An idea
Heat and energy
Where the warmth comes from
Energy never appears from nowhere and never truly disappears. It changes form. Sunlight becomes sugar in a leaf, then wood, then a fire. Motion becomes heat. Heat becomes light.
Tracing where the energy came from is one of the most satisfying questions a person can ask, because the answer almost always ends up somewhere surprising, and often it ends up at a star.
The shape of it
Where it turns up
7 nights that touch this idea.
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The Sun
Anchor of the solar system
A middle-aged star turning hydrogen into helium, and warming a planet from ninety-three million miles away.
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Nebula Nurseries
How stars are born
Gravity squeezing a cloud until its center is hot enough to begin shining.
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Volcanoes
How the earth breathes
Heat left over deep inside the Earth, rising slowly, making new ground.
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Electricity
The copper highway
A push passed between electrons, moving at nearly the speed of light through copper.
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Fireworks
The earth painting the sky
Stored chemical energy released all at once, as heat, light, and a very loud noise.
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Hibernation
The science of slowing down
Energy conserved instead of spent: a body turned down like a lamp on a dial for a whole winter.
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Winter Solstice
Why it is cold in winter
The same Sun, arriving at a shallower angle, spreading its warmth thinner.
Keep following