archaeologists (people who study things
made by ancient people) to guess that
Stonehenge was built by people who
worshipped the sun.
#More to explore
Archaeology • England
Stonies
#see Assiniboin.
Stork
Storks are large birds with long legs,
necks, and bills. They are wading birds,
which means they typically walk or
A view from above the ruins of Stonehenge
shows the arrangement of its ancient stones.
In many ways, Stonehenge is still a mystery
to modern scientists and historians.
190 Stonehenge BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
stand in shallow water while feeding.
There are 17 species, or types, of stork.
The most famous type is the white
stork. In some European countries it is
said to bring good luck. Storks are
related to herons, ibises, flamingos, and
NewWorld vultures.
Most storks live in warm regions in
Africa, Asia, and Europe. They can also
be found in the Americas and Australia.
The only stork commonly seen in the
United States is the wood stork. It
breeds in the Southeast and sometimes
wanders farther north. Storks tend to
live near water, but they can also be
found on dry ground. The white stork is
known for nesting on rooftops and
chimneys in towns.
Storks usually stand about 2 to 5 feet
(0.6 to 1.5 meters) tall. The largest stork
is the marabou of Africa. Storks commonly
have black and white feathers.
Some species have no feathers on the
head and neck, only red, pink, or black
skin.
Most storks eat insects, frogs, fish, and
other small animals. They catch their
food in fields or shallow waters. The
marabou and a type called the adjutant
stork feed on carrion, or dead animals.
The stories about storks bringing good
luck have led many people to treat the
birds well. In some places, however,
storks have been hunted and killed for
food or for their feathers.
#More to explore
Bird • Flamingo • Heron • Ibis • Vulture
Storm
A storm is a disturbance in the atmosphere,
or air. Thunderstorms, tornadoes,
and tropical cyclones are powerful
and sometimes dangerous types of
storms. People also use the word storm
to describe strong winds or other forms
of severe weather.
Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms include thick clouds,
heavy rain or hail, lightning, thunder,
and strong winds. Thunderstorms happen
when hot, moist air rises quickly to
cooler parts of the atmosphere. There
the air cools, and clouds and rain form.
Lightning, which is a form of electricity,
develops inside the clouds. As the lightning
heats the air, it causes it to expand.
This causes the sound of thunder.
Meanwhile, cooled air sinks toward the
ground. This movement of air causes
heavy winds.
African wood storks stand by a lake in
Kenya.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Storm 191
Hailstorms
During a hailstorm balls of ice called
hail fall to the ground. Hailstorms often
happen during thunderstorms. As rain
falls, it pulls air down with it. The
downward draft of air may turn upward
again. This causes the rain to churn
around in the clouds. Some of the rain
may freeze to form hail. The hail grows
so heavy that it falls to the ground. Pellets
of hail are usually 0.2 to 4 inches (5
millimeters to 10 centimeters) across.
Tornadoes
Tornadoes sometimes develop during
thunderstorms. A tornado is a column
of strongly rotating winds. It may be
shaped like a funnel or a pillar. The column
reaches down from a cloud to
touch the ground. It then moves along
the ground at about 28 miles (45 kilometers)
an hour. The speed of a tornado’s
winds may be 300 miles (482
kilometers) an hour. They can destroy
buildings and throw heavy objects high
into the air.
Cyclones
A cyclone is a large system of winds
that blow in a spiral around a central
area. Cyclones that form over warm
oceans are called tropical cyclones. In
the Atlantic Ocean these cyclones are
known as hurricanes. In the western
Pacific Ocean they are called typhoons.
The winds of a tropical cyclone may
blow faster than 74 miles (119
kilometers) an hour. The swift winds
often bring heavy rain and destruction
to coastlines. The center of a tropical
cyclone is known as the eye. The
weather inside the eye is calm.
Windstorms
Windstorms are dry storms marked by
winds with a speed of 73 miles (117
kilometers) an hour or more.Windstorms
bring no rain or snow. However,
they may pick up large amounts of dust
or sand from the ground. During such a
windstorm—called a dust storm or a
A tornado travels across open land in the
U.S. state of New Mexico. Tornadoes can
produce the strongest winds found on Earth.
A woman shovels snow off her
car after a blizzard. Severe
snowstorms can make getting
around by car difficult and often
dangerous.
192 Storm BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
sandstorm—the dust or sand flying
through the air can make it difficult to
see. Sandstorms are common in deserts.
Snowstorms
Snowstorms feature low temperatures,
strong winds, and a lot of snow. Particularly
strong snowstorms are called blizzards.
A severe blizzard has winds of
more than 45 miles (72 kilometers) an
hour, visibility near zero, and temperatures
of 10° F (.12° C) or lower.
#More to explore
Atmosphere • Rain •Weather •Wind
Storytelling
Storytelling has captured the human
