Topic:  General concepts of dangerous and emergency situations of a natural nature.

Lesson topic:  Natural phenomena and their classification.

The purpose of the lesson:  To introduce students to natural phenomena and their diversity.

Lesson Objectives:

I. Educational tasks:

• Recall and consolidate knowledge about the shells of the Earth.
• To form knowledge among students that the formation of any natural phenomenon is associated with processes occurring in the shells of the Earth.
• To give a general idea to students about the types of natural phenomena at the place of their occurrence.

II. Developing tasks.

• To develop in students the ability and ability to anticipate the natural phenomena of their locality, which can lead to dire consequences, as well as ways to protect against them.

III. Educational tasks.

• To educate students in the conviction that any natural phenomenon of destructive force brings tremendous damage to the state of various kinds, primarily material and loss of life. Therefore, the state needs to send funds to scientific institutions so that they deal with this problem and in the future could predict them.

   During the classes

Teacher:  Today, children we will talk about natural phenomena and their diversity. Of course, you know some, some you learned from a course in natural history and geography, and if someone is interested in the media then from there. If you turn on the TV, radio or use the Internet, you can say with confidence that the natural phenomena of destructive power occur more and more often, and their strength becomes more and more. Therefore, we need to know what natural phenomena are, where they most often occur and how to protect ourselves from them.

Teacher:  And so let us recall from the course of geography which shells of the Earth exist.

In total, 4 Earth shells are distinguished:

1. Lithosphere - the crust and the upper part of the mantle enter into it.
2. The hydrosphere is a water shell; all water in different states enters it.
3. Atmosphere - gas shell, the lightest and most mobile.
4. The biosphere is the sphere of life, this is the area of \u200b\u200bexistence of all living organisms.

Teacher:  All these shells have their own specific processes, as a result of which natural phenomena occur. Therefore, various natural phenomena at the place of their occurrence can be divided:

Teacher: From this scheme, we see how many natural phenomena exist. Now let's look at each of them and find out what they are. (In this part, children should be actively involved.)

Geological.

1. An earthquake is a natural phenomenon associated with geological processes occurring in the lithosphere of the Earth, it manifests itself in the form of tremors and oscillations of the earth's surface resulting from sudden displacements and ruptures in the earth's crust or in the upper part of the mantle.

Picture 1.

2. A volcano is a conical mountain, from which hot substance - magma erupts from time to time.

A volcanic eruption is the exit of the surface of the planet of the molten matter of the earth's crust and the mantle of the Earth, which is called magma.

Figure 2

3. A landslide is a sliding downward displacement of soil masses under the action of gravity that occurs on slopes when the stability of the soil or rocks is impaired.

Landslide formation depends on various factors, such as:

• what rocks make up this slope;
• slope steepness;
• groundwater, etc.

Landslides can occur both naturally (for example, an earthquake, heavy rainfall), and artificially (for example, human activities: deforestation, removal of soil).

Figure 3

4. A collapse is the separation and falling of large masses of rocks, their overturning, crushing and rolling on steep and steep slopes.

The reasons for the collapse in the mountains may be:

• rocks composing mountains are layered or broken by cracks;
• water activity;
• geological processes (earthquake), etc.

The causes of landslides on the coast of seas and rivers are washing and dissolution of underlying rocks.

Figure 4

5. Snow avalanche - a collapse of the mass of snow on the mountain slopes, the angle of inclination should be at least 15 °.

The causes of the avalanche are:

• earthquake;
• intense snowmelt;
• long snowfall;
• human activities.

Figure 5

Meteorological.

1. A hurricane is a wind whose speed exceeds 30 m / s, leading to huge destruction.

Figure 6

2. A storm is a wind, but with a lower speed than in a hurricane and is no more than 20 m / s.

Figure 7

3. Tornado - is an atmospheric whirlwind that forms in a thundercloud and goes down, has a head start of a funnel or sleeve.

A tornado consists of a core and a wall. Around the core there is an upward movement of air, the speed of which can reach 200 m / s.

Figure 8

Hydrological.

1. Flooding is a significant flooding of the area as a result of rising water levels in a lake, river, etc.

Flood Causes:

• intensive snow melting in the spring;
• heavy rainfall;
• cluttering the riverbed with rocks during an earthquake, collapse, etc., as well as with ice during congestion;
• wind activity (surge of water from the sea, bay at the mouth of the river).

Types of floods:

Figure 9

2. Sel is a stormy stream in the mountains that is temporary in nature, consisting of water and a large number of rock fragments.

The formation of mudflows is associated with heavy rainfall in the form of rain or intense melting of snow. As a result, the loose rocks are washed off and moved along the river bed with great speed, which picks up everything in its path: boulders, trees, etc.

Figure 10

3. The tsunami is a kind of sea waves resulting from the vertical shift of significant sections of the seabed.

Tsunami arises as a result of:

• earthquakes;
• eruptions of an underwater volcano;
• landslides, etc.

Figure 11.

Biological.

1. Forest fire is an uncontrolled burning of vegetation that spontaneously spreads through the forest territory.

Forest fire can be: ground and horse.

An underground fire is the burning of peat in swampy and marsh soils.

Figure 12.

2. An epidemic is the spread of an infectious disease among a large population and significantly exceeds the incidence rate commonly found in a given area.

Figure 13.

3. Epizootia is a widespread infectious disease among animals (for example: foot and mouth disease, swine fever, cattle brucellosis).

Figure 14.

4. Epiphytotia is the mass spread of an infectious disease among plants (for example: late blight, wheat rust).

Figure 15.

Teacher:  As you can see, in the world there are a huge number of phenomena that surround us. So let's remember them and be extremely careful at the time of their occurrence.

Some of you may say: “Why do we need to know all of them, if they are not typical for our region?” You are right from one position, but not from another. Each of you tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in the future will surely be planning a trip to other parts of the Motherland and the country. And there, as you know, there can be perfect other phenomena that are not characteristic of our area. And then your knowledge will help you survive in a critical situation and avoid the negative consequences. As the saying goes: "God protects the safe."

Literature.

1. Smirnov A.T.The basics of life safety. 7th grade.
2. Shemanaev V.A.  Teaching practice in the training system of a modern teacher.
3. Smirnov A.T.The program of educational institutions of the basics of life safety grades 5-11.

The 10 most unique natural phenomena that are included in the top of this list are ten wonderful miracles created by nature, biology, physics, chemistry and other fields. You can personally see and experience all these wonders. To do this, you just need to go to a specific area of \u200b\u200bour beautiful planet called Earth.

In our world there is a huge number of miracles created in natural conditions, some of which can cause an ocean of positive emotions and admiration. 10 natural phenomena and phenomena spread around the world create an unsurpassed atmosphere, immersed in which a person experiences great pleasure from the world around him.

(10 photos of natural phenomena and phenomena + video)

One of the most exciting and unique natural phenomena that can be observed near the North and South poles (around the Arctic and the Antarctic Circle) is the northern lights. It arises due to charged atoms and particles in the upper atmosphere, which mainly arise in these regions of the Earth. Simply put, this phenomenon occurs when the solar wind comes in contact with the Earth's magnetic field. Undoubtedly, one of the best places to watch this wonderful phenomenon is Lapland (Northern Finland). In this place you will encounter wildlife, uninhabited areas in which a clear transparent sky, devoid of city lighting, air pollution and telecommunication signals, creates unique conditions for observing this natural phenomenon. Aurora Borealis is a romantic miracle, because it originates at high altitude and is a multi-colored (yellow, green, blue, red and purple) river flowing among countless stars.

If you want to plunge into the world of illusions and dreams, feel a sense of inspiration, tubular clouds of an unusual shape will help you with this. The unique shape of these clouds is somewhat similar to huge pipes with various shades (from white to darker). The color of such clouds depends on their thickness. Tubular clouds can be observed in many places where thunderstorms begin to form. Their indescribable beauty is especially noticeable at sunset, when they are formed into groups of balls with a smooth structure.

The most beautiful creature on Earth is by far the Monarch’s butterflies. They can only cause feelings of love and admiration. These butterflies will show you the bright interweaving of black and orange. Most often they are found in Mexico, the United States and Melanesia (northeast Australia). The best place to observe Monarch butterflies is the United States at a time when they migrate from Canada to Mexico and back. Walking through the parks of California, you can witness when the leaves and branches of trees are painted in black and orange, as the monarch butterflies are completely dotted.

Have you ever observed strange formations of snow and ice, representing pillars up to 2 meters high? These amazing pillars are called penitentes. They can be observed in the region of the most elevated places (up to 4,000 meters high) of the central Andes in the territory between Argentina and Chile. You can see these wonderful natural phenomena while hiking in the mountains. This kind of excursions will help to learn more and to explore for themselves the peculiar phenomenon of the Andes - penitentes.

In the National Park called "Death Valley" in California, you can observe such a natural phenomenon as moving stones. In this park among the unusual mountain landscape you can see one of the most mystical and picturesque dry lakes of the Raistrek-Playa. The main feature of this lake is the stones moving along its dry bottom. Traces of stones are clearly visible on the desert surface. This phenomenon is one of the geological secrets, which, according to scientists, is created by winds and other natural factors. If you managed to visit this unusual place surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks, over which shapeless clouds float, you can assume that you are really lucky.

No less astounding are Supercell clouds. These thunderstorm clouds can appear almost everywhere where there is a humid climate characterized by frequent thunderstorms. Some of the best-known super-cloud observation sites are in the central states of the United States, which are part of the Tornado Lane. The plains of Nebraska and Dakota will fully appreciate this natural phenomenon. The natural change in daylight will enchant you at the moment you observe the Supercells at sunset. Pay attention to a selection of beautiful photographs that reveal the amazing world of these clouds.

The most beautiful and elegant fiery phenomenon that is created with the help of vertical vortices is a fiery tornado. However, do not forget that the amazing beauty of this natural phenomenon is fraught with danger and destruction. This natural phenomenon can be observed in a fire or a burning forest, where a tornado arises, the wind speed of which is more than 160 kilometers per hour. This is a fairly rare phenomenon, which is both magnificent and tragic. The fiery tornado is a attraction for photographers and extreme enthusiasts.

A natural phenomenon like sandstorms is quite typical for some regions of the Earth. Sandstorms are created by strong winds and storms that prevail in dusty areas with an arid climate. During such storms, sand particles are picked up by strong winds that accelerate their movement in the atmosphere. One of the most famous places where you can observe similar natural phenomena are in northern Africa (Sahara desert), as well as deserts in Asia. This phenomenon without exaggeration can be called surprising. However, fierce storms are quite dangerous, since small particles of sand penetrate almost everywhere. One cannot imagine a more inspiring landscape than observing sandstorms in the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

A natural phenomenon - a rainbow is able to give everyone colorful emotions. Rainbow is one of the most common natural phenomena, which can consist of both small arcs with thin multi-colored layers, and huge arcs that extend hundreds of kilometers. The double-arch rainbow is a magnificent yet inspiring optical illusion. This natural phenomenon occurs due to small tiny particles of water and the rays of the sun and is most often observed after rain, when water evaporates under the bright rays of the sun. Most often, this natural phenomenon can be observed in the area of \u200b\u200bwater basins - lakes, rivers and other bodies of water.

What are natural phenomena? What are they like? You will find answers to these questions in this article. The material can be useful both for preparing the world around you for a lesson, and for general development.

Everything that surrounds us and is not created by human hands is nature.

All changes that occur in nature are called natural phenomena or natural phenomena. The rotation of the Earth, its orbital motion, the change of day and night, the change of seasons are examples of natural phenomena.

Seasons are also called seasons. Therefore, natural phenomena associated with the change of seasons are called seasonal phenomena.

Nature, as you know, is inanimate and living.

Inanimate nature includes: the Sun, stars, celestial bodies, air, water, clouds, stones, minerals, soil, precipitation, mountains.

Wildlife includes plants (trees), fungi, animals (animals, fish, birds, insects), microbes, bacteria, and humans.

In this article we will consider winter, spring, summer and autumn natural phenomena in animate and inanimate nature.

Winter natural phenomena

Examples of winter phenomena in inanimate nature

Examples of winter phenomena in wildlife

Snow is a type of winter precipitation in the form of crystals or flakes. Snowfall - heavy snowfall in winter. Blizzard - a strong blowing snow, which occurs mainly in the plain, treeless terrain. Blizzard - a blizzard with a strong wind. A blizzard is a winter phenomenon in inanimate nature, when a strong wind raises a cloud of dry snow, and impairs visibility at low temperatures. Buran - a snowstorm in the steppe, in open places. Snowstorm is the transfer by the wind of previously and (or) falling snow. Glazed ice is the formation of a thin layer of ice on the surface of the earth as a result of cooling after a thaw or rain. Ice - the formation of an ice layer on the surface of the earth, trees, wires and other objects that form after freezing drops of rain, drizzle; Icicles - icing with a drain of liquid in the form of a cone pointed downwards. Frosty patterns are, in fact, hoarfrost that forms on the ground and on tree branches, on windows. Ledostavit - a natural phenomenon when a continuous ice cover is established on rivers, lakes and other bodies of water; Clouds - an accumulation of water droplets and ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere, visible in the sky with the naked eye. Ice, as a natural phenomenon, is the process of transition of water to a solid state. Frost is a phenomenon when the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius. Hoarfrost is a snow-white fluffy coating that grows on tree branches, wires in calm frosty weather, mainly in fog, appearing with the first sharp cooling. Thaw - warm weather in winter with melting snow and ice.

Winter hibernation of a bear is a period of slowing down of vital processes and metabolism in homeothermic animals during periods of inaccessibility of food. Hibernation of hedgehogs - due to lack of nutrition in the winter, hedgehogs hibernate. The change of hare color from gray to white is the mechanism by which hares adapt to a change in environment. Changing the color of a squirrel from red to bluish-gray is the mechanism by which proteins adapt to a change in environment. Bullfinches, tits arrive People dressed in winter clothes

Spring natural phenomena

Names of spring phenomena in inanimate nature

The names of spring phenomena in wildlife

Ice drift - the movement of ice along the stream during the melting of rivers. Snowmelt is a natural phenomenon when snow begins to melt. Thawed patches are a phenomenon of early spring, when there are areas thawed from snow, most often around trees. High water - annually repeating at the same time phase of the river’s water regime with a characteristic increase in water level. Thermal winds are the common name for winds associated with the temperature difference that occurs between a cold spring night and a relatively warm sunny day. The first thunderstorm is an atmospheric phenomenon when electrical discharges occur between the cloud and the earth's surface - lightning, which are accompanied by thunder. Snow melting Gurgling brooks Drops - falling from the roofs, from the trees of melting snow with drops, as well as these drops themselves.

Flowering of early flowering plants (bushes, trees, flowers) The appearance of insects Arrival of migratory birds Sap flow in plants - that is, the movement of water and minerals dissolved in it from the root system to the aboveground part. Budding The appearance of a flower from a bud Foliage Birdsong The birth of young animals Bears and hedgehogs wake up after hibernation Shedding in animals - change of winter coat to thorns

Summer natural phenomena

Summer natural phenomena in inanimate nature

Summer natural phenomena in wildlife

Thunderstorm is an atmospheric phenomenon when electric discharges occur between the cloud and the earth's surface - lightning, which are accompanied by thunder. Lightning is a gigantic electric spark discharge in the atmosphere that can usually occur during a thunderstorm, manifested by a bright flash of light and the accompanying thunder. Zarnitsa - instant flashes of light on the horizon with a distant thunderstorm. This phenomenon is observed, as a rule, in the dark. The thunderclap is not audible due to the range, but flashes of lightning are visible, the light of which is reflected from the cumulonimbus clouds (mainly their peaks). The phenomenon in the people was timed to the end of summer, the beginning of the harvest, and is sometimes called the bread-breeders. Thunder is a sound phenomenon in the atmosphere that accompanies a lightning bolt. Hail - a type of rainfall, consisting of pieces of ice. A rainbow is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena resulting from the refraction of sunlight in water droplets suspended in the air. Rainfall - heavy (heavy) rain. Heat is a state of the atmosphere characterized by hot air heated by the sun's rays. Dew - small drops of moisture settling on plants or soil when morning coolness sets in. Summer warm rains

Grass turns green Flowers bloom Mushrooms and berries grow in the forest.

Autumnal phenomena of nature

Autumn phenomena in inanimate nature

Autumn phenomena in wildlife

Wind is a stream of air moving parallel to the earth's surface. Fog is a cloud “descending” to the surface of the earth. Rain is a type of precipitation that falls from the clouds in the form of liquid droplets, the diameter of which varies from 0.5 to 5-7 mm. Slush is liquid mud formed from rain and wet snow in wet weather. Hoarfrost is a thin layer of ice that covers the surface of the earth and other objects located on it at sub-zero temperatures. Frost - mild frost in the range of 1 to 3 degrees Celsius. Autumn ice drift is the movement of ice on rivers and lakes under the influence of currents or winds at the beginning of freezing of water bodies.

Leaf fall is the process of falling leaves from trees. The flight of birds to the south

Unusual natural phenomena

What natural phenomena still exist? In addition to the seasonal natural phenomena described above, there are several that are not associated with any time of the year.

• High water  called a short-term sudden rise in water level in the river. This sharp rise can be the result of heavy rains, melting of a large amount of snow, discharge of an impressive amount of water from the reservoir, and the disappearance of glaciers.
• Northern Lights  - the glow of the upper atmospheric layers of planets with a magnetosphere due to their interaction with charged particles of the solar wind.
• Fireball  - a rare natural phenomenon that looks like a luminous and floating formation in the air.
• Mirage  - an optical phenomenon in the atmosphere: the refraction of light fluxes at the boundary between layers of air sharply different in density and temperature.
• « Shooting star"- an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when meteor bodies enter the Earth’s atmosphere
• Hurricane  - extremely fast and strong, often of great destructive force and considerable duration of air movement
• Tornado  - an upward vortex from an extremely rapidly rotating air in the form of a funnel of enormous destructive force, in which moisture, sand and other suspensions are present.
• Ebbs and flows  - These are changes in the water level of the sea elements and the oceans.
• Tsunami  - long and high waves generated by the powerful impact on the entire thickness of the water in the ocean or other body of water.
• Earthquake  - represent tremors and vibrations of the earth's surface. The most dangerous of them arise due to tectonic displacements and discontinuities in the earth's crust or the upper part of the Earth’s mantle
• Tornado  - an atmospheric vortex arising in a cumulonimbus (thunder) cloud and spreading down, often to the very surface of the earth, in the form of a cloudy sleeve or trunk tens and hundreds of meters in diameter
• Eruption  - the process of a volcano ejecting incandescent debris, ash on the earth's surface, the outpouring of magma, which, having poured out onto the surface, becomes lava.
• Floods  - flooding of the land with water, which is a natural disaster.

As children, we all wonder at the blue sky, white clouds and bright stars. With age, many pass this, and we cease to notice nature. Browse this list of unusual natural phenomena, for sure it will make you once again wonder at the complex organization of our world, and natural phenomena in particular.

20. Moonlight rainbow.

Lunar rainbow (also known as the night rainbow) is the rainbow generated by the moon. The lunar rainbow is comparatively paler than the ordinary. The lunar rainbow is best seen with the full moon, or at the moon phase close to full, because at that time the moon is the brightest. For the appearance of the moon rainbow, in addition to those caused by the waterfall, the moon should be low in the sky (less than 42 degrees and preferably lower) and the sky should be dark. And of course it should rain in front of the moon. A moon rainbow is a much rarer occurrence than a rainbow seen in daylight. The moon rainbow phenomenon is observed in only a few places in the world. Waterfalls in Cumberland (Cumberland Falls), near Williamsburg (Williamsburg), Kentucky (Kentucky), USA; Waimea, Hawaii; Zailiysky Alatau in the foothills of Almaty; Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe are widely known as places for frequent observations of moon rainbows. Yosemite National Park has a large number of waterfalls in the United States. As a result, lunar rainbows are also observed in the park, especially with spring rising water levels from melting snow. A lunar rainbow is also observed on the Yamal Peninsula in heavy fog. Probably, with sufficiently strong fog and fairly clear weather, the moon rainbow can be observed at any latitude.

19. Mirages

Despite its prevalence, mirages always cause an almost mystical feeling of surprise. Optical phenomenon in the atmosphere: reflection of light by the boundary between sharply different density layers of air. For the observer, such a reflection consists in the fact that together with a distant object (or part of the sky) you can see its imaginary image, shifted relative to the object. Mirages are divided into lower ones, visible under the object, upper ones, above the object, and side ones.

18. Halo

Typically, halo occur in high humidity or severe frost - before the halo was considered a phenomenon from above, and people expected something unusual. This is an optical phenomenon, a luminous ring around an object - a light source. A halo usually appears around the sun or moon, sometimes around other powerful light sources. There are many types of halo, but they are mainly caused by ice crystals in cirrus clouds at an altitude of 5-10 km in the upper layers of the troposphere. Sometimes in frosty weather, a halo is formed by crystals very close to the earth's surface. In this case, the crystals resemble shining gems.

17. Belt of Venus

An interesting optical phenomenon that occurs when the atmosphere is dusty is an unusual “belt” between the sky and the horizon. It looks like a strip of pink to orange between the dark night sky below and the blue sky above, appearing before sunrise or after sunset in parallel at a height of 10 ° -20 ° to the horizon in a place opposite the Sun. In the belt of Venus, the atmosphere scatters the light of the setting (or rising) Sun, which looks more red, so it turns pink, not blue.

  16. Pearl clouds

Extremely high clouds (about 10-12 km) that become visible when the sun sets.

15. Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis, also known as Aurora Borealis, is truly a spectacular sight. This natural phenomenon can most often be observed in late autumn, winter or early spring.

14. The Color Moon

If the atmosphere is dusty, high humidity, or for other reasons, the moon sometimes looks colored. The red moon is especially unusual.

13. Biconvex clouds

An extremely rare phenomenon that appears mainly in front of a hurricane. Opened only 30 years ago. Mammatus clouds are also called. clouds that are round and biconvex in the shape of a lens - they were sometimes confused with UFOs before.

12. The lights of St. Elmo.

A fairly common phenomenon caused by increased electric field strength before a thunderstorm, during a thunderstorm and immediately after. A discharge in the form of luminous beams or brushes (or a corona discharge) arising at the sharp ends of tall objects (towers, masts, lonely trees, sharp peaks of rocks, etc.) The sailors who observed the lights of St. Elm on the masts were the first witnesses to this phenomenon. and other vertical pointed objects.

11. Fiery whirlwinds

A fiery whirlwind is also known as a fiery devil or fiery tornado. This is a rare phenomenon in which fire under certain conditions, depending on temperature and air flows, acquires a vertical vorticity. Fiery vortices often appear when bushes burn. Vertically rotating columns can reach from 10 to 65 meters in height, but only the last few minutes of its existence. And with a certain wind, they can be even higher.

10. Mushroom clouds.

Mushroom clouds are mushroom-shaped clouds of smoke formed as a result of the combination of the smallest particles of water and earth, or as a result of a powerful explosion.

9. Light poles.

One of the most common types of halo, a visual phenomenon, is an optical effect that is a vertical streak of light stretching from the sun during its sunset or sunrise.

8. Diamond dust.

Frozen water droplets scattering the light of the sun.

7. Fish, frog and other rains.

One of the hypotheses explaining the appearance of such rains is a tornado, which sucks nearby water bodies and transfers their contents over long distances.

6. Virga.

Rain that evaporates before reaching the ground. It is observed in the form of a noticeable deposition band emerging from the cloud. In North America, it is commonly seen in the southern United States and Canadian prairies.

5. Bora.

Hurricane winds with many names. Strong (up to 40-60 m / s) cold wind in some coastal areas where low mountain ranges border the warm sea (for example, on the Adriatic coast of Croatia, on the Black Sea coast in the region of Novorossiysk). Sent down the slopes, usually observed in winter.

4. A fiery rainbow.

Occurs with the passage of sunshine through high clouds. Unlike an ordinary rainbow, which can be observed almost anywhere in the world, a "fiery rainbow" is visible only at certain latitudes. In Russia, the visibility belt passes through the extreme south.

3. Green ray.

An extremely rare optical phenomenon, a flash of green light at the moment the solar disk disappears beyond the horizon (usually sea) or when it appears beyond the horizon.

2. Ball lightning.

A rare natural phenomenon, a unified physical theory of the occurrence and course of which has not yet been presented. There are about 200 theories explaining the phenomenon, but none of them has received absolute recognition in the academic environment. It is widely believed that ball lightning is a phenomenon of electrical origin, of a natural nature, that is, a special kind of lightning that exists for a long time in the form of a ball, able to move along an unpredictable, sometimes very surprising trajectory for eyewitnesses.

In South America, the largest water lily in the world - the giant Amazonian Victoria - lives in the Amazon. The diameter of its leaves reaches two ...

The number of active volcanoes
Did you know that on the surface of the globe there are 522 active volcanoes, 68 of which are underwater. Separately, 322 volcanoes should be distinguished, which form the so-called Pacific ring. Interestingly, the most powerful link in this formidable ring is Kamchatka with its 28 and the Kuril Islands with 39 volcanoes.

1) Eternal storm from Venezuela

This is, without a doubt, an unusual natural occurrence. There is a place on Earth where a thunderstorm is a more frequent occurrence than sunlight. This place is where the Katatumbo River flows into Lake Marakibo. It is there, at an altitude of more than five kilometers, that thunderclouds constantly collide, and as a result we get a thunderstorm, lasting 150 days a year, 10 hours a day. Lightning in this place is a frequent visitor (280 lightnings per hour, this is not a toy for you).

Scientists believe that the "eternal storm" is the most powerful ozone generator on Earth. Perhaps, had it not been for the “eternal thunderstorm”, the whole planet would have been constantly exposed to the destructive effects of powerful ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of more than 34 nm.

It is also interesting that the “eternal storm” has long been a beacon for sailors.

2) Fish rain from Honduras

None of the inhabitants of this small country can be surprised by such a rare, seemingly, phenomenon as fish rain. This type of rain is quite common in the town of Ioro. All this happens when spring ends and summer begins. It is at this time that thunderstorms begin, lightnings sparkle, thunder booms ... After it all ends, the locals leave the houses and collect ... no, not mushrooms - fish, and live. Since 1998, in this town even held the Fish Rain Festival.

3.  Poison goats

Actually, these goats can also be called a unique natural phenomenon. This photo is not a photo montage, these are real goats from real Morocco. There, goats love to climb trees, eating the delicate greens of an argon tree. In addition to leaves, goats also eat nuts that they cannot digest.

Here are the locals and adapted to collect nuts, which mmm .., are excreted from the body of goats in a natural way. What for? Yes, to crush argon oil, which is a valuable component of various cosmetics.

Nowadays, this type of nuts simply disappears, because there are so many goats, and the locals began to extract wood at a very fast pace.

4. Red rain

In Kerala, one of the states of India, it rained red from July 25 to September 23, 2001. For two months, "bloody" rain dyed the white clothes of the Indians. Of course, there is no relationship with the blood here - it’s just that raindrops contained a lot of seaweed spores.

And at first there were even rumors that the red color was caused by the presence of some extraterrestrial cells in the raindrops. In general, scientists quickly clarified the situation. But, of course, the red rain still surprises many, many people - you can’t treat it like any ordinary rain, it looks very frightening.

5. The longest waves on Earth

In Brazil, twice a year, from February to March, the Atlantic Ocean seems to “oppress” the Amazon, and the waters of this river form the longest wave in the world. Waves of vice, as the locals call them, can roll for half an hour. You can hear the wave half an hour before it appears, and the sound is so powerful that trees often fall from it and local buildings collapse.

But surfers, not afraid of anything, expect this wave. Since 1999, the city of San Domingos has even hosted an annual championship dedicated to these long waves. By the way, the athlete Pikuruta Salazar set in 2003 an unbeaten record so far. He rolled on a wave of about 12.5 kilometers. It took him 37 minutes.

6. The Black Sun of Denmark

So the locals call the flocks of starlings, which flock from all over Europe to this country. The result is very bizarre figures, which the inhabitants of Denmark call the Black Sun. This phenomenon can be observed from about March to mid-April.

7. Fire Rainbow from Idaho

Amazingly beautiful natural phenomenon can be observed in Idaho, USA, when the sun rises high in the sky. The rays of the Sun in this case pass through high-altitude clouds, consisting of ice crystals in the form of hexagons. Sunlight is refracted in these crystals in a bizarre way, and as a result we see a “fiery rainbow”. This phenomenon is by no means local, it can extend several hundred square miles.

San Francisco Reviews

Northern Lights.

Aurora borealis is nothing but a collision in the upper atmosphere of the sun's rays with charged particles of the gases of the Earth's magnetic field.

Rainbow wall.

A rare atmospheric phenomenon, also known as the “fire rainbow”, occurs when the horizontal sunlight of the rising or setting sun refracts through horizontally located ice crystals of clouds. The result is a kind of wall painted in different colors of the rainbow. Photo taken in the sky of Washington in 2006.

Halo.

The sun's rays are reflected from ice crystals located at an angle of 22 ° relative to the Sun in high clouds. Different positions of ice crystals can cause halo modifications. On frosty days, the “diamond dust" effect may be observed, in which case the sun's rays are repeatedly reflected from ice crystals.

Inversion traces of aircraft.

Airplane exhausts and vortex flows at high altitudes turn ice particles into water. Long white streaks high in the sky are nothing more than droplets of water in suspension.

Twilight rays.

The sun's rays of the setting sun passing through the gaps in the clouds form clearly visible individual beams of sunlight. Very often such giving sunbeams can be seen in various science fiction films. This photo was taken in one of Utah's national parks.

Star trails.

A clear demonstration of the Earth’s rotation. This phenomenon is invisible to the ordinary eye. To get such a photo, you need to put the camera on a long shutter speed. In the picture, only the only North Star located almost above the axis of the Earth remains almost immovable.

White rainbow.

Photo taken at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The small size of air droplets of water makes it impossible to decompose sunlight into color spectra, so the rainbow is only white.

Buddha light.

This photo is made in China. The phenomenon is similar to "Brocken's ghost." The sun's rays are reflected from atmospheric droplets of water over the sea, a shadow in the middle of a rainbow circle of reflected rays is the shadow of an airplane.

Inverted rainbow.

Such an unusual rainbow also appears as a result of the refraction of sunlight through ice crystals located only in certain parts of the clouds.

Mirage.

A very common atmospheric phenomenon. It can be observed not only in the desert, but also on the road in the sultry heat. This phenomenon is formed as a result of the refraction of sunlight through a “lens” formed by layers of colder (near the surface of the earth) and warm (located above) air. This peculiar lens reflects objects located above the horizon, in this case the sky. Photo taken in Thuringia (Germany).

Iridescent clouds.

The rays of the setting sun at a right angle "stumble" on droplets of water clouds. As a result of diffraction (bending around water droplets by the sun's rays) and interference of the sun's rays (decomposition of the sun's rays into spectra), as in Photoshop, the shape of the cloud is filled with a gradient fill.

Trace of rocket exhaust.

Trace of a Minotaur rocket launched by the US Air Force in California. Air currents blowing at different altitudes at different speeds cause distortion of the rocket exhaust trace. Atmospheric droplets of water, melted ice crystals also cause the decomposition of sunlight into various colors of the rainbow.

The ghost of Brocken, Germany.

This phenomenon is observed on a foggy morning. A rainbow-colored solar disk appears opposite the sun, as a result of the reflection of sunlight from droplets of fog water. A curious triangular shadow tearing the rainbow disk of reflected sunlight is nothing more than a projection of the upper surface of the clouds.

Zodiacal light.

Zodiacal light very often disguises moonlight and artificial light of cities. On a quiet moonless night in nature, the likelihood that you will see the zodiacal light is quite high. This phenomenon is observed as a result of reflection of sunlight from particles of cosmic dust surrounding the Earth.

  Fog
Fog is a type of precipitation that consists of the visible mass of microscopic drops of water (or ice crystals) hanging in the atmosphere near the surface of the earth, and usually reduces horizontal visibility at the surface of the earth to no more than 1 km.

The diameter of the water droplets is only about 0.01 millimeters. Thick fog contains about 1200 visible drops per 1 cubic centimeter of empty space - barely enough water to moisten the surface of the object.

Historically, in the Atacama Desert (Chile), both dew and droplets of fog were collected through a pile of stones arranged so that condensate could drain into the inner main part of the pile of stones, where it was protected from daylight. The same method was used in Egypt, where the collected water was stored underground.

During a stop on the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands) on the way to America, Bartolome de la Casas became interested in the culture of the local Bimbacho tribe, which began to disappear already in the 16th century. Bimbacho worshiped the Garo tree (Ocotea foetens), which provided them with abundant fresh water. This “sacred tree” could absorb the water contained in the fog and drizzle, which allowed farming in an area with very low rainfall. Garo was destroyed in a hurricane in 1610. Surprisingly, his disappearance coincided with the disappearance of the bimbacho culture on the island of El Hierro.

Water for 350 residents on the coast of the village of Chungungo (in the north of Chile) had to be brought once or twice a week from a city located 40 km. Along the coast of Chile, a huge ridge of clouds (Kamanchak) constantly stretches, which rarely leads to rains, but creates fog on the slopes and peaks of the mountains that hold it back. A team of scientists has developed a method of using kanchak as a source of water: the moisture contained in the fog is held in by collectors similar to large volleyball nets. As fog passes through the nets, water droplets form on the nets. Water flows down the nets into the ditches that go into a 100,000-liter tank. On average, such fog holding devices provide the village with 10,000 liters of water per day.

Every morning, the Namibian beetle (Onymacris unguicularis) makes a difficult journey to the top of the sand dune, where it directs its body against the wind, straightens its hind legs and lowers its head. Droplets of fog coming from the sea, gradually gather on its back, and then flow into the bug's mouth. Thus, this beetle is always provided with a safe morning drink, being at a great distance from the nearest source of fresh water.

25-40% of the water in the coastal forests of red wood is the result of fog. Trees receive some of this water through their roots when water drips onto the ground with foggy leaves and branches.

About half of the 90,000 known highest plant varieties in Central and South America with the world's richest flora grow in the mountainous zone.

  Interesting facts about lightning

Lightning is an amazing and exciting natural phenomenon. At the same time, it is one of the most dangerous and unpredictable natural phenomena. But what do we really know about lightning? Scientists around the world collect facts about lightning, try to reproduce them in their laboratories, measure their power and temperature, but still are not able to determine the nature of lightning and predict its behavior. But still, let's look at interesting facts about lightning that are already known.

  Lightning Facts:

1. At this moment, about 1800 thunderstorms are raging in the world.
2. Each year, the Earth experiences an average of 25 million lightning strikes or more than hundreds of thousands of thunderstorms. This is more than 100 lightning strikes per second.
3. The average lightning strike lasts a quarter of a second.
4. You can hear thunder 20 kilometers from lightning.
5. A lightning bolt spreads at a speed of about 190,000 km / s.
6. The average length of a lightning discharge is 3-4 kilometers.
7. Some lightning passes through a twisted path in the air, which may not exceed the thickness of your finger in diameter, and the length of the lightning path will be 10-15 kilometers.
8. The temperature of a typical lightning can exceed 30,000 degrees Celsius - this is about 5 times higher than the surface temperature of the sun.
9. The energy contained in one lightning discharge can power a 100 watt light bulb for 90 days.
10. “Lightning never strikes the same spot twice.” Unfortunately, this is a myth. Lightning strikes often at the same place several times.
11. The ancient Greeks believed that when lightning strikes the sea, a new pearl appears.
12. Trees can sometimes take lightning strikes and, at the same time, not light up. This is because electricity passes through a wet surface right into the ground.

  Some more interesting facts about lightning:

1. When struck by lightning, sand turns into glass. After a thunderstorm, glass stripes can be found in the sand.
2. If your clothes are wet, then lightning will do you less harm.
3. During a 6-hour thunderstorm in the United States, 15,000 lightning flashed in the sky. There was a feeling that lightning burns constantly.
4. To the tallest building in the world - the CN Tower, lightning strikes about 78 times a year.
5. Lightning flashes can also be seen on Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus.
6. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that thunder and lightning is a product of the devil, and church bells scare away evil spirits. Therefore, during a thunderstorm, the monks constantly tried to ring the bells, and, accordingly, most often became victims of lightning.
7. The irrational fear of lightning is called keraunophobia. Fear of thunder - brontophobia ..
8. At the same time, there are from 100 to 1000 copies of ball lightning on Earth, but the chance that you will see at least one of them is 0.01%.

Deadly Lightning Facts

1. On average, about 550 people die from lightning strikes in Russia.
2. About a quarter of all people who became victims of lightning die.
3. Men die from lightning strikes about 6 times more often than women.
4. A telephone is one of the most common causes of lightning striking a person. Do not talk on the phone during a thunderstorm, even indoors.
5. After a lightning strike, branched stripes remain on the human body - signs of lightning. Disappear when pressed with a finger.

A hurricane is a very powerful type of cyclonic storm. The name "hurricane" is given to the storm systems that are developing in the Atlantic or the Eastern Pacific Ocean. These same types of extreme cyclonic storms also occur in other oceans of the world, but they are called differently. In the northwestern Pacific Ocean they are called typhoons, and in most of the rest of the world, they are called cyclones. They all have one thing in common - wind speed, which is usually more than 100 kilometers per hour at the epicenter. The energy of the storms circulates around him (this is called the "eye of the storm"). These types of storms develop in warm tropical oceans, receiving energy from the evaporation of sea water. Interestingly, hurricanes are weakening, moving towards land, as they draw energy from the ocean. When hurricane winds encounter friction on the surface of the earth, the storm loses its power and ferocity.
  Hurricanes are weather phenomena that have a seasonal tendency during warm weather. The Hurricane Season begins in June and lasts until the beginning of November, during the warmest weather in the tropical seas. Scientists and meteorologists use a special scale called the Saffir Simpson Herricane Intensity Scale to gauge the strength of the hurricane they are observing. This assessment may be useful for people living in areas threatened by an approaching hurricane and should help them prepare for the attack.

During a storm, waves exert pressure from 3 to 30 thousand kilograms per 1 square centimeter. Surf waves sometimes throw rock fragments weighing up to 13 tons to a height of 20 meters. For only the western coast of France, the energy of a single wave impact corresponds to a power of 75 million kilowatts. Scientists are thinking about how to subordinate this power to man. In France, it is planned to build a giant "tidal" hydroelectric power station with a dam 18 kilometers long. The capacity of this power plant is supposed to be brought up to 12 million kilowatts. Interestingly, as a result of the construction of the "tidal" hydroelectric power station, it is believed that the Earth will slow its rotation around its axis for one day in 2 thousand years.
  It is curious that at great depths in the ocean there are waves up to 100 meters high, however, these waves are invisible on the surface of the water.
  The highest tsunamis (the Japanese name for the huge sea waves that are satellites of coastal earthquakes or earthquakes somewhere in the open ocean) are observed in the Pacific Ocean basin. Their height reaches 30 meters. Tsunamis penetrate about a kilometer inland. They are invaded by the Japanese, Aleutian, Hawaiian, Philippine, Kuril Islands and partly Kamchatka.

Flood Facts and Figures

Floods, including flash floods, flooding of coastal stripes of rivers and seas, floods and floods associated with ice jams and mudflows, pose the most burdensome water-related natural risk for people, material resources, as well as for cultural and environmental resources.

Every year, worldwide floods cause damage to 520 million people. and their livelihoods, claiming about 25 thousand lives.

The annual damage caused to the global economy by floods and other water-related disasters ranges from 50 to 60 billion US dollars.

When a flood occurs in a less developed country, it can end in the deaths of thousands of people and an outbreak of epidemics, as well as safely destroy investments made over several decades in infrastructure and seriously harm economic prosperity.

Developing countries focused on agricultural development are heavily dependent on fertile floodplains to ensure food security and reduce poverty.

Wetlands in floodplains contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the creation of new jobs. It is estimated that there are currently one billion people, i.e. one sixth of the world's population, most of whom are among the poorest people, live in floodplain zones.

In Asia - on a continent more at risk of flooding - between 1987 and 1997, floods claimed an average of 22.8 thousand lives a year and damaged the economy of 136 billion Amer. Doll.

The floods that occurred in Europe in 2002 claimed the lives of 100 people. and caused damage of 20 billion. Doll.

Due to the changing frequency of severe floods due to urbanization, accompanied by population growth in flood-prone areas, deforestation, possible climate change and rising sea levels, an increase in the number of people vulnerable to devastating floods is expected throughout the world.

  Interesting Earthquake Facts

One of the interesting facts about an earthquake, on average, a major earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher would have occurred once a year. While more than a million small tremors shake the earth every year. Read on ...

One of the strong and destructive forces of nature is an earthquake. When there is a sudden release of energy within the Earth’s crust, seismic waves are created and this leads to an earthquake. The intensity of the earthquake was measured using the Richter scale, and it is recorded in the seismometer.

Interesting Earthquake Facts

Here are some interesting earthquake facts.

In 350 BC, Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, discovered that soft earth (ground) shakes more than hard (hard) and rocky earth (ground) when an earthquake occurs.

In America, European settlers experienced an earthquake in the mid-17th century. However, Spanish researchers made the earliest report of an earthquake in 1769. It happened 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

In 1556, January 23, an earthquake occurred in Shanxi, China, killing approximately 830,000 people. This earthquake is considered the deadliest in human history.

In 1751, primitive seismographs were first built; the cause of the earthquake was determined only in 1855.

Interesting earthquake statistics, there were 46 major earthquakes worldwide from 1900-1949. This is in a year the average, 1.08. However, between 1950 and 1999 an average of 1.64 earthquakes occurred throughout the world. These are 82 earthquakes reported worldwide. Another interesting statistic between 2000 and 2004, 10 major earthquakes were reported around the world with an average of 2.5 earthquakes per year. You must have understood the magnitude, and the frequency of the earthquake is increasing every year.

Many people believe that the lunar cycle affects earthquakes. However, this is not true because the moon never affects earthquakes.

Reports show that several million detectable earthquakes occur throughout the world. However, shaking only 20% of the earthquake could be felt. The reason (Reason) is tremors, are small or because earthquakes occur in remote areas.

On May 22, 1960, a magnitude 9.5 earthquake struck southern Chile. This is the largest earthquake ever recorded. It killed thousands, and approximately two million were left homeless. The intensity of this earthquake caused a tsunami in the shores of Japan, killing about 140 people.

An interesting fact about the earthquake is that southern California witnesses an average of 10,000 earthquakes in a year. However, most of these earthquakes are minor (minor) tremors that go unnoticed. Only 15 to 20 earthquakes are greater than magnitude 4.0.

Another interesting fact is a mistake, San Andreas is a series of errors known as a zone error and not a single error. The length of this fault zone is more than 800 miles and 10 miles deep. An earthquake could occur along one of these fault zones at any time.

The San Francisco Bay Area is susceptible to major earthquakes. The middle part of the Bridge across the bay collapsed in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Many motorists were killed because they were trapped between the beams.

It is true that animals can sense or detect earthquakes before this happens. However, animal behavior cannot be used as one of the methods to predict the occurrence of an earthquake. This is an unresolved mystery, and scientists are still racking their brains as to what animals would feel before an earthquake occurred.