created worlds from video games to teach real-world geology and other scientific processes. One particular study of […]

Professor Aspen’s Research Quests: Crustle

Greetings trainer! My name is Professor “Quaking” Aspen. ‘Aspen’ is my family name while ‘Quaking’ is just a nickname given to me because of my muscular physique… and because I have had tremors since I was a boy. “Why do all professors in this world have tree names” you ask? I have no idea what […]

Zelda Breath of the Wild Geology Tour: The Rock Rings Mystery

Minecraft Build challenge: Change in species over time

I have found that Minecraft, as an educational tool, is very effective in helping students understand science concepts. When students are tasked with a “Minecraft Build Challenge” in my classroom, they are required to demonstrate modeling skills, solve problems, practice engineering principles, and have fun. Though the ‘fun’ part is what the students see first, […]

Methane Hydrate=The Currency of the Ocean?

Extra, extra, read all about it! Coal and other fossil fuels, which have provided a steady energy source for many years, is running out. Plus, the use of such fossil fuels is hurting our planet and contributing to global climate change. Experts are urging humanity to make a push for cleaner, renewable, and sustainable energy […]

Mythology Meets Geology: Fulgurites

With the clap of his mighty hands and the swing of his brawny arm, Zeus sent ear-shattering thunder and blinding bolts of lightning through the air and down to Earth. Zeus’s intentions were not to punish the people of Earth, but to remind them who possesses all power both in heaven and Earth as the […]

All of the Rocks at the Party

There is nothing like a good mystery to spark intrigue and interest into our boring lives. Whether that comes in the form of a suspenseful thriller movie, a good novel like Sherlock Holmes, that disturbing CSI show you can’t stop watching, or even just trying to figure out who stole your doughnut at work. But […]

Science Snapshop: Metamorphic Rocks

Anybody who is anybody gets invited to the rock party. But once you have attended the rock party, you know that there are really only three types of people who attend the rock party. First you have the sedimentary people who are rough, rigid, and not afraid to tell you about the storms they have […]

Science Snapshot: Igneous Rocks

As a kid, igneous rocks were always my favorite type of rock because of the big sparkly crystals that are characteristic of igneous rocks. The aragonite mineral in the image above was formed from magma cooling very slowly deep inside the earth. The beautiful, crystal-lined igneous rocks are composed of one or more types of […]