It's Raining Frogs and Fishes: Four Seasons of Natural Phenomena and Oddities of the SkyHow many of us have an answer ready when our children ask that tough and inevitable question: "Why is the sky blue?" It's Raining Frogs and Fishes is a generously illustrated inquiry into dozens of the natural world's most interesting and baffling phenomena: Where do meteors and comets originate? What causes rainbows, mirages, and the colors of the sunset? Why does it rain from some clouds and not from others? Is it true that no two snowflakes are alike? What are the mechanics of such spectacular events as blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms? Why do some birds migrate, and how do they navigate over hundreds - sometimes thousands - of miles to do it? How have civilizations throughout history dealt with such powerful and seemingly inexplicable occurrences as the aurora borealis, windstorms, eclipses, and the bizarre but well-documented cases of fish, reptiles, snails, and even snakes that have rained to earth? Author Jerry Dennis and illustrator Glenn Wolff approach such troublesome questions with curiosity and wonder, and suggest ways to observe firsthand extraordinary weather, astronomical anomalies, and odd and interesting wildlife of the skies. Each subject is arranged by season and discussed in a concise, lively, and entertaining essay that blends the most recent scientific findings with historical anecdotes, personal observations, and examples of the lore and superstitions that have always surrounded phenomena of the natural world. |
Contents
BLOW WINDS | 7 |
THE SPHERE OF | 17 |
ITS RAINING ITS POURING | 27 |
Copyright | |
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It's Raining Frogs and Fishes: Four Seasons of Natural Phenomena and ... Jerry Dennis Limited preview - 2013 |
It's Raining Frogs and Fishes: Four Seasons of Natural Phenomena and ... Jerry Dennis No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
altitude Antarctica appear atmosphere birds blizzard blue body butterflies caused century Chinook winds clouds cold air colors comet condensation cool create dark degrees Fahrenheit dragonflies drift drop droplets early earth eclipse Edmond Halley Fahrenheit fall feed feet fireflies fish flying freezing frogs frost full moon gases gliding ground hailstones heat horizon HORSE LATITUDES ice crystals inches insects known land layer light living locusts lunar male mating mayflies mesocyclone meteorites meteoroids meteorologists meteors migration miles per hour minutes moon moths mountains night northern occur ocean orbit particles passed percent planet rain rainbow raindrops reach regions rising scientists season snow snowy tree cricket solar solar eclipse solstice sometimes species spring stars storm struck summer sunlight sunset surface tail temperatures thunder thunderstorm tiny tornado trees tropical tropical cyclones usually visible warm air watch water vapor waterspouts weather wind wings winter