Science on a Sphere: the "globe" theater

Natural History, Nov, 2007

If you've ever longed to see Earth from space, now is your chance--with Science on a Sphere, a spectacular feature at the heart of the new exhibition Water: H2O = Life.

In this exhibit, a six-foot-diameter globe hangs suspended as if floating, depicting in living color how water defines and drives the planet. The stunningly realistic effect, showing shifting conditions on a seemingly rotating orb, is achieved by four full-motion video projectors, placed at the four corners of the room and controlled by a central computer, beaming images derived from data gathered by NASA satellites and other scientific sources.

In one sequence, Earth's surface, of which nearly 71 percent is covered in water, is contrasted with frozen Mars and hot, dry Venus, as well as with the Moon, which is waterless. Through time-lapse projections, Earth's water cycle springs to life as tropical areas turn green, then brown; ocean currents move warm water from the tropics to polar regions and cold polar water toward the tropics; and snow cover comes and goes.

Even deep beneath Earth's surface, water in minerals that make up Earth's mantle is seen to be on the move, making possible the movement of continents, and causing volcanoes, earthquakes, and the rise of new mountain ranges. Science on a Sphere presents patterns of water and population distribution, and graphically shows how little water is suitable for fresh human use.

Science on a Sphere is an amazing educational tool for both kids and adults. Dynamic and realistic visual interpretations of actual scientific data illuminate Earth's systems and ask us to think about how and why Earth is changing before our very eyes.

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Science on a Sphere (SOS) is the creation of the Global Systems Division, Earth System Research Laboratory of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Support for SOS is provided by the National Science Foundation and NOAA with technical assistance from the Scientific Visualization Studio at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.