Interesting facts about the history of metallurgy. Quiz interesting facts about metals and alloys

As everyone knows, progress does not stand still; it has also reached the metals industry. The sphere is endlessly expanding with more and more new alloys, which are actively used in industry, however, old varieties of metal elements are no less used in many areas.

But to carry out activities in the field of metallurgy: procurement, storage, processing of scrap non-ferrous and ferrous metals, a license for metals is required, the registration of which can be assisted by the financial and legal company OJSC RINFIN, for more details see the link above.

1. One of the companies located in Switzerland is engaged in the production of bars from such types as gold, silver, palladium and platinum, but not in the classical form, but in such a way that it looks like chocolate.

2. Did you know that all the medals that are awarded to Olympic medalists are actually made of silver? So, in accordance with the recommendations of the IOC, all award products must be gold-plated in an amount of 6 g or more. But the medals awarded at the 2012 Olympics included only 1% gold.

3. It is noteworthy that there are alloys that have an interesting property - to remember their original appearance. We can see this type of alloy in nitinol, where 55% is nickel and 45% titanium. An exclusive structure called martensite, deformed during heating at a fairly high temperature, regains its original appearance.

4. How many of you paid attention to the edges of coins? Noticing very tiny slits there, you hardly thought that they had their own name - edge. These slots were nothing more than a method of combating scammers who tried to bypass the state and personally melt gold from crushed particles.

5. Over the entire period of existence, people were able to extract approximately 161 thousand tons of precious metal, the total cost of which was about 9 trillion. American dollars.

6. It has been proven that almost every hour an amount of iron is extracted from the bowels of the earth equal to the amount of gold mined over the entire period of human existence.

7. Interesting fact: All jewelry is made from gold, but with the addition of silver or copper. Without these constituent elements, the products would be very fragile and unusable.

8. Michel Lotito (an artist from France), became famous only because he swallowed objects that were not at all intended for internal consumption. According to eyewitnesses (participants in his show) during all his own performances, he swallowed about 9 tons of various metal alloys.

9. What do you know about coin making? Russian Federation? Did you know that the price spent on their issue is slightly higher than the established denomination - for example, minting 5 kopecks. costs the state as much as 71 kopecks.

10. There was a time when such a precious metal as platinum was valued at almost two times lower than silver. It was also not particularly popular; low demand was explained by its refractoriness. The word platinum is translated from Spanish and is interpreted as “silver”. For quite a long time, this value eloquently reflected the very disdainful attitude of the local population towards this alloy. Nowadays, platinum products are valued more than silver.

11. In a small town in Japan - Suva, a very unusual method for extracting gold metal was found. By the way, it turned out to be 50 times better in terms of performance than the most elite gold mines from around the world. The precious metal is obtained from ash, which is a product of burning dry sewage residues. However, there are also some nuances here, for example, not every sewer is suitable for mining the alloy - in Suva there are a huge number of enterprises engaged in the production of electronics and using gold and gold-containing alloys in their work.

An integral attribute of the industrial revolution and a symbol of industrial power. The importance of this resource is, of course, very great, but how many have thought about how diverse this group of chemical elements is? Or what curious properties are observed in some metals, and what incredible qualities are sometimes attributed to them? Hardly. So it’s worth expanding our understanding of this topic and listing some Interesting Facts about metals.

Subgroups

On this moment There are 94 chemical elements in the periodic table that are considered metals. All are divided into 7 subgroups:

• alkaline;
• alkaline earth;
• transitional;
• lungs;
• semimetals;
• lanthanides;
• actinides.

The metals of the first four subgroups require special consideration.

Alkali metals

They got their name due to the property of converting into alkalis in an aqueous environment.

A little-known interesting fact about alkali metals: lithium has some life-giving properties. In particular, it helps treat gout. So, even in ancient times people noticed healing properties clay, which is enriched with lithium. Ointments and compresses made from this material helped relieve the symptoms of gout.

Elements of this group have also found their application in the construction of nuclear submarines. Sodium is used as a coolant in electric generators installed on a submarine's nuclear reactor. It ensures the rotation of the steam blades.

But sodium requires special handling. When interacting with it, one should take into account its violent reaction with liquids. Even simply touching sodium with a bare, wet hand can cause a small explosion.

Alkalies are also important for health. A deficiency of sodium and potassium in the human body causes severe cramps and pain, which is why you should not limit yourself to water and salt.

Alkaline earth metals

This group is characterized by high density and high melting point. Fun fact about metals: barium and radium are highly toxic. It is curious that radium that enters the body tends to be transported more than 70% into the bones, but due to its high toxicity it contributes to the formation of cancerous lesions of bone tissue.

In 1950, 4 people were immediately admitted to the republican hospital of the Komi Republic, with the percentage of skeletal tissue damage by malignant tumors in the region of 70-85%, which was caused by long-term development of underground mineralized radium deposits.

Transition metals

This group deserves special attention. Interesting facts about metals related to it cannot be ignored, since it is the most numerous. This group combines elements with very different properties.

Many transition groups are involved in the production of products in the electrical industry, as they have the properties of conductors of electricity.

It’s funny that Japan is the leader in the supply of high-tech equipment on the world market. In the city of Suva, the concentration of gold in the ash mass obtained from the burning of sedimentary deposits of the city sewer was assessed. The final results exceeded the results of similar experiments in the richest mines on the planet by about 50 times, which was explained by the presence of a huge industrial zone where electronics products are made using alloys of precious metals, mainly gold. By the way, you can tell a lot of interesting things about him.

Gold

Everyone knows that products made from this material combine prestige, sophistication and luxury. Gold jewelry makes a wonderful gift. But who would have thought that in Switzerland there are a number of companies producing fragmented chocolate bars from it, like chocolate bars, which can be used as a gift? Or in settlement transactions. It is interesting that each tile consists of shares of 1 gram value and is easily divided into parts.

An interesting fact about the metal: as of 2014, approximately 179 tons of gold were mined worldwide, about half of which came from the Republic of South Africa. Almost the same amount of iron is mined from the bowels of the Earth every hour.

Gold is a very soft metal; for this reason, in the manufacture of jewelry, it is usually alloyed with impurities of copper or silver.

Mercury

This is the only metal capable of remaining in a liquid state of aggregation in room conditions. Everyone knows about the toxicity of mercury vapor, but only chemists know how this element affects the properties of aluminum.

Legislative acts and documents regulating the procedure and rules for the movement of cargo on board aircraft in some countries strictly prohibit the transportation of mercury, since if it gets on an aluminum surface, it can burn a hole, which is especially important on board an aircraft, the design of which includes many parts made from this material.

Copper and cobalt

When listing interesting facts about metals in chemistry, it is worth mentioning these elements. Copper is of particular interest to vandals and non-ferrous metal hunters. It is found in transformer boxes, since copper elements are not capable of producing a spark.

But in the East, mainly in Japan, copper is used in fisheries as a substance that prevents the appearance of aquatic fungal diseases in water bodies.

And the emergence of cobalt is associated with Scandinavian mythology. Norwegian blacksmiths who smelted cobalt-containing minerals suffered arsenic poisoning. Malaise and headache they explained it as the revenge of a mountain demon - a Kobold, taking revenge on people for the destruction of his mines. This is how the name of this metal appeared. The origin of the name nickel is similar.

Iron

It is the most popular element of the transition group. An interesting fact about the metal: in ancient times, when humanity was not yet familiar with steel production technologies, iron was strengthened by firing in manure and flaps of leather, due to which the carbon enrichment of the material occurred and the strength significantly increased. Therefore, forges were often built near the stables.

It is impossible not to mention metal corrosion. An interesting fact: the fact that iron oxidizes when interacting with oxygen is primarily taken into account by astronauts when equipping the inventory compartment of a spacecraft. And it’s clear why! Indeed, in the vacuum of space, iron is not able to oxidize, and when it comes into contact with other metals, they literally stick together.

To avoid this problem, tools for working in outer space are wrapped in a special plastic base or subjected to oxidation on Earth.

Silver

Many people are familiar with the expression: “Silver is more valuable than gold.” It is not true. Nevertheless, this statement grows on the basis of the beneficial, healing, cleansing properties of silver. Water that has been in containers made of this material for a long time acquires anti-toxic properties. This explains the high popularity of silver utensils in the old days. For these reasons, silver water purifiers operate on modern space stations.

The first products made from this metal were discovered in Egypt, and they are more than 6 thousand years old. In modern India, it is customary to eat desserts covered with the thinnest silver foil, which helps maintain health. gastrointestinal tract in highly unsanitary conditions.

This metal is actively used by Asian manufacturers of thermoregulation equipment, mainly in the assembly of air conditioners with an air cleaning function.

In ancient times, silver served as a means of preventing lactic oxidation. A spoon made of this metal was placed in a jar with milk, due to which it did not oxidize for a long time. And finally, it stimulates the reproduction of hemoglobin, has a positive effect on the central nervous system. Such an amazing metal is silver. There are many more interesting facts about him, but these are the main ones.

Light metals

This category is particularly toxic and difficult to detect. Polonium, an extremely poisonous metal, has been repeatedly used in assassination attempts on high-ranking officials and politicians. Its peculiarity is that it is difficult to detect in the body in the early stages, and its toxic effect is very high. A person whose food was poisoned with polonium is doomed to a painful death.

Zinc fumes are very harmful. Nevertheless, zinc has a beneficial effect on the reproductive function of male testicles. Indian snake farm workers who extract snake venom experience strong erections and intense production of sex hormones after repeated bites from cobras or vipers, which is explained by the increased zinc content in snake venom.

Corrosion

This is a purely negative process, although it also has its advantages. Even 100 years ago, Caucasian horsemen realized the usefulness of the corrosion process for the production of durable, non-dull blades.

So, they were the first to bury their sabers and blades in the ground for a couple of years, where they acquired strength and the ability to cut even the hardest fibers. These characteristics of the metal were achieved due to the absorbent properties of rust, which, while in the ground, absorbed organic elements and carbon compounds.

The Indian engineering scientific community has come up with its own innovative method of protecting metal surfaces by catalyzing corrosion and then applying oxidized paint to the rusted surface. Thus, the special paint reacts with rust and forms a uniform, strong protective layer.

In the production of tools for cutting carcasses, alloys with a small percentage of chromium, copper and nickel are used, due to which the product is quickly covered with corrosion, under which over time a durable protective layer is formed that prevents further rust formation.

Other interesting facts

Incredibly durable titanium, surprisingly, finds its highest recognition not in metallurgy, mechanical engineering or technology, but in the production of synthetic plastics, paper and paints.

Aluminum in 1885 was considered one of the most expensive metals. And it was valued higher than gold and silver. The presence of aluminum buttons among French army officers was regarded as a sign of the highest nobility.

During the construction of satellites and space radiation dosimeters, the Americans at one time decided to saw down the Kronprinz Wilhelm ship, which sank at the end of the First World War, since the steel manufactured after 1945 contained too high a percentage of radiation. The use of such metal would interfere with the collection of reliable data.

And finally, a fact about California. It is the most expensive synthesized metal. Its cost exceeds 6.5 million per gram. The photo, by the way, is presented above.

In fact, you can still tell many interesting facts about metals. Chemistry is an amazing science, and each element of the periodic table has unique, inimitable properties and qualities.

Without metals, the existence of modern civilization would be impossible, because all industry is based on them, and only with their help does agriculture function. Man learned to extract them from the bowels of the earth a long time ago, but still more and more experimental alloys are regularly being born, serving one purpose or another.

Facts about metals

• At temperatures below +13 degrees, tin begins to change its properties, and the colder it is, the more actively it crumbles. Once, because of this, an Arctic expedition died - the fuel tanks were sealed with tin, it crumbled, and the fuel leaked out.
• Silver actually kills bacteria (bacteria facts).
• Olympic gold medals are made of silver and plated with gold, of which there is only about 1%.
• The lightest metal is lithium. Its density is half that of water.
• Tantalum is actively used in prosthetic technologies because it is not rejected immune system person.
• Aluminum is the most common metal on Earth. It accounts for more than 8.5% of the entire earth's crust.
• Some asteroids are made entirely of metal (Asteroid Facts).
• The two densest metals known to us are osmium and iridium. They are almost equal in this parameter, and it is not yet possible to reliably determine which of them is denser. According to calculations, osmium still has a slightly higher density.
• The rarest and most expensive metal in the world is Californian. It can only be created through very expensive artificial means, and at the beginning of the 21st century, scientists managed to create only 10 grams of californium.
• The melting point of gallium is just under +30 degrees, so an ingot made from this metal begins to melt, like a piece of chocolate, as soon as you hold it in your hand.
• Mercury is also a metal, but it melts at just over -39 degrees. Inhaling its vapors, by the way, is deadly.
• Once upon a time, iron was valued more than gold, because weapons and armor were made from it, which were much superior in quality to copper and bronze.
• The strongest metal in the world is titanium.
• Metal with the most high temperature melting - tungsten. To melt it, you will need a temperature of +3420 degrees. For comparison, the surface temperature of the Sun is 6000 degrees (Facts about the Sun).
• More than half of all the world's gold was mined in South Africa.
• Mercury corrodes aluminum oxide, that is, its protective film. Therefore, safety regulations prohibit transporting mercury on airplanes - if it spills, it could easily corrode the aluminum body of the aircraft.
• Every hour is extracted from the bowels of the earth more iron than gold has been mined in history.
• Once upon a time, American scientists tried to obtain gold by bombarding mercury with neutrons. The experiment was a success, but it cost an incredible amount, and the gold turned out to be radioactive and therefore unusable.
• In all jewelry gold is used only in alloy with other metals, because in itself it is so malleable that it can even be scratched with a fingernail.
• Frenchman Michel Lotito ate about 9 tons of various metals during his life. He earned his living from such performances, which is what made him famous.
• Nickel got its name in honor of an evil spirit. The miners blamed this spirit named Nickel for their failure to extract copper from the ore in which this metal was present.
• Soon after its discovery, platinum was twice as expensive as silver, but now its price is more than 100 times higher than the price of silver.
• At the court of the French Emperor Napoleon III, the most honored guests were served cutlery made of aluminum, a rare and at that time very expensive metal. The rest had to be content with dishes made of gold and silver.
• The presence of metals in the planet's crust directly affects its density, mass and, as a result, the acceleration of free fall on its surface. For example, on the surface of a larger, but metal-free planet, gravity will be lower than on Earth.

Metal is used everywhere and everywhere. Just look around and you will understand that in our time, metal is used in almost any product, be it any part or the entire product. It was not by chance that we chose this topic to consider, because most of our products are made of metal or have metal parts. So we thought you might be interested in checking out some interesting facts about metals.

Such widespread use of metal products is due to many factors: they are strong, practical and have a long service life. Such items are less demanding to care for than, for example, wood products. Moreover, individual parts of metal products are often coated with other materials, so the beauty appearance they are in no way inferior to the others.

So, let's talk about the most interesting properties of metals. One of the most common metals in the soil of our planet is aluminum, however, if we take the entire planet as a whole, then iron comes out in first place, since the Earth's core consists of it for the most part.

Of all the titanium mined in the world, only 7% is used in mechanical engineering, 13% in paper processing, 20% in plastic production and 60% in paint production.

The characteristic smell of coins is not the smell of metal. It is obtained from compounds formed upon contact with metal, such as human sweat. To obtain such a “metallic” smell, only a small amount of reagents is enough.

Some metal alloys, such as nitinol (55% nickel and 45% titanium), have a shape memory effect. It lies in the fact that a deformed product made of such material, when heated to a certain temperature, returns to its original shape. This is due to the fact that these alloys have a special internal structure called martensite, which has the property of thermoelasticity.

In the deformed parts of the structure, internal stresses arise, which tend to return the structure to its original state. Shape memory materials have found wide application in manufacturing - for example, for connecting bushings, which compress at very low temperatures and straighten at room temperature, forming a connection much more reliable than welding.

Items made of metals such as copper, as well as its alloys, cannot create sparks. This property of copper is used in the production of tools for flammable work. In Japan, which is prone to frequent earthquakes, copper is used to produce gas pipelines that are highly earthquake resistant.

Another interesting property copper was discovered during a study of reservoirs in which carp live. It turns out that in water that does not contain copper, a fungus develops, which has a detrimental effect on the development of carp, and in water containing copper, carp grow and reproduce well. Copper is also present in the human body, but it is regularly excreted, and therefore we need a kind of refueling daily with 2 mg of copper.

Iron was first smelted from ore in the second millennium BC in Western Asia. The technology of iron metallurgy began to spread throughout the world and in the 9th-7th centuries AD it became widespread in almost all tribes of Europe and Asia. This period is called the Iron Age, which replaced the Bronze Age.

The main product of almost any industry is steel (an alloy of iron and carbon). To manufacture any machines and equipment, steel is needed, and in the automotive industry, steel is used to produce car bodies and chassis parts. Complex electronics and the space industry cannot exist without steel either.

In this article we looked at some of the most interesting facts about metals and their alloys. We hope you found this article interesting.

Since time immemorial, humanity has used metals. During the period of existence, people learned to mine, melt and use amazing minerals. Over time, the process was improved and metal alloys appeared, their scope of application expanded beyond impossibility.

Today, you probably won’t find a place where metal products and structures made from them are not used. Interesting facts about metals indicate the demand for elements during the stages of human existence.

Silver is the oldest fossil. During excavations, archaeologists discovered silver products, which lay in the soil for 6,000 years. Early finds were found in the countries of Ancient Mesopotamia and in Egypt. Historians have proven that ancient coins were made from this metal.

Facts about metals indicate:

• Silver is one of the metals that are extremely rare on our planet. Under natural conditions, the element occurs in the form of nuggets or is part of other compounds. A giant nugget was found in northern Chile. The plate weighed 1420 kg. The element is found in meteorites and is part of sea water. Astrologers call silver the metal of the moon. Ancient manuscripts indicate the lunar origin of the metal: images of silver in the form of a lunar crescent or a woman-Moon indicate the cosmic origin of the fossil.

• India is a country of large silver reserves. In this area, metal is considered folk. Indigenous people believe in the miraculous power of the element: the metal is so popular that it is even used for cooking.
• Silver is popular in industry. It is used in the manufacture of electronics - almost every device contains this metal.

• Silver has antibacterial properties. For example, metal purified water is widely used. American discoverers went further: by placing a silver coin in a jug of milk, they extended its freshness by three days. For the first time, its antiseptic properties were learned in Egypt: 4,000 years ago, people used the elements of silver to treat wounds and cuts. It is not surprising that ancient warriors always carried a silver plate with them and, when wounded, applied it to the affected area: it was believed that with the help of the product it was possible to stop bleeding and prevent infection of the wound. Today, the use of silver in medicine is still developing rapidly.
• Surprisingly, in Japan, metal is used not only for treatment, but also to purify the air: this is how the Japanese fight air pollution on the continent.

Gold is a metal revered since ancient times

Gold is a majestic metal that has been revered since ancient times. Thanks to its characteristics, gold has become an object of desire for cultures and peoples.

Features of the precious metal:

• It is extremely rare. For example, on the planet, in 1 hour, 4 times more steel is smelted than yellow metal was mined during the existence of mankind.

• There are 10 billion tons of precious minerals “hidden” in the world’s oceans. But gold is found on all continents globe. Mining of the precious metal is booming: it is believed that more than 80% of the fossil is still in the ground.
• Gold melts perfectly: the melting point is 1064.43 degrees. The element has high conductivity of heat and electrical energy and is not subject to corrosion. The first gold items found by archaeologists have retained their original beauty.

• Peoples use gold in the cooking process. For example, the population of Ancient India believed that the use of metal revealed levitation capabilities; in Asia it was used as a seasoning for desserts and added to drinks. Since the 16th century, gold leaf has been placed in expensive strong drinks: Goldschlager, Danziger Goldwasser. This is indicated not only by facts about metals, but also by corked bottles.
• In Australia in 1869, gold miners discovered a leader nugget weighing 72 kg. Its size was 31x63.5 cm. To this day, the record remains in force. The giant was given the name "Hello Stranger". Interestingly, the giant ingot was located on the surface of the soil: its depth was 5 cm.

• In the spring of 2008, during a sharp downturn in the global economy, the price of gold increased sharply and amounted to $1,000 per ounce (28.55 g). Such a cost was recorded once in the history of the existence of the metal, although it was highly valued in all centuries.
• In ancient times, the most gold was mined in Nubia: slaves mining the metal experienced unprecedented suffering, and the nobility considered it a divine metal.
• For the manufacture of jewelry Only alloys are used: pure gold is not used.

Copper is a popular metal in electronics

Copper got its name from the first place where the metal was mined. Already in the 3rd millennium BC. metal was cultivated on the island of Cyprus.

Metal Features:

• More often it occurs in the form of complete nuggets. Metal is mined in natural conditions more intensively than precious minerals. The leading example of copper is a nugget found in North America. It weighed 420 tons.

• Today, copper is in demand in electrical engineering. Used for the production of electrical cables and wires: only pure metal is used, since combination with other metals leads to a decrease in electrical conductivity. For example, if you add 0.02% aluminum to copper, the thermal conductivity will decrease by 10%.
• It has antibacterial properties. The science of chemistry proves that copper can eliminate bacteria in water and air. Even in ancient times in Nepal, copper was considered a divine metal. With its help, healers healed diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is not surprising that in Nepal there is a “Copper” temple, where the natural resource is still worshiped today.

Copper bracelets are used for medical purposes

• According to scientists from Poland, in a reservoir where copper is found, fish grow much larger than their usual size. In rivers and rates where the element is absent, the water is prone to the development of fungus and mold. But at the same time, sharks cannot tolerate the presence of copper in the water. This was proven by the American military during the Second World War: at that time ships sank every day and it was necessary to look for an “anti-shark” agent. Copper exceeded all expectations: the fish did not even come close to the area that contained copper sulfate.
• The human body contains 80 mg of copper: the metal is present in the vital organs of the human body. A group of Irish and French metal researchers have created a copper composition that promotes the resumption of metabolic processes in a living organism. A couturier from France took advantage of the innovation by processing the threads denim clothes Gold Vision – 3000 Classic. The belt and pockets using the composition are formed using a “copper corset”, which has a beneficial effect on the functionality of vital human systems.

Summarized interesting facts about metals

Valcambi delights lovers of precious metals with its exquisite products. It produces gold, silver, and platinum bars in the form of chocolate bars. The peculiarity of such products is that they can be quickly broken: squares are often used as a gift. The weight of one “slice” is 1 g.

Olympic gold medals are not made of gold at all, but of silver. When making awards, the International Olympic Committee requires that they be plated with 6 grams of gold. For example, the gold awards for the Olympic championship in 2012 contained 1% of the precious yellow metal.

• , while working at the British Mint, was the first to carve the edges of coins consisting of precious metals. Today, ribbing is called edge. Applying irregularities to the edges of the coins was due to the need to combat fraudsters who cut off the edges of the coins and formed a counterfeit.
• In total, during their existence, people extracted 161 thousand tons of gold from the bowels of the earth; in terms of value, this figure is $9 trillion.
• When making gold jewelry, a special alloy with the addition of silver or copper is used.

• Alkali metals - francium, cesium, rubidium, potassium, sodium, lithium can dissolve in water, forming compounds. Store them under oil or kerosene.
• Some people have the ability to absorb metal products. For example, the actor M. Lotito became famous for swallowing metal products: it has been proven that during all his performances a person ate up to 9 tons of metal alloys.
• For a long time, platinum was not used as a precious metal. The refractory element was valued much lower than silver. At the beginning of the 17th century in South America, coins made of platinum were considered counterfeit. The government of the country even sank a ship with precious currency in the ocean so that the coins would not fall into use. A giant platinum nugget is kept in the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin. Its weight is 7 kg.

• Gold is mined in Japan in an unconventional way: metal is extracted from the ashes. Scientists simply burn sewage waste from industrial enterprises that use gold and precious metal compounds in their production.
• Vanadium, used in forging, is considered a ductile metal. It is preferred by professional craftsmen.

• The earth's crust contains metals, with a greater amount of aluminum in it - up to 8%. In turn, gold makes up 5% ppm. Aluminum was not used by humans for a long time: it was first discovered in 1885. At that time, the French treated aluminum as a precious metal.

• According to the Guinness Book of Records, the most expensive metal is Californian. The element was artificially obtained in 1950. Several milligrams of metal are produced per year and it costs $6,500,000 per gram.

Tungsten is a refractory metal: its boiling point is 5900 degrees. Chrome is durable, gold is soft.

Titan is a mystical metal named after the fairy queen. It is light, like the airy wings of a fairy. Perhaps the name of the element came from this feature.

Thanks to unique properties gold, platinum and silver are used in medicine. Metals do not react with heat and, accordingly, have a constant temperature regardless of external factors.

Metals are used sparingly, because fossil reserves are not unlimited. Due to their unique properties, they are in demand in all industries. Today, human existence can no longer be imagined without these gifts of Mother Nature.