Introduction Urbanization is one of the most powerful and transformative processes shaping the Earth’s surface today. While cities are engines of economic growth and human development, they also profoundly alter the natural environment. Among the most significant and widely studied environmental impacts of urbanization is the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon—a condition where urban areas…
Introduction In the field of meteorology, understanding the vertical distribution of temperature in the atmosphere is essential to explain various weather phenomena. Normally, as altitude increases, air temperature decreases—a process known as the normal lapse rate, averaging around 6.5°C per 1000 meters. However, under certain conditions, this pattern reverses, and the temperature increases with height…
Introduction Deserts are among the most striking and unique landscapes on Earth. They represent regions of extreme aridity, where annual rainfall is minimal, and evaporation exceeds precipitation by a large margin. Interestingly, a striking pattern emerges when one observes the global distribution of deserts — most of the major hot deserts in the world are…
Introduction The theory of continental drift is one of the most significant scientific hypotheses in the field of geology and physical geography, explaining the past movements of the Earth’s landmasses and the formation of continents as we see them today. Proposed in the early 20th century, the theory revolutionized our understanding of Earth’s dynamic surface,…
Introduction The global energy scenario is undergoing a profound transformation. With the ever-growing scarcity of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, and the environmental challenges associated with their use, nations are seeking alternative and sustainable sources of energy. Among these, atomic energy — also called nuclear energy — has emerged as a vital…
Association Between Global Distribution of Fold Mountains, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes Introduction The surface of the Earth is shaped by a dynamic system of forces operating deep within its interior and acting upon its crust. Among the most striking landforms created by these forces are fold mountains, which rise dramatically along the margins of continents. These…
Introduction The Indonesian and Philippine archipelagos are among the most remarkable island groups in the world. Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelagic state, consists of more than 17,000 islands, while the Philippines comprises over 7,600 islands. These islands are not only geographically significant but also hold immense ecological, cultural, and economic value. The origin of these…
Introduction The world is presently facing an unprecedented resource crisis. Rising population, expanding industrialization, and unsustainable consumption have placed tremendous pressure on terrestrial resources such as land, forests, freshwater, and minerals. Against this backdrop, the oceans, which cover nearly 71% of the Earth’s surface, are emerging as a vast frontier of untapped resources. They offer…
Introduction Tropical cyclones are among the most powerful meteorological phenomena on Earth. Known by different names in different regions—hurricanes in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, typhoons in the western Pacific and South China Sea, and cyclones in the Indian Ocean—they are characterized by intense low-pressure systems with spiraling winds, heavy rainfall, and destructive storm…
Introduction Climate variability is one of the most pressing concerns in contemporary meteorology and environmental science. Unusual weather events such as prolonged droughts, floods, cyclones, heatwaves, and cold spells often disrupt ecosystems, agriculture, and human livelihoods. Among the various phenomena studied to explain such irregularities, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—particularly its warm phase, El Niño—has…