Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Hurricane Katrina devastates US coast and New Orleans
Natural EnvironmentsIt is one of the worst natural disasters in the United States. On Monday morning (29 August 2005), Hurricane Katrina reached the American Gulf Coast. At 280 kilometres per hour and accompanied by torrential rain, the tropical cyclone hit the coast and the city of New Orleans. People, cars and houses were simply swept away
Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
A hundred thousand times Hiroshima
Natural EnvironmentsA catastrophe of unimaginable proportions: Almost 15 million years ago, a gigantic explosion shook southern Germany. It was more powerful than a hundred thousand atomic bombs combined and killed all living creatures within a radius of at least one hundred kilometres. Humans did not exist at that time, but all animals and plants were killed
Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Hillary and Norgay conquer Everest!
Natural EnvironmentsFor years they dreamed of it, for weeks they climbed: On 29 May 1953 at 11.30 a.m., the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reach their ambitious goal: they are the very first to stand on the summit of Mount Everest! Since the beginning of May, a British expedition has been preparing
Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Altitude record!
Natural EnvironmentsThe Swiss physicist Auguste Piccard and his assistant Paul Kipfer set off on a risky high-altitude flight in the night of 27 May: In a gas balloon they constructed themselves, they reached a flight altitude of over 15 kilometres after a short time. 17 hours later, after a dramatic flight, the balloon and its crew
Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Largest diamond ever found
Natural EnvironmentsA rough diamond larger than any known diamond on earth was found in a South African mine on Thursday. This record-breaking gemstone weighs in at 3106 carats. It was discovered by Frederick Wells, the mine’s inspector. It happened late in the afternoon during a routine inspection at the Premier Mine near Pretoria. On his tour
Posted on November 29, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Grote Mandränke
Natural EnvironmentsFriesland. In the night of 16 January, the waves crashed more than two metres high over the tops of the dikes. On the coast of North Friesland, 21 dikes broke. The devastating storm surge probably cost thousands of lives. Whole swathes of land and several villages in North and East Frisia were submerged in the