List of natural phenomena

A natural phenomenon is an observable event which is not man-made. Examples include: sunrise, weather, fog, thunder, tornadoes; biological processes, decomposition, germination; physical processes, wave propagation, erosion; tidal flow, and natural disasters such as electromagnetic pulses, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.^[1]^[2]

Exposure to forces of nature^[vague] resulted in about 214,000 deaths in 2010, up from 31,000 in 1990.^[3]

Types

Types of natural phenomena include, but are not limited to, the following.

Biological

Decomposition: a decaying peach over a period of six days. Each frame is approximately 12 hours apart, as the fruit shrivels and becomes covered with mold.

Decomposition – the process by which organic substances are broken down into a much simpler form of matter.
Fermentation – a metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases and/or alcohol. It occurs in yeast and bacteria, but also in oxygen-starved muscle cells, as in the case of lactic acid fermentation.
Growth
Population explosion – overpopulation occurs when a population of a species exceeds the carrying capacity of its ecological niche.

Chemical

Geological

Geological phenomena include, landslides, volcanic activities such as geysers and earthquakes.

Meteorological

Meteorological phenomena include hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, thunder and lightning.

Lightning strikes during the eruption of the Galunggung volcano in 1982
A tornado on May 3, 1999 in central Oklahoma

Atmospheric optical phenomena

Nuclear

Elementary particle interactions
Supernova

Liquid hydrogen bubble chamber photograph of an anti-proton colliding with a proton

Oceanographic

Oceanographic phenomena include tsunamis, ocean currents and breaking waves.

References

^ Missy Allen; Michel Peissel (1993). Dangerous natural phenomena. Chelsea House. ISBN 079101794X.
^ William R. Corliss (1977). Handbook of unusual natural phenomena. Sourcebook Project. ISBN 0915554011.
^ Rafael Lozano; et al. (December 15, 2012). "Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010". Lancet. 380 (9859): 2095–128. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61728-0. PMID 23245604.

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[1] Missy Allen; Michel Peissel (1993). Dangerous natural phenomena. Chelsea House. ISBN 079101794X.

[2] William R. Corliss (1977). Handbook of unusual natural phenomena. Sourcebook Project. ISBN 0915554011.

[Loz2012-3] Rafael Lozano; et al. (December 15, 2012). "Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010". Lancet. 380 (9859): 2095–128. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61728-0. PMID 23245604.

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