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 fixed 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 Snowstorm

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. Thunderstorm

06solareclipse/YouTube

2. Aurora Borealis

06solareclipse/YouTube

1. Simi Valley Firestorm

powrslaveeli/YouTube

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