Top 10 Time-Lapse Videos of Nature at Work

By Aaron Rowe

The world is filled with sluggish spectacles. Watching them would be painful were it not for time lapse photography, which can make those long stories short and remarkably entertaining.

When a phenomenon happens very slowly, viewing accelerated footage helps scientists take a step back and see the big picture: At higher speeds, things that we regard as still take motion -- even the dullest scenes spring to life.

Here are Wired Science's picks of the best time lapse videos of nature at work.

10. Total Lunar Eclipse
Pete Herron / YouTube

9. Denver Snow Storm
Mike Kalush / YouTube

8. Corn Growing
Mindlapse / YouTube

7. Caterpillars Becoming Butterflies
jcmegabyte / YouTube

6. Magic Mushrooms Growing
annonymer / YouTube

5. Earth Rise
NnoxS3 / YouTube

4. Rotting Apple
alifitzd / YouTube

3. Thunder Storm
06solareclipse / YouTube

2. Aurora Borealis
06solareclipse / YouTube

1. Simi Valley Firestorm
powrslaveeli / YouTube