Times of turbulent weather are making us all too aware of the powers of nature. Sometimes we feel its force through natural disasters — but everyday the world is tested by nature’s might. The Earth is always changing. Sometimes the process is impossible to miss; when a volcano spews lava in an immense eruption, for instance.
But cold also tests life, and nowhere more so than the poles, where only the most polar-adapted creatures can make a living. Every year, the Earth receives enough rain-water to fill the Empire State Building half a million times! 90 % of natural disasters involve flooding. And then there’s heat; deserts cover a fifth of the Earth’s surface and temperatures can reach over 50 degrees C.
Natural forces have always shaped the planet, causing incredible devastation with their power, and yet creating new opportunities for life.