What Does Natural phenomena Mean
We explain what natural phenomena are, their causes, classification and examples. Also, what are natural disasters.
What are natural phenomena?
A natural phenomenon is an event of change that occurs in nature , in whose origin the human being has little or nothing to do with it. This can range from a recurring, everyday event to a fortuitous, surprising or catastrophic one. In the latter case, the term natural disaster can also be used .
Natural phenomena are due to laws, elements and processes that govern the natural world, independent of the human being . However, the latter affects them through their manipulation and adulteration of the environment ( contamination ).
For this reason, in a certain way the line between completely natural phenomena and phenomena in which the human being has part of the responsibility is not always easy to draw. Furthermore, natural phenomena can have positive or negative impacts on human life .
See also: Environmental issues
Classification of natural phenomena
Generally, natural phenomena are classified according to the specific field of nature in which they occur, as follows:
- Astronomical phenomena. Those occurring in the outer space of the planet , as the rains of stars and eclipses (either eclipses solar or lunar eclipses ).
- Atmospheric phenomena . Those that take place in the gas layerthat covers the planet's surface, either in the layers closest to it (such as the wind) or in the upper layers (such as the ozone layer ).
- Geological phenomena. Those that have to do with the movement of tectonic plates , volcanic activity and other internal processes on the planet's surface. An example of this are earthquakes .
- Hydrological phenomena. Those that relate to water in its different places, facets and routes, from simple rain to ocean tides .
- Biological phenomena. Also called ecological, they are those that concern other species of living beings , excluding human beings, be they animals , plants or other types. Extinctions, migrations , are possible examples of this.
Examples of natural phenomena
Examples of natural phenomena abound. Rain, winds, seasons, flowering plants , stormy seasons, ocean tides or meteorites are perfect examples of natural phenomena that occur daily on our planet and that often go unnoticed.
In other cases, however, they tend to arouse our interest or our fascination, as in the case of the northern lights , or the mating migrations of penguins.
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Natural disasters
Natural disasters, as we said before, are dramatic natural phenomena that have a violent and negative impact on human life , and can cause human and material losses. Some are more predictable than others and some are easier to resist, but in general they can be very varied in nature.
Some examples of natural disasters are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions , hurricanes, tropical storms, floods or droughts, and meteorite impacts , such as the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs millions of years ago.
On video: The most incredible natural disasters