Our Daily Planet: Civil War Weather and Confused Polar Bears

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe.

Japan Aftershocks: The second large aftershock in two days, a magnitude 6.2, rocked Japan today. [Related: When Will the Aftershocks in Japan End?]

Texas Twisters: Four confirmed EF-1 tornadoes struck North Texas yesterday. [Infographic: Tornado! An Inside Look at Tornado Season ]

Disturbed Den: A pair of polar bears went to sleep in their den on a deserted island, only to wake up in the middle of a construction site.

Civil War Weather: On this date in 1861, Confederate cannons fired the first shot of the Civil War. Find out what the weather was like during the war's early months.

Penguins Plummet: Two penguin species have declined sharply over the last 30 years because predators and fishers are taking all their food.

Previously on Our Daily Planet: Japan Aftershock and Iowa's Tornado Outbreak

Reach OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel at bisrael@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @btisrael.

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Brett Israel was a staff writer for Live Science with a focus on environmental issues. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from The University of Georgia, a master’s degree in journalism from New York University, and has studied doctorate-level biochemistry at Emory University.