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.
The Coldest State in the U.S. Is Below Freezing on Average
Where Is the Coldest City in the World?
What Is Humidity and How Does Humidity Affect Temperature?
What Was the Strongest Earthquake Ever Recorded?
The Largest Tsunami Ever Recorded Only Claimed 2 Lives
Where Wildfire Prevention Impacts People and Climate Most
Learn More / Page 7
Every time disaster strikes, one man's name arises alongside the obsessive news coverage: Nostradamus. According to some folks, the famed French seer has predicted many of the planet's gloomy twists and turns. What did he have to say about 2012?
Without question, nature can produce beautiful light shows. Add wind, rain and hail, and you have an awe-inspiring event. But thunderstorms are not to be taken lightly. Here's how to stay safe as Mother Nature displays her strength.
By Sara Elliott
Though they're outranked by other, more dangerous natural phenomena, dust storms can still do serious damage to life and property. What causes these massive storms?
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What happens when the rains cease and water levels dry up precipitously? Everything from abundant grasses to apex predators suffers the consequences.
By Robert Lamb
Polar temperatures are changing more rapidly than equatorial ones, making the jet stream slower and wider, and extreme events longer-lasting.
We've all seen shots of meteorologists fighting gale-force winds to report on storms. So just how high can the winds get before the reporters are knocked off their feet?
The mercury soared to over 122 degrees Fahrenheit in Nawkwabash, Pakistan. It could be the highest April temp ever recorded on the planet.
By Mark Mancini
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Both dry and over-saturated soil can contribute to flash flooding. Can anything be done to prevent them from becoming catastrophic?
By Mark Mancini
The danger to the iconic statues is now greater than ever due to erosion and higher-energy wave action caused by climate change.
By Amanda Onion
It's sometimes easy to confuse the two, but weather and climate are very different things.
A fire can burn for years, yes years, in a swamp. What's the deal?
By Mark Mancini
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Researchers from Montreal's Concordia University have figured out why the air inside a tornado vortex is cooler and less dense than the surrounding air.
Very specific atmospheric conditions and just the right perspective are necessary to see the phenomenon.
Smartphone cameras enable us to take striking pictures of strange atmospheric phenomena-though we don't always know what we're seeing.
It's every evil mad scientist's dream. Could it ever be a reality?
By Julia Layton
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Who likes getting caught in a downpour without an umbrella? Not this guy and not us. Are we ever going to achieve rainmaker status so we can dial up a few gentle showers one day and a blast of sunshine the next?
The Americas have been hit with some major hurricanes throughout the decades. But which were the worst ones in history?
By Chris Opfer & Sarah Gleim
It sounds simple enough. A wildfire is burning in your immediate area, so you turn from it and run. But getting away from a fire on foot may not be as easy as you think.
In the movies it looks so easy. A team of scientists are working near the crater of a volcano when it suddenly erupts. They jump in their vehicle and outrace the surging lava flow to safety. In reality, it just doesn't happen that way.
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A rainbow's ability to bring joy to just about anyone is probably why they're painted on kids' cheeks at fairs. But, what do rainbows mean? In this article, we'll look at rainbow symbolism from around the world.
The 1883 Krakatoa eruption was gigantic and deadly, but the advent of modern communications and mass media helped to make it one of the earliest and best-known modern natural catastrophes.
Ever hear that saying that a cow lies down when rain is coming? This superstition may not be as udderly ridiculous as you think.
Black ice is hazardous. Even worse, it's nearly invisible on the road surface. Learn more about black ice at HowStuffWorks.
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Separating fact from fiction when it comes to tornado safety could mean the difference between life and death.
It's hard to resist a movie where bloodthirsty beasts fall from the sky, especially if Ian Ziering stars! How might the science behind this B movie work?