The climate on Earth is just right to support a rich diversity of life on land and in the oceans. The abundance of water, the warmth and energy from the Sun, and interactions within Earth’s atmosphere create weather systems, while the motion of Earth gives rise to seasons. We do, however, experience extremes. Death Valley in Arizona holds the record for the highest air temperature recorded, in 1913 – a blistering 56.7°C (134.1°F) – and in 1983, the air temperature in Vostok, Antarctica, dropped
