Jump to: navigation, search
Lightning strikes during the eruption of the Galunggung volcano in 1982.
File:Hopetoun falls.jpg
Bachalpsee in the Swiss Alps, generally mountainous areas are less affected by human activity.

Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material world or material universe. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. Manufactured objects and human interaction are not considered part of nature unless qualified in ways such as "human nature" or "the whole of nature". Nature is generally distinguished from the supernatural. It ranges in scale from the subatomic to the galactic.

The word nature is derived from the Latin word natura, or "the course of things, natural character."[1] Natura was a Latin translation of the Greek word physis (φύσις), which originally related to the intrinsic characteristics that plants, animals, and other features of the world develop of their own accord.[2] This is shown in the first written use of the word φύσις, in connection with a plant.[3] The concept of nature as a whole, the physical universe, is one of several expansions of the original notion; it began with certain core applications of the word φύσις by pre-Socratic philosophers, and has steadily gained currency ever since. This usage was confirmed during the advent of modern scientific method in the last several centuries.[4][5]



Newton's Principia Mathematica (1687) used "nature" as a synonym for the physical universe.

The word nature means the universe, with all its phenomena.[6] Natura was a Latin translation of the Greek word physis (φύσις), which originally related to the intrinsic characteristics that plants, animals, and other features of the world develop of their own accord.[7] The word φύσις occurs very early in Greek philosophy, generally in similar senses to those of the modern English word nature.[8] This is shown in the first written use of the word φύσις, in connection with a plant by Homer.[9] The concept of nature as a whole, the physical universe, is one of several expansions of the original notion. This usage was confirmed during the advent of modern scientific method. Isaac Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687), for example, is translated "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy". The etymology of the word "physical" shows its use as a synonym for "natural" in about the mid-15th century.[10]


View of the home planet, taken in 1972 by the Apollo 17 crew. This image is the only photograph of its kind to date, showing a fully sunlit hemisphere of the Earth.

Earth (or, "the earth") is the only planet known to support life, and as such, its natural features are the subject of many fields of scientific research. Within the solar system, it is third nearest to the sun; it is the largest terrestrial planet and the fifth largest overall. Its most prominent climatic features are its two large polar regions, two relatively narrow temperate zones, and a wide equatorial tropical to subtropical region.[11] Precipitation varies widely with location, from several metres of water per year to less than a millimetre. About 70 percent of the surface is covered by salt-water oceans. The remainder consists of continents and islands, with most of the inhabited land in the Northern Hemisphere.


The atmospheric conditions have been significantly altered from the original conditions by the presence of lifeforms,[12] which create an ecological balance that stabilizes the surface conditions. Despite the wide regional variations in climate by latitude and other geographic factors, the long-term average global climate is quite stable during interglacial periods,[13] and variations of a degree or two of average global temperature have historically had major effects on the ecological balance, and on the actual geography of the Earth.[14][15]

Historical perspective

Main article: History of Earth
Phylum Pediastrumboryanum. Plankton have existed on Earth for at least 2 billion years.[16]

Earth is estimated to have formed 4.55 billion years ago from the solar nebula, along with the Sun and other planets.[17] The moon formed roughly 20 million years later. Initially molten, the outer layer of the planet cooled, resulting in the solid crust. Outgassing and volcanic activity produced the primordial atmosphere. Condensing water vapor, augmented by ice delivered by comets, produced the oceans.[18] The highly energetic chemistry is believed to have produced a self-replicating molecule around 4 billion years ago.[19]




Since the Cambrian explosion there have been five distinctly identifiable mass extinctions.[24] The last mass extinction occurred some 65 million years ago, when a meteorite collision probably triggered the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs and other large reptiles, but spared small animals such as mammals, which then resembled shrews. Over the past 65 million years, mammalian life diversified.[25]

Several million years ago, a species of small African ape gained the ability to stand upright.[26] The subsequent advent of human life, and the development of agriculture and further civilization allowed humans to affect the Earth more rapidly than any previous life form, affecting both the nature and quantity of other organisms as well as global climate. By comparison, the Oxygen Catastrophe, produced by the proliferation of algae during the Siderian period, required about 300 million years to culminate.)

The present era is classified as part of a mass extinction event, the Holocene extinction event, the fastest ever to have occurred.[27][28] Some, such as E. O. Wilson of Harvard University, predict that human destruction of the biosphere could cause the extinction of one-half of all species in the next 100 years.[29] The extent of the current extinction event is still being researched, debated and calculated by biologists.[30]

Atmosphere, climate and weather

Main articles: Earth's atmosphere, climate, and weather








File:Female mallard nest - natures pics edit2.jpg
Female mallard and ducklings - reproduction is essential for continuing life
Main articles: Life and Biosphere

Although there is no universal agreement on the definition of life, scientists generally accept that the biological manifestation of life is characterized by organization, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli and reproduction.[34] Life may also be said to be simply the characteristic state of organisms.



Over nine-tenths of the total biomass on Earth is plant life, on which animal life depends very heavily for its existence.[36] More than 2 million species of plant and animal life have been identified to date,[37] and estimates of the actual number of existing species range from several million to well over 50 million.[38][39][40] The number of individual species of life is constantly in some degree of flux, with new species appearing and others ceasing to exist on a continual basis.[41][42] The total number of species is presently in rapid decline.[43][44][45]


Main article: Evolution

Life, as we understand it, is currently only known to exist on the planet Earth. The origin of life is still a poorly understood process, but it is thought to have occurred about 3.9 to 3.5 billion years ago during the hadean or archean eons on a primordial earth that had a substantially different environment than is found at present.[46] These life forms possessed the basic traits of self-replication and inheritable traits. Once life had appeared, the process of evolution by natural selection resulted in the formation of ever-more diverse life forms.




Main article: Microbe

The first form of life to develop on the Earth were microbes, and they remained the only form of life on the planet until about a billion years ago when multi-cellular organisms began to appear.[48] Microorganisms are single-celled organisms that are generally smaller than the human eye can see. They include Bacteria, Fungi, Archaea and Protista.

These life forms are found in almost every location on the Earth where there is liquid water, including the interior of rocks within the planet.[49] Their reproduction is both rapid and profuse. The combination of a high mutation rate and a horizontal gene transfer[50] ability makes them highly adaptable, and able to survive in new environments, including outer space.[51] They form an essential part of the planetary ecosystem. However some microorganisms are pathogenic and can post health risk to other organisms.

Plants and animals

File:Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania.jpg
A confluence of "natural" and a "made" environment.








See also: plants, botany, fauna, animal, and biology


File:View of loch lomond.JPG
Loch Lomond in Scotland forms a relatively isolated ecosystem. The fish community of this lake has remained unchanged over a very long period.[54]
Main articles: Ecology and Ecosystem

All forms of life interact with the environment in which they exist, and also with other life forms. In the 20th century this premise gave rise to the concept of ecosystems, which can be defined as any situation where there is interaction between organisms and their environment.

Ecosystems are composed of a variety of abiotic and biotic components that function in an interrelated way.[55] The structure and composition is determined by various environmental factors that are interrelated. Variations of these factors will initiate dynamic modifications to the ecosystem. Some of the more important components are: soil, atmosphere, radiation from the sun, water, and living organisms.

Each living organism has a continual relationship with every other element that makes up its environment. Within the ecosystem, species are connected and dependent upon one another in the food chain, and exchange energy and matter between themselves as well as with their environment.[56]</blockquote>

File:Chicago Downtown Aerial View.jpg

Every species has limits of tolerance to factors that affect its survival, reproductive success and ability to continue to thrive and interact sustainably with the rest of its environment, which in turn may have effects on these factors for many other species or even on the whole of life.[57] The concept of an ecosystem is thus an important subject of study, as such study provides information needed to make decisions about how human life may interact in a way that allows the various ecosystems to be sustained for future use rather than used up or otherwise rendered ineffective. For the purpose of such study, a unit of smaller size is called a microecosystem. For example, an ecosystem can be a stone and all the life under it. A macroecosystem might involve a whole ecoregion, with its drainage basin.[58]

The following ecosystems are examples of the kinds currently under intensive study:

Another classification can be made by reference to its communities, such as in the case of a human ecosystem. Regional groupings of distinctive plant and animals best adapted to the region's physical natural environment, latitude, altitude, and terrain are known as biomes. The broadest classification, today under wide study and analysis, and also subject to widespread arguments about its nature and validity, is that of the entire sum of life seen as analogous to a self-sustaining organism; a theory studied as earth system science (less formally known as Gaia theory).[59][60]

Human interrelationship

File:Na Pali Coast - Kauai.jpg
Despite their apparent natural beauty, the secluded valleys along the Na Pali Coast in Hawaii are heavily modified by introduced invasive species such as She-oak.

Although humans currently comprise only about one-half of one percent of the total living biomass on Earth,[61] the human effect on nature is disproportionately large (thus generating the appearance of such terms as man-nature continuum, humanized nature or human environment). Because of the extent of human influence, the boundaries between what we regard as nature and "made environments" is not clear cut except at the extremes. Even at the extremes, the amount of natural environment that is free of discernible human influence is presently diminishing at an increasingly rapid pace, or, according to some, has already disappeared.

The development of technology by the human race has allowed the greater exploitation of natural resources and has helped to alleviate some of the risk from natural hazards. In spite of this progress, however, the fate of human civilization remains closely linked to changes in the environment. There exists a highly complex feedback-loop between the use of advanced technology and changes to the environment that are only slowly becoming understood.[62] Manmade threats to the Earth's natural environment include pollution, deforestation, and disasters such as oil spills. Humans have contributed to the extinction of many plants and animals.


Although early humans gathered uncultivated plant materials for food and employed the medicinal properties of vegetation for healing,[63] most modern human use of plants is through agriculture. The clearance of large tracts of land for crop growth has led to a significant reduction in the amount available of forestation and wetlands, resulting in the loss of habitat for many plant and animal species as well as increased erosion.[64]


Main articles: Wilderness and Natural environment

Wilderness is generally defined as a natural environment on Earth that has not been directly modified by human activity. Ecologists consider wilderness areas to be an integral part of the planet's self-sustaining natural ecosystem (the biosphere).


Beauty in nature

Salmon fry hatching. The root of the Latin "natura" {"nature") is "natus," from "nasci" ("to be born").[66]
File:Xsxlt fankuan.jpg
Painting by Song Dynasty artist Fan Kuan (c. 970–1020).

Beauty in nature has long been a common theme in life and in art, and books emphasizing beauty in nature fill large sections of libraries and bookstores. That nature has been depicted and celebrated by so much art, photography, poetry and other literature shows the strength with which many people associate nature and beauty. Why this association exists, and what the association consists of, is studied by the branch of philosophy called aesthetics. Beyond certain basic characteristics that many philosophers agree about to explain what is seen as beautiful, the opinions are virtually endless.[67]



Many scientists, who study nature in more specific and organized ways, also share the conviction that nature is beautiful; the French mathematician, Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912) said:


Matter and energy

Main articles: Matter and Energy




See also: Chemistry and Physics

Nature beyond Earth

File:NGC 4414 (NASA-med).jpg
File:Hubble ultra deep field.jpg
Main articles: Outer space and Universe




Conditions on the other terrestrial planets, Mercury and Venus, appears to be too harsh to support life as we know it. But it has been conjectured that Europa, the fourth-largest moon of Jupiter, may possess a sub-surface ocean of liquid water and could potentially host life.[76]

Recently, the team of Stéphane Udry have discovered a new planet named Gliese 581 c, which is an extrasolar planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581. Gliese 581 c appears to lay in the habitable zone of space surrounding the star, and therefore could possibly host life as we know it.

See also: Extraterrestrial life

See also





Notes and references

  1. Harper, Douglas. Nature. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  5. The etymology of the word "physical" shows its use as a synonym for "natural" in about the mid-15th century: Harper, Douglas. Physical. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on September 20, 2006.
  6. Harper, Douglas, Nature, <>. Retrieved on 2006-09-23
  7. Naddaf, Gerard (2006-02-09), The Greek Concept of Nature (New ed.), New York: State University of New York Press, ISBN 0791463745
  8. Guthrie, W.K.C. (1965-01-02), Presocratic Tradition from Parmenides to Democritus, vol. 2, History of Greek Philosophy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521051606
  9. Homer (1995-02-20). "10.302-3", in A.T. Murray: Odyssey, 2nd rev (in Homeric Greek), LOEB. ISBN 0674995619. “ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας πόρε φάρμακον ἀργεϊφόντης ἐκ γαίης ἐρύσας, καί μοι φύσιν αὐτοῦ ἔδειξε. (Argeiphontes [=Hermes] gave me the herb, drawing it from the ground, and showed me its nature.)” 
  10. Harper, Douglas, Physical, <>. Retrieved on 2006-09-20
  11. World Climates. Blue Planet Biomes. Retrieved on 2006-09-21.
  12. Calculations favor reducing atmopshere for early Earth. Science Daily (2005-09-11). Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
  13. Past Climate Change. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  14. Hugh Anderson, Bernard Walter (March, 28 1997). History of Climate Change. NASA. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  15. Weart, Spencer (June, 2006). The Discovery of Global Warming. American Institute of Physics. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  18. Morbidelli, A.; et al. (2000). "Source Regions and Time Scales for the Delivery of Water to Earth". Meteoritics & Planetary Science 35 (6): pp. 1309-1320.
  19. "Earth's Oldest Mineral Grains Suggest an Early Start for Life", NASA Astrobilogy Institute, 2001-12-24. Retrieved on 2006-05-24. 
  21. Colebrook, Michael. Chronology of Earth History. Cosmology and The Universe Story. Retrieved on September 21, 2006.
  23. Kirschvink, J.L. (1992). "Late Proterozoic Low-Latitude Global Glaciation: The Snowball Earth", in J.W. Schopf, C. Klein eds.: The Proterozoic Biosphere. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 51-52. ISBN 0-521-36615-1. 
  25. Margulis, Lynn; Dorian Sagan (1995). What is Life?. New York: Simon & Schuster, p. 145. ISBN 0-684-81326-2. 
  27. Diamond J (1989). "The present, past and future of human-caused extinctions". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 325 (1228): 469-76; discussion 476-7. doi:10.1098/rstb.1989.0100. PMID 2574887.
  28. Novacek M, Cleland E (2001). "The current biodiversity extinction event: scenarios for mitigation and recovery". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98 (10): 1029. doi:10.1073/pnas.091093698. PMID 11344295.
  30. See, e.g. [1], [2], [3]
  31. Ideal Gases under Constant Volume, Constant Pressure, Constant Temperature, & Adiabatic Conditions. NASA. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  32. Pelletier, Jon D. (2002). "Natural variability of atmospheric temperatures and geomagnetic intensity over a wide range of time scales". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99: 2546-2553. doi:10.1073/pnas.022582599. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  33. "Tropical Ocean Warming Drives Recent Northern Hemisphere Climate Change", Science Daily, April 6, 2001. Retrieved on 2006-05-24. 
  34. Definition of Life. California Academy of Sciences (2006). Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  36. Sengbusch, Peter V.. The Flow of Energy in Ecosystems - Productivity, Food Chain, and Trophic Level. Botany online. University of Hamburg Department of Biology. Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  37. Pidwirny, Michael (2006). Introduction to the Biosphere: Species Diversity and Biodiversity. Fundamentals of Physical Geography (2nd Edition). Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  38. How Many Species are There?. Extinction Web Page Class Notes. Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  39. "Animal." World Book Encyclopedia. 16 vols. Chicago: World Book, 2003. This source gives an estimate of from 2-50 million.
  40. Just How Many Species Are There, Anyway?. Science Daily (May 2003). Retrieved on September 26, 2006.
  41. Withers, Mark A.; et al. (1998). Changing Patterns in the Number of Species in North American Floras. Land Use History of North America. Retrieved on September 26, 2006. Website based on the contents of the book: (1998) in Sisk, T.D., ed.: Perspectives on the land use history of North America: a context for understanding our changing environment, Revised September 1999, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division. USGS/BRD/BSR-1998-0003. 
  42. Tropical Scientists Find Fewer Species Than Expected. Science Daily (April 2002). Retrieved on September 27, 2006.
  43. Bunker, Daniel E.; et al. (November 2005). "Species Loss and Aboveground Carbon Storage in a Tropical Forest". Science 310 (5750): pp. 1029-31. doi:10.1126/science.1117682.
  45. (2002) "Decline and loss of species", in Clarke, Robin, Robert Lamb, Dilys Roe Ward eds.: Global environment outlook 3 : past, present and future perspectives. London; Sterling, VA: Nairobi, Kenya : UNEP. ISBN 92-807-2087-2. 
  46. 46.0 46.1 Line M (2002). "The enigma of the origin of life and its timing". Microbiology 148 (Pt 1): 21-7. PMID 11782495.
  47. Berkner, L. V.; L. C. Marshall (May 1965). "On the Origin and Rise of Oxygen Concentration in the Earth's Atmosphere". Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences 22 (3): pp. 225–261.
  48. Schopf J (1994). "Disparate rates, differing fates: tempo and mode of evolution changed from the Precambrian to the Phanerozoic." (PDF). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 91 (15): S14. doi:10.1073/pnas.91.15.6735. PMID 8041691.
  49. Szewzyk U, Szewzyk R, Stenström T (1994). "Thermophilic, anaerobic bacteria isolated from a deep borehole in granite in Sweden.". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 91 (5): 1810-3. doi:10.1073/pnas.91.5.1810. PMID 11607462.
  52. flora. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on September 27, 2006.
  53. (1998) "Glossary", Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources. Reston, VA: Department of the Interior, Geological Survey. SuDocs No. I 19.202:ST 1/V.1-2. 
  55. Pidwirny, Michael (2006). Introduction to the Biosphere: Introduction to the Ecosystem Concept. Fundamentals of Physical Geography (2nd Edition). Retrieved on September 28, 2006.
  56. Pidwirny, Michael (2006). Introduction to the Biosphere: Organization of Life. Fundamentals of Physical Geography (2nd Edition). Retrieved on September 28, 2006.
  57. Pidwirny, Michael (2006). Introduction to the Biosphere: Abiotic Factors and the Distribution of Species. Fundamentals of Physical Geography (2nd Edition). Retrieved on September 28, 2006. esp. section on "Abiotic Factors and Tolerance Limits."
  58. Bailey, Robert G. (April 2004). "Identifying Ecoregion Boundaries". Environmental Management 34 (Supplement 1). doi:10.1007/s00267-003-0163-6.
  59. Lawton, John (2001). "Earth System Science". Science 292 (5524): 1965. doi:10.1126/science.292.5524.1965.
  60. Harding, Stephan (2006). Earth System Science and Gaian Science. Schumacher College. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  61. For an example of a range of opinions, see: On the Beauty of Nature. The Wilderness Society. Retrieved on September 29, 2006. and Ralph Waldo Emerson's analysis of the subject: Emerson, Ralph Waldo (1849). "Beauty", Nature; Addresses and Lectures. 
  62. "Feedback Loops In Global Climate Change Point To A Very Hot 21st Century", Science Daily, May 22, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-07. 
  63. Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Groups Green Medicine (English). US National Park Services. Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  64. Oosthoek, Jan (1999). Environmental History: Between Science & Philosophy. Environmental History Resources. Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
  65. "Wilderness", in The Collins English Dictionary (2000)
  66. Harper, Douglas. Nature. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on September 29, 2006.
  68. Chinese brush painting Accessed: May 20, 2006.
  69. History of Conservation BC Spaces for Nature. Accessed: May 20, 2006.
  70. Poincaré, Jules Henri (1913). The foundations of science; Science and hypothesis, The value of science, Science and method. New York: The Science Press, pp. 366-7. OCLC 2569829. 
  71. Some Theories Win, Some Lose. WMAP Mission: First Year Results. NASA. Retrieved on 29, 2006.
  72. Taylor, Barry N. (1971). Introduction to the constants for nonexperts. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  75. Malik, Tariq (2005-03-08). Hunt for Mars life should go underground (English). The Brown University News Bureau. Retrieved on September 4, 2006.
  76. Scott Turner (1998-03-02). Detailed Images From Europa Point To Slush Below Surface (English). The Brown University News Bureau. Retrieved on September 28, 2006.

External links

Template:Nature nav


ar:طبيعة ast:Natura bn:প্রকৃতি zh-min-nan:Chū-jiân be-x-old:Прырода bs:Priroda br:Endro bg:Природа ca:Natura cv:Çутçанталăк cs:Příroda cy:Natur da:Natur de:Natur et:Loodus el:Φύσηeo:Naturo eu:Natura fa:طبیعتgl:Natureza ko:자연 hy:Բնություն hr:Priroda io:Naturo id:Alam ia:Natura os:Æрдз it:Natura he:טבע kn:ನಿಸರ್ಗ ka:ბუნება la:Natura lv:Daba lt:Gamta mk:Природа mr:निसर्ग ms:Alam semula jadi mn:Байгаль nl:Natuur (kosmos)no:Natur nn:Naturqu:Sallqa pachasq:Natyra scn:Natura (cumplessu naturali) simple:Nature sk:Príroda sl:Narava sr:Природа su:Alam fi:Luonto sv:Natur th:ธรรมชาติtg:Табиатuk:Природа ur:فطرت yi:נאטור