4. Scientists eventually figured out that certain unusual rocks near Manson, Iowa, were not because of ancient volcanic activity as they first surmised, but the result of what?

5. According to the Superstring Theory, the components making up protons, neutrons, electrons, and neutrinos are not regular particles, but instead are:

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe what happened to an enormous thighbone discovered in New Jersey in 1789.

2. Explain how inventor and engineer, Thomas Midley, Jr., solved some problems but created enormous safety and environmental issues by adding lead to gasoline and by inventing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

3. Explain the misunderstanding of radiation during the early 1900s.

4. Describe the three basic layers of Earth, namely, the crust, mantle, and core.

5. Who was Bob Christiansen, and how did he determine that Yellowstone is a supervolcano?

6. Summarize what the author says about why it took so long to discover that Pluto has a moon.

7. Where do earthquakes occur?

8. What happened when, in 1896, Henri Becquerel accidentally left a packet of uranium salts on top of a wrapped photographic plate?

9. Describe the protons, neutrons, and electrons of an atom.

10. How does the Superstring Theory explain quarks?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the theory that life on Earth was "seeded" from outer space. How was it "seeded"? Where did it come from? How does this theory compare to other theories about the origin of life on our planet?

Essay Topic 2

How has man influenced the extinction of plant and animal species? How does the author feel about this influence? What does his writing state or imply about what should be done differently?