Aristotle's investigation of atmospheric and geological phenomena. The Meteorologica examines rain, wind, thunder, earthquakes, comets, and the rainbow — everything that happens between the earth and the stars.
Start ReadingPhenomena of the upper atmosphere. Aristotle examines shooting stars, comets, the Milky Way, and other luminous phenomena, explaining them as exhalations from the earth ignited in the upper air.
The sea, rivers, winds, and earthquakes. Aristotle investigates the causes of these terrestrial phenomena, explaining earthquakes as underground wind and debating whether the sea is growing or shrinking.
Thunder, lightning, and optical phenomena. Aristotle examines violent weather — hurricanes, whirlwinds, and thunderbolts — and provides a geometric analysis of the rainbow and its colours.
Chemical transformations of matter. This final book, sometimes considered a separate treatise, examines how substances are affected by heat and cold — solidification, melting, boiling, and the formation of metals and minerals.