When thunderstorms emit lightning, we see the white, snaking electricity from the ground. But if you flew above the clouds, you would see a sky phenomenon known as sprites.
Science & Tech
USCG Arctic strategy requires more ice breakers
The number of ships through the Bering Strait grew 118 percent between 2008 and 2012, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. As nations attempt to stake claims for rich Arctic resources, the U.S. currently has little presence there. The Coast Guard has two ice breakers capable of operating in the region. That’s four short of…
Juneau’s skies may be clear for peak of meteor shower
Tonight is the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
How the Coast Guard’s ice breaker crushes through 21 feet of solid ice
The Arctic ice cap reached a new low in September 2012. In just six months last year, 4.5 million square miles of Arctic Ocean ice melted, according to a report by the United Nations. While that may be hard to imagine, the commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star says Arctic ice…
Talking Robot Astronaut Heads To International Space Station
Kirobo, the first-ever talking robot in space is heading to the International Space Station this week ahead of his human companion, Japanese astronaut Kochi Wakata, who takes over as ISS commander in November.
Ted Stevens Day at NOAA honors and educates
Hundreds of people poured into Juneau’s Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute, or Auke Bay Laboratories, on Friday, a day set aside to honor its namesake and his legacy in Alaska.