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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
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FunTranscript
00:00:00 The Baltic Sea Anomaly In 2011, a diving team came down to the bottom
00:00:05 of the northern part of the Baltic Sea. They went on a treasure hunt, but what they came upon was a
00:00:11 pretty weird object. When they took photos and showed them to others, many believed it was a
00:00:17 sunken spaceship of another civilization. Other people thought that some natural causes formed
00:00:24 the object, but the metals inside the structure definitely couldn't have been formed naturally.
00:00:30 Now, some scientists even believe it was something that appeared way back in the Ice Age.
00:00:36 Maybe it was even a meteorite that ended up trapped under ice back then.
00:00:40 A maelstrom is a whirlpool, some sort of a powerful rotational current that forms when
00:00:48 two currents collide and create a circular vortex. Even fearless Vikings were afraid of maelstroms
00:00:54 because those were forces so powerful that they could sink large ships. These whirlpools remain
00:01:00 dangerous even today, but luckily not for big modern ships that are large enough to withstand
00:01:06 the power of maelstroms. But a cruise ship that gets into a maelstrom usually faces massive waves
00:01:14 that can rock even big vessels from side to side pretty intensely. A maelstrom can be so strong,
00:01:22 it can turn into some sort of an underwater black hole. Yep, black holes are not only present in
00:01:28 the cold expanse of space, you can find them here on our home planet too, swirling in the oceans.
00:01:34 They're similar to those in space since they're compacted so tightly that nothing they trap can
00:01:40 escape. Underwater black holes often span up to 93 miles in diameter, and if you got into one of
00:01:49 those, you probably wouldn't even know it. These black holes act like vortices, but because of
00:01:55 their size, even professionals can hardly see their boundaries. Here's something relaxing.
00:02:02 Next time you go to the beach, pay attention, and maybe you'll see an optical phenomenon called the
00:02:08 green flash. You can see it shortly after sunset or right before sunrise. It occurs when the sun
00:02:15 is almost completely below the horizon, while its rim, the upper one, is still visible.
00:02:20 For just a second or two, that upper edge of the sun will appear green. It's because you're looking
00:02:28 at the sun through thicker parts of the atmosphere as it's moving down in the sky. As it's dipping
00:02:34 below the horizon, light refracts, or bends, in the atmosphere and gets dispersed. Wait for a
00:02:42 clear day with no clouds or haze on the horizon to see this phenomenon better. You've been looking
00:02:49 forward to a nice swim, only to realize that the water in the ocean is red? Better avoid going in.
00:02:57 Florida is known for its red tides. It occurs when the concentration of specific microscopic algae
00:03:04 is higher than normal. Thousands of species of algae in marine and fresh waters are mostly
00:03:11 harmless to animals and humans. They even help us, since they're an important source of oxygen.
00:03:17 But some, like the algae that makes the ocean red, can be extremely dangerous for marine animals,
00:03:24 like sea turtles, fish, and seabirds. This kind can grow out of control and produce neurotoxins
00:03:32 harmful to humans, especially those who have some respiratory issues. Such people should avoid red
00:03:38 tide areas, especially when winds are strong enough to push the algae toward the shore.
00:03:43 Volcanoes can spew poisonous gas, ash, and red-hot lava. Those are the most obvious dangers most of
00:03:52 us already know about. But submarine volcanoes can be very tricky in their own way. Sometimes,
00:03:58 when they're located in shallow waters, they reveal their presence by blasting debris of
00:04:03 rock and steam high above the surface. Since submarine volcanoes are surrounded by an
00:04:10 unlimited supply of water, they can behave differently from those on land.
00:04:14 When they erupt, seawater gets into active submarine vents. Lava can be spreading across
00:04:22 a shallow seafloor, or sometimes even flowing into the sea from land volcanoes. When in water,
00:04:28 it may cool down so quickly that it shatters into rubble and sand. So, there are large amounts of
00:04:35 volcanic debris left there. You know those popular black sand beaches in Hawaii? That's how they
00:04:41 formed. Hot lava and powerful eruptions certainly don't sound safe, but submarine volcanoes in
00:04:49 deeper waters are equally dangerous. Even though they're not necessarily erupting, they produce
00:04:55 pockets of bubbles. These bubbles reduce the density of the surrounding waters, which can even
00:05:01 sink ships. The worst thing is that when you look at the surface of the ocean, you can't understand
00:05:08 something's wrong. But at the same time, tiny bubbles are there, causing ships to lose buoyancy
00:05:14 and with very little warning. A cross-sea is a rare phenomenon, beautiful to observe,
00:05:22 but also very dangerous. It's when you see square waves, which are more common in shallow parts of
00:05:28 the ocean. That's something you can often see in France or on certain beaches of Tel Aviv,
00:05:34 but it can also happen in many coastal areas across the world. A cross-sea occurs when two
00:05:42 wave patterns travel at oblique angles. They form this checkerboard-like pattern. It mostly happens
00:05:48 when two swells meet, or when a swell pushes waves in one direction while a strong wind pushes them
00:05:54 in another. These square waves can be dangerous for swimmers and boaters. The waves produced by
00:06:02 strong ocean currents can be pretty unpredictable and tall, sometimes up to almost 10 feet. This
00:06:08 phenomenon is sometimes called white walls. These waves can be so powerful that they can turn over
00:06:14 even big boats. If you fill a clear glass with some ocean water and take a closer look, you'll
00:06:22 see it's full of very small particles. Seawater contains dissolved salts, fats, algae, proteins,
00:06:29 detergents, and other bits of artificial and organic matter. If you shake that glass, you'll
00:06:37 see tiny bubbles forming on its surface. That's how sea foam forms when waves and winds agitate
00:06:43 the ocean. When you see thick sea foam, algal blooms might have caused it. When big blooms
00:06:49 of algae fall apart in the sea, large amounts of that matter move in the direction of dry land.
00:06:54 Most kinds of sea foam aren't dangerous to humans, but when blooms of algae fall apart,
00:07:02 it can have a negative impact on both the environment and people. For example,
00:07:07 when sea foam bubbles pop, the toxins they contain get released into the air,
00:07:12 and they can irritate your eyes or cause some other health issues.
00:07:16 You can see a tidal bore in the areas where a river empties into a sea or an ocean. It's a
00:07:24 powerful tide that goes against the current and pushes up the river. A tidal bore falls into a
00:07:30 category of something called the surge, which is a sudden change in depth. A tidal bore is a positive
00:07:37 surge, which means it pushes up a river, making it much deeper. A negative surge is when the river
00:07:44 suddenly becomes very shallow. You won't see tidal bores everywhere. The river must be fairly shallow
00:07:51 with a narrow outlet to the sea. The place where the sea and the river meet must be flat and wide.
00:07:57 Also, the area between low and high tide must be at least 20 feet across.
00:08:04 Of course, there are some exceptions, like the Amazon River, the world's largest one.
00:08:09 The mouth of the Amazon is not narrow, but the river experiences tidal bores. That's because
00:08:16 its mouth is shallow and has many sandbars and low-lying islands. The tidal bore is so strong
00:08:22 there that the river doesn't even have a delta. Its sediment goes directly into the Atlantic Ocean,
00:08:28 where fast-moving currents take it away. A tidal bore is often unpredictable and can be
00:08:35 extremely rough. In many cases, it changes the color of the river from greenish or blue to brown.
00:08:41 It can damage vegetation or even tear trees out of the ground.
00:08:46 So, recreation sports like kayaking and river surfing can be hazardous in these areas.
00:08:54 Even if you just want to take a look at a tidal bore, be careful. Tidal waves can sweep over
00:08:59 lookout points and drag whatever or whoever is there into the churning river.
00:09:04 In December 2014, an entire district in Budapest got covered with ice crystals. The trees in the
00:09:11 area couldn't handle the pressure from the ice and they started toppling over. It was a spooky
00:09:16 occurrence called ice fog. When it happens, the temperature drops significantly, freezing
00:09:22 everything around, like Dementors did in the Harry Potter movies. All thanks to a temperature flip
00:09:28 flop. It not only messes with what you can see but also creates ghostly pillars and halos that
00:09:34 glow in the dark. Ice fog is made up of tiny ice crystals. When it's below 14 degrees Fahrenheit,
00:09:42 water droplets in the air freeze and turn into ice crystals. Until then, they stay liquid unless
00:09:48 they find something to freeze onto. Ice fog usually forms in chilly parts of the world,
00:09:53 like the Arctic or Antarctic. Budapest was a plot twist. Hot, moist gases from vehicles and planes
00:10:00 can also create ice fog. One plane takes off on a cold day and boom! There's so much ice fog that
00:10:07 the next plane can't see a thing. That sometimes happens. It's not the same as diamond dust,
00:10:13 which is when sparse ice crystals fall from a clear sky. It forms when the humidity is super
00:10:19 high, nearly 100%, and the air temperature drops way below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This creates ice
00:10:27 crystals in the air and they end up settling on different surfaces. Interestingly, early settlers
00:10:33 thought these ice crystals could get into their lungs and cause some trouble. There are many other
00:10:38 interesting ice formations, such as rabbit ice. It occurs when the air is chilly but the ground
00:10:44 is yet to embrace the frosty vibes. The sap inside plant stems expands as it freezes, making the
00:10:50 stems crack open. Once it happens, liquid slips out, meets the frosty air, and turns into thin
00:10:57 layers of ice, creating beautiful petal or ribbon-like formations. Earthquake lights are
00:11:06 another weird and unique phenomenon. When a powerful magnitude 8.1 earthquake hit Mexico in
00:11:12 2017, images of strange green and blue lights in the sky flooded social media. These so-called
00:11:20 Mexico earthquake lights added another layer of mystery. Similar to ball lightning, earthquake
00:11:26 lights are pretty rare. Fascinating, but tough for scientists to figure out. What makes it tricky
00:11:32 is that the instances of luminosity around earthquakes don't all look the same. There are
00:11:38 both theories and myths about this thing. The lights can appear in many different shapes, forms,
00:11:44 and colors. Digging into history, researchers examined 65 accounts of these lights dating back
00:11:50 to 1600 CE. For instance, on November 12, 1988, people reported a bright purple-pink globe of
00:11:59 light along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, just 11 days before a powerful quake. In Pisco,
00:12:06 Peru, the lights took the form of bright flashes captured on security cameras before an 8.0
00:12:12 magnitude earthquake in 2007. And before a 2009 earthquake in La Chila, Italy, folks saw 4-inch
00:12:20 flames of light flickering above a stone street. Yet there are still debates about whether earthquake
00:12:26 lights are real or not. The U.S. Geological Survey is a bit cautious, not sure whether
00:12:32 individual reports of unusual lighting around the time and place of an earthquake truly represent
00:12:38 earthquake lights. In one study, scientists theorized that these lights were caused by
00:12:46 electric charges activated in specific types of rocks during seismic activity, like turning on
00:12:52 a battery in Earth's crust. Some rocks, such as basalt and gabbro, have tiny crystal defects.
00:12:59 They might release electrical charges into the air. Researchers estimated that the conditions
00:13:04 needed for the creation of these lights existed in less than 0.5% of earthquakes worldwide.
00:13:10 It could explain their rarity. They also noted that the lights tend to show up more often before
00:13:18 or during quakes than afterward. An earlier study suggested that tectonic stress could create a
00:13:25 piezoelectric effect where quartz-bearing rocks produce strong electric fields when compressed.
00:13:31 Yet studying earthquake lights is tough because they're unpredictable and short-lived.
00:13:36 Time to talk about a sudden ring around the moon or sun. You're walking with a friend and
00:13:46 suddenly see this sun halo. It's nature's warning. A snow or rainstorm is coming.
00:13:52 These halos form when bazillions of tiny ice crystals and clouds refract sunlight.
00:13:57 Resist the temptation to stare at this wonder directly. It can damage your eyes.
00:14:03 Grab sunglasses and then admire it for about 40 minutes.
00:14:07 Nature sends other early warnings too. If the sea mysteriously recedes, showing coral and fish,
00:14:15 a tsunami might be on the way. Watch out for rip currents on the beach.
00:14:19 Sharks might be fleeing a storm if they come unusually close. Feeling your hair stand on
00:14:25 end and jewelry buzzing? Lightning might strike nearby. Seek shelter. Avalanches,
00:14:31 green storms, and lakes near volcanoes are all potential dangers. Cross seas are extremely
00:14:38 dangerous. Cave exploration during a full moon might cost you your life. If the ocean turns
00:14:43 reddish-brown, avoid swimming. There might be toxic algae in the water. Animals sense disasters
00:14:49 too. If they act strangely, pay attention. There's a fascinating blue glow around Matsu
00:14:58 Islands on summer nights. It's caused by tiny glowing creatures. Tourists love watching this
00:15:05 beautiful spectacle, but there's a downside. It's toxic and getting bigger each year,
00:15:11 as revealed by a study. Despite its romantic appearance, this phenomenon is harmful.
00:15:17 A team of oceanographers used satellite data to track its growth over 19 years. After analyzing
00:15:24 almost a thousand satellite images, they concluded that it was expanding into deeper waters.
00:15:30 Unfortunately, this expansion poses a threat to marine life. The bloom of blue tears can poison
00:15:37 fish and sea turtles and even affect human health. While dinoflagellates themselves aren't toxic,
00:15:44 their food, toxic algae, releases harmful chemicals into the water. This process depletes oxygen,
00:15:51 endangering marine animals. The main cause is unclear, but pollution from agriculture down
00:15:58 the Yangtze River seems to play a crucial role. Agricultural runoff introduces nutrients that
00:16:04 fuel the bloom. During the construction of the Three Gorges Dam project, the bloom's size reduced
00:16:10 when the river's flow decreased. After the dam was finished and the river started flowing strongly
00:16:16 again, the bloom resumed its growth. The team predicts that blue tears will keep expanding,
00:16:22 posing an ongoing threat to marine life and creating more vividly glowing waters.
00:16:30 A katabatic wind or drainage wind happens when dense cold air descends from a higher elevation
00:16:36 down a slope due to gravity. These winds can be powerful, sometimes reaching hurricane speeds,
00:16:43 but rarely. Unlike all downslope winds, katabatic winds like the Bora in the Adriatic or Santa Ana
00:16:50 in California originate from cooling air on elevated surfaces like plateaus or mountains.
00:16:56 As the air descends, it warms up. Its temperature depends on the source region.
00:17:01 In Antarctica, katabatic winds are crucial in shaping wind fields. In regions such as
00:17:08 Greenland and Antarctica, these winds can become extremely intense, reaching hurricane force.
00:17:13 They contribute to unique phenomena such as the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica and are
00:17:20 associated with such dangers as Willowaz in the Fugien Archipelago and Alaska.
00:17:28 St. Elmo's Fire is a natural phenomenon worth mentioning. It happens during thunderstorms
00:17:34 or volcanic eruptions when there's a strong electric field around the area. It creates a
00:17:40 bluish or violet glow around such things as ship masts, airplane edges, or sharp objects. This
00:17:46 glow is caused by ionized air molecules and is more noticeable in low-light conditions. The glow
00:17:53 is a form of plasma and it happens when the electric field around an object causes the
00:17:57 ionization of air molecules. This can occur during thunderstorms because there are high
00:18:02 voltage differences between clouds and the ground. Sharp points make it easier for St.
00:18:07 Elmo's Fire to occur because the electric field is more concentrated in those areas.
00:18:13 The colors you see, blue or violet, come from the fluorescence of nitrogen and oxygen in Earth's
00:18:19 atmosphere. Similar to how neon lights work, but with different gases. From ancient Greece
00:18:25 to 15th century China, this phenomenon has been seen throughout history.
00:18:29 Well, this happened in June 2009. People in certain areas in Japan left their homes after
00:18:38 a heavy downpour, only to find fish, frogs, and tadpoles everywhere. Fields, roads, lawns,
00:18:46 rooftops were littered with these aquatic creatures. One man was shocked to see 13 carp
00:18:52 on and around his truck. Apparently, he stopped to count them.
00:18:56 No one knows for sure where the bizarre rain came from, but the most popular theory claims that a
00:19:02 powerful water spout picked up all these creatures, then it carried them through the upper atmosphere
00:19:08 and dropped the animals on the unsuspecting people below.
00:19:11 Shelf clouds look like something from a sci-fi movie. They form when warm and moist air gets
00:19:18 caught in a thunderstorm updraft. These ominous clouds most often mean a storm is coming.
00:19:24 Breathtaking rainbow clouds appear on top of cotton-like puffy clouds after thunderstorms.
00:19:31 The puffy clouds are low-altitude ones. They usually hover at a height of around 6,000 feet.
00:19:38 When the water vapor they contain condenses, the resulting droplets act like prisms.
00:19:43 This forms multicolored caps over the clouds.
00:19:46 Morning glory clouds are extremely rare. They look like massive tubes stretching across the sky.
00:19:54 They can snake for more than 600 miles, sitting relatively low.
00:19:58 Most researchers agree that these clouds appear when an updraft squeezes through the cloud.
00:20:05 This creates the signature rolling appearance. The cool air at the back of the cloud makes it
00:20:10 sink downward. The best, but not the only place to see morning glory is Australia's Gulf of
00:20:16 Carpentaria. If you decide to travel there to see these clouds, choose a period from late September
00:20:23 to early November. It was 2012 when the sky turned first ominous dark, then yellow. After that,
00:20:32 blue gelatinous balls started to fall to the ground. A man from the UK found these balls
00:20:39 outside during a hailstorm. He was walking to his garage when he spotted something unusually
00:20:44 bright among the whitish hailstones. When researchers examined this jelly rain,
00:20:50 they found out the balls were made from the substance used in diapers or potting soil.
00:20:54 It's used to absorb liquid. It's still unclear whether the balls fell from the sky,
00:21:00 or maybe the melting ice made a few already existing crystals expand in the blink of an eye.
00:21:06 Huge white lumps over your head are called mammatus clouds. They can make you believe
00:21:13 the sky is falling. Most clouds form when the air rises into the atmosphere, but not mammatus ones.
00:21:20 They appear when moist and cool air goes down and mixes with dry air. The result? Unique puffed
00:21:27 rice clouds. By the way, if you spot this phenomenon, bad weather is just around the corner.
00:21:33 Colorful nacreous clouds occur extremely high in the atmosphere. I mean, twice as high as a
00:21:42 commercial airplane's cruising altitude. The air at such heights is extremely dry and cold.
00:21:48 Ice crystals and nacreous clouds are much smaller than those that form more common clouds.
00:21:54 They scatter light in a different way. And this gives the clouds their mother-of-pearl appearance.
00:21:59 Blood rain looks more terrifying than any horror movie. But in reality, there's nothing strange or
00:22:07 unnatural about this weather phenomenon. People have known about such scarlet-tinted rains since
00:22:13 the time of ancient Rome. Sometimes, powerful winds lift red dust into the atmosphere and carry
00:22:20 it far, far away. To another galaxy. In the end, this dust gets mixed with clouds, which colors
00:22:28 the rain. By the way, dust from coal mines can make the rain black. Pollen is responsible for
00:22:34 yellow rains. And some other kinds of dust can turn the rainwater white. In Australia,
00:22:42 it sometimes rains spiders. That's because these creatures can balloon. That's a highly unusual way
00:22:48 of traveling. A spider climbs to the very top of a tall tree or shrub. And then it spins several
00:22:55 strands of silk. These strands help the spider to be carried away by the wind. It's not easy to spot
00:23:02 ballooning. But sometimes, if the weather is especially damp and unpleasant, mass ballooning
00:23:08 happens. And then, you can't help but pay attention. Millions of spiders set off on a journey
00:23:14 to find another place with better conditions. It may seem like it's snowing outside. But no,
00:23:20 those are spiders drifting down to the ground. Ever see huge round disks in the sky? Most likely,
00:23:28 those were lenticular clouds. They usually form over large and high places, like mountains or
00:23:34 hills. When strong winds bump into some barrier, this creates an air wave. The air kinda wraps
00:23:41 around the obstacle. And the higher the barrier is, the colder the air that's rising over it becomes.
00:23:47 At some point, the moisture it contains turns into water droplets, and they form the unusual
00:23:53 clouds. Lenticular clouds can look like waves, a pizza, or even a stack of pancakes. How yummy!
00:24:00 Volcanic tornadoes are possibly one of the most terrifying natural phenomena.
00:24:06 When a volcano erupts, it spews red-hot rock and ash high into the air. As for solid lava pieces
00:24:13 and hot gases, they travel down the volcano's slope. When this flow moves down, some of the
00:24:19 trapped gases begin to rise and spin at the same time. They get squeezed by the surrounding air,
00:24:25 which makes them spin faster and faster. That's how a volcanic tornado gets born.
00:24:31 Luckily, this phenomenon has a very short lifespan. On March 19, 2018, the inhabitants of Alabama had
00:24:39 to run for their lives. Otherwise, they would've been hit by huge chunks of ice falling from the
00:24:45 sky. It was the infamous hailstorm that caused millions of dollars worth of damage. After the
00:24:51 hailstorm, the area looked gloomy. Broken shop windows, smashed car windshields, busted billboards,
00:24:58 holes in the roofs. At least, researchers got excited when they found a hailstone near the
00:25:03 town of Cullman. This softball-sized monster was more than 5 inches across. No wonder it's
00:25:10 set a new state record. Cylindrical snow donuts occur when a wind gust decides to make a snowball.
00:25:18 It starts to roll some snow across a snowy area. If it were a real snowball, it would eventually
00:25:23 become too heavy for the wind to move. But the snow donut's center is hollowed out. This happens
00:25:29 because its inner layer is too thin and is blown away when the donut is formed. This makes it
00:25:35 lighter than a snowball, and that's why it also rolls farther. Unfortunately, you just can't go
00:25:41 and find snow donuts. They're rare because they need very precise conditions to appear.
00:25:48 Moonbows are a much rarer phenomenon than rainbows. They're caused by moonlight rather
00:25:53 than direct sunlight and occur only when the moon is near full. Moonbows are dim and often seem to
00:26:00 be white. But it's just an illusion. The human eye is just not sensitive enough to catch all the
00:26:06 colors. Lightning balls are small floating spheres of light. They can be orange, yellow, or even red.
00:26:13 Sometimes, lightning balls descend from the sky. In other cases, they appear out of nowhere,
00:26:19 hovering several feet above the ground. They don't emit any heat or produce very little sound.
00:26:25 Lightning balls can bounce off objects. If they come across something electrical, like a TV,
00:26:30 they usually disappear with a quiet pop, leaving behind the smell of sulfur. But lightning balls
00:26:36 can also start fires or explode. Scientists believe lightning balls might be connected
00:26:42 with thunderstorms, but there's no solid proof yet. Fogbows are almost white, pale blue on the
00:26:50 inside, and faint red on the outside. You have higher chances of seeing a fogbow over the cold
00:26:56 sea or ocean when warm air comes into contact with much colder air. This phenomenon also occurs when
00:27:03 the sun is bright, and the fog is thin enough for the light to get through. Pele's hair is thin lava
00:27:10 threads. They look golden and pretty, but don't even think about picking them up. Yeah, they can
00:27:16 harm you. The wind sometimes catches small droplets of lava coming from active volcanoes.
00:27:21 These droplets get carried miles away from the vent. They get stretched into super-thin glass
00:27:28 wires, also called hair lava. Some strands can be as long as 6 feet.
00:27:34 In March 2018, those who looked up in the sky in northern Nevada saw one of the rarest and most
00:27:41 bizarre clouds ever. It was a horseshoe cloud. Such a vortex happens when a flat cloud travels
00:27:48 over a column of warm, rising air. This air not only gives the cloud its impressive shape,
00:27:54 but also adds some spin to its movement. But you've gotta be quick! Horseshoe clouds are
00:28:00 very fleeting and usually last for only several minutes. Frost flowers bloom on young sea ice in
00:28:07 the Arctic Ocean or on thin lake ice. They're fragile and delicate ice crystals. These
00:28:13 structures grow during temperature changes. They draw moisture from the ice surface and rise,
00:28:19 capturing bacteria and salt. You can find frost flowers in Antarctica too. But wherever these
00:28:25 crystals grow, people know, disappointingly, very little about them. Still, they're awfully pretty.
00:28:31 Floods, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, yikes! All these natural disasters can get extremely
00:28:40 dangerous, but we're kinda familiar with them. But how about a natural disaster that has never
00:28:46 happened before, but could occur any moment now? It might be a super-eruption. That's what happens
00:28:54 when a supervolcano erupts. You might know that Yellowstone Park is located on top of a
00:29:00 supervolcano. The last massive eruption there happened about 664,000 years ago, and the one
00:29:07 before that, approximately 1.3 million years ago. If we do the math, we'll understand that the next
00:29:14 eruption might be due any time soon. There's no strong evidence that the supervolcano is waking up
00:29:21 or preparing for an eruption, but what would it be like if it did happen?
00:29:26 Months before the eruption, small-scale earthquakes would become more frequent and
00:29:31 more powerful in the area. Not long before the eruption, the growing pressure would push up the
00:29:36 ground over the volcano, creating a dome. Narrow cracks would open along the edges of this dome.
00:29:43 The magma would then start rising toward the surface, and then the eruption would kick off.
00:29:49 A massive column of lava and ash would shoot up into the air to a height of over 16 miles.
00:29:56 The volcano would keep pumping ash for days on end. The air in that area would heat up to 570
00:30:02 degrees Fahrenheit. For all living creatures, ash fallout would be one of the most dangerous
00:30:08 consequences of the eruption. Buildings and trees would start collapsing under the weight of this
00:30:13 dense substance. It would only take a couple of days for a 10-foot layer of ash to cover
00:30:18 the territory of about 50 miles around the center of the eruption. After the ash got into the
00:30:25 stratosphere, the temperatures all over the world would start to drop. The eruption would also be
00:30:30 rich in sulfur, and this element is an effective sun-blocker. That's why it would soon get so cold
00:30:37 that there would be no summer in the whole world for the next several years. The monsoon seasons
00:30:43 would change. It would be hard for animals to find food and clean water. Well now, how about
00:30:50 a gamma-ray burst? You don't stumble across this kind of radiation in your everyday life.
00:30:55 A gamma-ray burst occurs when two neutron stars collide. The collapse of a massive star can
00:31:02 produce it too. Gamma rays could present a serious danger to Earth. If a gamma-ray burst happened
00:31:08 close to our home planet, it could rip our ozone layer away. After that, we would be left unprotected
00:31:15 from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Plus, gamma rays could also produce ground ozone.
00:31:21 This kind of ozone could seep into the ocean since it's water-soluble, and that would lead
00:31:26 to a mass extinction of marine life. Plants wouldn't survive this disaster either.
00:31:33 Now come to think of it, giant sinkholes could swallow entire communities. One of such sinkholes
00:31:39 opened up in the city of New York. It pulled a parked van into the Earth. That happened in the
00:31:45 summer of 2022. And it wasn't the only sinkhole to appear in that area. Local inhabitants reported
00:31:52 about 4,000 sinkholes all over the city. This kind of problem is also very common in Florida,
00:31:59 and it's much more serious than it may sound. Sinkholes open all of a sudden, pulling down
00:32:05 everything and everyone that happens to be nearby. Sinkholes appear all over the world,
00:32:10 which makes them a global problem. They're totally unpredictable and form without warning.
00:32:16 Luckily, experts know what causes them. In some areas, there are vast areas of groundwater.
00:32:23 But during droughts, this water dries up. This creates large empty caverns. And after heavy
00:32:29 rains, the surface over such a cavern can collapse, creating a sinkhole within minutes.
00:32:35 Now, what if we came across a wandering black hole? You might know that a black hole is a region
00:32:43 in space where gravity is so powerful that not even light can escape its clutches. Luckily,
00:32:50 the nearest one to us is 1,500 light-years away. Nothing to worry about, right?
00:32:55 Until you find out about wandering black holes. Now, things get definitely way creepier.
00:33:02 If such a black hole entered the Solar System, Earth would be doomed. We wouldn't stand a chance
00:33:09 against this space monster. In 2012, 13 wandering black holes were spotted not so far away from our
00:33:16 planet. But worry not, not far away in space terms means around 1 billion light-years away.
00:33:23 So we've got some time left. Plus, the possibility of such a disaster is very, very low.
00:33:29 Another natural disaster we haven't experienced yet is a mega-flood. It's never happened before,
00:33:37 but the changes in climate do make for a risky potential. It could start, let's say, in
00:33:43 California. This state experienced some really bad flooding in the past. One of such floods stretched
00:33:49 up to 60 miles across and 300 miles long. If a similar disaster happened these days,
00:33:56 it would cause $1 trillion worth of damage. It would also uproot millions of people.
00:34:02 Now let's talk about a hypercane. Judging from the name, this natural disaster might get extreme.
00:34:11 A hypercane is a theoretical hurricane of unsurpassed power. It would occur if the
00:34:17 ocean became overheated as a result of climate change, or because of a massive volcanic eruption.
00:34:24 In any case, these conditions could create a hurricane that would stretch way beyond the
00:34:29 lower stratosphere. And as you may guess, regular hurricanes don't do that. The hypercane speed would
00:34:36 reach 500 mph. The pressure inside would be low enough not to let the hypercane to wear out as
00:34:43 quickly as other hurricanes. The hypercane could last for weeks on end. But the worst thing? It
00:34:49 could damage or even destroy part of Earth's ozone layer. And the hole could be the size of the
00:34:55 entire North American continent. Now this disaster did happen before.
00:35:01 About 66 million years ago, I bet you know what I'm hinting at. Yep, that very meteor that
00:35:09 supposedly wiped out dinosaurs off the face of the Earth. This 7-mile-wide space visitor was
00:35:15 traveling at 67,000 mph. As a result of the collision, 75% of all life on the planet disappeared,
00:35:24 and winter rained on Earth for 18 months. Want to know a secret? Meteors strike Earth
00:35:31 all the time. Even more of them barely miss our planet. But it's also very hard to predict
00:35:36 meteor strikes. Scientists miss a lot of them until they just nearly miss us. That's why
00:35:42 experts are working on an early warning system that could prevent disasters. It could make
00:35:48 meteor impacts less catastrophic or at least allow people time to evacuate.
00:35:55 It could also be our very own Sun that would be responsible for another natural disaster.
00:36:00 I'm talking about a massive solar flare. On the scale of damage to society,
00:36:06 few catastrophes can compare to this event. It wouldn't destroy buildings like a tsunami or
00:36:12 an earthquake. Neither would it end lives in the same way a supervolcano or meteor would.
00:36:18 But it would cripple our entire way of life by destroying the whole electronic infrastructure
00:36:24 of Earth. The cost of this disaster would reach trillions of dollars. It'd cause other infrastructures
00:36:31 to fail. Communication, medicine, transportation, banking systems… those would tumble like dominoes.
00:36:38 And it would be incredibly hard to recover them. Earth would be left without electricity for years.
00:36:44 There would be no electric light, no computers, no phones. Water supply systems would be out
00:36:51 of order. There would be no food in supermarkets. There would be no electricity. And people wouldn't
00:36:56 be able to reboot the already broken power grids. In 1859, people all over the world woke up in the
00:37:04 middle of the night. It was as light as during the day. The skies were illuminated with auroras – red,
00:37:11 green, purple. They appeared even in the regions where no one had seen them before, like the
00:37:17 Bahamas, Jamaica, or Hawaii. Telegraphs got electrically charged even though they were
00:37:23 disconnected. In many areas, fires started. That was when technology barely existed.
00:37:30 But imagine the avalanche of problems a solar flare could cause today!
00:37:34 Hey, ever heard of a fire rainbow? Yeah, me neither. How about a circumhorizontal arc?
00:37:44 Didn't think so, but just so you know, they're one and the same thing. At first glance,
00:37:50 it looks like a painting, or like a rainbow-colored splash in the sky. Despite the name,
00:37:55 they have nothing in common with either fire or rain. This phenomenon happens on rare occasions
00:38:02 when the sun shines through a particular type of ice cloud formation.
00:38:05 The rainbow halos are just as unique. Again, a specific type of ice crystals and clouds
00:38:12 needs to be present for the surface of the Earth to bend light from the sun into a perfect ring.
00:38:18 The same thing can happen with moonlight. The only difference will be that moon halos are usually
00:38:24 white, and sun halos can be rainbow-colored. When visiting regions with high altitudes,
00:38:30 you may be one of the lucky people to stumble upon penitentes. They're basically naturally-formed
00:38:36 ice spikes. For them to be formed, they need a really cold and elevated environment where the
00:38:42 air is dry. The sunlight turns ice directly into vapor, rather than melting it into water.
00:38:48 And that's why these blades of snow and ice start to pop up on the surface of the Earth.
00:38:53 As cute as they may be, they can end up as tall as 15 feet!
00:38:58 Now, what happens when small, individual droplets of lava meet the wind? Pele's hair, basically.
00:39:06 Let me explain. The word "pele" comes from an ancient Hawaiian symbol for volcanoes.
00:39:11 Whenever the wind picks up little drops of lava, it stretches them into hair-like strands,
00:39:17 similar to the process of glass wire creation. These delicate strands can stretch as far as 6 feet.
00:39:24 On rare occasions, it can rain without any clouds. But does it really? Let's look at the science
00:39:31 behind this rare phenomenon. It's sometimes called a "sun shower" just because it looks like the rain
00:39:38 is falling straight from the sun. Let's be clear, though. There is no way rain can ever come down
00:39:44 directly from a star. Rain clouds are at a bit of a distance from that specific location. With sun
00:39:50 rays being angled, the clouds become out of sight. Add a little wind to blow the rain in your
00:39:56 direction, and ta-da! You get sun showers! Located in Bolivia is a place called Salar de
00:40:04 Uyuni. It's the largest salt flat in the world. It's also the home of half of the world's lithium,
00:40:10 which is a crucial component for making batteries. But what else is so special about this place?
00:40:16 Well, whenever the rain season comes, it turns this piece of flat land into a perfectly reflective
00:40:22 mirror lake. What comes to your mind when you hear about the Blood Falls? A horror movie?
00:40:29 Well, they are merely a series of waterfalls located in one of the driest regions of Antarctica.
00:40:35 They emerge from an underground lake filled with a special kind of bacteria.
00:40:39 These little organisms use sulfates as fuel instead of sugars, which makes them very intriguing for
00:40:45 scientists. The water contained in this lake is so full of iron that it basically just rusts when
00:40:52 it meets the air. Hence the reddish color of the waterfall, which also gives it its trademark name.
00:40:58 Okay, we all know the song, but it's not really made up. There is actually such a thing called
00:41:04 a desert rose. It's not a plant, though, but a unique form of the mineral gypsum.
00:41:10 It develops in dry sandy places that can occasionally flood. This constant switching
00:41:15 between a wet and dry environment lets the gypsum crystals emerge between grains of sand,
00:41:21 trapping them and forming a rose-like shape. Ever heard of the Eye of Sahara? Scientists are
00:41:27 still trying to figure out how it was formed. You can only see it if you fly above it, but it's
00:41:33 basically a naturally formed dome that dates back to approximately 100 million years ago.
00:41:39 And no, I wasn't around then. It has a rough diameter of 25 miles and consists of a bunch of
00:41:46 concentric rings. The biggest one, or the central area, measures about 19 miles in diameter.
00:41:53 Astronauts were some of the first people to notice it, and it's been studied ever since. In fact,
00:41:59 even to this day, when landing in Florida, they know they're almost home when they see the Eye
00:42:04 of Sahara. One of the most beautifully colored trees in the world is located in the Philippines
00:42:11 and Indonesia. It's called the Rainbow Eucalyptus. It got its name because of its bark that switches
00:42:17 colors and peels away as the tree ages. The bright green bark is the youngest, as it contains a
00:42:24 substance called chlorophyll, usually found in leaves. It then switches to purple and then to
00:42:29 the color red. And finally, it turns brown as it grows and loses the chlorophyll.
00:42:35 Now don't be tricked into thinking that's a whole forest. It's one single tree. And no,
00:42:42 it's not some sort of optical illusion either. Let me explain. Underneath that soil, there is a
00:42:48 complex network of roots that connects around 47,000 tree-like shapes you see above the ground.
00:42:55 It's called the Quaking Aspen. Some of these trees are among the oldest and largest organisms
00:43:01 in the world. Now here's a good destination for all travelers. Or maybe not so good, after all.
00:43:08 The most lightning-stricken area in the world, according to recent data released by NASA,
00:43:14 is Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. Out of all the days in a year, 300 of them feature thunderstorms
00:43:21 in this location. What makes this area so unique, though, that storms happen so often? Well,
00:43:27 it's because where cool mountain air meets the warm moist breeze and generates electricity over
00:43:33 the lake. The Eternal Flame Falls are located in upstate New York, near the Canadian border.
00:43:40 In this region, there is a tiny waterfall with a big secret – a spark about 8 inches tall.
00:43:46 Turns out there's a natural gas seep that provides fuel to the flame behind the waterfall.
00:43:52 The waterfall provides enough coverage so that it stays lit pretty much every time.
00:43:57 Hikers do enjoy to relight it if they see that it's been blown out. This phenomenon is actually
00:44:03 quite common, but this one gained more popularity because it is younger than most. And it looks very
00:44:09 good in pictures, let's be honest. I've heard of yellow sand, white sand, and even black sand
00:44:16 here or there. But I've never heard of green beaches until now. Papacolia, also known as Green
00:44:22 Sand Beach, is located in Hawaii and is one of the few beaches in the world that features green sand.
00:44:29 The unique coloring comes from olivine rock that was formed when a nearby volcano erupted.
00:44:35 Actually, in Hawaii, all the volcanoes are nearby. Move over, green sands, because some of the other
00:44:42 beaches around the world can even glow at night. And it's completely natural. The culprit? A little
00:44:49 thing called photoplankton, or microalgae as they're sometimes called. They're basically
00:44:54 little plants that contain chlorophyll and need sunlight in order to live and grow.
00:44:59 Most photoplankton kinds are able to float in the upper part of the ocean,
00:45:04 where the sunlight can still reach them beneath the water. When the photoplankton gets agitated
00:45:09 by the movement of waves and currents, they emit light, which looks like some glow during the
00:45:15 night. These special microorganisms are found on beaches in a lot of places around the world,
00:45:21 such as the Maldives, Puerto Rico, and the Everglades.
00:45:24 At the base of a mountain located just outside of Afton, Wyoming, is a little river called the
00:45:31 Intermittent Spring. There are only 3 of this kind in the whole world, but what makes this
00:45:37 little string of water so mysterious? Well, the fact that it starts and stops every few minutes.
00:45:43 Scientists have yet to pinpoint precisely why this happens. They speculate that it's basically
00:45:48 just a siphon effect that happens deep within the ground that causes the river to just start and
00:45:54 stop so often. Should you ever be interested in checking it out, be sure to do so in the late
00:45:59 summer, as that's when the intermittent spring is most active. Do you see the irony here? You
00:46:06 can only see the spring in the summer? Okay, I'm done.
00:46:11 You're in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, one of the driest places on Earth. But this
00:46:16 desert has a beautiful secret. Every 3 to 5 years, flowers pop up out of nowhere. It's so famous,
00:46:24 it's also called the flowering desert. Seeds lie around in the ground just waiting for some rain.
00:46:30 When the desert gets enough water, about 200 types of flowers sprout up.
00:46:35 The yellow sands of the Atacama turn purple, white, green, and even pink.
00:46:41 Another mystical phenomenon that can be seen in the desert is called a sand waterfall. When the
00:46:46 wind brings a lot of sand to the edge of the canyon, it begins to fall down. Now amplify
00:46:52 this effect 100 times, and you get a sand waterfall in Saudi Arabia. It really is like Niagara Falls,
00:46:59 only there's not a drop of water. The locals say this phenomenon warns of an impending sandstorm.
00:47:06 Fairy rings, also known as elf rings or pixie rings, are mysterious circles of mushrooms that
00:47:12 appear in grasslands and forested areas. There's a lot of debate about why these fairy rings form
00:47:18 a nearly perfect circle. Some superstitions claim that fairy dances would burn the ground,
00:47:24 causing mushrooms to rapidly grow. In southern India, between July and September 2001,
00:47:31 people witnessed one of the strangest weather phenomena in recorded history.
00:47:36 The rain was red. What many would've thought to be a typical rainstorm left them shocked. The
00:47:43 color was bright enough to stain clothes. There were other colors too, such as green, yellow,
00:47:48 brown, and even black. In the middle of a monsoon, red rain started to fall, and so did periodically
00:47:55 for several weeks. Researchers have found this unusual rain is stained either by dust or algae,
00:48:01 so don't try to catch any on your tongue. Scientists aren't entirely sure how the algae
00:48:07 got all the way up there. This does make events like this a little unsettling.
00:48:12 Now, people who live in rural central Norway, over the Hestalen Valley, can often witness
00:48:18 floating lights of white, yellow, and red cross the sky. The lights appear both at day and night,
00:48:25 and once back in the 80s, they were spotted 15 to 20 times in a single week. The Hestalen lights
00:48:33 can last just a few seconds, but sometimes they can last more than an hour. The lights move,
00:48:39 seeming to float or even sway around. Some scientists believe that the reason for these
00:48:44 lights is due to ionized iron dust. Others say it's a combination that includes sodium, oxygen,
00:48:50 and hydrogen. Many people claim they're just misidentified aircrafts. Norway!
00:48:56 Snow doughnuts are one of the rarest meteorological sights to see, with perfect weather
00:49:02 conditions needed just to create them. Found in any snow-covered mountain area, like the Rocky
00:49:07 Mountains, the wind, temperature, snow, ice, and moisture all have to work together for us to see
00:49:14 these phenomenal rings. A thin layer of wet snow on the ground. Under that layer, ice or powdered
00:49:20 snow. Then, a strong enough breeze to roll the doughnut down a hill, just like a snowball. Once
00:49:27 it stops rolling, it can be the size of a baseball or as large as a car tire. It all depends on how
00:49:33 strong the wind is. A newly formed snow doughnut won't stay around for very long, so hurry up with
00:49:39 that camera and watch your head! Can you believe there's another place on Earth with its own
00:49:45 ecosystem and atmosphere, similar to another planet? Well, start believing! Muvil Cave,
00:49:51 located in southeastern Romania, remained closed in complete darkness for a whopping
00:49:57 5.5 million years. It wasn't until workers discovered the cave, when they were looking
00:50:02 for a place to build, that anyone learned about it. Scientists carved out an opening to the cave
00:50:07 and found that a completely sustained ecosystem was thriving inside. As a pathway was carved
00:50:13 through the rock past numerous tunnels, scientists found a lake of sulfuric water that stank like
00:50:20 rotten eggs. The air was filled with hydrogen sulfide and had 100 times more carbon dioxide
00:50:26 than Earth's atmosphere contains. Needless to say, this air is completely toxic. What's even
00:50:32 crazier is that a whole ecosystem has been existing in this cave, with 33 species that
00:50:38 can't be found anywhere else on Earth. This cave gives us a glimpse of what could possibly exist
00:50:44 on other planets with completely different atmospheres. How it managed to exist on Earth
00:50:49 all this time without anyone knowing is rather unbelievable, isn't it?
00:50:54 Now check these trees out. They're called Indian rubber trees. Their strong roots grow not
00:51:00 underground but on the surface. With the help of special frames and fasteners, people have learned
00:51:06 to control how these roots grow. Let's say a tree is next to a small pit. You need to make a bridge
00:51:12 from one end of this pit to the other. You direct the growing tree roots in the needed direction.
00:51:18 Over time, the roots penetrate the ground and strengthen under endless downpours. It takes
00:51:23 about 15 years to create one bridge. Here's another amazing tree called the
00:51:29 Tree of Life. It grows in Bahrain's desert. The tree has been standing on top of this
00:51:34 sandy hill for more than 400 years, surrounded by miles of sand. It's extremely hot here,
00:51:40 and there's no moisture. But despite this, the tree has green leaves, and it continues to grow.
00:51:46 So far, scientists haven't figured out yet how the tree gets moisture and nutrients.
00:51:51 There are only places with oil deposits around. Locals think the tree is sacred. After all,
00:51:57 it demonstrates the magic of life and the power of nature. Some experts are sure it's all about
00:52:03 the roots. They go so deep that they can reach underground sources of water.
00:52:08 So, there you are. You've been driving for hours through the night. You didn't have any
00:52:14 chance to sleep, so your mind is hanging by a thread. You stop the car and go out to stretch
00:52:20 your limbs. And then you look up into the sky and see a beautiful sunrise. Well, wait. There are
00:52:27 three suns in the sky. You rub your eyes, but nope, there are still three bright stars in the sky.
00:52:33 No, our home star hasn't been torn into three pieces, nor has it been visited by two other
00:52:40 stars. This is called a sun-dawn. It occurs mostly during severe frosts. Small ice crystals in the
00:52:47 sky bend the light. As a result, you may see three bright spots in the sky instead of just one.
00:52:53 This phenomenon is officially called a halo. Usually, it's just a circle around the sun.
00:52:59 You can even see a halo at night, too. Just look at a street lamp, and you'll see a bright circle
00:53:04 around it. Sometimes, a halo can take on a fancier shape. If there's a lot of ice in the air,
00:53:10 the light is warped even more. Just like in a room with a dozen mirrors,
00:53:15 then the halo can take on the shape of a human eye.
00:53:19 Because of this phenomenon, a false dawn can also occur. While you're looking at the horizon,
00:53:25 the dawn begins, and the edge of the sun appears. A little bit more, and wait,
00:53:31 the sun starts to just dissolve in the sky. After a few moments, it's dark again. And only a minute
00:53:38 later, the real sun shows its face. It was the same light curvature effect you saw before with
00:53:44 the three suns. Only now, the light is curved vertically, not horizontally. And instead of
00:53:50 the real sun, its reflection in ice crystals in the sky appeared. But the sunrise with three
00:53:56 stars on the horizon is actually real. Not on Earth, though, but 340 light-years away.
00:54:02 There's a star system at the center of which lurks a star almost twice the size of the sun.
00:54:09 And there are two smaller stars orbiting around this giant. The strange world has a planet too.
00:54:14 Sunsets and dawns there really happen with three stars. If you brought your significant other to
00:54:21 a park bench to watch a sunset here, your date would go just fine. Whatever that means.
00:54:27 And since we're talking about the most baffling natural phenomena,
00:54:31 it would be a crime not to mention snow in a desert. Yep, in the winter of 2018,
00:54:38 the inhabitants of the Sahara Desert, one of the driest and hottest places on this planet,
00:54:43 woke up to discover a thick blanket of snow covering the sand. In some places,
00:54:48 the layer of snow enveloping the dunes reached a staggering 15 inches. Meteorologists, however,
00:54:55 had an explanation for this exciting phenomenon. They stated that cold pools of air, combined with
00:55:01 the precipitation from the most recent storm, resulted in a snowfall instead of rain.
00:55:07 So what do you do in that case? Build snow camels? Hmm, one hump or two.
00:55:12 You're dozing off in your window seat on a plane. It's getting dark since it's almost 11 pm.
00:55:22 Suddenly, something wakes you up. You glance out of the window and see a really strange phenomenon.
00:55:28 Something that creeps you out. There are bright red huge flashes illuminating the sky at a distance.
00:55:35 They resemble some nightmarish jellyfish. Those are sprites, also called red sprites due to their
00:55:41 color. They're also known as cloud-to-space lightning. These varied visual shapes flickering
00:55:48 in the night sky are large-scale electric discharges, which is a clever word for a
00:55:53 lightning strike. They occur high above thunderstorm clouds at altitudes of 30 to 56 miles.
00:55:59 That's why you can see them so well from your plane window. The coolest thing about sprites
00:56:05 is that they're positively charged lightning. This is a very rare type that makes up a mere 5%
00:56:10 of all lightning strikes. People first spotted this phenomenon in 1886, and it was first
00:56:17 photographed in 1989. In 2018, the legendary Niagara Falls located at the border between
00:56:24 New York State and Ontario, Canada, managed to surprise everyone. Tourists who came to admire
00:56:30 the roaring waters found the falls frozen. Well, the waterfalls weren't frozen per se.
00:56:37 This is impossible for a mass of flowing water that huge, but microscopic water droplets,
00:56:42 as well as the mist, formed a crust of ice over the rushing water. It created an illusion that
00:56:48 Niagara Falls was frozen all over. In reality, the water kept flowing beneath the ice.
00:56:55 Imagine ponds filled with ice-cold water and covered with ice. Easy, huh? And now picture
00:57:02 dozens of alligator snouts that are poking out of the ponds, still and frozen in ice.
00:57:07 That's what you'd seen if you had visited the swamps of North Carolina at the beginning of 2018.
00:57:13 Despite this terrifying picture, the animals were very much alive.
00:57:17 That was a very special crocodile way to survive abnormally cold weather.
00:57:23 Since their nostrils were above water, the animals could breathe. Meanwhile,
00:57:27 their bodies were in a hibernation-like state. It allowed the animals to conserve energy and stay
00:57:33 warm. In the winter of 2018, the inhabitants of the Sahara Desert, one of the driest and hottest
00:57:40 places on the planet, woke up to discover a thick layer of snow covering the sand.
00:57:45 In some places, its depth reached a staggering 15 inches. Meteorologists had an explanation for
00:57:52 this exciting phenomenon. They said that cold pools of air combined with the precipitation
00:57:57 of the most recent storm resulted in snowfall instead of rain. It happened in June 2009.
00:58:04 People in some areas in Japan left their homes after a heavy downpour, only to find fish,
00:58:10 frogs, and tadpoles everywhere. Fields, roads, lawns, and house roofs were littered with these
00:58:18 creatures. One man even found 13 carp on and around his truck. No one knows for sure where
00:58:24 this bizarre rain came from, but the most popular theory is that a powerful water spout picked up
00:58:29 the animals. Then it carried them through the upper atmosphere and dropped them on the unsuspecting
00:58:35 people below. In Australia, it sometimes rains spiders. That's because these creatures can
00:58:43 balloon. It's a highly unusual way of traveling. A spider climbs to the very top of a tall tree
00:58:49 or shrub, and then it spins several strands of silk which then help the spider to be carried
00:58:55 away by the wind. It's not easy to spot ballooning spiders, but sometimes when the weather is
00:59:01 especially damp and unpleasant, mass ballooning occurs. Millions of spiders set off on a journey
00:59:08 to find another place with better conditions. It may look as if it's snowing outside, but no,
00:59:14 those are spiders drifting down to the ground. The world's longest lightning storms happen in
00:59:21 Venezuela and can last for nine hours per day. The heart of the storm is over Lake Maracaibo,
00:59:28 and the clouds tower way higher than your regular thunderstorm clouds. This natural phenomenon,
00:59:34 also known as Catatumbo lightning, occurs during 140 to 160 nights a year and can produce up to
00:59:41 28 lightning strikes per minute. You've probably heard how they say that lightning doesn't strike
00:59:47 twice in the same place. Well, Catatumbo lightning seems not to know about this rule.
00:59:52 At least it doesn't prevent storm clouds from gathering in the very same place year after year.
00:59:59 Volcanic tornadoes are possibly one of the most terrifying natural phenomenon.
01:00:04 When a volcano erupts, it spews red hot rock and ash high into the atmosphere,
01:00:09 and solid lava pieces and hot gases travel down the volcano's slope. When this flow is moving down,
01:00:17 some of the trapped gases begin to rise and spin at the same time. They get squeezed by the
01:00:23 surrounding air, which makes them spin faster and faster. That's how a volcanic tornado gets born.
01:00:30 Luckily, this phenomenon has a very short lifespan.
01:00:33 Even though the island of Newfoundland in Canada can't be called the warmest place on earth,
01:00:40 it's still not that cold. But imagine having to shovel snow in front of your house just several
01:00:46 days before your summer vacation. Well, that's exactly what happened on the island in June 2018.
01:00:52 A cold storm that came from the coast of Newfoundland covered several regions of the
01:00:56 islands with a two-inch layer of snow. On top of that, the temperature broke all the records as
01:01:02 well. During a Newfoundland summer, it's about 66 degrees on average and 90 degrees on a very hot
01:01:09 day. But that infamous June impressed people with only 37 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning. Brr!
01:01:18 Morning glory clouds are extremely rare. They look like massive tubes stretching across the sky.
01:01:24 They can snake for more than 600 miles, sitting relatively low. Most researchers agree that these
01:01:31 clouds appear when an updraft squeezes through the cloud. This creates the signature rolling
01:01:36 appearance. The cool air at the back of the cloud makes it sink downward. The best but not the only
01:01:44 place to see the morning glory is Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria. If you decide to travel
01:01:50 there to see these clouds, choose a period from late September to early November.
01:01:54 On March 19, 2018, the inhabitants of Alabama saw huge chunks of ice falling from the sky.
01:02:04 It was the infamous hailstorm of Alabama which caused millions of dollars worth of damage.
01:02:09 After the hailstorm, the place looked ruined. Broken shop windows, smashed car windshields,
01:02:15 broken billboards, and holes in the roofs. But what made researchers really excited was a
01:02:21 hailstone found near the town of Cullman, Alabama. This softball-sized monster was more than 5 inches
01:02:28 across, setting a new state record. In 2012, the sky over Dorset, England turned first ominously
01:02:36 dark, then yellow. After that, blue gelatinous balls started to fall to the ground. A local man
01:02:43 was walking to his garage when he spotted something unusually bright among whitish hailstones.
01:02:48 When researchers examined this jelly rain, they found out that the balls were made of the substance
01:02:54 used in diapers or potting soil. It's used to absorb liquid. It's still unclear whether the
01:03:00 balls fell from the sky or maybe the melting ice made a few already existing crystals expand in
01:03:06 the blink of an eye. In March 2018, people in northern Nevada could see the rarest and most
01:03:13 bizarre cloud ever, a horseshoe cloud. It sure looks bizarre and kinda scary, but meteorologists
01:03:21 know that this interestingly shaped vortex happens when a flat cloud travels over a column of warm,
01:03:27 rising air. This air creates this shape and adds some spin to the cloud's movements. Such clouds
01:03:34 are very fleeting and usually last for only several minutes. Cylindrical snow donuts occur
01:03:40 when a wind gust decides to play snowballs. It starts to roll some snow across a snowy area.
01:03:46 If it was a real snowball, it would eventually become too heavy for the wind to move.
01:03:51 But the center of a snow donut is hollowed out. This happens because its inner layer is too thin
01:03:58 and gets blown away when the donut is formed. This makes it lighter than a regular snowball.
01:04:04 That's why it also rolls further. Unfortunately, you can't just go and find snow donuts.
01:04:09 They're rare because they appear in very precise conditions.
01:04:14 You feel some rumbling from below. No, it's not your tummy. It's low and ominous. You look up and
01:04:21 see strange lights hanging above the ground. They look like shimmering balls of light hovering high
01:04:26 up in the sky. Your throat goes dry and you gulp. That's what they call the earthquake lights. This
01:04:33 phenomenon is poorly understood, but witnesses say they've seen it in different shapes and sizes.
01:04:39 It could be in the form of light balls, sheet lightning, streamers, and a steady glow in the sky.
01:04:45 Soon after, a strong earthquake follows. Scientists can't explain why those lights appear,
01:04:51 and they don't always do either. Some believe that's a reaction of underground gases
01:04:56 released into the atmosphere. Sure enough, an earthquake begins. But lucky you, it's not as
01:05:03 strong as you expected. The ground is shaking, but you even manage to keep your balance. It stops as
01:05:09 abruptly as it began, and you walk home. On the way home, you see a flash and hear a whip crack.
01:05:16 Lightning has struck a lone tree near where you just stood. It's caught on fire, and there's a
01:05:22 column of flames rising to the sky. Still no rain, and the pillar becomes taller and taller. Have you
01:05:29 heard of such a thing as a fire tornado? These phenomena occur when the wind is caught in a
01:05:34 circle close to the ground because of the difference in air pressure. Such mini tornadoes
01:05:39 are usually easy to notice. Small rubble, dust, sand, and leaves rise into the air and start flying
01:05:46 in rapid circles. But then, if there's a source of fire nearby, the funnel can catch it and blow it
01:05:52 stronger like bellows. The flames go round and round, reaching ever higher and eventually creating
01:05:59 a swirling, blazing tower. Luckily, fire tornadoes are short-lived and don't normally cause much
01:06:05 damage. But don't try to hide from the storm under that tree. You can find this unusual plant in
01:06:11 Florida and in some parts of the Caribbean coast. Externally, it doesn't look special at all. A
01:06:17 gray trunk, green leaves, and fruit similar to small apples. What you must remember is never to
01:06:23 pluck these apples and never stand next to the tree, especially if it's raining. This is the
01:06:29 Manchineel tree, which is considered the most dangerous in the world. Its trunk, bark, branches,
01:06:36 and fruit contain poisonous juice. One drop of this corrosive acidic liquid can harm your skin.
01:06:43 A lot. The tree can secrete this juice, and if you accidentally touch it, you risk burning your hand.
01:06:49 When it rains, water droplets fall on the tree and mix with the poison. Water can also bounce
01:06:56 off the bark and get on your skin. That's why you shouldn't stand nearby either. There are almost
01:07:02 no other shrubs or mushrooms growing around. Animals avoid these trees, and people don't chop
01:07:08 them and don't pluck the fruit. You can't make a bonfire from their branches. Burning wood emits
01:07:14 poisonous smoke that can damage your eyes. Locals know this tree well, but tourists and travelers
01:07:20 might accidentally get harmed. That's why most Manchineel trees are marked with paint or have
01:07:26 a warning sign. In western Venezuela, locals living close to the Catatumbo River aren't afraid of
01:07:33 lightning because they see it almost every single night. It starts at around 7 o'clock and doesn't
01:07:39 stop until dawn. The everlasting Catatumbo lightning did once stop for a few months,
01:07:45 from January to March 2010. It was probably due to drought, or maybe the charge ran out. In 1991,
01:07:53 a scientist suggested that the phenomenon happens because of cold and warm air currents meeting in
01:07:58 the area. Another theory is that the lightning could be due to the presence of uranium in the
01:08:04 bedrock. Not all lightning happens inside clouds. There's a rare phenomenon called a dirty
01:08:10 thunderstorm. The lightning happens above a volcano. The most famous is in Japan. It erupts
01:08:17 almost every day and spits black clouds high into the air. So it's super scary volcano clouds,
01:08:24 plus lightning. Whoa! Regular lightning happens during a storm when ice crystals bump into each
01:08:30 other. In a dirty thunderstorm, bits of volcanic ash collide, create friction, and spark up the
01:08:36 sky. In the hottest and one of the driest places on Earth, Africa's Donuquil Desert, temperatures
01:08:44 often rise above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The out-of-this-world landscape has many aspects
01:08:50 of volcanic activity, like volcanic eruptions, and geysers that spit out toxic gases like chlorine
01:08:55 and sulfur. The vibrantly green, electric blue, and yellow waters are all rain and seawater warmed
01:09:02 up by magma. One wrong step here, and you'd be gone for good. This happened in June 2009. People
01:09:10 in certain areas in Japan left their homes after a heavy downpour, only to find fish, frogs, and
01:09:17 tadpoles everywhere. Fields, roads, lawns, and rooftops were littered with these aquatic creatures.
01:09:24 One man was shocked to see 13 carp on and around his truck. Apparently, he stopped to count them.
01:09:31 No one knows for sure where the bizarre rain came from, but the most popular theory claims that a
01:09:36 powerful water spout picked up all these creatures. Then it carried them through the upper atmosphere
01:09:41 and dropped the animals on the unsuspecting people below. And now, welcome to Abraham Lake in Canada.
01:09:48 It's completely frozen. You step onto the transparent ice and look down at what lies beneath.
01:09:54 No fish, just some mysterious frozen bubbles. They look like small clouds frozen in ice,
01:10:00 or jellyfish who forgot to pack a winter jacket. There are thousands of these little bubbles,
01:10:05 made up of methane. But don't try to dig a hole in the ice to touch it. Methane is highly flammable.
01:10:11 It's created by methane-producing bacteria that eats leaves, grass, insects, or any other organic
01:10:18 stuff that gets into the lake. When the methane touches the frozen water, it turns into tens of
01:10:23 thousands of frozen little balls. When the ice melts, they burst open and sizzle. Similar lakes
01:10:30 can be found near some shores of the Arctic Ocean. There, the size of the bubbles can reach several
01:10:35 times the size of hot air balloons. Beautiful for sure, but not exactly safe. The next shocking lake
01:10:42 is in Indonesia, the island of Java. You come to a majestic volcano, overgrown with grass and trees.
01:10:50 The volcano seems to be asleep, but smoke is pouring out of it. You can't see the ice,
01:10:57 but you can see the lava. You climb to the summit. Exhausted, tired, sweaty, you're ready to cool
01:11:04 off. Nice work, you made it to the top. You look into the mouth of the volcano. Hmm, no boiling
01:11:11 lava, just a beautiful, bright, turquoise lake down there. It looks like an oasis. Perfect time
01:11:17 for a refreshing dip. You run down and get ready to jump in, but that's not water, that's acid!
01:11:23 Sulfurous gases get into the lake from under the volcano. The lake itself is full of metals.
01:11:29 When the gases touch them, they form that beautiful turquoise water, I mean acid. Better head back
01:11:36 to the nearest village, rest, and come back at night when it's cooler. In the dark, the lake
01:11:41 seems to glow. Right above it, you see light-filled, exploding little clouds. The sulfurous gases rise
01:11:49 out of the lake, combine with the air, and flash bright blue. Still, don't get too close.
01:11:55 The sea turns sinister red, and no living being can survive in it. Must be some dark magic. In
01:12:03 fact, it's tiny algae that spread uncontrollably, giving the water this specific tint called the
01:12:09 red tide. They have toxins that destroy sea mammals, birds, and turtles, as well as creatures
01:12:15 that feed on them. For humans, contact with it ends in breathing problems or seafood poisoning.
01:12:21 Sometimes even huge ships sink in the open seas for no visible reason. That reason is often the
01:12:29 pockets of bubbles that underwater volcanoes produce even while they're sleeping. Those
01:12:34 productive magma factories are hidden under 8,500 feet of water. When they wake up, they act just
01:12:40 like land volcanoes, and they can cause destructive tsunamis. This tree looks like a bottle. No wonder
01:12:47 it's called the bottle tree. It grows in Namibia and attracts many tourists. But don't get too
01:12:54 close to the tree because it's one of the most dangerous on Earth. Milky juice flows inside the
01:12:59 trunk. It's highly toxic to the human body. On the bright side, though, the trees have beautiful pink
01:13:05 white leaves with a red core. There's a tree growing in Western Australia that was once used
01:13:11 as a prison. A cell for criminals existed inside the Boab Prison Tree for a long time. People were
01:13:18 usually kept there temporarily just for one night. After that, they were taken to their final
01:13:23 destination. The prison was built more than 1,500 years ago and has been perfectly preserved to this
01:13:29 day. Tourists visiting this place can sneak a peek inside. The Moon, our little companion, our only
01:13:38 friend in the big dark cold space. It's not surprising that any events related to it, like
01:13:44 solar or lunar eclipses, excites us. But how about the Black Moon, the Blue Moon, a Supermoon? Have
01:13:53 you ever heard of them? Well, let me tell you about it and how you can observe them. Let's get your
01:13:58 calendars ready. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is 238,900 miles. I've measured.
01:14:05 Feels not so far, doesn't it? But trust me, most people greatly underestimate this difference.
01:14:11 Did you know that every planet in the Solar System, including Jupiter and Saturn, would fit
01:14:16 between the Moon and us? I couldn't believe it myself. The Moon is tidally locked to the Earth.
01:14:22 That's why it's always turned to us with only one side. There are a few phases in a lunar cycle.
01:14:28 The New Moon is the first phase. The Sun illuminates the unseen side of our satellite,
01:14:33 so we can't see the Moon. It's almost invisible in the sky. The Rising Moon is the gradual growth
01:14:39 of the light part. The Full Moon is the phase during which the Sun completely illuminates the
01:14:44 visible side. The Descending Moon is a gradual waning of the light part. And finally, another
01:14:51 New Moon. And the whole cycle starts again. There are 29 and a half days in a lunar cycle,
01:14:57 so it takes around a month if we're not talking about February. But why am I telling you all this?
01:15:03 So you can better understand Black Moon, a rare astronomical event that happens once every 29
01:15:09 months or 2 and a half years. This term doesn't exist in astronomy, as it was made up by
01:15:15 astrologers. It's unofficial and has several meanings. Black Moon may mean the second New
01:15:21 Moon in a month. Usually, there's only one New Moon per month, so having two is a rare phenomenon.
01:15:27 It's caused by a slight discrepancy between the lunar cycle and the Earth's annual one,
01:15:32 something like leap years. Black Moon can also mean something else. For example, usually,
01:15:38 there are only three New Moons per one season. Basically, one New Moon every 30 days. However,
01:15:44 if there are four, the Black Moon means the third one. There are also some less popular meanings.
01:15:51 For example, that's what people call February without a New or Full Moon. This happens about
01:15:56 once every 19 years. But what's so special about it? The satellite is wholly hidden in the sky
01:16:03 during a regular New Moon. But during a Black Moon, you'll be able to see its dark silhouette.
01:16:09 You'll have to choose a good place without city lights. If you live in a big city,
01:16:13 you'll hardly be able to see it without a telescope. Also, since the sky turns black
01:16:18 during this phenomenon, you'll be able to see different constellations that were hidden before,
01:16:24 as well as Jupiter and Venus. The last time this happened was on April 30, 2022. You could observe
01:16:30 it in most parts of the United States, except for areas in the Pacific, Alaska, or Hawaiian Tide.
01:16:36 Aloha! Unfortunately, if this is the first time you hear about the Black Moon,
01:16:42 you've already missed it. Now, you'll have to wait another 2 and a half years. The next Black Moon
01:16:47 will happen in September 2024 by standard definition, and May 19, 2023 by seasonal
01:16:54 definition. But hey, don't worry! You can always see another astronomical event once upon a Blue
01:17:01 Moon. Now, I'm not mocking you, I'm being serious. You can still see the Blue Moon. Well, not
01:17:07 literally, of course. The Moon won't turn blue. That's just what astrologers call the second full
01:17:12 moon in a month. The Black and Blue Moons are similar by definition, but they're actually the
01:17:18 opposites. If the Black Moon is a rare second new moon in a month, the Blue Moon is a rare second
01:17:24 full moon. They also both happen every 29 months. Not so rare, right? Kind of ironic that this event
01:17:31 was called the Blue Moon. Folklorist Philip Hitchcock assumed that the calendrical meaning
01:17:36 of the term "Blue Moon" was first invented by the Maine Farmers' Almanac in 1937. Now,
01:17:43 another interesting astronomical event is called the Supermoon. Stock up on telescopes and look
01:17:48 for some hills, because you'll see an exceptionally bright and large moon like the one we only see in
01:17:54 movies. What exactly does a supermoon mean? You see, the Moon doesn't revolve around the Earth
01:18:00 in a circular orbit. Its orbit is elliptical, and the place where it's closest to the Earth
01:18:06 is called perigee. A supermoon is a phenomenon that occurs when the full moon coincides with
01:18:12 the perigee. Because of this, it seems to us especially large and bright. It looks 14% larger
01:18:19 in diameter and 30% brighter than usual. By the way, this phenomenon is often confused with the
01:18:25 so-called "moon illusion." During the moon illusion, the moon is low above the horizon
01:18:31 and visually appears larger in size. Of the 12 or 13 full moons in a year, 3 or 4 are supermoons,
01:18:38 but most of them are not very significant. You probably won't see a difference at all.
01:18:43 The most interesting ones are the rare large supermoons. During them, the moon actually
01:18:49 becomes big. The last major supermoon occurred in 2016. Unfortunately, large-scale supermoons
01:18:56 are rare and occur about once every 18 years. The next one will happen only in 2034. But we can
01:19:03 observe smaller supermoons quite often. In 2022, they'll take place on June 14 and July 16.
01:19:10 There is also an opposite phenomenon called the micromoon. You've probably already guessed what
01:19:16 that means. It happens when the full moon is at its farthest point from the Earth. This point is
01:19:22 called apogee. The next micromoon in 2022 will take place on June 29. In 2023, we'll be able to
01:19:30 observe it on January 7, February 5, and August 16. Of course, you don't have to follow each of
01:19:36 these events. Most people are more interested in lunar and solar eclipses. By the way, are you one
01:19:42 of the people who confuses these two events with each other? Test yourself. Pause this video,
01:19:48 describe what these two eclipses mean, and let's compare your answer with the correct definition.
01:19:53 Are you back? Ok. So, a solar eclipse is a phenomenon where the moon entirely or partially
01:20:00 covers the Sun. A solar eclipse is possible only during the new moon when the moon itself is not
01:20:06 visible. Many people believe that this event is incredibly rare, but this is not quite true.
01:20:11 A lunar eclipse is a phenomenon in which the moon is entirely or partially in the shadow
01:20:17 cast by the Earth. The lunar eclipse can only happen during the full moon when the proximity
01:20:22 of the moon is on the node of its orbit. If you guessed right, well done! If not, hey, don't worry,
01:20:28 many people confuse them. In 2022, a partial solar eclipse will occur on October 25. It'll be
01:20:35 visible in Europe, South and West Asia, North and East Africa, and the Atlantic. As I mentioned,
01:20:41 a total solar eclipse is not as rare as many people think, but the problem is that it's not
01:20:46 always visible from any part of the planet. So, if you want to see this event, be sure to look
01:20:52 for their calendar and see from which parts of the Earth you'll be able to see it. And don't
01:20:56 forget the special glasses! Lunar eclipses occur much more often, though. Partial lunar eclipses
01:21:02 happen almost every month. But the total lunar eclipse in 2022 will take place on the night of
01:21:08 November 7 to 8. You'll be able to see it in almost all parts of the world except Africa.
01:21:14 I hear that the zebras are not happy about this. The moon is a genuinely fascinating satellite.
01:21:20 You think whatever, it's just a small rock ball. But in reality, there are so many interesting
01:21:26 things connected to it. What rare lunar events have you seen or want to see in your life?
01:21:31 Have you observed any rare and interesting astronomical events? Be sure to share in the
01:21:36 comments! You're hiking in the wilderness, looking for a safe spot to set up camp. All you can hear
01:21:43 are leaves and branches crackling under your footsteps. Some squirrels are running up a tree
01:21:48 over there. But suddenly, something unexpected happens. You notice something weird in the
01:21:54 distance in between the trees. It kinda looks like a concrete structure of some kind. Weird.
01:22:00 At this point, you're at least 20 miles deep into the woods, and there are no nearby towns or
01:22:05 villages, as far as you know. So, you decide to go off the trail with your friends to get a closer
01:22:12 look. But as you get nearer, you realize that it's leading to… nowhere. Hmm, what's it doing here,
01:22:20 in the middle of literally nowhere? And it doesn't even lead to anything! You put on your
01:22:25 Sherlock Holmes cap and investigate. So, maybe there used to be an old house or mansion here
01:22:32 that collapsed over the years, and the only thing left is a staircase? But, weirdly enough,
01:22:38 after circling the bizarre structure, you realize there's no trace of any ruins or even foundations.
01:22:45 It's like someone just sliced a staircase off their house, cake-style, and plopped it here,
01:22:51 for no reason. Okay… You and your friends aren't really into getting a whole lot closer.
01:22:57 Something feels wrong. The longer you look at this weird structure, the more you feel a super
01:23:04 creepy presence. Something tells you you should probably leave the area as fast as possible.
01:23:09 As weird as this sounds, discoveries of random staircases, illogically found in the woods,
01:23:16 are surprisingly common. Some are made of wood, others of brick or stone. Some look ancient,
01:23:22 while others look like they were finished yesterday. The one thing they all have in common,
01:23:27 they all lead to absolutely nowhere, and they're all found in super mysterious locations.
01:23:34 One of the most famous ones is in Chesterfield, New Hampshire.
01:23:37 A long, medieval-looking staircase, made of stones with Roman arches in the middle of the woods.
01:23:44 It's believed to have been part of Madame Antoinette Chéry's castle. She was a big singer
01:23:49 back in Paris. The castle dates back about 100 years, and it was later discovered again in 1962.
01:23:56 This time, there was nothing but a staircase.
01:24:01 Another mysterious ancient staircase dates back to 9,000 years ago. It's in a forest in Italy.
01:24:07 It looks like a series of stairs that lead to a tiny platform at the top.
01:24:12 Now, why go through all the trouble of building the thing if it leads to… nowhere? Well,
01:24:18 some scientists think it could've been some sort of ritual tower, but your guess is as good as
01:24:24 theirs. There's an anomaly in the Indian Ocean known as the Indian Ocean Geoid Low, or IOGL.
01:24:32 It produces the largest distorting natural gravitational force in the world. Heavy
01:24:38 mineral deposits, many deep-sea trenches, and magma reservoirs disturb the magnetic field in
01:24:44 this area. Earth's gravity changes in different places around the planet. It allows researchers
01:24:50 to look for patterns and figure out what's happening beneath the surface. Higher gravity
01:24:55 fields usually mean denser materials below, and vice versa. Some scientists believe that the
01:25:01 anomaly might be a dent in the planet's mantle that is working its way up to the crust.
01:25:06 The Niihau Island actually rejects the fruits of today's advancements.
01:25:12 There are no cars in sight since the locals get around on foot or by bicycles. No wonder
01:25:19 their legs have great definition. They thrive without running water, internet, or shops.
01:25:24 The only school on the entire island is powered by solar energy with a backup generator.
01:25:31 And what's awesome is that it's the only school in the state that's powered by the sun.
01:25:36 Being a resident of the island, the local explains some ground rules
01:25:40 the permanent residents must abide by. If they do break these rules, they can be evicted.
01:25:47 Not far from Bangkok, in northeastern Thailand, there's a 75-million-year-old rock formation.
01:25:54 These rocks look like three whales swimming together. The beautiful design, created by
01:26:00 nature, became known as "Three Whales Rock." Millions of years ago, this area was just a
01:26:06 desert. But the land was changing. Gradually, sandstone got pulled apart by the movements
01:26:12 of tectonic plates and erosion. That's how these spectacular formations were created.
01:26:18 If you decide to explore the system of trails around Three Whales Rock,
01:26:22 you'll find waterfalls and an abundance of fauna and flora there.
01:26:26 Located on Gamal and Gaiden peninsulas, these expansive pit holes were discovered in 2014.
01:26:33 They seem to be still changing and evolving. The pits grow wider, and people find them more often.
01:26:40 Of course, there's no shortage of theories about how they appeared.
01:26:44 Suggestions range from meteorite impacts to the activity of other civilizations.
01:26:49 But the most common explanation is that methane gas reacted to water molecules after the planet's
01:26:55 permafrost started to melt. This resulted in bubbles of methane bursting through the ice.
01:27:01 The craters could be thousands of years old, but nobody knows for sure.
01:27:06 You're driving to the state of New Mexico, to the small town of Taos.
01:27:12 2% of the locals hear a strange buzzing in the air every day. Some residents believe the sound
01:27:19 is somehow connected with technologies used by guests from other galaxies.
01:27:24 Also, there is a theory that something sinister lives in the town. They say Taos is cursed.
01:27:31 An evil spirit or a phantom punishes people for something their ancestors did in the past.
01:27:37 Scientists still can't explain the nature of this sound. Another theory says it's caused by
01:27:42 unusual acoustics of the location, while others think the buzzing is a hallucination. Some can
01:27:48 hear it because everybody talks about something, and our minds create an illusion of the sound
01:27:54 that doesn't really exist. The sound isn't the same for everyone either. For some, it's a low hum.
01:28:00 For others, it's more of a buzzing sound. But this is not the only place where you can hear
01:28:05 the strange noises. It's called the hum, and people worldwide claim to have heard it.
01:28:12 Some dwellers of a small village in Scotland describe it as a low, thick hum, while some
01:28:18 residents of Florida heard a similar sound too. It's not exactly known where this phenomenon
01:28:24 appeared, but the first time the media started talking about it was in the 1970s in England.
01:28:30 Also, there are written records of a mysterious buzzing dating back almost 200 years. According
01:28:37 to some estimates, only about 2% of people on the planet can hear the hum. Perhaps their ears
01:28:43 pick up some low-frequency waves, or the reason is something else entirely. Maybe, just maybe,
01:28:50 they hear humming because the person doing it doesn't know the words to the song.
01:28:54 Yeah, that joke is also 200 years old.
01:28:59 A volcano in Indonesia spews bright blue lava and produces electric blue and purple flames.
01:29:06 This phenomenon occurs because the volcano has some of the highest levels of sulfur in the world.
01:29:12 You can also know you're near it by its foul stench. But I digress.
01:29:17 And when sulfuric gases interact with scorching hot air and get lit by the molten lava,
01:29:24 they turn blue. You can also find the world's largest acid lake inside this crater. Yep,
01:29:30 it's a real stinker. Underwater rivers and lakes are called brine pools for a reason.
01:29:37 High salinity makes the water in them denser than the seawater around. That's why it sinks to the
01:29:43 bottom, forming rivers and lakes. Those have waves of their own, and these waves can sometimes lap up
01:29:50 against the shorelines. If you went down there in a submarine, it would easily float on the surface
01:29:55 of a brine pool. But without a submarine, swimming in such a lake would be too risky.
01:30:01 They contain too much toxic methane and hydrogen sulfide. Yeah, I'd pass on that too. But hey,
01:30:07 be my guest! Cave of crystals in Mexico is home to the
01:30:11 world's most unique crystal formations. Thanks to super-rare conditions in the cave, crystals there
01:30:17 grow to unbelievable sizes. The air inside is incredibly humid. The water contains tons of
01:30:24 minerals that boost the growth of the milky white giants. Some of them are longer than telephone
01:30:30 poles. Cylindrical snow doughnuts occur when a wind gust starts to roll some snow across a snowy
01:30:37 area, as if making a snowball. If it was a real thing, it would eventually become too heavy for
01:30:43 the wind to move. But a snow doughnut's center is hollowed out. This happens because its inner
01:30:49 layer is too thin and is blown away when the doughnut is formed. This makes the thing lighter
01:30:55 than a snowball. That's also why it rolls further. Unfortunately, snow doughnuts are rare because
01:31:01 they need very precise conditions to appear. The Danikil Depression in Ethiopia is probably
01:31:08 one of the most bizarre-looking places you'll ever see. It's dotted with neon-colored hot springs,
01:31:14 lava pools, and vast salt flats. You've got to be especially careful there. Toxic gases are
01:31:20 swirling over hydrothermal fields, and many pools are super-acidic. So, don't go swimming. Until at
01:31:27 least 30 minutes after lunch. Just kidding. And finally, there's nothing mysterious about
01:31:34 28,000 rubber ducks found in the sea in 1992. That's when a ship transporting bath toys got
01:31:42 lost in the ocean while traveling from Hong Kong to the US. Some of these ducks are still floating
01:31:47 in the ocean several decades later. They've been spotted in South America, Alaska, Hawaii,
01:31:53 and even Australia. And they make bath time lots of fun. Ooh, rubber ducky.
01:32:07 Are you a pro swimmer? Brave enough to take a dip in any ocean or sea?
01:32:11 Bad news. There are some places you should avoid no matter how well you swim or dive.
01:32:16 Some of these places have dangerous underwater rocks, strong currents, and tides.
01:32:22 Others are famous for legends about monsters and mysterious creatures.
01:32:26 So let's dive into this aquatic horror show.
01:32:28 Have you ever heard the word "The Strid"? It's a variation of the word "The Stride" that is used
01:32:34 in Yorkshire. And it refers to a narrow section of the river wharf that's so small you could jump
01:32:40 over it. But don't be fooled by its size. It's one of the most dangerous spots around. Even taking
01:32:46 a step into the water can have dire consequences. The river wharf has a forceful current, and since
01:32:52 the strid is so narrow, it's even stronger in that area. The intense water flow has eroded the
01:32:58 limestone around the strid, which created hollow spaces much deeper than the rest of the riverbed.
01:33:03 Here's the secret. The current has also weakened the banks of the strid from below. So, the ground
01:33:11 you're standing on, admiring the rapid flow, is probably just a fragile ledge hanging over
01:33:16 treacherous waters. There's no record of anyone who found themselves in the water of the strid,
01:33:22 and found their way out of it. And the worst part? You wouldn't even guess that this innocent
01:33:27 looking stream could be such a danger. So, my advice to you, my friend, is to stick to a safer
01:33:33 body of water for your aquatic adventures. If you're looking for a weekend getaway in California,
01:33:40 Horseshoe Lake is the spot for you. It's got everything. Sandy beaches, hiking trails,
01:33:45 and picnic areas. But wait, there's more to it than meets the eye. This lake has a dark side,
01:33:51 namely around 100 acres of dead trees that surround it. And it's not just the trees that
01:33:56 have been claimed by this lake. The earthquakes that hit in 1989 and 1990 unleashed carbon dioxide
01:34:02 from under the hot magma. The gas seeped out into the air, damaging all the life around the lake.
01:34:08 Even now, Horseshoe Lake is just as dangerous as it was 30 years ago.
01:34:14 What makes it so scary is that the levels of this toxic gas change randomly.
01:34:19 Warning signs that are posted everywhere certainly could give a horror film touch
01:34:23 to a fun hike in the woods. In Kauai, Hawaii, there's a group of stunning waterfalls that used
01:34:31 to be a popular destination for tourists. Kipu Falls, as they're called, were once the go-to spot
01:34:37 for swimming and diving. To get to them, you had to take a long walk along a dirt path until you
01:34:43 finally arrived at a breathtaking view of a 20-foot waterfall pouring into a pool of water.
01:34:48 But since 2011, this area has been off-limits to the public.
01:34:55 Why, you ask? Well, there have been a lot of accidents at Kipu Falls. Obviously,
01:35:03 jumping off the top of the waterfall would be an obvious reason for that.
01:35:06 But in addition, there were much more mysterious cases. Witnesses tell tales of swimmers peacefully
01:35:13 enjoying the pool at the bottom of the falls, only to be suddenly dragged under the surface.
01:35:18 No definite explanation was found to these accidents.
01:35:22 The locals believe that the water spirit Mo'o is to blame because it doesn't appreciate being
01:35:28 disturbed by loud tourists. There's also a theory of a powerful whirlpool at the bottom of the pool.
01:35:34 In any case, guide publishers do not mention Kipu Falls anymore,
01:35:39 and trespassing is severely punished.
01:35:41 The Samisen Hole, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is the ultimate spot for thrill-seeking divers,
01:35:47 but it's also the most dangerous one. With a drop of 280 feet, it's the deepest diving site in the
01:35:53 region. But its depth is not the only reason it is considered a place to avoid. The area is a major
01:36:01 shipping zone for giant oil tankers. The strong currents around the hole make diving even more
01:36:06 treacherous. And if that's not enough, the Samisen Hole is also home to deadly barracudas that could
01:36:12 easily attack unsuspecting divers. The water is so murky that visibility is nearly zero,
01:36:18 making it challenging to spot these aggressive sea creatures. All in all, the Samisen Hole is a
01:36:24 breathtaking but extremely hazardous spot that should only be explored by experienced divers
01:36:29 with nerves of steel.
01:36:32 Let me tell you about New Smyrna Beach, the Shark Attack Capital of the World.
01:36:37 If you're looking for a relaxing vacation spot in Volusia County, Florida,
01:36:41 you may want to reconsider this beach. The waters around New Smyrna Beach are teeming with fish,
01:36:48 which attracts a lot of sharks. In fact, there have been so many shark attacks reported in this
01:36:54 area that it's earned the title of the "Shark Attack Capital of the World."
01:37:01 Even scientists have warned that if you go for a swim there, you're bound to get up close and
01:37:05 personal with at least one of these creatures. We are talking about a distance of 10 feet,
01:37:11 and in many cases you wouldn't even notice it. To make matters worse, the Bull Shark,
01:37:16 one of the most dangerous and aggressive types of sharks, has been spotted in these waters.
01:37:21 Once again, Kauai is on our list. The beach on Napali Coast is a must-see,
01:37:29 and it's called Hanakapiai Beach. It's a beautiful beach, but it's not the only one.
01:37:34 It's also the most dangerous beach on the planet.
01:37:36 It's the biggest beach on the planet, and it's the most dangerous.
01:37:40 The beach on Napali Coast, called Hanakapiai Beach, might look like heaven on earth, but don't be
01:37:45 fooled. To get there, you have to trek through a super steep, rocky, two-mile trail. There are no
01:37:54 currents. They are almost always present because there are no reefs to shield the shore. And if
01:37:59 someone gets caught in one, there's no safe place to swim to for miles. The nearest safe beach is
01:38:06 six miles away. Trust me, this beach doesn't have the best track record in terms of safety,
01:38:12 so it's highly advised that you stay out of the water if you end up at this beach.
01:38:15 Let me tell you about a place that looks like it's straight out of a horror movie.
01:38:23 We're talking about Berkeley Pit, which is an artificial lake situated in Butte, Montana.
01:38:28 The first thing you'll notice about this place is that it has an eerie,
01:38:33 blood-red color that can only be described as unsettling.
01:38:36 You might be tempted to take a dip, but that would be a grave mistake. Don't even touch it.
01:38:42 The water is extremely dangerous due to the heavy metals present in it, such as cadmium,
01:38:49 arsenic, zinc, lead, and copper. They come from the rocks that surround the lake and make the
01:38:55 water super acidic. In fact, this place used to be an open-pit copper mine, hence its color.
01:39:02 So if you want my advice, avoid this place like the plague.
01:39:07 There are three lakes in Africa that maybe are the most dangerous places of all that I have
01:39:13 mentioned so far. They are all located in Africa. Lake Monoun, Lake Nyos in Cameroon,
01:39:19 and Lake Kivu in Rwanda are all like ticking timers ready to go off.
01:39:23 They were formed over underground pools of molten rock, and sometimes this molten rock releases
01:39:30 toxic gases like methane and carbon dioxide right into the water. When this happens,
01:39:36 the gases can build up until they suddenly burst out of the water, creating massive waves that can
01:39:41 wipe out everything in their path. This type of outburst is called a limnic eruption, and it can
01:39:48 release a cloud of poisonous gas that can be harmful to everything in the vicinity.
01:39:52 The most terrifying part? These explosions can happen at any moment with no warning.
01:39:58 So if you ever find yourself near one of these lakes, you'd better be on high alert,
01:40:03 because you never know when the next accident might happen.
01:40:08 Maybe you know other places you wouldn't recommend for a fun swim?
01:40:10 Share your anti-recommendations in the comments below.
01:40:14 This is John. John seems to attract all kinds of bad weather and natural disasters wherever he goes.
01:40:23 See for yourself. One day, John notices his dog is restless. The pooch keeps scratching
01:40:29 the entrance door and wandering around the house. He even tries to hide in the corner,
01:40:34 howling and barking. When some mugs start to clink in your cupboard, John realizes what it means.
01:40:40 The noise is produced by foreshocks.
01:40:42 Mini earthquakes leading up to the main event. Earthquakes often happen in clusters.
01:40:49 After a few weak quakes, a much bigger one is likely to be on the way.
01:40:53 Sometime before the disaster strikes, people might notice bizarre blue lights.
01:40:58 Some of them seem to be coming out of the ground. Others are hovering in the air.
01:41:03 These are earthquake lights. They may appear days or mere seconds before the ground starts shaking.
01:41:10 Now, John is walking along the ocean shore. Suddenly,
01:41:15 he sees the water retreat from the beach. Really, really fast. Uh-oh.
01:41:19 John, run away as quickly as you can and find some high ground! A tsunami is coming!
01:41:24 And your life might depend on how fast you react.
01:41:28 If John spots a bizarre and unexpected rise in sea level,
01:41:32 it can be another sign of an approaching tsunami. This happens in 40% of cases.
01:41:37 The incoming water is the first tsunami wave. The second one, way, way larger,
01:41:43 will come in in about 10 minutes. John can also notice sea water bubbling,
01:41:48 swirling, and creating bizarre patterns. It's another sure sign a tsunami is near.
01:41:56 John feels there's something strange about the sun. Through his special super dark sunglasses,
01:42:01 he sees that there's some uneven flares around the star's contour.
01:42:05 If these bizarre rays are accompanied by auroras all over the world,
01:42:09 they're a sign of a solar storm. Such storms are usually caused by disturbances in the sun's
01:42:16 magnetic field. In this case, the bursts of gas and radiation on the surface of the sun
01:42:21 get so massive and powerful that they can even reach our planet! Luckily, solar storms aren't
01:42:27 really dangerous for people, but they can mess with electricity and even cause blackouts.
01:42:32 The sky over John's head is darkening and turning ominously green. Something hits him on the
01:42:39 forehead. Ouch! He picks up the offending object. It's a hailstone, but it's not that cold outside,
01:42:45 and it's not raining. Soon, he hears some noise. It's approaching rapidly and turns into a loud
01:42:52 roar. It sounds as if a freight train is moving towards him, but it's not a train. It's a tornado!
01:42:57 The funnel isn't visible behind a cloud of debris, but John can't mistake this rotating column of
01:43:04 air for anything else. Are you on the road, John? Then get as far away from your car as you can.
01:43:10 Fast! Find a ditch, lie down in it, and cover your head. Oh, you're inside? Then get away from
01:43:16 the windows and hide underground if possible. And please, John, be very careful if you spot
01:43:22 some conically shaped clouds. Those mean severe storms, and if you notice that such a cloud starts
01:43:28 spinning around, immediately search for shelter. The cloud is transitioning into a tornado right
01:43:33 in front of your eyes. On the bright side, John should only worry about warm conical clouds.
01:43:39 Cold ones are totally harmless. The only problem is to figure out the temperature of the cloud he
01:43:45 sees. Duh! Ah, look! John just spotted some weirdly shaped trees. They look like the letter
01:43:52 J and grow on a slope. It means the ground under John's feet is likely to be unstable.
01:43:57 If he keeps wandering around, it can cause a bad landslide.
01:44:01 Square waves appear when two different wave patterns crash into each other.
01:44:07 This phenomenon does look kinda awesome. No, don't go into the water, John. Keep watching it
01:44:12 from the shore. Cross currents in that spot can easily pull even a skilled swimmer under the
01:44:17 surface. John keeps walking along the shore. At one point, he sees wild, choppy waves carrying
01:44:24 ocean debris and seaweed. This time, he stays out of the water. He knows it can be a sign of a strong
01:44:30 rip current. It can carry a swimmer far away into the ocean. How about a walk in the park? John likes
01:44:38 this idea. The sun is shining and the sky is so blue and beautiful. Suddenly, he spots a rapidly
01:44:45 growing vertical cloud. At first, it looks bright white. But as it approaches, alarmingly fast,
01:44:52 it becomes dense and inky. The sky is darkening. It's getting windy. That's when the guy notices
01:44:59 that his hair stands on end. It's his cue that he's about to get hit by lightning. At this very
01:45:04 moment, positive charges are rising through his body. They're reaching towards the negatively
01:45:09 charged part of the storm. If he doesn't react fast, these charges will meet. There's nowhere
01:45:15 to hide, so John should crouch down and try to make himself smaller than the objects around him.
01:45:20 Oh no, John, don't lie down on the ground. It may be damp and thus a great conductor of electricity.
01:45:28 There are other signs that scream danger during a lightning storm. John's palms may begin to sweat.
01:45:34 He might hear bizarre crackling and buzzing sounds coming from metal objects nearby.
01:45:38 His skin can start tingling. There might be a strange metallic taste in his mouth.
01:45:44 Plus, John is likely to smell chlorine. That's how ozone smells. Electrical charges split the
01:45:52 molecules of nitrogen and oxygen, which are the main gases making up the atmosphere, into separate
01:45:57 atoms. When these atoms come together again, some of them produce molecules made up of three oxygen
01:46:03 atoms. That's ozone. We can smell it during a thunderstorm because down drafts bring this gas
01:46:09 from high altitudes to your level. Some bugs can feel a storm coming. They get ready for a natural
01:46:16 disaster by freezing. So when John notices that insects around him look drowsy, he knows to get
01:46:23 ready. Oh, and bees can predict heavy rainstorms. These critters begin to work much harder the day
01:46:29 before it starts raining. While walking next to the river during a period of heavy rains,
01:46:36 John hears a roaring sound. He feels paralyzed with fear. It's likely to be a flash flood moving
01:46:42 in his direction. Indeed, he soon sees debris coming down with the flow. The water is rapidly
01:46:47 changing its color, becoming muddier and darker. Flash floods are very, very dangerous. Take care
01:46:54 of your safety immediately, John. Another day, John sees a spectacular wall cloud. It seems to
01:47:01 be stretching for up to five miles. In the best case scenario, it's just a severe storm coming.
01:47:07 But if the wall cloud begins to move in a circle, it's a sure sign of a tornado.
01:47:13 John is walking across a snowfield in the mountains, listening to the sounds the ice
01:47:18 under his feet makes. The noise is kind of hollow. Hmm. Quickly check whether there are
01:47:23 cracks around your footprints, John. If so, the chances are an avalanche is about to happen.
01:47:28 Soon, John sees an avalanche moving in his direction. He does his best to get off the slope.
01:47:34 In most cases, he could probably outrun it by heading downhill and then veering sideways.
01:47:40 But not this time. He realizes he doesn't have enough time and heads for the nearest tree.
01:47:44 If John keeps holding onto it really tightly, the avalanche might not pull him along.
01:47:50 But if this doesn't work, he should try to swim up to the snow's surface while the avalanche
01:47:56 is still moving. On a pretty nice summer evening, John notices leaves with soft stems droop all of
01:48:03 a sudden. Ah, it might be because of an upcoming storm. Right before extreme weather arrives,
01:48:09 the air usually becomes more humid. Leaves also get damp and heavy, and the wind easily flips
01:48:15 them over. John lives in a pretty old house and is used to having cracks in the interior walls.
01:48:21 But one day, he notices that some of them have widened. And look, there are a few new ones.
01:48:27 It's an alarm bell. He lives in an area with loads of limestone, so new cracks can mean a sinkhole
01:48:32 is about to open next to his house. John is hurrying home, trying not to waste time admiring
01:48:39 shelf clouds. They look like something from a sci-fi movie. They form when warm and moist air
01:48:45 gets caught in a thunderstorm updraft. And these ominous clouds most often mean a storm is coming.
01:48:51 Something interesting has recently happened in South Dakota. It was all over the Internet,
01:49:00 so perhaps you already know about it. In July of 2022, the sky in this state suddenly turned
01:49:07 green. So what happened there? Was it caused by a human or by nature? Let's find out.
01:49:16 Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Shortly after a heavy storm, the sky over South Dakota in the U.S.
01:49:24 was still overcast. Locals finally went outside and saw that the sky had an intense dark green hue,
01:49:31 and they'd never seen anything like that before. People said that it looked like something
01:49:36 straight up from science fiction or even a horror movie. Unsurprisingly, South Dakotans immediately
01:49:44 started spreading the news all over social media. People shared their beautiful yet very eerie
01:49:50 pictures on Twitter. They showed the sky over the city of Sioux Falls and a few other towns.
01:49:55 Even though it may look like something supernatural, in reality, this is not a
01:50:02 terrifying phenomenon at all. It's a simple play of the light and the atmosphere. Something like
01:50:08 this happens quite rarely and usually means that really bad weather is approaching.
01:50:13 And that's also true to what happened in South Dakota. Just before people started sharing photos,
01:50:20 a thunderstorm swept through the town of Sioux Falls. This was confirmed by the U.S. Weather
01:50:25 Service. This hurricane was terrible. The wind speed was about 100 miles per hour.
01:50:30 According to the Buford Scale on wind speeds, this is the fastest and most destructive storm.
01:50:36 There are only 12 numbers on this scale, and the maximum wind strength starts at 73 miles per hour.
01:50:42 But why isn't this all over the news then? Well, because it's kind of a usual thing for the
01:50:50 residents. Thunderstorms occur very often in the United States, especially in the warmer months.
01:50:57 And one out of ten such thunderstorms can become something serious, like a tornado. This one wasn't
01:51:04 an exception. It was the so-called "Dorayco Storm." Dorayco is very widespread and long-lived.
01:51:13 It's actually a combination of a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms and downpours.
01:51:18 People often say that a Dorayco is as strong as a tornado. Still, there's a difference between them.
01:51:26 A tornado is a vortex, a rotating column of air. It's usually about 500 feet in diameter.
01:51:32 Although sometimes its width can reach up to 2.5 miles. I don't envy those who would stumble upon
01:51:38 that. But the main point is that they rotate. The wind moves very fast in a circle near some
01:51:46 invisible center. A Dorayco is a strong thunderstorm, or a system of strong thunderstorms
01:51:53 with straight-line winds. In other words, it doesn't spin. Instead, the Dorayco chooses a
01:52:00 point somewhere and simply runs to it, like a very motivated marathon runner.
01:52:06 If we compare a Dorayco to an ordinary tornado, the latter has six levels of strength, from 40 to
01:52:14 380 miles per hour. So, a Dorayco is kind of like a small, average-level 1-2 tornado. Usually,
01:52:22 its speed is within the range of 73 to 113 miles per hour. And, in both cases,
01:52:30 they can be accompanied by severe thunderstorms, lightning, and rain. But still, these are
01:52:36 different things. A storm becomes a Dorayco if the damaged trail left by it exceeds 240 miles,
01:52:45 and if the wind speed is at least 58 miles per hour.
01:52:50 It's quite difficult to predict. It can form even on a clear day when meteorologists don't
01:52:56 even anticipate any storms. And then, the winds appear suddenly. It's so surprising
01:53:02 that they may even feel explosive. But the National Weather Service tries to warn people
01:53:07 at least half an hour or an hour before this happens so that residents have time to prepare
01:53:13 and hide. It wasn't any different this time. The storm swept through almost all of South
01:53:20 Dakota, as well as the states of Minnesota and Iowa. The consequences were quite serious.
01:53:26 More than 30,000 people were left without electricity. Fortunately, people were fine.
01:53:31 That's because the locals are pretty used to Doraycos.
01:53:36 However, the green sky is something different. It became a very unusual sight for the locals.
01:53:44 Everyone was wondering why it happened. Was it a bad sign or a normal weather phenomenon?
01:53:50 Well, to be honest, scientists don't have an exact explanation.
01:53:56 But although there are only assumptions, they sound pretty convincing.
01:54:00 A green sky is a very rare phenomenon. Most scientists think that this happens when a
01:54:08 powerful storm approaches the area before sunset or sunrise. Then, the sky will turn
01:54:14 green in this area. NBC meteorologist Bill Karens, who once faced a similar event himself,
01:54:22 suggests that the green sky appeared because of the huge hail before the storm.
01:54:26 First, let's talk about why the sky looks blue, or any other shade, depending on its mood.
01:54:34 In short, the sun simultaneously carries all the rays of the color spectrum. It may seem
01:54:40 white to us in total, but it actually has all the colors at the same time.
01:54:45 However, these color waves all have different lengths. For example, blue rays are shorter than
01:54:53 the other ones. They jump away from the air molecules better than the red waves,
01:54:59 so they reach us faster. Because of this, on a regular clear day, the sky seems blue.
01:55:07 At the same time, red and orange color waves are very long and move slower, so they're usually
01:55:14 left behind. But when the sun goes below the horizon or rises, the rays' directions change,
01:55:21 and these waves reach us better. It all means that even if the sunrises and sunsets seem red
01:55:28 and orange to us, in fact, there are still blue and green waves among them. But they have to
01:55:35 bounce off something to reach us faster and become stronger than the red rays.
01:55:39 Have you guessed what I'm getting at? This is where the water comes into play. Clouds are made
01:55:48 up of water droplets. When they become large enough, but don't fall yet, for example, due
01:55:54 to strong winds, they affect how the light behaves in the sky. Large heavy storms mostly consist of
01:56:02 water and hail, and water reflects blue and green rays best of all. That's exactly the reason why
01:56:09 the water in rivers and lakes seems bluish green to us, although in reality, it's transparent.
01:56:15 And yeah, algae matter too. So, there are a couple of key factors why the sky may turn green.
01:56:24 First off, the sun should be at the horizon level. Another factor is that while the storm clouds are
01:56:31 approaching, they shouldn't cover the sky completely. There still must be a little room
01:56:36 for the sun rays. Then, barely noticeable blue rays jump up to storm clouds. They're repelled
01:56:42 by water droplets and hail. Mixing with the red sunset, they turn into a bright green light.
01:56:49 And this green light is spreading all over the sky. That's why in most of these cases,
01:56:56 when the sky turns green, people can only see it in the evenings. Yeah, it can also happen in the
01:57:02 middle of the day. But since the conditions are already quite specific, seeing something like that
01:57:08 during the day is even rarer. Still, if you see a green sky, you don't need to panic. It doesn't
01:57:16 necessarily mean that a terrible storm is approaching. The chances are high though,
01:57:21 but still, it's not a rule. It can be just heavy rain or a heavy hail. In other words,
01:57:29 if you see a green sky, then you'd better hide and hide your car. However, if you were lucky
01:57:35 enough to see the stunning sky from the comfort of your own home, it's indeed very exciting. If
01:57:41 you get a glimpse of something like that, just know that you had a chance to experience something
01:57:46 very rare and special. Some people said it was the most incredible thing they had ever seen!
01:57:52 In Russia, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, there's an enigmatic national park. The Dancing
01:58:02 Forest is a place that no scientist has managed to explain so far. The pine trees of the forest
01:58:08 are all crooked and twisted into loops and spirals. The forest didn't appear until the early
01:58:13 60s when the pines were planted in order to make the sand dune in that area more stable.
01:58:18 One theory is that it's the unstable sand that made the trees twist in such a way.
01:58:24 Other theories for the crooked trees are strong winds or even supernatural powers.
01:58:29 Some people say the forest is a place where positive and negative energies meet,
01:58:33 twisting the trees. Local legend says that if a person climbs through one of the rings of a tree,
01:58:39 it'll add an extra year to this person's life or they'll be granted a wish. I like that one!
01:58:45 Speaking of bizarre trees, and I was, one grows in the region of Piedmont, Italy. There,
01:58:52 a cherry tree grows on the top of a mulberry tree. The strange thing is that both trees
01:58:58 are perfectly healthy. A continuous storm at Saturn's North Pole has an odd shape,
01:59:05 a hexagon. This is probably because of the gradient of the winds. The total length of
01:59:10 this cloud pattern is 9,000 miles, which is about 1,200 miles longer than the Earth's diameter.
01:59:17 The hexagon has been observed for many years, but it gets even more mysterious because it
01:59:22 changes color too. It used to be turquoise, but it has recently shifted to a golden color.
01:59:29 The reason for the color change is that the pole gets exposed to sunlight as the seasons change.
01:59:34 - Rain isn't unusual for Oakville, Washington. However, this one still doesn't have any solid
01:59:42 scientific explanation. Instead of common raindrops, people watched translucent jelly-like
01:59:48 blobs fall from the skies. These blobs covered about 20 square miles. Those who got really
01:59:55 close to the rain experienced flu-like symptoms. What were the blobs? Researchers claim that the
02:00:01 blobs contain human white blood cells. Later tests showed no presence of nuclei. Some people claim
02:00:08 the blobs might've been evaporated jellyfish resulting in rain, or maybe even waste from
02:00:13 a commercial plane. - Walking rocks, also known as sailing rocks,
02:00:20 move across the Death Valley National Park in California without any external intervention,
02:00:25 leaving long trails in the dirt and sand along their way. Various time-lapse footages of the
02:00:32 moving rocks have been taken. Scientists even installed GPS navigators on some of the rocks,
02:00:37 and it showed that the rocks move at a considerable speed. Some researchers believe
02:00:42 that the movement is due to thin sheets of ice that form overnight at freezing temperatures in
02:00:48 the valley, letting the rocks move until it melts during the day. Or there was a Rolling Stones
02:00:54 concert. Nah. - The Batageca Crater in Siberia looks like a doorway to the underworld.
02:01:02 It's about a half-mile long and over 280 feet deep, but it never stops growing. As it gets deeper,
02:01:09 it exposes more underground layers. The layers show what our planet looked like thousands of
02:01:15 years ago, as the slumps revealed the used-to-be climates. The crater appeared back in the 60s,
02:01:21 and it all started with rapid deforestation. Trees no longer cast shade on the ground,
02:01:26 and it got hotter. The permafrost melted, resulting in the crater formation.
02:01:31 The throbbing hum in Taos, New Mexico, has driven locals wild since the 1990s.
02:01:38 The low-frequency hum deprives people of sleep and depletes their energy. Even though scientists
02:01:50 have tried to find the source of the hum, they still haven't pinpointed its origin.
02:01:54 Different variations of the hum have also been heard in the UK, Australia, Canada,
02:02:00 and other areas of the US. Luckily, only about 2% of the world's population can hear it.
02:02:06 The hums have been blamed on mechanical devices, multiple disturbances of auditory systems,
02:02:11 and even animals. The West Seattle hum, for example, was blamed on toadfish.
02:02:19 Fairy rings, also known as elf rings or pixie rings, are mysterious rings of mushrooms that
02:02:25 appear in grasslands and forested areas. There's a lot of debate about why these fungi form a nearly
02:02:31 perfect circle. Some superstitions claim that fairy dances would burn the ground,
02:02:36 causing mushrooms to rapidly grow. In Costa Rica, there's an assortment of about 300 spherical
02:02:44 stone balls. Locals call them "las bolas," which is simply "the balls" in English. These stones have
02:02:51 an almost perfect round shape. Some of them are huge, weighing up to 16 tons each. They're also
02:02:57 made of different materials – gabbro, limestone, and sandstone. They're considered to have been
02:03:02 put in straight lines in front of the chief's houses, but there's no precise information
02:03:07 of their origin. Some myths claim that these stones originated in Atlantis.
02:03:13 - If you ever travel to the Mekong River in late October, you have a chance of seeing
02:03:20 glowing balls rising from the water and beelining up into the air. Locals call these glowing balls
02:03:27 the "Naga Fireballs." The size of the lights vary. The reddish balls can be as tiny as a spark
02:03:33 and as large as a basketball. There can be dozens to thousands of balls a night.
02:03:38 Scientists don't have any solid explanation for why it happens, but it could be due to flammable
02:03:44 gases released by the marshy environment. Some superstitious locals are sure it's all because
02:03:49 of a giant serpent living in the Mekong. Great balls of fire!
02:03:53 - In Minnesota, on the north shore of Lake Superior, there's a park known for the Devil's
02:04:02 Kettle. This is a waterfall that splits in two. One part of the river continues,
02:04:07 while the other part disappears into a hole in the ground. Whatever object you throw into the
02:04:12 Devil's Kettle won't reappear. Scientists still haven't fully explained where the water that drops
02:04:18 into the hole goes. Devil's Kettle is considered to be unsafe for people because it's nearly
02:04:23 impossible to trace the flow. Yeah, not a place to go tubing.
02:04:27 - Grunions are fish known for their bizarre mating ritual. The females climb out of the
02:04:34 water and onto the shore. They dig their tails into the sand in order to lay eggs.
02:04:39 The legs stay hidden in the sand, waiting. 10 days later, the high tide comes, washing the newly
02:04:46 hatched young to the sea. Scientists still can't give any solid explanation for this way of breeding.
02:04:52 - People who live in rural central Norway, over the Hestalen Valley, can often witness floating
02:05:00 lights of white, yellow, and red cross the sky. The lights appear both at day and night,
02:05:06 and once back in the 80s, they were spotted 15 to 20 times in a single week.
02:05:11 The Hestalen lights can last just a few seconds, but sometimes they can last more than an hour.
02:05:17 The lights move, seeming to float or even sway around. Some scientists believe that the reason
02:05:23 for these lights is due to ionized iron dust. Others say it's combustion that includes sodium,
02:05:29 oxygen, and hydrogen. Many people claim they're just misidentified aircrafts.
02:05:34 - Yellowstone Park has a famous boiling lake, but it's not the world's only place of boiling water.
02:05:42 Deep in the Amazon, there's the 4-mile Chanae-Tempishka River that's always hot.
02:05:48 The name means "boiled by the sun." Well, it's not exactly boiling, but it can reach 196°F
02:05:56 — enough to cook pasta! Ooh, let's try that! The lowest temperature in these waters is about
02:06:01 113°F. This river still can't be scientifically explained because it would require close
02:06:08 proximity to a volcano for the water to reach such temperatures. However, the closest volcano
02:06:14 is 400 miles away. But there could be a fault between the Earth that could explain this phenomenon.
02:06:22 - In western Venezuela, locals living close to the Catatumbo River aren't afraid of lightning
02:06:28 because they see it almost every single night. It starts at around 7 o'clock and doesn't stop
02:06:33 until dawn. The everlasting Catatumbo lightning did once stop for a few months, from January to
02:06:40 March 2010. It was probably due to drought, or maybe the charge ran out. In 1991, a scientist
02:06:48 suggested that the phenomenon happens because of cold and warm air currents meeting in the area.
02:06:54 Another theory is that the lightning could be due to the presence of uranium in the bedrock.
02:06:59 Speaking of lightning, I got a bolt! Bye!
02:07:01 That's it for today! So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and
02:07:07 share it with your friends. Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright