Earth Facts

Check out our range of fun planet Earth facts for kids and find interesting information about our world, including facts related to volcanoes, earthquakes, minerals, structures, gas and much more.

Children will love the cool trivia, did you know facts and other interesting Earth info that will help them learn a thing or two along the way. Read on and enjoy learning about the amazing planet we live on.

• Magma is the hot liquid rock under the surface of the Earth, it is known as lava after it comes out of a volcano. More volcano facts.
• Natural gas doesn't have an odour, strong smells are added to it by humans so it can be detected when there are leaks. More gas facts.
• Hawaii is moving towards Japan at the speed of 10cm a year. This is because they are on different tectonic plates.
• The worlds largest desert is the Sahara, it covers about one third of Africa! Moredesert facts for kids.
• Stretching out to an impressive length of 6696 kilometres (4160 miles) long, the Nile River is the longest river on earth. More Nile River facts, Amazon River facts,Mississippi River facts and other river facts.
• The volcanic rock known as pumice is the only rock that can float in water.
• Mt Everest is the highest mountain on earth, its peak reaches 8,848 metres (29028 feet) above sea level. Check out the highest mountains on each continent of the Earth.
• On average the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest of Earth’s major oceans. More ocean facts.

• Earthquakes that occur out at sea can cause huge tsunamis capable of reaching land and endangering people. More tsunami facts.
• Metamorphic rocks are formed by extreme pressure and heat. Read more aboutmetamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks, find information on rocks and mineralsor check out our interesting fossil facts.

• The Earth isn't perfectly round, it is slightly flattened at the north and south poles. Learn about the polar regions with our Antarctica facts and Arctic facts.
• Scared of the Bermuda Triangle? Despite its reputation it is actually part of a common sailed shipping route. More Bermuda Triangle mystery facts.

• Scientists have the dated the Earth as being between 4 and 5 billion years old!

• The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. Enjoy morerainforest facts or learn about jungles.

• Talc is the softest mineral found on Earth, reaching just 1 on Mohs scale of hardness, it is often used to make talcum powder.

• The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest living structure in the world. MoreGreat Barrier Reef facts.

• The Niagara Falls are located on the border of the USA and Canada. More Niagara Falls facts.

• Rock found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is around 2 billion years old. MoreGrand Canyon facts.

• Although earthquakes can be deadly, most are very small and not even felt by humans. More earthquake facts

Global Warming Basics

Enjoy learning about an important issue that concerns people all around the world with this global warming basics video from National Geographic.

Learn about climate change issues, fossil fuels, carbon dioxide, the greenhouse effect and more.

Over the past 2.5 million years the Earth’s climate has constantly changed, shifting between ice ages and warmer periods, but over the last century temperatures have risen unusually fast. Many scientists think that human activity is the main cause behind these temperature increases, a process known as global warming.

The burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal is known to release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere which then trap heat due to the greenhouse effect. Many believe this will and possibly already is having an affect on global weather patterns. As well as possibly having a huge affect on humans, global warming could put many animal species under the threat of extinction. Check out the video for more.

Space Quiz

Space is a mysterious place but there are plenty of things we are sure about when it comes to that vast space that surrounds us here on earth. Challenge what you think you know with our fun space quiz. Perfect for kids, this quiz will get you thinking about the fascinating topics of space and astronomy. Test your knowledge of planets, stars, moons, astronauts, our solar system, galaxy and more space related trivia. Try answering the twelve questions on your own and then scroll down to the bottom of the page for the all important answers.

1. What is the closest planet to the Sun?
2. What is the name of the 2nd biggest planet in our solar system?
3. What is the hottest planet in our solar system?
4. What planet is famous for its big red spot on it?
5. What planet is famous for the beautiful rings that surround it?
6. Can humans breathe normally in space as they can on Earth?
7. Is the sun a star or a planet?
8. What planet is known as the red planet?
9. What is the name of the force holding us to the Earth?
10. Have human beings ever set foot on Mars?
11. Does the sun orbit the Earth?
12. Is the planet Neptune bigger than Earth?
    
    

Space Quiz Answers

1. Mercury
2. Saturn
3. Venus
4. Jupiter
5. Saturn
6. No
7. A star
8. Mars
9. Gravity
10. No
11. No
12. Yes

The Solar System and its planets

The Solar System is made up of the Sun and all of the smaller objects that move around it. Apart from the Sun, the largest members of the Solar System are the eight major planets. Nearest the Sun are four fairly small, rocky planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

Beyond Mars is the asteroid belt – a region populated by millions of rocky objects. These are left-overs from the formation of the planets, 4.5 billion years ago.

On the far side of the asteroid belt are the four gas giants - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. These planets are much bigger than Earth, but very lightweight for their size. They are mostly made of hydrogen and helium.

Until recently, the furthest known planet was an icy world called Pluto. However, Pluto is dwarfed by Earth’s Moon and many astronomers think it is too small to be called a true planet.

An object named Eris, which is at least as big as Pluto, was discovered very far from the Sun in 2005. More than 1,000 icy worlds such as Eris have been discovered beyond Pluto in recent years. These are called Kuiper Belt Objects. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto and Eris must be classed as “dwarf planets”.

Even further out are the comets of the Oort Cloud. These are so far away that they are invisible in even the largest telescopes. Every so often one of these comets is disturbed and heads towards the Sun. It then becomes visible in the night sky.

Solar System Song for Kids

Have fun singing along to this solar system song for kids. Learn about the different objects in our solar system as well as some cool facts that make them special. Enjoy the bright, colourful animations that help bring the Sun and planets to life along with a catchy song that kids will love. Learn about the Sun, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and more with this great space video for kids.

Fastest Animals in the World

Enjoy this great video from the BBC featuring two of the fastest animals in the world captured in stunning slow motion footage. Watch a salamander catch an insect by firing its tongue at rapid speed and a mantis shrimp that punches snails with amazing force.

Killer Plants

Mars Facts Mars, or the 'Red Planet' as it is sometimes known, has a dusty, rocky surface and a thin atmosphere. Its relatively calm conditions and close proximity to earth make it the most likely destination for future planet exploration by humans. It has already been visited by a number of Mars Rovers in successful (and unsuccessful) robotic missions. These highly advanced robots gather samples and record important scientific data for scientists back on Earth to study.

Mars is nicknamed the red planet because it is covered with rust-like dust. Even the atmosphere is a pinkish red, colored by tiny particles of dust thrown up from the surface. Mars experiences violent dust storms which continually change its surface. Mars has many massive volcanoes and is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system, it stands 21km high and is 600km across the base. Mars has a very thin atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide. It is not thick enough to trap the sun's heat like Venus, so the planet is very cold. Temperatures range from -120 Degrees Celsius on winter nights to 25 Degrees Celsius in the summer. Mars has many channels, plains and canyons on the surface which could have been caused by water erosion in the past. Mars has very weak gravity which cannot hold onto the atmosphere well. The polar ice caps consist of frozen Co2 (dry ice) which lies over a layer of ice.

Challenges of Getting to Mars

Biggest Flower in the World