Things+I+learned+from+science+presentations(questions)

=Interesting Facts!!!=

Forest defenders facts:
1. Rain forests used to cover 14% of the earths surface. But now it only covers 6% 2. 70% of the rainforest plants are made into medicines to help diseases such as cancer,...etc. Only 30% of the plants are left because they are being destroyed. 3. In a couple of minutes, an area the size of a football field,can be cut down in a rainforest.

My 2 questions: 1. What % of medicines used by Americans come from rain forest plants??? Answer: 25% 2. How many tropical plant species are threatened with extinction??? Answer: 3,400

Stop the Oil Spill Facts:
1. The oil traveled 37 miles by the fourth day. 2. The wildlife the oil affected the most was the Bald Eagle and the sea otters. 3. It killed approximately 250,000 sea birds.

My 2 questions: 1. Which oil spill was the worst in American history??? Answer: The Gulf oil spill 2. How many gallons of oil were spilled in the Gulf??? Answer: Between 17 & 39 MILLION GALLONS!!!!

Air and Water Pollution facts:
1. Here are some things that cause air pollution: 2. Air pollution causes asthma, and other deadly diseases. 3. Air pollution is colorless, tasteless, and poisonous.
 * Dust
 * Power lines
 * Pesticides
 * Smog (a mixture of smoke and fog)
 * Smoke
 * Mills

My 2 questions: 1. Each year,how many chemicals from U.S. factories are spewed into the air, water, and land??? Answer: 3 MILLION TONS!!!!! 2. Each year, there are about 250 million cases of water- based diseases, resulting in how many deaths??? Answer: 5 to 10 MILLION!!! :(

1. Each year, 9 million acres of forest lands are lost throughout the WORLD!!!!
2. According to the World Conservation Union, 80% of the forests that covered the earth 8,000 years ago have been cleared or ruined by man.

My 2 questions: 1. What is deforestation??? Answer: Intentional cutting down of trees for urban and commercial use. 2. What % of deforestation is caused by farming??? Answer: 48%

Eco team...Desertification Facts:
1. Desertification is occurring in 70% of all dry lands, or one-quarter of the total land on earth!!! 2. Each year, the planet loses 24 BILLION TONS of topsoil, over the last two decades!!!!!

My 2 questions: 1. Desertification costs the world how much money due to loss of productivity??? Answer: $40 BILLION!!!!! (productivity means people are working and producing) 2. How much of the earth is at risk for desertification??? Answer: 35%

=MY QUESTION!!!!!!!= =1. Is The Arctic a Desert??? Answer: Actually... the Arctic __IS__ a desert because it has an extremely small amount of precipitation(rain or snow). The freezing, cold Arctic air can't hold enough moisture, so therefore, it doesn't rain or snow very often. HOW __COOL__ IS THAT???????????????????????????????????? :-D=