# 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, hurricanes and earthquakes.

## History

Over many intervals of time, natural phenomena have been observed by a series of countless events as a feature created by nature.

## Physical phenomena

The act of:
* Freezing
* Boiling
* Gravity
* Magnetism

### Gallery

* Crystal in VCGS furnace
* Liquid hydrogen bubble chamber photograph of an anti-proton colliding with a proton
* Children notice an effect of static electricity

## Chemical phenomena

* Oxidation
** Fire
** Rusting

## Biological phenomena

* Metabolism
** Catabolism
** Anabolism
** Decomposition – by which organic substances are broken down into a much simpler form of matter
** Fermentation – converts sugar to acids, gases and/or alcohol.
* Growth
* Birth
* Death
* Population decrease

### Gallery

* 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.

## Astronomical phenomena

* Supernova
* Gamma ray bursts
* Quasars
* Blazars
* Pulsars
* Cosmic microwave background radiation
* Supernova

## Geological phenomena

* Mineralogic phenomena
* Lithologic phenomena
** Rock types
*** Igneous rock
**** Igneous formation processes
*** Sedimentary rock
**** Sedimentary formation processes (sedimentation)
**** Quicksand
*** Metamorphic rock
* Endogenic phenomena
** Plate tectonics
*** Continental drift
*** Earthquake
*** Oceanic trench
** Phenomena associated with igneous activity
*** Geysers and hot springs
*** Bradyseism
*** Volcanic eruption
** Earth's magnetic field
* Exogenic phenomena
** Slope phenomena
*** Slump
*** Landslide
** Weathering phenomena
*** Erosion
** Glacial and peri-glacial phenomena
*** Glaciation
*** Moraines
*** Hanging valleys
** Atmospheric phenomena
** Impact phenomena
*** Impact crater
* Coupled endogenic-exogenic phenomena
** Orogeny
** Drainage development
*** Stream capture

### Gallery

* Geology: parabola-shaped lava flow illustrates Galileo's law of falling bodies, as well as blackbody radiation. The temperature can be discerned from the color of the blackbody.

## Meteorological phenomena

Violent meteorological phenomena are called storms. Regular, cyclical phenomena include seasons and atmospheric circulation. climate change is often semi-regular.
* Lightning strikes during the eruption of the Galunggung volcano in 1982
* A tornado on May 3, 1999 in central Oklahoma

### Atmospheric optical phenomena

Atmospheric optical phenomena include:
* Afterglow
* Airglow
* Alexander's band, the dark region between the two bows of a double rainbow.
* Alpenglow
* Anthelion
* Anticrepuscular rays
* Aurora (northern and southern lights, aurora borealis and aurora australis)
* Belt of Venus
* Brocken Spectre
* Circumhorizontal arc
* Circumzenithal arc
* Cloud iridescence
* Crepuscular rays
* Earth's shadow
* Earthquake lights
* Glories
* Green flash
* Halos, of Sun or Moon, including sun dogs
* Haze
* Heiligenschein or halo effect, partly caused by the opposition effect
* Ice blink
* Light pillar
* Lightning
* Mirages (including Fata Morgana)
* Monochrome Rainbow
* Moon dog
* Moonbow
* Nacreous cloud/Polar stratospheric cloud
* Rainbow
* Sprite (lightning)
* Subsun
* Sun dog
* Tangent arc
* Tyndall effect
* Upper-atmospheric lightning, including red sprites, Blue jets, and ELVES
* Water sky

### Oceanographic

* Oceanographic phenomena include tsunamis, ocean currents and breaking waves.

#### Gallery

* Tsunami by Hokusai 19th century
* Source: "Physiography for High Schools" by Albert L. Arey, Frank L. Bryant, William W. Clendenin, and William T. Morrey. 1911, USA.
* Shoreline wave-breaking (surf); Human riding surfboard.