ABSTRACT
All humans experience the variations in atmospheric conditions and in meteorological phenomena that the people call weather and climate. Indeed, all terrestrial animals, except perhaps cave-dwelling ones, experience these variations as well. Unlike other animals, though, humans have unusually varied and elaborate forms of social life and communication that are made possible by language and by culture. Physical experience of the weather provides a common focal point in many societies, through both commiseration and celebration. Competing explanations for weather events and conditions have a long and noble history. The relationship between human communities and the natural environment has been the subject of many academic treatises. As negotiations continue, the various players debate the shape that the final script will take.
