NSF NCAR & UCAR Science Education

05/27/2026

05/26/2026

Have you ever noticed symbols like blue triangles or red semicircles on a weather map and wondered what they mean? 🌦️

Those symbols represent weather fronts—the transition zone where different air masses meet. As fronts move through an area, they can bring dramatic changes in weather, including rain, thunderstorms, gusty winds, temperature changes, and finally clearer skies after the storm passes.

There are four main types of weather fronts:
🔵 Cold fronts
🔴 Warm fronts
🔴🔵 Stationary fronts
🟣 Occluded fronts

Each type of front forms differently and creates its own unique weather patterns! They move across the Earth's surface over multiple days, and their direction is often guided by high winds, such as Jet Streams.

Learn more about weather fronts in our Learning Zone article! https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/how-weather-works/weather-fronts?utm_source=sm
📸: EPA

05/20/2026

At the intersection of creative inspiration and data collection with FLUXNET towers is fluxART. Join us for a special Explorer Series event discovering creative insights and sharing multimedia artwork with Faculty Fellow Maoya Bassiouni and artists Julia Oldham and Mallery Quetawki.
🗓️: Wednesday, May 27 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm MDT
📍: Mesa Lab and online webcast

Register: https://www.eventsquid.com/event.cfm?id=32083

05/20/2026

Wildfires are commonly characterized by the total number of acres burned rather than the rate at which they spread. However, studying the speed of a fire adds another important dimension that can help scientists better understand, manage, and prevent fires in the future. 🔥

Some wildfires, known as “fast fires,” can spread rapidly across landscapes, creating dangerous conditions for both communities and emergency response personnel. Check out our new Learning Zone article, Fast Fires: A Compelling Way to Understand Wildfires, to explore the factors that influence how quickly a wildfire spreads and why fire speed matters: https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/earth-system/fast-fires?utm_source=sm

05/18/2026

Museums help connect us to the world around us—and at the NSF NCAR & UCAR Mesa Lab Visitor Center, discovery is happening every day! ✨🔬

From interactive exhibits and hands-on learning experiences to stunning views of the Flatirons, the Mesa Lab Visitor Center invites learners of all ages to explore Earth’s atmosphere, weather, and the research that helps us better understand our planet.

Whether you’re curious about hurricanes, wildfires, the Sun and space weather, or the technology scientists use to study our changing world, there’s always something new to learn.

Plan your visit and explore the science behind our powerful planet! 🌎

https://scied.ucar.edu/visit/ncar?utm_source=sm

05/14/2026

Join us June 9-10, 2026, for From Fossils to Forecasts, a two-day professional development workshop designed for K-12 educators interested in exploring connections between Colorado's ancient past, present, and future.

At the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, you’ll go behind the scenes in the collections to investigate how fossils and environmental records help us understand how ecosystems change over time.

Then, at the NSF NCAR Mesa Lab, you’ll explore how scientists study Earth systems and dive into classroom-ready investigations that bring these concepts to life for your students.

Whether you teach science or are looking for new interdisciplinary classroom ideas, this workshop offers engaging activities, scientific resources, and opportunities to connect with fellow educators. Leave inspired, informed, and equipped with practical strategies you can implement right away!

Learn more or register for the workshop: https://scied.ucar.edu/educators/teacher-professional-development?utm_source=sm

05/13/2026

We had a great time yesterday at Operation Water Festival! 💧

Hosted by City of Boulder Colorado Government, this event brought local students together for a day of interactive learning all about water—from drinking water treatment and conservation to ecosystems, geology, and the science of water on Earth!

Our team shared our presentation, Water Connections on Our Powerful Planet, where students explored how water connects Earth’s atmosphere, land, oceans, weather, and living things—including us!

Thank you to all the students, educators, and organizers who made this event such a fun day of science learning and discovery!

05/12/2026

We’re stratos-fearlessly celebrating National Pun Day by talking about the layers of Earth’s atmosphere! 🌎☁️

Earth’s atmosphere is made up of several layers—the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere—with each layer having its own unique characteristics!

We live in the troposphere, the layer closest to Earth’s surface, where most clouds are found, and almost all weather occurs. 🌦️

Head to the Learning Zone for more sky-quality atmospheric science!
https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/atmosphere/layers-earths-atmosphere?utm_source=sm

05/07/2026

Last week, our team visited a new member of the National Ozone Garden Network: the Walter Anderson Museum of Art! 🌿🎨

During the visit, we met with the Director of Arts and Environmental Education to tour the museum and the new garden site, discuss growing ozone-sensitive plants, and help prepare for the growing season.

Walter Anderson’s artwork was deeply inspired by the coastal ecosystems of Mississippi and his time spent exploring Horn Island. This new ozone garden continues that connection to the natural world by using plants to help us better understand our local environment and air quality.

We’re excited to welcome the Walter Anderson Museum of Art to the National Ozone Garden Network alongside our collaborators at the Center for Astrophysics l Harvard & Smithsonian!

05/06/2026

We still have a few spots open for summer field trips this July and August!

Join us at the NSF NCAR & UCAR Mesa Lab for a full day of immersive, hands-on science learning! In our Weather Wizards Learning Lab (PreK–12), students will investigate the atmosphere through collaborative activities, interactive exhibits, and a guided outdoor experience along our Weather Trail.

This program blends movement, inquiry, and real-world science exploration to spark curiosity and deepen understanding of Earth systems. With plenty of discovery and “aha!” moments, learning science will feel like magic!

Reserve your spot today!
https://scied.ucar.edu/visit/ncar-field-trips?utm_source=sm