"News reports from around the world offer detailed descriptions of wildfires, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and more. While these kinds of events might seem horrifically random, scientists can explain quite a lot about why they happen, how they develop, how we can try to prevent them, and how we can predict where and when they'll happen next. The Science of Natural Disasters: When Nature and Humans Collide examines the science behind earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires."--Provided by publisher.

No one can outrun Mother Nature, but science is trying to fight the worst of Earth’s natural disasters as they happen. Readers explore the science behind combating the worst weather on Earth, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and even earthquakes. Readers will discover what science is doing to help keep humanity safe—a ‘Winning or Losing?’ feature updates readers on the latest in man’s struggle with Mother Nature, while ‘Breaking Through’ chronicles the cutting edge science that gives our smartest scholars the tools necessary for victory.

An earthquake shatters Haiti and a hurricane slices through Texas. We hear that nature runs rampant, seeking to destroy us through these 'natural disasters'. Science recounts a different story, however: disasters are not the consequence of natural causes; they are the consequence of human choices and decisions. we put ourselves in harm's way; we fail to take measures which we know would prevent disasters, no matter what the environment does. This can be both hard to accept, and hard to unravel. A complex of factors shape disasters. They arise from the political processes dictating where and what we build, and from social circumstances which create and perpetuate poverty and discrimination. They develop from the social preference to blame nature for the damage wrought, when in fact events such as earthquakes and storms are entirely commonplace environmental processes We feel the need to fight natural forces, to reclaim what we assume is ours, and to protect ourselves from what we perceive to be wrath from outside our communities. This attitude distracts us from the real causes of disasters: humanity's decisions, as societies and as individuals. It stops us accepting the real solutions to disasters: making better decisions. This book explores stories of some of our worst disasters to show how we can and should act to stop people dying when nature unleashes its energies. The disaster is not the tornado, the volcanic eruption, or climate change, but the deaths and injuries, the loss of irreplaceable property, and the lack and even denial of support to affected people, so that a short-term interruption becomes a long-term recovery nightmare. But we can combat this, as Kelman shows, describing inspiring examples of effective human action that limits damage, such as managing flooding in Toronto and villages in Bangladesh, or wildfire in Colorado. Throughout, his message is clear: there is no such thing as a natural disaster. The disaster lies in our inability to deal with the environment and with ourselves.

Our planet experiences many different kinds of weather, and sometimes it can be extreme. This book looks at all sorts of weather, including devastating natural disasters such as hurricanes, droughts, and blizzards. Readers will learn about the positive and negative effects of weather and how to stay safe during a natural disaster. This book was designed to support the elementary earth science curricula and STEM topics are covered throughout. Rich, accessible text and full-color photographs of these incredible weather events will keep readers on the edge of their seat.

Integrated Disaster Science and Management: Global Case Studies in Mitigation and Recovery bridges the gap between scientific research on natural disasters and the practice of disaster management. It examines natural hazards, including earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis, and uses integrated disaster management techniques, quantitative methods and big data analytics to create early warning models to mitigate impacts of these hazards and reduce the risk of disaster. It also looks at mitigation as part of the recovery process after a disaster, as in the case of the Nepal earthquake. Edited by global experts in disaster management and engineering, the book offers case studies that focus on the critical phases of disaster management. - Identifies advanced techniques and models based on natural disaster science for forecasting disasters and analyzing risk - Offers a holistic approach to the problem of disaster management, including preparation, recovery, and resilience - Includes coverage of social, economic, and environmental impacts on disasters

No one can outrun Mother Nature, but science is trying to fight the worst of Earth’s natural disasters as they happen. Readers explore the science behind combating the worst weather on Earth, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and even earthquakes. Readers will discover what science is doing to help keep humanity safe—a ‘Winning or Losing?’ feature updates readers on the latest in man’s struggle with Mother Nature, while ‘Breaking Through’ chronicles the cutting edge science that gives our smartest scholars the tools necessary for victory.

When natural disasters happen they grab headlines around the world. People, creatures, and the environment are all impacted when nature gets out of control. Natural disasters can be upsetting to live through, but scientists today better understand their causes and how we can protect ourselves and others. Natural Disasters: Investigate Earth’s Most Destructive Forces with 25 Projects teaches readers about some of the natural disasters throughout history, what caused them, their impact on civilizations, and how people today cope with natural disasters. Readers of this book will make their own shake tables, create a cake batter lava flow, invent a wind tunnel, and experiment with avalanches. These hands-on activities engage readers and add depth to the text while ensuring that the learning is made lasting and fun.