CSI Literacy: The Case of the Missing Meteorite ☄️

A note was found near the soil samples. It reads: "The ground beneath our feet is more than just dirt. It is made of layers. The very top layer is called topsoil. It is dark and rich because it is full of nutrients and decomposed organic matter, which is wonderful for growing plants. Below that is the subsoil, which has more clay and fewer nutrients. Finally, you reach bedrock, which is solid rock. Each layer has an important job, but the topsoil is where most of the life happens. It's the most vital layer for farmers and gardeners."

Another note was found stuck to a model volcano. It says: "Not all rocks are created equal. Igneous rocks are born from fire! They form when hot, molten rock called magma or lava cools and hardens. When magma cools slowly deep underground, it forms heavy rocks with large crystals, like granite. However, when lava erupts from a volcano and cools very quickly on the surface, it can trap air bubbles inside. This creates a very light rock called pumice. Some pieces of pumice are so light they can even float on water! The speed of cooling makes a huge difference in how the rock looks and feels."

Taped to a submarine window, you find this note: "The ocean is a world of layers. The top layer, the sunlight zone, is bright and warm, filled with plants and many fish. Deeper down is the twilight zone, where only a little bit of sunlight reaches. It is colder and darker here. Creatures in this zone often have big eyes to catch any bit of light. Furthest down is the midnight zone. It is pitch black and freezing cold. No sunlight ever reaches this deep. To survive, some animals here have a special ability called bioluminescence, which means they can create their own light to hunt for food or attract mates."

A note is fluttering by the water cycle diagram. It explains: "Earth's water is always on the move in a process called the water cycle. First, the sun's heat causes water from oceans and lakes to turn into a gas called water vapor. This is called evaporation. As this warm vapor rises, it gets colder. This cooling causes the vapor to turn back into tiny liquid water droplets, which form clouds. This step is known as condensation. When the droplets in the clouds get too heavy, they fall back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail. This is called precipitation. The cycle then begins all over again."

A note is tucked under a giant T-Rex tooth. It says: "Fossils are amazing windows into the past. They are the preserved remains or traces of ancient plants and animals. Most fossils form when a living thing dies and is quickly buried by mud, sand, or silt. Over millions of years, the soft parts decay, and the hard parts, like bones, teeth, or shells, are replaced by minerals. This turns them into rock. Sometimes, fossils are not the creature itself, but traces it left behind, like footprints or burrows. These trace fossils tell us how ancient creatures moved and behaved. Every fossil tells a part of Earth's long story."

You find the final note in a tray of sedimentary rocks. It reads: "Imagine a lake or ocean floor. Over thousands of years, layers of sand, mud, and tiny pebbles settle at the bottom. These layers are called sediments. As more and more layers pile on top, the weight from the new layers puts immense pressure on the ones below. This pressure squeezes all the water out and presses the sediments so tightly together that they are compacted into solid rock. This is how sedimentary rocks, like sandstone and shale, are formed. You can often see the different layers in these rocks, like pages in a history book."