Forces of Nature
We see the destruction that the Earth can unleash in the news on a regular basis. Here you can learn about hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and other forces of nature.
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It seems like every few years someone comes out with a new doomsday prophecy. From aliens and asteroids to floods and earthquakes, how do people think the world will end?
As the clock ticks closer to Dec. 21, 2012, discussion regarding what exactly will happen to the world and human civilization continues to heat up. What are some of the wackier conspiracy theories about the year 2012?
By Jane McGrath
These earthquake pictures show building damage, road buckling and fault lines exposed from earthquakes. Click through our gallery of earthquake pictures.
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We know where major fault lines crisscross the Earth and where about 80 percent of the world's earthquakes occur; it's the "when" that seismologists have valiantly struggled with. Why?
By Robert Lamb
When climate variations mix with unsustainable agriculture and urbanization, vast swaths of once-fertile lands transform into deserts. Is the U.S. in danger of becoming a dried-up wasteland?
We all know it's a little cooler under a shady tree. But do trees have an effect on the five-day forecast, or even the global climate?
Thunderstorms are impressive and destructive elements of nature. This collection of images highlights some of the most spectacular features of storms.
By Rick Mayda
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Can Fido predict an incoming tornado? If animals can predict the weather, do we stop trusting the weatherman and start visiting the zoo to get tomorrow's forecast?
As a dominant world power, there's not much that China doesn't affect or control outright these days, including the weather. How did the superpower produce flawless skies for the biggest party of the year?
I read 'How Floods Work,' but I still have a question: Why are there so many more floods now? It seems like there are floods all the time, and it didn't used to be that way. Is it raining more?
You may have noticed signs on the highway that warn "Bridge Ices Before Road." What causes this to happen?
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Snow is nothing more than frozen water, and water is clear, not white. But snow is bright white. How?
What is "wind chill"? Does it have any effect on inanimate objects?
Hygrometers are used by many professionals to monitor levels of humidity in the air. So, do need one in your home?
San Francisco has a new airport that's supposed to stand up to the rigors of an earthquake. Does that mean that planes can land while a massive quake is shaking the city?
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Auroras are stunning natural light shows that are visible only in certain parts of the world at certain times of the year. Where can you go to see one?
Earthquakes and their resulting aftershocks can be devastatingly destructive. Earthquakes are caused when a fault in the Earth's crust slips, which releases energy waves in the ground. Find a list of 12 of the most destructive earthquakes in history.
Heavy snowfall is just one mark of a bad snowstorm. But the biggest snowstorms of all time also brought strong winds and in some cases, major power outages.
Barometers are used to predict the weather. What exactly does it mean when the weatherman says the barometer is rising or falling?
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Rock salt is the go-to for melting ice on the roadways. But why?
If the big one struck, would you be ready? No? Then start reading and stocking up on food, water and other essential supplies. And hurry up. For some of you, it's not "if" but "when."
At some point in your life, a coach may have enthusiastically told you to "fight fire with fire." Coach, of course, was speaking metaphorically. Do firefighters actually employ this strategy?
By Robert Lamb
If a tornado was heading your way, you'd probably head for the hills. But for some people, it's just the beginning of a chase.
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Did bunnies just attack that sailboat, or was it a narwhal playing with a school of fish? Are you going crazy, or are you just watching the clouds?
Witch homicide aside, Dorothy was lucky that her home safely traveled to Oz after the tornado. Many people who lived through the storms on our list were left with nothing.