Islands You Should Never Visit + 100 Facts About Everything

Bright Side

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Transcript

00:00:00Fraser Island sits off the coast of sunny Queensland, Australia.

00:00:04But don't fall for its beauty.

00:00:06It's home to the most dangerous beach in the world.

00:00:09There's nowhere on the island to seek medical attention.

00:00:12If you do run into danger, you're on your own.

00:00:16Dingo attacks are super common here.

00:00:18If you don't know what a dingo is, it looks like an adorable dog.

00:00:22But beware, this wild breed is extremely dangerous.

00:00:26And the dingo's gnashing teeth aren't the only thing to be scared of.

00:00:29The seas around the island are swimming with great white sharks.

00:00:34There's jellyfish in the water too.

00:00:36Fraser Island is home to some of the world's most dangerous kinds,

00:00:40including the Portuguese blue bottle.

00:00:42One sting from its venomous tentacle is enough to take down an adult human.

00:00:47Even if you manage to avoid the creatures on the island,

00:00:50the sea itself is perilous.

00:00:53The waters are incredibly rough and have powerful riptides.

00:00:57These are strong currents that will pull you away from the shore.

00:01:01And remember, there are no lifeguards to come to your rescue if you get in trouble.

00:01:07Even the sand is dangerous.

00:01:09Car rollovers in the thick dunes happen all the time.

00:01:13It's definitely best to swap your car for a dune buggy.

00:01:16Travelers also often drive down the dunes straight into the lakes below.

00:01:21But the lakes are incredibly shallow, which is not very safe.

00:01:25Fraser Island is also known for its beautiful lookout points,

00:01:29but you'll need to watch your step.

00:01:31You might feel on top of the world,

00:01:33but stay well away from the edges as jagged rocks and crashing waves line the shore below.

00:01:39There's an island in Brazil known as Snake Island, which is equally dangerous.

00:01:44I wonder what the hazard could be here.

00:01:47It's home to thousands of golden lancehead vipers,

00:01:50which are one of the most venomous snakes on the planet.

00:01:53They grow to over 20 inches long,

00:01:56and their fast-acting venom melts the flesh from around their bites.

00:02:00There are around 4,000 snakes on the tiny 106-acre isle.

00:02:06Snake Island has become so dangerous that the Brazilian authorities had to ban everyone from going there.

00:02:12For years, the only human inhabitants to brave the island were a lighthouse keeper and his family.

00:02:18But local legend says that one night a group of snakes crawled in through a window to attack,

00:02:24and the family was never seen again.

00:02:27Known as the Gas Mask Town, the island of Miyakejima is not one to visit in a hurry.

00:02:33It's home to a fiery, active volcano that has erupted several times over the past few years.

00:02:39There were several massive eruptions leading to the spread of a highly poisonous gas across the island.

00:02:45Residents are now required to carry gas masks at all times,

00:02:50and a terrifying alarm blares across the island whenever the poison levels get too high.

00:02:56The island is also in the middle of the Devil's Sea.

00:02:59Ships mysteriously vanish in the area, and experts have no idea why.

00:03:05The North Sentinel Island is home to a remote and unwelcoming tribe.

00:03:10They lived alone on the island without any modern technology or contact with the outside world for over 60,000 years.

00:03:18And that's just the way they like it.

00:03:20They've been known to fire arrows at anyone who attempts to enter the island.

00:03:24There are many stories of people visiting the island, and they are never seen again.

00:03:29It's not ghoulish ghosts or slithering snakes that you have to worry about on the Caribbean island of Saba.

00:03:35It's hurricanes.

00:03:36The tiny island has been hit by more severe hurricanes than anywhere in the world over the last 150 years.

00:03:43There have even been seven tropical cyclones, which is an intense circular storm.

00:03:48The winds in these storms can reach 254 kilometers an hour.

00:03:52Try standing up in that.

00:03:54You'll also struggle to find a pilot who'll even land on the island.

00:03:58It's incredibly dangerous not because of the winds, but because it's home to the shortest runway in the world.

00:04:04It's only 440 yards long.

00:04:07Two huge rocky ridges surround the runway, so there's no room for mistakes.

00:04:12The Kilauea beaches of Hawaii used to be one of the most dangerous in the world.

00:04:17The Kilauea volcano has been almost consistently erupting for the past 35 years, spewing red-hot lava into the surrounding waters.

00:04:26The water temperatures have even passed boiling point as a result of the lava.

00:04:30Happily, it's no longer active.

00:04:33While the island of Bikini Atoll might sound like the perfect summer vacation destination, it's most certainly not.

00:04:40The problem is that this place has dangerously high radiation levels, and the locals had to leave it.

00:04:46Although the island was declared safe in the 90s, its original inhabitants have refused to return.

00:04:52The lack of fishing in the area has also led to a massive increase in sharks who swim the waters in search of their next meal.

00:05:00Strangely, the corals and reefs are thriving.

00:05:03From the distance, Ramree Island looks idyllic.

00:05:07White sand, swaying palms.

00:05:09But beware.

00:05:11They say thousands of hungry saltwater crocodiles used to lurk there, ready to strike at any time.

00:05:17The exact number of those animals was unknown, and some scientists claim that there are quite a few of them right now.

00:05:24I'd stay well clear of the island, though.

00:05:27I don't really feel like becoming crocodile food.

00:05:30Skeleton Coast in Namibia is appropriately named as the harsh landscape and lack of water make life almost impossible.

00:05:38Whale carcasses, turtle shells, and elephant rib cages litter the shore.

00:05:43If that isn't bad enough, lions and hyenas patrol the beach in search of their next meal.

00:05:49The surrounding waters are just as dangerous, as they are home to 11 different species of shark.

00:05:55Many sailors have become lost on this coast and have never been seen again.

00:06:00Cape Tribulation in Australia also lives up to its name as it is packed, full of dangers.

00:06:06Swimmers have to wear special stinger suits because the water is teeming with stinging jellyfish.

00:06:12Saltwater crocodiles also hide in the water, but they don't make a suit to keep you safe from those.

00:06:18It's not just the jellyfish that sting.

00:06:21The area is covered in stinging trees.

00:06:24The trees have jagged leaves that give the croc's teeth a run for their money.

00:06:28On land, there's angry cassowary birds.

00:06:31There are flightless birds that are the same size as an ostrich.

00:06:34They have sharp talons that can easily slice through skin.

00:06:38The Otterkliv beach in Norway is one of the best places to see the northern lights,

00:06:43but you'll be lucky if you survive more than one night there.

00:06:46The seas surrounding the island can reach 46 degrees Fahrenheit, and that's just in the summer.

00:06:52It probably feels like swimming in ice cream.

00:06:55For years, Gansbaai beach has remained a habitat for the most dangerous creatures on the planet.

00:07:01Sharks are particular fans of its waters, and the coastal stretch is known as the Great White Shark Capital.

00:07:07The sharks are attracted to the 60,000 sea lions that flock to the beach every year.

00:07:13Not just shark food, wild sea lions can be unpredictable and aggressive towards humans.

00:07:20Komaro Islands are the worst vacation destination for those who don't really like mosquitoes.

00:07:25The place is swarming with the little guys.

00:07:28Locals say all the water on the island must be contaminated because of them,

00:07:33so they like to sterilize water before drinking, making ice, and even brushing their teeth.

00:07:38If you're really into coconuts, there's one place you should probably go to grab some.

00:07:43I'm talking Danger Island.

00:07:45Yep, it's the real name of one of the islands in the Chagos Archipelago.

00:07:49It shouldn't scare you off, though.

00:07:51The major problem it has is parking.

00:07:53I mean, safe anchorage for those who come there.

00:07:57Finally, while it may sound dreamy, you're probably going to want to avoid the beaches of the Amazon.

00:08:03Sharp-toothed, red-bellied piranhas, anacondas, and electric eels are just some of the beach's regular residents.

00:08:10It has one of the widest varieties of animal species on the planet,

00:08:14including the Amazonian giant centipede, which has a poisonous bite.

00:08:18It's not just the animals of the Amazon that you have to watch out for.

00:08:22Strychnos and curare are the two Amazonian plants that are super poisonous.

00:08:29Take a look at some regular aluminum foil.

00:08:32One side of it is always shiny and the other one is dull.

00:08:36When making the foil, they flatten it with rollers.

00:08:39The foil is so thin that the rollers tear it.

00:08:42To avoid it, the foil is folded, and two layers are rolled at a time.

00:08:46So, the sides that were facing the roller are shiny,

00:08:49and those that were in the middle, one facing the other, are dull.

00:08:53Those little rubber hairs on car or bike tires that seem to have hidden meaning don't really have any purpose.

00:08:59They appear during the tire production process.

00:09:02So, they mix rubber with carbon black and put it onto a tire mold.

00:09:06Then, it's spread all over under high air pressure.

00:09:09To make a good tire, the rubber should cover the surface completely without skipping anything.

00:09:14But there's a problem. Air bubbles can form between the mold and the rubber.

00:09:18To make sure it doesn't happen and extra air escapes, the tire mold has little holes all over it.

00:09:25Some rubber penetrates there, and once the tire is ready,

00:09:28the rubber that goes into those holes turns into little hairs.

00:09:31No one cares enough to remove them because that would take more time and effort,

00:09:35and those hairs do no harm.

00:09:38Car windows have those tiny dissolving black dots,

00:09:41and they are not there just for a fancy design.

00:09:43They're called frits, and they make the surface of a glass rougher

00:09:47so that the adhesive can stick better and glue the glass to the car frame.

00:09:51Also, the black enamel blocks the UV light of the sun

00:09:54that can melt the adhesive underneath the bands around the window.

00:09:58The problem is that the black band heats up faster than the transparent glass,

00:10:02so the tiny dissolving dots help to distribute the temperature evenly.

00:10:06When you spend some time in the water swimming or bathing,

00:10:09your fingers and toes get all wrinkly.

00:10:12The skin has three layers.

00:10:14First, the subcutaneous tissue, then the dermis.

00:10:18That has the blood vessels and nerves.

00:10:20Finally, the top layer is the epidermis.

00:10:23It protects other layers and makes sure that the water doesn't evaporate from the body.

00:10:27The epidermis is made up of four layers,

00:10:30and the very top one of them, the stratum corneum,

00:10:33is what you see when you look at your skin.

00:10:35It has dead keratin cells that are constantly shed.

00:10:38This layer protects your body from the environment.

00:10:41If you expose the fingers or toes to water for a long time,

00:10:44those dead cells absorb water, and the skin swells.

00:10:48Since it's attached to the tissue,

00:10:50the wrinkles appear to compensate for the increased surface of the outer layer.

00:10:54It doesn't happen to the rest of your body

00:10:56because toes and fingers have the thickest layers of those keratin cells

00:11:00as body parts that are the most exposed to damage.

00:11:04Try speaking in your normal voice when you're crying, and you will likely fail.

00:11:08Your voice considerably changes,

00:11:10and even people who can't see you can tell that something is wrong.

00:11:14The catch is that tears cause changes in the vocal tract,

00:11:17creating many vocal problems for us that are almost impossible to overcome,

00:11:21even if you try.

00:11:23You get tension in your jaw, the larynx raises,

00:11:26and you get a higher-pitched voice.

00:11:28Your vocal cords swell, and they can't work properly for the moment.

00:11:32Sinuses swell too, and you get the nasal sound.

00:11:36Seashells sound like the ocean.

00:11:38Sorry to ruin it for you, but that's not true.

00:11:41The shape of the shell amplifies all the noise around you,

00:11:44and you hear them more distinctively since they're concentrated in one place.

00:11:49The air that gets into the shell bounces from its inner surfaces and resonates inside.

00:11:54The sound effect depends on the shape and size of the shell.

00:11:57If the shell is big, the air bounces for a longer time,

00:12:01and the pitch is lower than if you use a smaller shell.

00:12:05Green screens are commonly used in moviemaking and video making for visual effects.

00:12:10The simple answer behind why they're made green is fun and simple.

00:12:14Because people aren't green.

00:12:16The moviemaker needs a color that isn't used anywhere in the shot so that everything green is hidden.

00:12:22Colors like orange, yellow, or red and their shades wouldn't work

00:12:26because they're similar to people's skin tone.

00:12:28Green and blue are the colors that people's skin tone or hair color don't contain naturally,

00:12:33so they mostly choose those for the screen.

00:12:36Green is more common because it's easier to work with.

00:12:39It's more luminous, so it needs less lighting than a blue screen.

00:12:42When using a green screen, people in the shot can't wear green if they have to be visible.

00:12:47If one wears something green, that part will just get transparent.

00:12:51People that need to be invisible for some effects wear green,

00:12:55and the post-production crew can add chosen footage above their images.

00:12:59Most classroom blackboards, despite the name, are green.

00:13:03Back in the day, 18th century students were using little individual boards in class to write on,

00:13:08instead of copybooks we have now.

00:13:11The boards were made of slate or wood, and they were actually black.

00:13:15Later, teachers started to use boards too, but of bigger size, and they were called blackboards.

00:13:21The material wasn't convenient, so in the 1960s, the company started to produce the boards differently.

00:13:27They used steel plates covered with green enamel.

00:13:30They were lighter and less fragile, and they worked perfectly.

00:13:33These are the boards we typically use nowadays.

00:13:36So, the color changed because of advances in design, and the name is still the same.

00:13:41But some people now call it a chalkboard.

00:13:44Thirteen is often called a baker's dozen, and there's a fun history behind it.

00:13:49Back in the day in medieval England, bakers came up with the idea to solve one problem.

00:13:54Loaves of bread used to turn out to be of different sizes,

00:13:58because of the difference in dough rise and lack of equipment to scale properly.

00:14:02A customer buying a dozen of something could be very unsatisfied

00:14:06if some of the loaves they got were visibly smaller than the others.

00:14:09To compensate for that, bakers would typically add an additional thirteenth loaf so that no one complained.

00:14:16AM and PM we use speaking of time are Latin letters.

00:14:20AM stands for ante meridiem, which means before noon.

00:14:25PM stands for post meridiem, meaning afternoon.

00:14:29Latin letters are still used in many other abbreviations.

00:14:33Pounds are marked as LB.

00:14:35From Latin, Libra Pondo.

00:14:38You may occasionally find your cats chilling in a sink.

00:14:41They love it because the bathtub and the sink are usually the coolest places in the house.

00:14:46So, if it's hot inside, many cats, especially long-haired ones,

00:14:50prefer to escape to a more comfortable environment.

00:14:53The bathroom is also usually the quietest place where people don't walk around all the time,

00:14:58and cats feel less disturbed there.

00:15:00A sink can serve as an observation deck for them.

00:15:03It's elevated, and a cat can observe and control what's going on in their territory from up there.

00:15:08Typically, engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger.

00:15:12The tradition comes from ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece.

00:15:16People were wearing them on that finger because they believed that there was a vein in it leading straight to the heart.

00:15:22Wearing a ring on it symbolized that the heart of a person was taken.

00:15:26Originally, they put the ring on the right hand because some people believed that the left hand was unhappy.

00:15:32Some countries changed it to the left hand later.

00:15:35Now we know that there's no vein leading to the heart.

00:15:38But the tradition lives on. It's always that finger.

00:15:42Another explanation is even more symbolic.

00:15:45Put your hands together so that the same fingers of each hand touch one another.

00:15:50Fold your middle fingers inwards.

00:15:52The thumbs symbolize your parents.

00:15:55You can separate the thumbs because you leave your parents.

00:15:58Index fingers symbolize your siblings.

00:16:01You can separate them because you have different lives.

00:16:04Pinkies symbolize you and your partner's kids.

00:16:08You can separate pinkies too, because children will leave.

00:16:12Ring fingers symbolize you and your partner.

00:16:15Try separating them. You can't, because partners share life together.

00:16:19In most countries, wedding dresses are typically white.

00:16:23But this tradition isn't as old as you might think.

00:16:26Until the 19th century, wedding dresses were of any random color.

00:16:30Basically, a bride just wore her best gown.

00:16:33As a rule, they weren't white because at the times of no running water, white wasn't a practical color.

00:16:39It was also associated with mourning.

00:16:41Royal women were typically married in red gowns until 1840 when Queen Victoria got married in a white gown.

00:16:49At first, the aristocrats frowned upon it.

00:16:51But less than a decade later, white became widely accepted since it was associated with purity and innocence.

00:17:00Have a good look at the front of your sweatshirt.

00:17:02Okay, let's ignore the pizza stains for now.

00:17:05Ever notice that V-shape right at the bottom of the collar?

00:17:08That small V-patch isn't just a decoration. It serves more than one purpose.

00:17:12Made from a double layer of webbing material, just like waistbands and cuffs,

00:17:16these inserts allowed the wearer to put on the sweater without losing any shape over time.

00:17:21As the sweatshirt would be pulled down over the head, the V-insert would stretch and flex to allow a lot of wiggle room.

00:17:28The other benefit the V-pattern gives is to absorb all that sweat.

00:17:32The chest is a major area of perspiring.

00:17:35Just look at soaked shirts after doing something physical.

00:17:38Although the V-insert can only take so much.

00:17:42That extra pocket on the right side of a suit jacket is called the ticket pocket.

00:17:46They used to store coins for people on horseback to pay toll booths without opening their jackets.

00:17:51When train travel became more popular, they were perfect for tickets and passes.

00:17:56As for the left chest pocket, it's used to store handkerchiefs, keeping them away from the other cluttered and dirty pockets.

00:18:03Metallic zippers have a hidden lock built in.

00:18:05Next time you've put on a pair of pants, shorts, or skirt, never leave the zipper handle in an upward position.

00:18:11Push the little zipper tab downwards, and it'll automatically lock.

00:18:15To mute your annoying beeping microwave, look closely at the front panel for a sound button.

00:18:21It may have been there all along, just begging to be pressed.

00:18:24If there's no button, try pressing and holding 1, 0, stop, or cancel.

00:18:29Will either result in turning off the beeping sounds or activating a lock feature.

00:18:34Of course, if your microwave doesn't have any mute function at all, you'll just have to keep running to stop the timer late at night.

00:18:41Nintendo Switch cartridges have a hidden safety function, and it's going to leave a bad taste in your mouth.

00:18:47Although non-toxic, denatonium benzoate coats the cartridge in a sour, peppery, and bitter substance to prevent kiddos from swallowing them.

00:18:55This chemical compound is one of the most bitter flavors known to humanity, commonly used to keep people from consuming things they're not meant to.

00:19:03There's not much privacy while using a public toilet, especially when the door doesn't reach the floor at all.

00:19:09But these gaps are there for emergency access, in case the person inside needs immediate help.

00:19:15The gap also works for ventilation, thank goodness, and to stop people from lingering around the toilet too long.

00:19:21Toothpicks have a built-in holder to prevent you from just leaving them on the table.

00:19:25Just break off the top, it's that simple.

00:19:28Place that on your table and your toothpick between the notches, pointy end up, of course.

00:19:33Now it won't touch the table and get all dirty.

00:19:35You can do the same with disposable chopsticks.

00:19:38Break off the top piece before you pull them apart.

00:19:41Those tiny dimples on golf balls actually give a greater lift to the ball and reduce air resistance, meaning the ball can go further with them.

00:19:49These dimples come in spherical and hexagonal shapes, with each slightest change affecting the ball's performance.

00:19:55So, choose them carefully.

00:19:57Plastic wrap boxes have hidden little holders that stop the roll from jumping out of the box.

00:20:02There are little cardboard tabs on the sides that lock into the tube inside while making it easy to glide the film out.

00:20:09Just push them in and never be frustrated again.

00:20:12Gosh, I wish that would work with other stuff.

00:20:15The 7 spikes on top of the Statue of Liberty's crown don't represent the 7 seas and the 7 continents at all.

00:20:22They're representing the sun's rays, giving a halo to show that she is divine.

00:20:27In the United States, 12 different Federal Reserve Banks print all the money.

00:20:32So, if you want to know where your money comes from, just look for these small codes.

00:20:37A1 Boston

00:20:38B2 New York

00:20:39C3 Philadelphia

00:20:41D4 Cleveland

00:20:42E5 Richmond

00:20:44F6 Atlanta

00:20:46G7 Chicago

00:20:47H8 St. Louis

00:20:49I9 Minneapolis

00:20:51J10 Kansas City

00:20:53K11 Big D Little A Double L A S

00:20:56It's a song.

00:20:57L12 San Francisco

00:20:59Never call it Frisco.

00:21:01Meanwhile, the bristles on the side of every escalator are in place to encourage people to stay away from the edge,

00:21:07meaning they're less likely to face a mishap with a trapped bag or shoelace.

00:21:12Did you hear about the octopus caught on the escalator? It was a stretch.

00:21:16Old-fashioned pin cushions that are large tomato with a strawberry attached are more than a place for your needles.

00:21:22The strawberry contains an emery board.

00:21:25When you stick your pins and needles into the strawberry, the emery board keeps them rust-free and sharpens them as well.

00:21:31Some people still forget to engage the hose from their car after filling up with gas.

00:21:36Luckily, a lot of gas companies realize this, so if you happen to drive off with the hose still attached to your car,

00:21:42there's a magnetic connector that disengages when pulled.

00:21:46Those different colored bread tags use a color-coded system to show the day that they were baked.

00:21:51They're usually blue tags for Mondays, green tags for Tuesdays, red tags Thursdays, white tags Fridays, and yellow tags for Saturdays.

00:22:00On the back of most beauty products, you'll find a small symbol on the back that indicates how long it'll stay good for.

00:22:07For example, 2M means two months after opening.

00:22:11Some jackets have those extra flaps with a button on the shoulder, and they actually have a use.

00:22:16These are perfectly designed for holding your purse, backpack, or bag in place and secure.

00:22:21Pom-poms on the top of beanies were never just a fashion statement.

00:22:25They were for protection, placed on top of the headwear to protect sailors from accidentally hitting their heads while moving around on a ship.

00:22:33Pom-poms touch the roof, so don't go any higher.

00:22:37They don't appear on every type of measuring tape, but diamonds or black circles are there to help contractors measure the proper placement of studs in a wall.

00:22:46Those little holes on your baseball cap aren't some fashion trends that stuck around for years and have never been changed.

00:22:53These holes are actually called eyelets, and they're to keep your head well-ventilated, not for appearance.

00:22:59If you have YKK printed on your zipper, they're not some secret code to be cracked.

00:23:04Those three letters appear on so many zippers globally because they're the symbol of the world's most universal zipper manufacturer, the YKK Group.

00:23:13Every can of soda comes with a tab for easy opening of the tasty beverage, and every single one of them has a relatively large hole in the top.

00:23:21While it can make it easier to get your finger under the tab to get your soda, its intended purpose is a straw holder.

00:23:28Spin the tab over the opening and place your straw through it to secure it in.

00:23:33Disposable lids do a great job of keeping your drink inside the cup, but that's not its only purpose.

00:23:39When you're ready to sip on your drink, the lid has specially designed ridges to double it as a coaster and hold onto the bottom of your beverage tightly.

00:23:47The tiny black dot between the lens and the flash on the back of your iPhone is actually for a great purpose.

00:23:53It's the third microphone to provide superior sound quality by eliminating background noises and to pick up your voice much clearer in a crowded environment.

00:24:02Gas cans that have two holes with caps aren't there to fill different-sized equipment.

00:24:07The second hole is meant to be uncapped before you pour your gas to prevent that glugging effect.

00:24:13By allowing more airflow through, the smoother the gas will pour out.

00:24:17That little arrow next to the gas symbol on your car's dashboard shows you which side your gas tank is on.

00:24:24It'll help you when you go fill up your gas tank, especially if you're borrowing a different car than your own.

00:24:30Look at a check and see MP near the signature line.

00:24:34That means the check printer used micro-print as one of the check's security features.

00:24:39The lines look like a regular line to the untrained eye, but they're words like the bank's name, authorized signature, United States government, or even original document.

00:24:49That little disc that's underneath bottles isn't just a leftover part of the production process.

00:24:54It creates an even tighter seal with the lid, so even if the bottle was turned upside down, the liquid doesn't leak out everywhere.

00:25:02The plastic disc keeps carbonated sodas carbonated for longer with this seal.

00:25:07The indent in the bottom of wine bottles is called a punt, but it's not just something to help you hold on to the bottle.

00:25:14The punt makes the wine bottle stronger, so if dropped, the cork won't fly across the room with all that pressure.

00:25:20Ah, the desert welcomes you with challenging conditions of abandoned environments and extreme temperatures.

00:25:27Hey, some of us would prefer dessert, chocolate over sand and rocks.

00:25:31Oh well, just like cactuses and camels, buildings have had to adapt to these conditions.

00:25:36Here are some examples of astonishing structures in deserts.

00:25:40These structures are called earthships.

00:25:42They're located in a New Mexico desert town.

00:25:45A large community of like-minded people lives in them.

00:25:48What's even more interesting is that the location of these buildings is registered as dumpsters.

00:25:54Maybe it's because all these structures are made out of old tires, bottles, and cans.

00:25:59Earthships operate using green building principles.

00:26:02About 40% of a typical earthship is built with natural or recycled materials.

00:26:07Imagine the walls made up of hundreds of used tires packed with dirt.

00:26:12Then there are layers of floor-to-ceiling passive solar windows.

00:26:15They gather the sunlight during winter and reflect it in the summer to keep the structures at a reasonable room temperature.

00:26:22You can see plants and corridors and glass bottles or aluminum cans stuffed inside walls.

00:26:27Certainly a distinct house in many ways.

00:26:30Mike Reynolds is an architect who noticed the alarming waste and consumption levels in the 1970s.

00:26:36He designed a fully sustainable home out of cans back then.

00:26:40Almost 40 years later, he becomes the one who brings together all the other earthshippers.

00:26:46Reynolds drove a Mercedes, but it ran off of vegetable oil he picked up at fast-food restaurants in town.

00:26:52A standard 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom earthship costs about $250,000 in this town.

00:26:58Yet there are earthships, like Dobson House, that can cost as much as $1.5 million.

00:27:04If you do it yourself, you know, with family and friends, you can eliminate the cost of labor.

00:27:09And it becomes relatively less expensive.

00:27:12Let's assume you're really going to build one.

00:27:14Where can it be?

00:27:15Well, anywhere.

00:27:16Earthships currently fit in the cold, dry air of Canada as well as the hot and humid climate of Haiti.

00:27:23This is the Mirage Mirror House.

00:27:25It's an installation set in the Southern California desert.

00:27:28Mirage opened in 2017 as part of a contemporary art exhibition.

00:27:33It's composed of mirrors.

00:27:35This minimalistic structure blends with the environment around it.

00:27:39The doors, windows, and openings have been removed to create an amazing experience.

00:27:44What you have in the landscape is reflected back to you.

00:27:47How's it made?

00:27:48With mirrored surfaces.

00:27:50At night, the distant lights refract from the mirrors.

00:27:53In the daytime, the sky is transformed into banks of clouds.

00:27:57There's no fixed scenery in this house.

00:28:00How about seeing a futuristic structure in the deep desert?

00:28:04Architect designed a concept home that pairs perfectly with Elon Musk's Cybertruck.

00:28:09The house has a post-apocalyptic theme.

00:28:12I mean, when I say post-apocalyptic, it's because I can't say it.

00:28:15Anyway, the house is designed to survive in a disaster scenario.

00:28:20The cyber house has steel gates, the windows are armored,

00:28:23and the exterior walls are made out of super strong material.

00:28:27Modern house is controlled by an autonomous geothermal heat pump.

00:28:31To put it in less sci-fi terms, you can keep the internal temperature steady.

00:28:35This sleek house has an entrance that can fit the Cybertruck.

00:28:39After all, it's inspired by it in the first place.

00:28:42Plus, the Cybertruck can be lifted to the second floor to be more secure.

00:28:49This is King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Saudi Arabia.

00:28:53Basically, it's a laboratory in a desert.

00:28:56It was designed to demand minimum energy.

00:28:58The architecture has patterns on the walls and ceilings,

00:29:01giving reference to the local tradition of geometric form.

00:29:05The next stop is Swartberg House in South Africa.

00:29:08This one is located near the Swartberg Mountains, but don't get too excited.

00:29:12It's on the edge of the Great Karoo Desert.

00:29:15It's a 4-bedroom apartment.

00:29:17It has a special temperature regulating system.

00:29:20The system works like a shield from the heat in the summer and as a sun trap in the winter.

00:29:25You're looking at the Grand Mosque of Djenne in Mali.

00:29:28This mosque is 52 feet tall.

00:29:30This is impressive because it's made of only sticks and a special mix of mud

00:29:35and other natural elements found in the desert.

00:29:38Petra is an ancient city hidden in the Jordan Desert.

00:29:41The structures are carved directly into red, white, and pink-colored sandstone cliff faces.

00:29:46It's located among the canyons and mountains near the desert.

00:29:50The place was a trade center many, many years ago.

00:29:53You might already see pictures of the impressive facade of the treasury.

00:29:57This structure still holds many mysteries in it.

00:30:00For starters, scientists can't explain how the Nabateans managed to create such a structure thousands of years ago.

00:30:07Did you know that there's another mysterious place in the middle of the desert that has a similar structure to Petra?

00:30:13Nayan Sele was like a second capital of the Nabatean kingdom.

00:30:17Yet another secret they left for us to decipher.

00:30:20It has over 100 decorated tombs and more than 1,000 non-monumental graves.

00:30:25Plus, inscriptions and cave drawings are also here, again surrounded by sandstone.

00:30:31This wooden shack was a post office once.

00:30:34The structure is in the Tengger Desert of Mongolia.

00:30:37It's surrounded by… nothing.

00:30:39Sand is the only thing that accompanies the lonely structure.

00:30:42The building is only 23 square inches.

00:30:45As you can guess, it didn't get too many visitors.

00:30:48It was abandoned for over 35 years.

00:30:50Its fate changed one day when a woman discovered the building.

00:30:54Mrs. Zhang and her friend came up with an idea.

00:30:57They were going to reach businesses and people who wanted to send letters and postcards from the world's loneliest post office without actually visiting the place.

00:31:05It worked.

00:31:06The post office rarely gets visitors in place, but it's busy online.

00:31:11Over 20,000 letters and postcards were sent from the desert post office in December 2021 alone.

00:31:17The place is about 6 miles off the nearest road.

00:31:20A post truck picks the letters up and hits the road for delivery.

00:31:24Eventually, they are shipped all over the world.

00:31:27A second destination in Saudi Arabia is King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture.

00:31:33The building has an interesting design.

00:31:35It took nearly a decade to build this complex structure.

00:31:38It's a 321-foot-tall tower, which stands out with its look.

00:31:43Stone Matters Pavilion is a stone structure in Palestine.

00:31:46The structure spans a surface area of 93 square inches.

00:31:50It has been built entirely out of 300 interlocking stones that mutually support each other.

00:31:56The concave roofs, and yes, they look like giant bowls, are designed that way to collect rainwater.

00:32:02The structure is in Iran.

00:32:04Interestingly, in Iran, the evaporation rate is three times faster than the world average.

00:32:10So, this bowl-like design comes in very handy.

00:32:13It captures the water in a way that the water can form a single mass as a whole before it evaporates.

00:32:19The outer shell of the roof system collects rainwater, but it also works as an additional shading.

00:32:25It makes air move freely, designed like a cooling mechanism for both roofs.

00:32:30Eco Lodge in Egypt is the next stop.

00:32:33The project is built in a place that overlooks the desert

00:32:36and is constructed using locally available materials like sun-fired bricks and palm wood.

00:32:42The building is an example of traditional architecture.

00:32:45There's a water basin that lets in the air to keep the interior cool.

00:32:49A worthy mention is the CID Interpretation Center in Chile.

00:32:53Chile's Atacama Desert is among the top tourist destinations in the country.

00:32:58To help the tourists, architects designed a visitor's center as part of the infrastructure for the wind farm.

00:33:04Here, the cold winter months don't freeze people because the large windows make the most of solar heating.

00:33:10What's even more interesting is that the building is designed to go completely dark at night.

00:33:15Imagine you somehow bumped into the building by accident!

00:33:19Black Desert House is a building respecting the stars.

00:33:23At night, this house goes completely dark.

00:33:26It dissolves into the night so the stars can appear more prominent.

00:33:30Now, any mysterious desert buildings you know that aren't on this list?

00:33:34Let us know in the comments!

00:33:39Yo ho ho! A pirate's life for me!

00:33:42Let me stop you right there.

00:33:44If you think being a pirate or a sailor back in the old days was so cool, here's the harsh truth.

00:33:49It was not all about singing sea shanties and embarking on epic voyages across the seven seas to find the Fountain of Youth or caves filled with gold.

00:33:59It wasn't actually that cool being at sea all the time, and I have five compelling reasons to prove you some.

00:34:06Let's dive in! Pun intended.

00:34:08Now, imagine this.

00:34:10You're so excited! You've been waiting for this day to come, and finally, it's official.

00:34:16You're going to become a real sailor!

00:34:18The captain tells you to get ready because the next day, you're going to set sail on a journey that is expected to take somewhere around six months, if you're lucky that is.

00:34:28Because storms and singing mermaids could complicate things.

00:34:32You pack a few things.

00:34:34Now, let's pause this daydream for a quick second because here comes problem number one.

00:34:40What I mean by packing a few things is just the clothes on your back.

00:34:45Sailors would only have one set of clothes that they almost never washed during the entire voyage.

00:34:51That's because they believed that dirt and grease would protect them from winds and rains.

00:34:56Okay, back to the thought experiment.

00:34:58You kiss your family goodbye and head to the port where your new home is waiting.

00:35:03One of your crew members not so warmly welcomes you on the deck and shows you where you'll be sleeping.

00:35:09This makes you start doubting your choice of becoming a sailor in the first place.

00:35:13Because after seeing it, you're certain that this is not going to be a five-star hotel comfort level kind of experience.

00:35:22So, here's problem number two.

00:35:25The ships were absolutely crammed.

00:35:27Back in the day, sailors would have to accept living in such conditions, whether they were working for a big name like Christopher Columbus or not.

00:35:35The Niña and the Pinta were two of Columbus' ships and the best sailing vessels of their time.

00:35:42Yet again, this didn't change the fact that they were so small that men had no place to sleep.

00:35:48Which gives us problem number three.

00:35:51Having to sleep next to one another on a crowded deck where they could barely move was not so great for sailors' health conditions.

00:35:58And going below deck to escape the snoring of their fellow shipmates was not an option because there was no fresh air there.

00:36:05In addition, you could always come across a rat there.

00:36:09So, kiss personal hygiene goodbye.

00:36:11And in case you're wondering how rats got there, those little rascals are actually good swimmers.

00:36:17Also, sailors were at sea no matter the season or the weather, so they were often cold and wet.

00:36:23Which also made it hard for them to stay healthy and strong.

00:36:27Speaking of health conditions, brings us to problem number four.

00:36:31And it's food and hunger.

00:36:34Sailors didn't have their own mini fridges with different kinds of condiments back then, like the compartments luxury cruises have these days.

00:36:41So, they had to come up with ways to store enough food that would last for months or even years.

00:36:47Due to that, their food options were limited.

00:36:50It definitely wasn't like the food prepared by Michelin star chefs.

00:36:55One of the most common food options on ships was salted meat, which wasn't as chewy as you might imagine.

00:37:01Or a biscuit called hardtack, also called sheet iron or worm castles.

00:37:07And there's a reason for all these creative nicknames.

00:37:10Hardtack was essentially a mix of water and flour baked into a cardboard flavored cracker.

00:37:17They were brick-like and the only way they could be eaten was if they were softened with water.

00:37:22If only sailors could dip them in their afternoon tea, right?

00:37:26Sometimes, these biscuits would still be extremely dense.

00:37:30Then sailors would have to slam their fists down on them to break them into smaller pieces to be able to eat the stuff.

00:37:36As long as hardtack was kept dry, it rarely got spoiled.

00:37:41The sailors would be able to eat them after a year if they had any left.

00:37:45But most of the time, it would be extremely hard to keep them dry inside wooden casks.

00:37:50And then, they would get infested with bugs that would leave small holes behind.

00:37:55However, sailors would still eat them anyway.

00:37:58They didn't have to take protein from somewhere.

00:38:01By now, you might have figured out that there were no fruits or vegetables in a sailor's diet.

00:38:06This caused vitamin deficiency in many sailors.

00:38:09So, those toothless pirates and sailors in the movies you see?

00:38:13Yep, it's all because of poor nutrition.

00:38:16And the iron-hard crackers probably didn't help either.

00:38:20But when sailors ran out of food, not having a balanced diet was probably the least of their concerns.

00:38:27Back in the old times, a voyage could take way longer than expected due to weather conditions.

00:38:33There could be no winds to push the ship further.

00:38:36Or, a powerful storm could shake the ship and the waves and water could destroy the food storage.

00:38:42So, when such a situation happened, sailors could easily run out of food.

00:38:47Well, they could throw the net into the ocean and catch some fish, right?

00:38:51But sailors didn't eat fish even in the face of starvation.

00:38:55Many captains mentioned this in their logbooks, which were basically captains' diaries.

00:39:00The problem was not that sailors couldn't get fish.

00:39:03In fact, many different kinds of fish were caught in their nets.

00:39:06But they had to throw them all back into the sea.

00:39:09During the exploration era, Antonio Pigafetta mentioned in his logbook that the ship's crew caught an unbelievable amount of fish.

00:39:18But they didn't eat any of them.

00:39:20Also, in the same journal, he mentioned that 40 of the sailors lost their lives.

00:39:25Naturally, sailors thought that only poisonous fish were dangerous.

00:39:29And because of that, they were inclined to eat only the fish they knew.

00:39:33But even a well-cooked tuna could be poisonous.

00:39:36And they had to learn it the hard way.

00:39:39But it's not like they didn't have any methods to check fish.

00:39:43Spanish sailors, for example, put silver coins on it.

00:39:46If the silver changed color, they considered those fish to be poisonous.

00:39:50Therefore, inedible.

00:39:52So, they would toss them overboard.

00:39:55Other sailors would place the fish they caught on the deck and observe if flies or other insects came to feast on it.

00:40:01If they didn't land on the fish, this meant that it was poisonous.

00:40:05But if insects did come, they considered it safe to eat.

00:40:10The problem of eating fish caught in the open sea dates back to as early as the 7th century BCE.

00:40:16Imperial healers in ancient China knew that eating fish was the reason why some sailors lost their lives.

00:40:23But they couldn't prove that the fish were poisonous.

00:40:26And the mystery remained unsolved up until the 19th century.

00:40:30In 1886, a Cuban doctor finally figured out that some fish contained poison in their tissues and muscles.

00:40:37Even though they were considered a safe-to-eat breed.

00:40:41That kind of poison is actually something that is found in plankton.

00:40:45Some fish can eat this plankton without being affected.

00:40:48They store it in their bodies.

00:40:50And as they grow, the rate of the poison increases within them.

00:40:54And this is something that doesn't go away no matter how long one cooks the fish.

00:41:00If you still think that life at sea back in the old days sounds exciting,

00:41:04this fifth problem will convince you otherwise.

00:41:08Let's say you've managed to get along with your roommates, stay clean and healthy, and eat regularly.

00:41:14But there's always a risk of getting caught by pirates.

00:41:17And they didn't ask for things kindly.

00:41:20So if you didn't want to end up as food for sharks, you would have to raise the white flag and simply join them.

00:41:27Not the career you were planning, right?

00:41:34Good luck scrubbing the deck for the rest of your life.

00:41:39You've just reached your perfect spot on a deserted beach.

00:41:42It's so quiet here that you start to doze off.

00:41:45But as you open your eyes, you are shocked.

00:41:48Wait a minute, is that an actual house that's just been washed up on the shore?

00:41:54It may sound like the beginning of a sci-fi novel, but not if you live near this beach in El Salvador.

00:42:00There's a mysteriously abandoned house there that looks as if it's just been washed ashore.

00:42:05How did this villa end up there?

00:42:07How long has it been here without anyone noticing it?

00:42:11This mysterious construction is 46 miles south of El Salvador's capital, San Salvador.

00:42:18Locals say the building used to be a hotel called Puerto Ventura.

00:42:22At the time it was built, its main attraction was the fact that it was really close to the sea.

00:42:28Unfortunately, the engineering behind it wasn't well planned out.

00:42:32All because locals didn't need any official permission to start the construction.

00:42:37The hotel was too close to the water and dangerously exposed to the elements.

00:42:43The Roman-style villa is now a mere 50 feet from the edge of the sea when the tide is low.

00:42:49It can only be accessed in the morning because later the tides fill the first floor with salt water.

00:42:55What's now left of the hotel looks like the ruins of a two-story house.

00:42:59The front part is very impressive, with Roman-type pillars.

00:43:03It also has wide windows on the second floor.

00:43:08You can still see parts of the iron structures and remains of what used to be the gateway to the second floor.

00:43:14There are some bleachers at the top of the building.

00:43:17They are sometimes used by tourists.

00:43:19More and more people are now browsing the area, taking photos.

00:43:23Even though the building is obviously not safe for climbing.

00:43:27There's little information on how long it's been sitting in its current location.

00:43:31But some locals say it's been there for at least 20 years.

00:43:35It had remained a local secret for years before it was discovered by a TikTok user in 2021.

00:43:42But that doesn't answer the question.

00:43:44How did the hotel end up in another location altogether?

00:43:48This is where things become a little fuzzy.

00:43:51While some locals say that the building was abandoned decades ago,

00:43:54others claim it was deserted after Hurricane Mitch hit the area back in 1998.

00:44:01Hurricane Mitch was one of the most dangerous weather phenomena to ever hit Central America.

00:44:06During the storm, the winds traveled at 178 mph, and the hurricane itself lasted for about 15 hours.

00:44:14It was also the cause of a huge amount of rainfall,

00:44:17which resulted in floods and many dangerous landslides.

00:44:21Being built so close to the shoreline,

00:44:24the former hotel had little chance of surviving the extreme weather conditions.

00:44:28So, it must have been literally displaced.

00:44:32After sitting under the sun, you might start dreaming of some snowballs getting washed ashore.

00:44:38You know, to even out the temperature.

00:44:40I'm not kidding.

00:44:41This strange natural phenomenon did happen back in 2016.

00:44:46It resulted in about 11 miles of the coast of the Gulf of Ob in West Siberia getting covered with huge snowballs.

00:44:54Because of the low temperatures, small pieces of ice started to form in the water.

00:44:59Afterward, the wind and waves rolled them into giant snowballs.

00:45:03Some of them were the size of a tennis ball, but others were up to 3 feet wide.

00:45:09A 2004 Harley-Davidson night train motorcycle popped up ashore on a British Columbia beach back in 2012.

00:45:17It was neatly packed inside a shipping container.

00:45:20It took some time to do it, but the owner was eventually traced down.

00:45:24His name was Ikuyo Yokoyama, and he lost his motorcycle after a tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011.

00:45:33To get to its final destination, the Harley-Davidson traveled more than 4,000 miles.

00:45:39To celebrate its long journey, Yokoyama donated the bike to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.

00:45:45It's been on display there ever since, in case you want to visit.

00:45:49This strange phenomenon made it look as if someone spilled dish soap all over the beach.

00:45:54But it does happen pretty often in Queensland.

00:45:57Sea foam covers the shore there a couple of times each year.

00:46:00It mostly happens after a storm, when ocean waves move dissolved organic matter around.

00:46:06It's basically like a giant ice cream maker.

00:46:09After Cyclone Debbie back in March of 2017, some beaches actually needed to be closed because of huge amounts of white foam.

00:46:17The wind even brought some of that foam to the nearby towns, making locals believe it was snowing.

00:46:24Would you be surprised to see a 6-by-6-foot rusty metal die washed ashore on your local beach?

00:46:30Because back in 2017, people in Coeur d'Alene and Idaho sure were.

00:46:35It turned out to be an old storage tank.

00:46:37Someone decided to spice it up a bit by adding some white spots to make it look like a die.

00:46:43In 1992, thousands of rubber duckies got stranded at sea after a large container ship that was transporting them was hit by a wave.

00:46:52As you can imagine, the ducks started popping up all over the world.

00:46:56In Hawaii, Alaska, South America, Australia, in Europe, and even in the Arctic.

00:47:02It's estimated that a couple hundred of those unlucky rubber ducks are still out there.

00:47:07Interestingly, they turned out to be very useful to scientists.

00:47:11Based on their movements, researchers can monitor the direction of water currents.

00:47:16If you happen to like dinosaurs, you'll be happy to know seawaters can also bring ashore some fossils.

00:47:22In 2018, a large dinosaur jawbone ended up on the coast of Lillstock Beach in Somerset, England.

00:47:29It used to belong to a dinosaur called Ichthyosaurus.

00:47:33Thanks to this finding, scientists were able to make an impressive discovery.

00:47:38Before, they thought the Ichthyosaurus could reach a maximum length of about 69 feet.

00:47:44But after they studied the jawbone, they ended up recalculating the creature's size.

00:47:49They concluded that the Ichthyosaurus could grow up to 85 feet.

00:47:54The Megalodon was the largest predator in our planet's history.

00:47:58It lived almost all over the globe, except near the poles.

00:48:02How do we know that? Because Megalodon teeth keep appearing on beaches every now and then.

00:48:07One staggering Megalodon tooth, which was way over 20 inches long, was discovered in a river in Croatia.

00:48:15Since these creatures have been extinct for about 3 million years, their teeth are highly prized by fossil hunters.

00:48:22A giant Lego man that washed ashore is something I never thought I'd hear about.

00:48:27And it turns out it didn't happen just once.

00:48:30There were four of these giant Lego men in total, each around 8 feet tall.

00:48:35One was found in England and one in the Netherlands, while the other two popped up in Florida and California.

00:48:42It was surely not a coincidence, and after some research, people found out that a Dutch artist was behind this.

00:48:48Ego Leonard started this project as a personal statement campaign.

00:48:53A short film was even made about this, and it was called, No Real Than You Are.

00:48:58This sentence was written on each of the four Lego men put to sea.

00:49:03A bundle of over 50 letters was washed ashore in New Jersey on a beach in Atlantic Highlands back in 2012.

00:49:10It happened shortly after Hurricane Sandy had struck the area.

00:49:14A 14-year-old boy found the letters and gave them to his mom.

00:49:18She was so touched by them that she decided to carefully dry and return them to their owner.

00:49:23The letters were the correspondence of two people named Dorothy and Lynn.

00:49:27They were dated between 1942 and 1948.

00:49:31The last was written a week before their wedding.

00:49:33With the help of an online genealogy site, the woman reached Dorothy and returned the letters to the 88-year-old woman who was living in a retirement home.

00:49:43Have you ever seen a skyscraper that can change its shape?

00:49:46The creators of the FNF Tower in Panama City had a concept and only $50 million, which isn't a lot in skyscraper money.

00:49:55So, they couldn't afford a mistake, and they finished a concrete structure with the 39 upper floors rotating 9 degrees around an axis from the first attempt without spending any extra time or materials.

00:50:10Dubai's rotating tower will look different every time you see it once it's finished.

00:50:15Each of its 80 floors will rotate 360 degrees individually around the center of the building.

00:50:21The lucky residents will be able to control that rotation, which means they can choose their view from the window.

00:50:27A complete lap should take about 90 minutes.

00:50:30And, no, the tower won't be a huge waste of electricity.

00:50:34It will produce its own energy.

00:50:36Wind turbines between the floors will drive the rotations.

00:50:41If you've ever wanted to live inside a video game, book an apartment in the King Power Mahanakhon building.

00:50:48This pixelated skyscraper around the height of the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Thailand.

00:50:54The secret behind its looks is the horizontally and vertically divided glass windows.

00:50:59It took five years to finish this beauty with over 200 apartments, a hotel, luxury shops, restaurants, and one of the most breathtaking viewpoints in the world.

00:51:11The Libyan International Building features one of the world's tallest artificial waterfalls running right down its side.

00:51:19No worries, they only turn it on on special occasions.

00:51:22And it uses a mix of recycled tap water and rainwater.

00:51:26When it started running for the first time, the non-informed locals even reported a huge water leak.

00:51:33The Cyber Texture office building in Mumbai looks like a huge egg made of glass and steel.

00:51:40It was actually inspired by a vessel that, like our planet, has its own ecosystem.

00:51:46To bring down the heat levels inside, the architects chose the ideal orientation and added sun shading and an underground cooling system.

00:51:56The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore seems like a Stonehenge look-alike, but its architect claims that he was inspired by a house of cards.

00:52:05The horizontal one is balanced on the three vertical ones.

00:52:09They are three 55-story hotels with restaurants, nightclubs, gardens, shops, museums, and movie theaters.

00:52:17The horizontal card is an infinity swimming pool with the best view of the city for up to 4,000 visitors.

00:52:24The pool hangs at the height of the 57th floor, and it feels like nothing is holding it.

00:52:31The Dancing House definitely stands out among the more traditional architecture in Prague.

00:52:36The nickname for the house is Fred and Ginger.

00:52:39The stone tower symbolizes the famous dancer Fred Astaire, and the glass tower, his partner Ginger Rogers.

00:52:46There's even imaginary hair on top of Fred's tower.

00:52:5099 concrete panels support the dancing shape, all of them of different dimensions.

00:52:57Umeda Sky Building, twice the height of Big Ben, consists of two towers of glass and steel to the north of Osaka Station.

00:53:05The floating garden observatory connects the towers on top.

00:53:09Although the building is in a huge city, the skywalk is so high in the clouds that the only thing you'll hear up there is the wind.

00:53:17If you're scared of heights, you can visit an urban garden, a theater, an art museum, or one of the many offices closer to the ground inside the building.

00:53:28Architect Octavio Mendoza owns probably the largest piece of pottery in the world.

00:53:34If you're ever in Colombia, ask the locals for directions to the Flintstone House.

00:53:39Yes, they call it that for a reason.

00:53:42The official name is Casa Terracota, and the architect only used clay to build it.

00:53:48He let it bake and harden in the sun, which transformed the pliable material into solid ceramic.

00:53:54Every curve of the building is designed after the surrounding hills.

00:53:58All the furniture inside is also made of clay.

00:54:01Mendoza is determined to work on the casa for the rest of his life.

00:54:06Artists Dennis Sullivan and Francis Conklin have been saving money for 15 years, carving smaller wooden dogs to create their dream project.

00:54:16The Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood is a 12-foot beagle that stands proud in the Idaho prairie.

00:54:23There is a bedroom and a living area in its body, and an extra bedroom in the head.

00:54:30Have you ever wondered what it's like to be inside a huge carpet?

00:54:34Me neither.

00:54:35But checking out the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum is definitely worth it anyway.

00:54:40It shows the history of this important local craft in every detail.

00:54:45Austrian architect Franz Jans designed the construction, and it took six years to finish it.

00:54:53The Basket Building in Ohio looks exactly like a real shopping basket, except it's 160 times larger.

00:55:00It even has two attached handles.

00:55:02The building served as the headquarters of Longaberger Basket Company, then was sold to become a luxury hotel.

00:55:11A giant whale? An airship? Can you guess what's inside this building in Graz, Austria?

00:55:17Two British architects won the Europe-wide competition to design this art museum.

00:55:22The biomorphic construction has around 1,000 acrylic glass elements on its skin.

00:55:28During the night, it can send light signals and messages to people on the other side of the river.

00:55:34It takes in daylight from the north through nozzles on its top.

00:55:38The needle is a viewing platform.

00:55:42The Half House in Toronto, Canada was built in the late 19th century and was one of six identical houses standing next to each other.

00:55:50When developers came to this area, the owners of all the other houses agreed to move.

00:55:55And this one wouldn't go.

00:55:57A demolition crew showed some impressive skills as they managed to tear down the neighboring house without doing any damage at all to what is now the Half House.

00:56:06The white exterior wall used to be load-bearing, dividing the neighbors' bedrooms and living rooms.

00:56:12One wrong move of the excavator and the entire construction would become ruins.

00:56:18The Shell House in Isla Mujeres, Mexico stands by the ocean, was inspired by the ocean, and looks like one of the ocean's symbols.

00:56:27The house is shell-shaped and covered with shells from nearby beaches.

00:56:32Architect Eduardo Ocampo designed this beauty as he wanted to have a one-of-a-kind house for his brother to come and visit more often.

00:56:40Now it's up for rent for vacationers.

00:56:44The Bubble Palace, not far away from Cannes in France, was designed by a Hungarian architect and purchased by Pierre Cardin.

00:56:53In case you have a couple of spare million, you can buy this interesting property.

00:56:58You'll get 10-bedroom suites decorated by contemporary artists, gardens, water ponds, a swimming pool, and a 500-seat outdoor auditorium with an awesome view of the Bay of Cannes as a bonus.

00:57:12Can you find one house standing straight here? I know, I also failed.

00:57:17All the cubes in the Cube House in Rotterdam are tilted 45 degrees at their side.

00:57:23The idea here was to make the most of the space.

00:57:26Dutch architect Piet Blom designed the houses in the late 70s to look like an abstract forest.

00:57:33Each triangular roof represents a treetop.

00:57:36The houses stand at three floors tall with an entrance on the ground floor, an open kitchen, and a living room on the first floor, as well as a bathroom with two bedrooms on the top floor.

00:57:48The Boot in Tasman, New Zealand is a hotel that looks like it comes straight out of a children's book.

00:57:54It even has legit shoelaces.

00:57:56There's a spiral staircase, cozy fireplace, kitchenette, and a bedroom with a balcony.

00:58:03If you ever find yourself in Mitchell, South Dakota, be sure not to miss out on their key tourist attraction, the Corn Palace.

00:58:11The locals have always been so proud of prairie gold that they first built a palace out of corn back in 1892 to prove to the rest of the world how fertile their lands are.

00:58:21What you can see now is the rebuilt version.

00:58:24Every year, they put new corn in 13 shades to form new beautiful murals.

00:58:33Wow, looky here!

00:58:35It's New York City, the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, Hong Kong on the Hudson, the greatest city in the world, New York, New York, the city so nice they named it twice.

00:58:46Alright, I'll stop.

00:58:48You thought you knew this city so well, but underneath all that glitz and glamour is a facade, literally.

00:58:54New York is populated with some of the most iconic urban buildings in the world and home to some of the most unique and famous towers.

00:59:02Who would have known that New York was a front for fake buildings?

00:59:06And the cool thing is that there are plenty to search for.

00:59:09Okay, I'm adding that to my bucket list.

00:59:12So, the question is, why do they put these fake buildings all over New York?

00:59:16The city is one of the most vibrant places in the world and requires many infrastructures to keep the city in motion.

00:59:23That means having many industrial structures and buildings in every major district.

00:59:28New York is charming for the design and the buildings.

00:59:31Imagine having industrial structures right next to your favorite pizza parlor or hot dog stand.

00:59:37The designers thought ahead and decided to disguise those industrial infrastructures as fake buildings.

00:59:44They blend with the city so well that they don't stand out.

00:59:47They look like your good old apartment or housing unit with a front door, real-life windows, and even charming balconies where people would hang out.

00:59:56The only thing is that there's nothing behind the facade and no one is allowed inside.

01:00:01So, where in the world can you find these fake buildings?

01:00:05For starters, one of the most popular fake buildings is in Brooklyn.

01:00:09At 58 Geralemont Street, you can find a very typical neighborhood.

01:00:14But between the buildings stands a brick building with a slightly deeper shade than the rest.

01:00:19It has bright open windows that blend in with the rest of the buildings in the neighborhood, except that they're blacked out.

01:00:25At first glance, you might not think of it as anything.

01:00:28But if you pay close attention, the building looks like a glitch from a video game.

01:00:33It was built in 1847, way before New York was considered glamorous.

01:00:39Originally, it was meant to be a regular building, but in 1908, they converted it into a fake building.

01:00:45Don't think you can just try to break in.

01:00:48Even if you could, it's pointless, because it's part of a ventilation fan for the subway.

01:00:53It also serves as an emergency exit for some of the surrounding buildings.

01:00:58Actually, throughout New York, many fake buildings exist to disguise the subway vents for the smoke to escape.

01:01:05All the way to 415 Bruckner Boulevard, the Bronx, this townhouse was designed by the Switzer Group, which is an interior architect company.

01:01:14It's not as charming as the one at 58 Geralemont Street, but it serves a similar purpose.

01:01:20To hide an electric substation for New York's utility company.

01:01:24The city needs these substations to reduce the high-voltage electricity to a lower voltage so it can be distributed locally.

01:01:32Having a building like this popping out of the middle of your neighborhood isn't exactly the smartest way to attract people to the Bronx.

01:01:39That's why the fake townhouse facade is the perfect camouflage.

01:01:43Now, some of these fake buildings don't really hit the mark and stick out like a sore thumb.

01:01:49The people of Manhattan described the Mowry Square infrastructure as a complete clunker.

01:01:54After plenty of redesigns and back-to-the-drawing-board meetings, the result is still not pretty.

01:02:00The locals compare it to a concrete box.

01:02:03They created windows without glass, which doesn't allow the building to blend in with the rest of the neighborhood.

01:02:09But it beats a typical subway ventilation plant either way.

01:02:14There are just so many places to visit and cross off your bucket list.

01:02:18But if you live in China, you can literally stay in the country and visit many iconic cities around the world.

01:02:25The replica cities began when the Chinese economy started booming in the early 90s.

01:02:30They wanted the lifestyle of the rich and famous without wanting to leave their country.

01:02:35They can be comfortable eating their local food and get the feeling of being abroad.

01:02:40The Chinese province of Guangdong has an identical copy of the historical Australian alpine village Hallstatt.

01:02:48The real Hallstatt is centuries old and one of the most charming places to discover.

01:02:53The local people of Hallstatt also had no idea that their home was being built in China.

01:02:58Some people thought that this was controversial.

01:03:01Probably because it cost around 940 million dollars to build it.

01:03:06Paris is undoubtedly one of the most charming cities you could ever visit.

01:03:11Its rich history and vibrant culture are enough to catch the first plane to go there.

01:03:16For residents of Tiananmen Square, that's something they can do anytime they want.

01:03:21The city is also known as Sky City and has a replica of the Eiffel Tower that looks eerily like the iconic one in Paris,

01:03:29and built buildings to match the city's visual charm.

01:03:32One of the main things that will break the charm is the farmland surrounding the city.

01:03:37There's barely anyone there, and the streets are always empty, very un-Paris-like.

01:03:42Still, you can find some nice fountains and statues scattered along the streets to give it some spirit.

01:03:48There's laundry hung everywhere, even on the trees.

01:03:51The picturesque fountains are dry, and many apartments are empty.

01:03:55Only a few stores are open for business.

01:03:58Even though this looks like a fake city, it's quite real.

01:04:01Some people live here because it's more affordable than other places.

01:04:05Two hours away from this town is another version of Paris' Pont Alexandre III,

01:04:10and a carbon copy of London's Tower Bridge, but with four towers instead of two.

01:04:15Hey, such a bargain!

01:04:17You can also visit the closest thing to Italy, but this time you can go shopping.

01:04:22Florencia Village is an outlet mall that offers an array of shops to lose yourself.

01:04:27The good thing is that this was built by an Italian developer to capture the essence of an Italian village.

01:04:34It has fountains, canals, and mosaics for proper aesthetics.

01:04:39It began in 2011 and has more than 200 shops with many Italian brands and British, U.S., and Chinese brands as well.

01:04:47The place is so popular that it gets between 10,000 and 25,000 visitors per day.

01:04:53China also has other replica towns that put you in a mini Manhattan called the Yujiapu Financial District.

01:05:01The developer's goal was to make this place the financial center of the world.

01:05:05It was complete with the right landmarks, like the Rockefeller and Lincoln Centers,

01:05:09but the project was halted in 2019, leaving it mainly empty.

01:05:14You can find a typical English town with cobbled streets, Victorian homes, and restaurants that make Thames Town.

01:05:21This place was meant to recreate a European lifestyle fantasy without leaving Shanghai.

01:05:26China also has a Dutch town that has some elements of Amsterdam with windmills and famous canals.

01:05:33They even decided to copy some of the landmarks, like the Netherlands Maritime Museum.

01:05:39Here's a bonus story of Lebanon's thinnest building built out of a dispute.

01:05:43It's the story of two brothers who both inherited unequal plots of land.

01:05:48One of the brothers happened to get a very thin plot of land and couldn't help but be jealous of his brother's nice plot of land.

01:05:55He wasn't pleased.

01:05:57Both of the lands overlook the Mediterranean Sea in a lively neighborhood of Beirut.

01:06:02So it's no wonder that both brothers couldn't agree on how they should develop their lands.

01:06:07It was obvious that the brother with the most land could build a proper building.

01:06:12The other brother had to improvise.

01:06:14He decided to obstruct his brother's property by constructing a thin building enough to only fit 14 feet at its widest and 2 feet at its most narrow.

01:06:24It was constructed in 1954, and the locals of the area know it as the Grudge.

01:06:31The crazy thing is that the place was once habitable with many visitors enjoying their stay.

01:06:36It's not easy to live there, but it's part of living the experience.

01:06:40The building is still standing, but is empty.

01:06:45Behind those huge steel doors is one of the most guarded places on Earth.

01:06:50It's known as Site R, or the Raven Rock Mountain Complex.

01:06:54You'll find it in Pennsylvania.

01:06:56The construction is 60 stories underground.

01:06:59It is said to be a safe place for people in case of a natural or human-made disaster.

01:07:03There's not a lot of information online about this mysterious place.

01:07:07But what we do know is that it's equipped with 38 communication systems.

01:07:11It's obviously not available for visits via Google Earth.

01:07:15But you can catch a quick glance at the two gates that face the complex.

01:07:19Vatican City is one of the most famous enclaves on Earth.

01:07:23And it's certainly worth a visit due to its wonderful architecture and vast list of art pieces to check out.

01:07:29One place, however, will always be off-limits for visitors.

01:07:32The Vatican Secret Archives.

01:07:34They have some of the oldest and rarest books on Earth.

01:07:37These archives are available only to a limited number of people.

01:07:41And since they have been visited by a small number of people so far, they also trigger a lot of weird theories.

01:07:47For example, that there may be books proving there's life outside our planet.

01:07:53If you're fascinated by shipwrecks, you'll be interested to know that one of the largest wrecks you can see on Google Earth is on North Sentinel Island, India.

01:08:01It used to be called the SS Jessene.

01:08:04It was a Bolivian ferry that sank in the area back in 2003.

01:08:08The reason why people can't visit it physically isn't because of the ship itself, but because the island is home to the world's most dangerous tribe.

01:08:16We don't really know how many people live there, but it was estimated that between 50 to 400 people call this place home.

01:08:22And they really don't like tourists.

01:08:24No person that tried to reach them survived.

01:08:27Also, to protect them, their privacy, and their special status, the island is closely monitored by the Indian authorities.

01:08:35That's mostly because it's believed the locals don't have any immunity to modern diseases.

01:08:40So being in contact with foreigners might be dangerous for the tribe's people, since they've never seen the outer world.

01:08:47A huge pink bunny appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the Italian Caletto Fava mountains back in 2005.

01:08:54Besides the locals, some people stumbled upon it online, too.

01:08:58They were puzzled by the discovery.

01:09:00Unfortunately, that 200-foot-tall bunny is completely gone today.

01:09:05You can still find the images of it online, though.

01:09:07The unusual object was designed by artists from Vienna.

01:09:11They encouraged tourists to climb, jump, or even take a nap on top of the large rabbit.

01:09:15The whole purpose of the project was to allow people to experience what it would be like to live as smaller creatures.

01:09:21The bunny didn't have any removal date at the time it was placed there, and was expected to last at least until 2025.

01:09:28But Mother Nature had other plans.

01:09:31A Japanese artist decided to move back to her little home village named Nagoro.

01:09:36But she soon found out that most of her neighbors were moving to bigger cities.

01:09:40To deal with loneliness, she started putting together scarecrow-like dolls, or kakashi, and placing them all over her garden.

01:09:47She didn't stop there, though.

01:09:49The artist soon began doing the same with many other places in her village,

01:09:53creating dolls and placing them as if they were taking part in various human activities.

01:09:57These dolls keep moving around, too.

01:10:00But the woman likes to stay true to her story and insists she doesn't touch them.

01:10:04You can see the images of this quirky village on Google Maps.

01:10:09This weird portal was discovered via online maps in New Baltimore, New York.

01:10:13It gave people all sorts of bad dreams.

01:10:16With spooky-looking buildings and all sorts of blurry figures, this area soon became a source for many weird Internet theories.

01:10:23Turns out it was nothing more than a technical issue, which resulted in those images being rendered in a distorted manner.

01:10:30Either way, if you look for these images on Google, you won't be able to unsee them.

01:10:35This cute miniature world map was created by an artist from Denmark.

01:10:39He continuously worked on this tedious project from 1944 until 1967.

01:10:45Using mostly his hands and just a few tools for moving heavy rocks around,

01:10:49he gathered stones at the edge of the water, then recreated the map of the world on the surface of this lake.

01:10:54During the winter, he was able to use a sled to transport larger pieces of rock over the ice and then place them in the perfect position.

01:11:02Apart from the continents themselves, the map also features rivers and lakes, as well as some other famous landmarks.

01:11:09Care to have a look at a sea without any coasts?

01:11:12Search for the Sargasso Sea.

01:11:14You'll find it in the northern Atlantic Ocean.

01:11:16This weird sea is surrounded by four ocean currents and no dry land at all.

01:11:20It got its name from the seaweed that grows there, Sargassum.

01:11:24Fingerprints on the lens of a satellite camera?

01:11:27You may be tricked into thinking this if you search for the Finger Maze.

01:11:31It's located in the city of Brighton, UK and is a large fingerprint created in Hove Park.

01:11:36It also has a maze at the center.

01:11:39It can be really hard and time-consuming to look for wild animals on Google Earth.

01:11:43But the Geo Browser does have a nice feature that can help if you're eager to see hippos and flamingos in their natural habitat.

01:11:49Try Googling animals from above and start scrolling through these images.

01:11:54This unique feature can take you from Kenya to Namibia and even all the way to Antarctica, where you can see emperor penguins.

01:12:01There are some places on Google Maps that, for specific reasons, aren't available for the online public.

01:12:07Like the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

01:12:10If you head over there via Google Earth, you'll see that everything around the Dutch Royal Palace is still visible, like the vegetation and roads.

01:12:17But the construction itself is blurred from all angles.

01:12:20That's probably because local authorities want to keep the unique views of the palace for the eyes of physical visitors only.

01:12:27The same goes for the Tantaco National Park in Chile.

01:12:30This one is a privately owned nature reserve that can only be seen on Google Maps from a distance.

01:12:35Once you reach a certain point, the zoom feature stops working.

01:12:39Some people say that since it's a nature preserve, it may be home to some endangered species and extreme measures are taken for their protection.

01:12:47You know how a certain brand of fried chicken has a certain kernel on their logo?

01:12:51Yeah, you won't see any of these logos in high resolution on Google Maps.

01:12:55That's because the online map uses specific algorithms to detect people's faces and blur them out.

01:13:00As you can see, it's not always really that accurate.

01:13:05It's called Snake Island, and the Brazilian authorities prohibit people from visiting it.

01:13:10For good reason.

01:13:11You'll find the island near the city of Sao Paulo in Brazil.

01:13:14It's said to be home to over 4,000 snakes.

01:13:17Some of the most venomous types of reptiles on Earth call this place home.

01:13:21If that's not creepy enough, how about that some of them are so dangerous that a small drop of their venom can permanently damage the human skin?

01:13:30You can see the shape of the island on Google Earth.

01:13:33But the more you zoom in, the blurrier it becomes.

01:13:36Here's another cool thing you can do on Google Earth.

01:13:39Time travel.

01:13:40Well, at least sort of.

01:13:41You won't be able to travel back in time and tell yourself to study more for that tricky exam.

01:13:45But you can see certain historical images of places you like.

01:13:49You can check if this feature works by looking at the upper left corner of the screen.

01:13:53If you can see a small icon with a clock, it may allow you to scroll some years back.

01:13:58But you can also see how sunlight affects Earth if you turn on the sunlight feature.

01:14:04The Empire State Building's tower was designed to serve as a docking station for dirigibles.

01:14:10At that time, people believed that these airships would become the main means of transportation in the future.

01:14:16The project included gangplanks, check-in and customs offices, and so on.

01:14:21But then the engineers realized that the wind up there was too strong for their plans, and they gave up on their idea.

01:14:27Angel Falls, the largest uninterrupted waterfall on the planet, is more than twice as tall as the Empire State Building.

01:14:34During the dry season, the falling water sometimes evaporates before it reaches the ground.

01:14:39One of the most mysterious sounds ever heard on Earth was the bloop.

01:14:44It occurred in 1997 and resembled the noise of marine animals.

01:14:48But the volume was too great for a sound produced by a living creature.

01:14:52Antarctica might just look like a giant field of ice, but there's actually a huge continent underneath.

01:14:58That means that it has volcanoes, mountains, and valleys, like any other continent.

01:15:03Scientists have recently discovered that the Antarctic landmass has the lowest point on the planet, as well as huge mountain ranges.

01:15:12If any of the numerous volcanoes were to erupt, it would melt a huge part of the surface ice and increase the spill of ice into the ocean.

01:15:18The sea level would rise and flood coastal areas around the world.

01:15:22The ocean waters would also be disrupted, putting marine life at risk.

01:15:27Though all of these volcanoes are dormant and have no life,

01:15:31they can still be used as a source of food and water.

01:15:35Each day on the South Pole lasts six months on this continent.

01:15:39The South Pole only has a single sunset and sunrise across an entire year.

01:15:44Early Earth might have been purple, not green.

01:15:48There's a theory that ancient microbes used molecules rather than chlorophyll to absorb sunlight.

01:15:54These molecules likely gave living organisms a better chance of survival.

01:15:59During the Stone Age, the entire population of Central Europe was around 1,500 people,

01:16:05which means they would all fit on a mid-sized cruise liner these days.

01:16:09Astronomers have figured out that the Milky Way weighs around 1.5 trillion solar masses,

01:16:15and one solar mass is the mass of our Sun.

01:16:19A tiny part of this weight is a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

01:16:24The rest is dark matter, mysterious and invisible.

01:16:28If all sheets of Arctic ice and glaciers melted at the same time,

01:16:32the sea level would rise for the height of a 26-story building.

01:16:36Under black or UV light, ripening bananas look bright blue.

01:16:41That's because of the chlorophyll that's breaking down when the fruit is eaten.

01:16:45This is called a chlorophyll explosion.

01:16:50That's because of the chlorophyll that's breaking down when the fruit is ripening.

01:16:54Because of tectonic plate movements, the Pacific Ocean shrinks every year,

01:16:59and the Atlantic Ocean gets bigger by the same amount.

01:17:04These days, there are only two ice sheets in the world left after the planet's last ice age.

01:17:09The first is the Greenland Ice Sheet.

01:17:12The second, the Antarctic Ice Sheet, is enormous.

01:17:15It's the size of Mexico and the continental U.S. combined.

01:17:21Tsunami waves often go unnoticed.

01:17:24They don't rise for more than several inches above the surface until they reach shallow waters.

01:17:29When the ocean is deep, though, they can travel as fast as a long-distance passenger airplane.

01:17:36Corals that live in shallow waters produce their own protection from the Sun.

01:17:40Without it, sunlight would harm the algae living inside them.

01:17:44To protect these algae, which are the main source of food for the corals, they fluoresce.

01:17:49This process makes proteins that act as sunscreen.

01:17:53Almost 90% of the volcanic activity on Earth happens in the oceans.

01:17:59The South Pacific has the largest concentration of volcanoes people know about.

01:18:04There's one volcano cluster that has 1,133 volcanic cones.

01:18:09All of them are active and cooped up in an area the size of New York State.

01:18:15The Zemchug Canyon in the middle of the Bering Sea is the largest underwater canyon ever discovered.

01:18:22There are more treasures and artifacts at the bottom of the ocean than in all museums in the world combined.

01:18:29In 1900, one of the biggest hurricanes struck near Central America and in the Gulf of Mexico.

01:18:35It then went as far as Florida and Texas and is considered to be the most devastating hurricane in the United States history.

01:18:43They first detected it on August 27th and it lasted for many days.

01:18:48By the time it reached the Texas coast, the storm had turned into a Category 4 hurricane.

01:18:53Hurricanes are categorized on wind speed and intensity using something called a Saffir-Simpson scale.

01:18:59There are 5 different categories from 1 to 5, with 1 being the weakest and 5 being the strongest.

01:19:07The people of Galveston had less than 4 days to prepare for the arriving storm that even stretched out to Oklahoma and Kansas.

01:19:15The great hurricane then made its way to the Great Plains and turned towards the Great Lakes, New England and reached southeastern Canada.

01:19:23The storm was so bad that more than 3,600 homes were damaged even though they were sturdy enough to withstand the storm.

01:19:30Given the population numbers back then, it was equivalent to hundreds of thousands of houses destroyed, if not millions.

01:19:40They call it the most magical spot in Canada.

01:19:43In winter and spring, this is just a regular lake that looks like any other, but try going there in the summer when the water starts to evaporate.

01:19:51It'll feel as if you've entered a different world, a polka-dotted landscape with blue, green and yellow spots.

01:19:57Over the summer, there are over 300 pools there, and they all look magical.

01:20:02Over the centuries, people believed each of them had different healing properties.

01:20:07Oh, and the explanation for the vibrant colors is pure science.

01:20:10Each of them has a high concentration of different minerals.

01:20:15We live inside the sun.

01:20:17Its atmosphere stretches far beyond its visible surface, and even though Earth is 93 million miles away from the star, it's still within reach of the sun's atmosphere.

01:20:27Auroras happen when charged particles from the sun get caught by Earth's magnetic field and crash into the upper atmosphere near the poles.

01:20:36Our planet is gradually slowing down the speed of its rotation.

01:20:40It happens at an unhurried pace of 17 milliseconds per 100 years.

01:20:45Because of this, our days are becoming longer, and still, only after 140 million years, a day on Earth will last 25 hours.

01:20:56Earth's southernmost continent, Antarctica, is only the fifth largest one, but it contains almost 70% of the planet's fresh water and 90% of the world's ice.

01:21:08Antarctica is also considered to be a desert.

01:21:12Lots of rocks on Earth have a Martian origin.

01:21:15Scientists analyzed the chemical content of some meteorites found in the Sahara Desert, Antarctica, and other places.

01:21:22It turned out that these rocks had arrived from the Red Planet.

01:21:27The largest sand castle in the world is located in Denmark.

01:21:3030 sand sculptors who created it used more than 5,000 tons of sand.

01:21:35To make it more durable, they added 10% of clay, together with a layer of glue.

01:21:41They built it to stand tall against long and stormy winters.

01:21:46Some photons that don't get absorbed are re-emitted, and their wavelength determines the color we see.

01:21:51When you expose a material to sunlight or photons of higher energy, it can damage its chromophores, which is why they won't be able to emit photons at certain wavelengths.

01:22:01Red materials fade in sunlight the most.

01:22:03Their chromophores emit red light in a way they mop up photons of the rest of the wavelengths.

01:22:10From 60 to 100 tons of space dust drift down to our planet's surface every day.

01:22:15These tiny cosmic particles are mostly released by comets, which are usually made of dust and ice.

01:22:21When the sun turns this ice into vapor, the remaining dust travels down to Earth.

01:22:27Now, there are things about nature that you know for sure, or don't you?

01:22:32Let's check how much you know about the incredible world we live in.

01:22:36How many of the 14 points will you guess? Let us know!

01:22:40The Great Pyramid of Giza was built when mammoths still roamed the Earth.

01:22:45Myth or fact?

01:22:53It's actually a fact.

01:22:55The most famous pyramid in the world had been constructed about 500 years before woolly mammoths went extinct, approximately 4,000 years ago.

01:23:05Their last known habitat was the cold and deserted Wrangell Island in the Arctic Sea, which might not have been as cold then as it is today.

01:23:15There are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way. Is it myth or fact?

01:23:27It's a fact.

01:23:29Scientists used to believe there were about 4 billion trees on our planet, but more recent studies have shown that there are over 3 trillion of them, making it 420 trees per person.

01:23:40As for the stars in our galaxy, there are only about 100 billion, which is 30 times fewer than the trees on Earth alone.

01:23:49The trees you see are all individual ones. Myth or fact?

01:24:00This is false, in fact.

01:24:0290% of the trees on Earth are interconnected by mycelium filaments.

01:24:07They send warning signals when in danger and exchange nutrients through them.

01:24:12It's kind of like the underground Internet.

01:24:14Also, there are organisms like Pando, for example, which is the largest single living being on the planet.

01:24:21It looks like a dense forest of quaking aspens.

01:24:24In fact, it's basically a single giant tree, with its roots being interconnected underground.

01:24:31We drink the same water dinosaurs used to drink hundreds of millions of years ago. Myth or fact?

01:24:45Actually, it is.

01:24:47Only a small portion of the water on our planet has evaporated for good.

01:24:51The rest of it is constantly renewed.

01:24:53So, mammoths, dinosaurs, and whatever came before them billions of years ago drank and swam in the same water we see today.

01:25:01Not to mention what else they did in the water.

01:25:04Unfortunately, the water doesn't keep information about those ancient creatures for us to find out more about them.

01:25:11Lightning never strikes the same place twice.

01:25:14Are you willing to bet on that? Myth or fact?

01:25:22If you aren't, good for you.

01:25:24Lightning may strike the very same spot as many times as it wants.

01:25:28It might seem random, but the electrical discharge from the sky is pulled toward the tallest objects in the thunderstorm area.

01:25:35Also, the material this object is made of matters too.

01:25:39It's by no chance that lightning rods on buildings are mostly made of copper and aluminum alloys.

01:25:45These metals are some of the most conductive materials.

01:25:48These metals are some of the most conductive materials, so they pull lightning very efficiently.

01:25:55All deserts are hot.

01:25:56Now this one's easy, right? Myth or fact?

01:26:07If you guessed it's a myth, then right you are.

01:26:10Deserts are qualified not for their temperature, but for the presence or absence of growth and life in them.

01:26:16The most well-known desert is the Sahara, of course, and it is indeed very hot.

01:26:21The actual largest desert in the world is Antarctica, which is almost twice the size of the Sahara Desert.

01:26:28And you wouldn't call it even lukewarm.

01:26:31It's a polar desert, and there are several others on our planet, for example, Greenland.

01:26:36There's enough gold underground to cover the entire planet in a thick layer.

01:26:41Would you believe that?

01:26:47Well, you should, because it's true.

01:26:50Since 1950, humanity has mined nearly 200,000 tons of gold.

01:26:55If we made a cube out of all this metal, it would be 70 feet high and wide.

01:27:00Recent data from scientists confirm that there are huge reserves of gold in the Earth's core.

01:27:06The metal is enough to cover the whole planet, and people might have gold up to their knees.

01:27:11The problem is, we just can't mine it from there.

01:27:14Hey, I don't mine if you don't.

01:27:16The Moon and Mars are better mapped than the Earth's oceans.

01:27:20Now, this can't be true, can it?

01:27:30Actually, it can.

01:27:32We have a detailed map of the Moon and Mars, although we're still discovering surprises on their surfaces.

01:27:38Still, over 80% of the Earth's oceans are unmapped and unexplored.

01:27:43We can't study the oceans properly because of pressure, cold, and lack of light underneath billions of tons of water.

01:27:51The lava is always red.

01:27:53What other color can it be, right?

01:27:55Myth or fact?

01:28:08Myth.

01:28:09Usually, lava is really red or orange because it's basically molten rock from the deep bowels of our planet.

01:28:16But there's one volcano in Indonesia whose lava is blue and luminescent.

01:28:21Only at night, though. During the day, it looks normal.

01:28:24No mystery about it, just tons of sulfuric gas.

01:28:28This volcano also has the largest acidic crater lake in the world.

01:28:32The water there is so turquoise, you want to jump in immediately.

01:28:36But you probably guessed you should never do that.

01:28:39The fire on that volcano is also blue, the largest blue fire in the world, rising up to 16 feet high.

01:28:46Ever seen a gas stove burning?

01:28:48Here, the principle is basically the same.

01:28:51You can see a rainbow at night, too.

01:28:54Is it myth or a fact?

01:29:03It's true.

01:29:04And there's even a name for this phenomenon, a moonbow.

01:29:07Also called a lunar rainbow, this event occurs extremely rarely.

01:29:12It's similar to a regular rainbow, except when it appears on a clear, moony night after a rain shower.

01:29:19There's a thing called a fire rainbow.

01:29:21Myth or fact?

01:29:24You bet!

01:29:25It's a beautiful phenomenon when the clouds in the sky are painted all the colors of the rainbow,

01:29:30looking like a fiery, multicolored cascade.

01:29:33It only occurs when the conditions are right, and those are very specific.

01:29:38It's close to the equator, the weather is clear, there are feather-like clouds in the sky,

01:29:43the sun is higher than 58 degrees on a sunny day.

01:29:47The weather is clear, there are feather-like clouds in the sky,

01:29:50the sun is higher than 58 degrees above the horizon.

01:29:54Such clouds are made of ice crystals.

01:29:56When the sun's rays hit them, the particles refract the light and create a rainbow.

01:30:01Wow!

01:30:04There are rainbow trees.

01:30:06Myth or fact?

01:30:07Myth or fact?

01:30:16If I made you doubt this, I'm glad, because this one is not photoshopped.

01:30:20This is the rainbow eucalyptus, and their bark may literally have all the rainbow colors.

01:30:26These eucalyptuses shed their bark at different times each year.

01:30:30Every time the old section goes off, the tree first reveals bright green bark that was hiding underneath,

01:30:36and then it may turn any color.

01:30:38There's a whole set of hues.

01:30:40Orange, maroon, blue, even purple.

01:30:45Stones can move on their own.

01:30:47Myth or fact?

01:30:56Well, you'd be right to believe me.

01:30:58There's a desert plain in California where rocks move around of their own will.

01:31:03Once, this plain used to be the bottom of a lake, but then it dried out and became an arid wasteland.

01:31:09Sometimes, rains fall here, flooding the entire valley.

01:31:13When night comes, the temperature drops, and the water is covered with a thin layer of ice.

01:31:18When it gets warmer again, the ice breaks into segments, and the wind pushes them around the place.

01:31:24Some of these ice shards take small rocks with them.

01:31:27When the ice melts for good and the water evaporates,

01:31:30the only thing that remains are trails left by the rocks, as if they'd moved on their own.

01:31:36Mud puddles can move around.

01:31:38Myth or fact?

01:31:47In fact, a single mud puddle in the world also travels as it wants, and nobody still knows why.

01:31:53It moves at a pace of about 20 feet per year,

01:31:56and it seems to have started its journey near the San Andreas Fault in California.

01:32:01People have tried to stop its march but couldn't.

01:32:04So far, this creeping natural disaster isn't showing any signs of stopping on its own either.

01:32:10So, there's your pesky problematic puddle to ponder.

01:32:14There are things about your body you know for sure.

01:32:17Or don't you?

01:32:19Can you guess what exactly is a myth or fact?

01:32:23One point is for each correct answer.

01:32:25Let me know your score.

01:32:32Myth.

01:32:33There is no study saying brown eggs are healthier than white eggs.

01:32:36The only difference is the color of the eggshell.

01:32:39The color of the eggshell doesn't affect its nutrition or quality.

01:32:43That is related to the type of chicken.

01:32:45Chickens with white earlobes tend to have white eggs.

01:32:49Have you heard that a large amount of the dust in your home is actually decanted skin?

01:32:55Not cool, I know.

01:32:57Do you think this is a myth or a fact?

01:32:59This is a myth.

01:33:01You're not just mopping your skin flakes from the floor.

01:33:04Many other components make the house dust.

01:33:06Fibers, hair, building materials, mold, pollen, insect body parts, and ash are some of them,

01:33:13according to the study made in Canadian houses.

01:33:16This makes sense because a house nearby a busy highway or in a renovation area

01:33:21has more dust than a house in the middle of a forest.

01:33:25Skin is our largest organ.

01:33:27Is this a fact or myth?

01:33:29It's a fact.

01:33:30You might think for a second that the intestine can be quite large when you unfold it.

01:33:34But nope.

01:33:35Skin wins the contest.

01:33:37An adult carries around 8 pounds and 22 square feet of skin.

01:33:42Can't think of us without a skin.

01:33:44It's not just there to cover our bodies.

01:33:46It has an essential role in protecting us too.

01:33:50You can't breathe and swallow at the same time.

01:33:52Myth or fact?

01:33:54It's a fact.

01:33:56Maybe you already knew the correct answer,

01:33:58but you tried it anyway after reading this.

01:34:00So see it for yourself.

01:34:02So in your throat there are two passageways important for your survival.

01:34:05I'm putting aside the fancy medical names

01:34:07and I'll refer to those two as airway and food pipe.

01:34:10They prevent breathing and swallowing simultaneously.

01:34:13Otherwise, food would enter the airway and cause severe complications.

01:34:21This doesn't always go as planned.

01:34:23That's why sometimes you end up coughing

01:34:25and preventing the piece of food from reaching the lungs.

01:34:29As well as having unique fingerprints,

01:34:31humans also have unique tongue prints.

01:34:33Is this a myth or fact?

01:34:35Fact!

01:34:36The human tongue is magnificent enough

01:34:38in its features that make us taste the food.

01:34:40It's also unique in its texture.

01:34:42People use biometric systems like fingerprints,

01:34:45voice scans and iris scans for authentication.

01:34:48They are important to the identification and verification phases.

01:34:52Tongue print is unique,

01:34:54so it's very hard to copy it.

01:34:56It can be used as a biometric system tool too.

01:34:59What if people started using this system

01:35:01in their daily lives for a long time?

01:35:03What if people started using this system

01:35:05in their daily lives for safety reasons?

01:35:07Imagine locking a safe or your phone with a tongue print.

01:35:12An adult spends 3 hours in the bathroom every week.

01:35:15Do you think this is a fact or a myth?

01:35:17It's a fact!

01:35:19A poll by scientists reveals that an average adult

01:35:22spends 3 hours and 9 minutes on the toilet every week.

01:35:26This is more than the time they spent exercising.

01:35:29Take your sweet time. No need to rush.

01:35:31You swallow 8 spiders a year while sleeping.

01:35:34Myth or fact?

01:35:36Don't believe it?

01:35:37Lucky for us and for the spiders, of course,

01:35:39this is not true.

01:35:42Fear no more and have a good night's sleep.

01:35:44Most spiders don't deliberately come near humans.

01:35:47Plus, vibrations coming from a sleeping person

01:35:49might be uncanny for them.

01:35:51Or maybe the spider just lives in the habitat.

01:35:54It thinks that you are flatmates sharing a room.

01:35:56As long as there is actual evidence,

01:35:58I call this a myth.

01:36:01Your thigh bone can resist thousands of pounds of force.

01:36:04Do you think this is a myth or a fact?

01:36:07Yes, this is a fact.

01:36:09People generally refer to it as tight bone.

01:36:11But its actual name is femur bone.

01:36:14This bone is located on the upper part of your leg.

01:36:18Experts say that this bone is hard to break.

01:36:21It's one of the two strongest bones in our anatomy.

01:36:24The first one is the temporal bone of the skull.

01:36:27If you wondered about the first one.

01:36:29Anyway, a tight bone can support

01:36:3130 times more of your body weight.

01:36:33Maybe it's because the femur bone

01:36:35is the longest and largest bone in the human body.

01:36:38Do you believe that shaving your hair

01:36:40makes it grow back thicker?

01:36:42Fact or myth?

01:36:43Watch how I debunk that myth.

01:36:45Experts say shaving doesn't affect

01:36:47the thickness of the hair.

01:36:49The hair's head didn't remove,

01:36:51so the root is still there.

01:36:53You only shave the upper part.

01:36:55After a shave, the hair grows bluntly

01:36:57because it's been cut.

01:36:59That's why you may feel it's getting thicker.

01:37:02It's safe to eat food that's been on the floor

01:37:04for 5 seconds or less.

01:37:06Is this a fact or a myth?

01:37:08Sorry for blocking the best way you justify

01:37:10eating something that fell on the floor.

01:37:12There's no such thing as the 5-second rule.

01:37:14Researchers found that

01:37:16a substantial amount of bacteria

01:37:18transferred to the food within 5 seconds.

01:37:20The moisture of the food

01:37:22directly affects contamination.

01:37:24Imagine you drop a slice of watermelon

01:37:26with chips on the floor.

01:37:28I don't know why you're eating both together

01:37:30or how you end up dropping them both.

01:37:32But let's continue with this example anyway.

01:37:34The watermelon will have more contamination

01:37:36than chips because watermelon

01:37:38has more moisture in it.

01:37:40The surface of the watermelon

01:37:42is more open to transferring bacteria.

01:37:44Blondes and redheads may soon disappear.

01:37:46Myth or fact?

01:37:48An easy one, right?

01:37:50This is a myth.

01:37:52Red or blonde colored hairs

01:37:54are recessive genes.

01:37:56They can be carried from one generation to another

01:37:58without creating the hair color of the carrier.

01:38:00If both parents have the correct recessive genes,

01:38:02the chances are high that the next generation

01:38:04will have blonde or red hair.

01:38:08These genes are rare,

01:38:10but populations still have those genes carried out

01:38:12so they won't get lost forever.

01:38:14For that to happen,

01:38:16literally everyone on the planet who carries that gene

01:38:18must disappear.

01:38:20So the chances are low.

01:38:24Drinking coffee dehydrates you.

01:38:26Is it a fact or myth?

01:38:28Myth! You can enjoy your morning coffee.

01:38:30Okay, you may visit the bathroom

01:38:32more frequently after drinking coffee,

01:38:34but it doesn't mean you're losing more water.

01:38:36There are numerous studies

01:38:38made about the effects of caffeine.

01:38:40Some of these studies

01:38:42revealed that drinking a reasonable amount of coffee

01:38:44a day doesn't increase

01:38:46the risk of dehydration.

01:38:50Eating yogurt helps your digestion.

01:38:52Do you think this is a fact or just another myth?

01:38:54A fact,

01:38:56but with the right choice of yogurt.

01:38:58Yogurt is food containing probiotics.

01:39:00They are the good bacteria

01:39:02that make everything flow smoothly in your gut.

01:39:06Eating yogurt alone may not be enough

01:39:08to have a healthy digestive system.

01:39:10It supports the digestive system positively.

01:39:12Keep in mind, though,

01:39:14not all yogurts are equal.

01:39:16Some of them have sugar in them,

01:39:18or they come with toppings like candy

01:39:20or cookies.

01:39:22Go for the classic ones.

01:39:24Your hair will grow faster

01:39:26if you have it cut more often.

01:39:28Fact or myth?

01:39:30We were always told not to cry too much over the hair we lost

01:39:32because it would grow back faster.

01:39:34Unfortunately,

01:39:36the hair growth rate doesn't depend

01:39:38on how often you get a haircut.

01:39:40The average hair growth rate

01:39:42is 0.01 inches per day.

01:39:44Plus, many factors affect it

01:39:46age, hormones,

01:39:48and even the time of year.

01:39:50Knowing this new fact may make some people

01:39:52postpone their hairdresser appointments.

01:39:56You find yourself at a food fair in Iceland

01:39:58when you see it for the first time.

01:40:00Volcano bread.

01:40:02You eat a slice and,

01:40:04oddly enough, it actually tastes good.

01:40:06Unsure of how this works,

01:40:08you check out the baking process.

01:40:10Hmm...

01:40:12Is this kitchen really strange-looking

01:40:14or is it just me?

01:40:16The baking spot is in nature,

01:40:18specifically in a hot springs field.

01:40:20You better watch your step

01:40:22so you don't get burned by the hot vapor

01:40:24jolting from the ground.

01:40:26Now, a local baker

01:40:28shares their traditional rye bread recipe

01:40:30with you.

01:40:32Rye flour? Check. Yeast? Check.

01:40:34You mix it all together

01:40:36and pour it into a metal pot.

01:40:38Next on the list is digging the hole

01:40:40where you'll place the pot to bake.

01:40:42You dig for about 16 inches

01:40:44until you can see the water bubbling from the ground.

01:40:46If you want to do it like a local,

01:40:48you'll use your finger to check the water temperature.

01:40:50Yikes!

01:40:52That's hot!

01:40:54Actually, the ground is heated by lava.

01:40:56Iceland is one of the most volcanic

01:40:58regions in the world

01:41:00with over 30 active volcanoes

01:41:02at any one time.

01:41:04After you bury the bread in volcanic soil,

01:41:06you leave it there and wait

01:41:0824 hours until it's ready.

01:41:10The next day, the bread is fully baked

01:41:12and super tasty.

01:41:14Ah, and the best part is

01:41:16you just participated in an

01:41:18ancient Icelandic tradition.

01:41:20People have been doing this since at least

01:41:22the 1800s.

01:41:24Imagine it's your first

01:41:26day of work in a museum

01:41:28and your assigned task is to clean the mask

01:41:30of Tutankhamun.

01:41:32You grab your cleaning utensils and then...

01:41:34Oh no! This can't be happening!

01:41:36You just broke Tutankhamun's beard!

01:41:38I never wish this to happen

01:41:40to anyone, but this is actually

01:41:42a true story.

01:41:44Back in 2014, an employee at the

01:41:46Egyptian museum knocked off the beard

01:41:48of Tutankhamun's mask and glued it

01:41:50back on, hoping no one would notice.

01:41:52This mask was

01:41:54discovered in 1922

01:41:56and is considered one of the 10 symbols

01:41:58of our human civilization.

01:42:00Oh, and the best part of this story?

01:42:02It took historians until

01:42:042016 to discover

01:42:06the poor glue job.

01:42:08If you visited the museum between 2004

01:42:10and 2016,

01:42:12maybe you saw the glued beard.

01:42:16If I say Sahara, what comes to mind?

01:42:18An infinite desert

01:42:20landscape, right?

01:42:22Well, according to scientists, the Sahara

01:42:24isn't always a desert.

01:42:26From time to time, it becomes green.

01:42:28But you probably won't be

01:42:30seeing this in your lifetime.

01:42:32Every 10,000 years,

01:42:34the Sahara lives through a humid period

01:42:36where the sand gives way to

01:42:38lush green vegetation and

01:42:40sparkling lakes. This happens

01:42:42due to a tilt in the Earth's axis

01:42:44which affects different weather patterns

01:42:46around the globe. Can you

01:42:48imagine the Sphinx surrounded by rainforest?

01:42:50It's mind-blowing!

01:42:52And speaking of the Sahara,

01:42:54say you traveled back to

01:42:561800 BCE.

01:42:58If you timed it right, you might get to see

01:43:00the construction of the so-called

01:43:02Black Pyramid in the city of Dashur.

01:43:04These are not the famous

01:43:06Giza pyramids, but they

01:43:08serve the similar purpose of being a final

01:43:10resting place. In

01:43:121892, archaeologists

01:43:14excavating the area found

01:43:16an important part of the Black Pyramid

01:43:18that was lost for centuries.

01:43:20The Benben, also called a Pyramidian,

01:43:22was the tip of ancient Egyptian

01:43:24pyramids. A Benben

01:43:26consists of a solid block, usually

01:43:28made of limestone. Most of them

01:43:30were covered with gold and reflected the

01:43:32first rays of light from the sun every day.

01:43:34Hmm...

01:43:36Can anyone get me a time machine, please?

01:43:38Remember

01:43:40when you ate something really spicy,

01:43:42your cheeks turned red?

01:43:44Apparently, that can happen to birds

01:43:46too. For example,

01:43:48canaries can change colors after eating

01:43:50peppers. These birds have a special

01:43:52pigment that allows them to switch shades

01:43:54depending on their diet. So,

01:43:56if a yellow canary eats red peppers,

01:43:58it can turn orange or red.

01:44:00Can rocks move

01:44:02on the ground on their own?

01:44:04Well, you might be under that impression

01:44:06if you visit Racetrack Playa

01:44:08in California. The site

01:44:10is a dry lake bed and home to one of

01:44:12the world's strangest phenomenon,

01:44:14the so-called sailing stones.

01:44:16Think hundred-pound rocks moving

01:44:18around alone, leaving behind

01:44:20trails as long as 1,500

01:44:22feet. They were discovered in the

01:44:241900s, and until recently,

01:44:26no one was lucky enough to be on the site while they

01:44:28were moving. It was only

01:44:30in 2014, after

01:44:32much observation and research,

01:44:34that scientists solved this mystery.

01:44:36The sailing stones

01:44:38appeared because of the perfect balance

01:44:40between wind, ice, and water.

01:44:42When it rains, the water that

01:44:44falls on the ground freezes and forms

01:44:46a coat of ice above the ground.

01:44:48If it's windy, the rocks

01:44:50are easily pushed around,

01:44:52sailing along the lake bed. But hey,

01:44:54if you ever visit Racetrack Playa,

01:44:56don't disturb the rocks.

01:44:58On the western

01:45:00coast of France, you'll find the

01:45:02vacation hotspot known as the Island

01:45:04of Re. It attracts

01:45:06tourists looking for scenic landscapes

01:45:08and beautiful beaches, but that's not

01:45:10all it's famous for. There,

01:45:12an extraordinary phenomenon occurs

01:45:14when two different wave patterns collide

01:45:16with each other, something called

01:45:18a cross-sea.

01:45:20It's almost as if the sea were a checkerboard

01:45:22divided into hundreds of

01:45:24squares. And no, it's not an optical

01:45:26illusion. A cross-sea

01:45:28only happens in places where different

01:45:30quality waters meet.

01:45:32For a tourist to see the cross-sea

01:45:34in Re, this probably means

01:45:36that there was a storm in a different

01:45:38sea nearby. This stormy

01:45:40water travels with the help of currents

01:45:42and meets the water of Re,

01:45:44creating these oddly shaped riptides.

01:45:46Oh, and apart from this

01:45:48island and Israel, there's nowhere

01:45:50else in the world where you could see such a thing.

01:45:52The following

01:45:54site will either give you goosebumps

01:45:56or make you marvel at its weirdness.

01:45:58I'd say it depends

01:46:00on the time of day you visit.

01:46:02Next to the small town of Gryfina

01:46:04in Poland, you'll find a very

01:46:06unusual site, a pine tree

01:46:08forest where each tree is bent

01:46:10at its base.

01:46:12If you visit during the daytime, I guess

01:46:14you'll be fascinated by these trees' sharp

01:46:1690-degree curves.

01:46:18You can even use their trunks as a stool

01:46:20if you decide to have a picnic, for example.

01:46:22But visiting the site at night

01:46:24will most likely give you chills.

01:46:26A thin layer of fog

01:46:28hovers around, making the forest

01:46:30seem quite unwelcoming.

01:46:32Scientists still can't explain

01:46:34why the trees are the way they are.

01:46:36So, are you a daytime

01:46:38or nighttime visitor?

01:46:40You went for a hike

01:46:42and suddenly encountered a big

01:46:44cloud of fog. This may ruin

01:46:46your photo ops, but there's one thing you

01:46:48can hope for. Foggy

01:46:50days are the perfect conditions for a phenomenon

01:46:52called fog bow, otherwise

01:46:54known as a white rainbow.

01:46:56This happens because

01:46:58of numerous tiny water droplets

01:47:00that cause fog, smaller than

01:47:020.002 inches.

01:47:04So, instead of the

01:47:06multicolored bow, you get a transparent

01:47:08one, with red outer edges

01:47:10and a bluish inner edge.

01:47:12Now, say you're

01:47:14roaming in a little town in Europe,

01:47:16appreciating the century-old buildings

01:47:18and good summer weather.

01:47:20You feel hungry and decide to type into your

01:47:22Google Maps the name of that restaurant your

01:47:24friend recommended. Ah,

01:47:26it's only 10 minutes away by foot.

01:47:28You follow the blue dot on your GPS

01:47:30and arrive at your destination,

01:47:32quick and easy.

01:47:34We all love this free piece of technology,

01:47:36don't we? But what if I told you

01:47:38that the US spends over $2 million

01:47:40daily to maintain the satellites

01:47:42to make it work? Yep,

01:47:44that's the price. And to

01:47:46implement it, they spent over

01:47:48$12 billion US dollars.

01:47:50Have you ever

01:47:52heard of something called a natural

01:47:54snowball? This could be

01:47:56proof that nature is really perfect.

01:47:58In 2016,

01:48:00the beaches of the Gulf of Ob

01:48:02in northwest Siberia

01:48:04were filled with rows of giant

01:48:06snowballs. Think

01:48:08balls measuring up to 3 feet

01:48:10across. This rare, yet

01:48:12beautiful natural phenomenon

01:48:14happens when small pieces of ice

01:48:16are rolled by strong winds and

01:48:18water. The further they

01:48:20roll, the more ice they gather, and

01:48:22the more that ice is polished.

01:48:24They end up as giant, perfectly

01:48:26shaped snowballs. They look pretty

01:48:28amazing on their own, but it's

01:48:30quite a sight when hundreds of them are together.

01:48:32Soda bottles are

01:48:34always filled in such a way

01:48:36that there's some space between

01:48:38the liquid level and the cap.

01:48:40Because these drinks contain carbon dioxide,

01:48:42this gas can expand

01:48:44if the bottle gets heated. If there's no air

01:48:46gap in the bottle, it'll break

01:48:48because of the pressure building inside.

01:48:50Also, when you open your drink,

01:48:52the gases go out in the form of bubbles,

01:48:54and the drink is likely to overflow.

01:48:56The gap helps with this problem

01:48:58too. Except if you

01:49:00shake it up first, then open it.

01:49:02No, I've never done that.

01:49:04There are sounds most people can't stand,

01:49:06like the sound of a fingernail

01:49:08on a blackboard, or someone

01:49:10scratching a window.

01:49:12Such noise irritates the amygdala.

01:49:14That's a small part of your brain

01:49:16controlling your emotions, including

01:49:18fear and survival instincts.

01:49:20Some cheeses have holes in them.

01:49:22They're called eyes. These

01:49:24eyes are made by bacteria used

01:49:26in the process of production.

01:49:28When cheese is almost ready,

01:49:30these bacteria release carbon dioxide,

01:49:32and this gas forms

01:49:34bubbles that later become the cheese's

01:49:36eyes. See?

01:49:38Cats knock different things over because of their

01:49:40hunting instincts. Your cat

01:49:42is simply checking whether the thing is

01:49:44alive or not. Or it might want

01:49:46your attention. Cats are smart

01:49:48and know that humans come very fast

01:49:50when something is broken.

01:49:52When the pizza dough is ready, it gets

01:49:54manually spun in the air.

01:49:56This process removes lumps and

01:49:58creates its circular shape.

01:50:00It's more convenient to bake a round pizza.

01:50:02This way, it gets heated evenly.

01:50:04Plus, it's easier to cut a round

01:50:06pizza into equal parts.

01:50:08There have been reports of raining

01:50:10frogs, fish, and other unusual

01:50:12stuff dating back to ancient

01:50:14civilizations. Strong winds

01:50:16such as those in a tornado or

01:50:18hurricane sometimes get so

01:50:20powerful that they can lift up a

01:50:22school of fish or frogs and

01:50:24rain them somewhere miles away.

01:50:26Lightning is never a

01:50:28triangle, straight line, or circle.

01:50:30It always has a zigzag shape.

01:50:32Lightning is an electric current,

01:50:34and it always takes the path of least resistance.

01:50:36Air is uneven and

01:50:38irregular, containing dust particles,

01:50:40gases, and other substances.

01:50:42So, lightning just seeks the best

01:50:44way through. Flowers

01:50:46have different colors because of the color

01:50:48pigments they contain. But there

01:50:50are other factors, for example,

01:50:52the amount of light they receive while growing,

01:50:54or the temperature of the environment

01:50:56around them. Even the pH

01:50:58level of the soil can have an impact

01:51:00on flowers' coloration.

01:51:02By tilting their head, dogs

01:51:04try to understand all you're saying correctly.

01:51:06It's the way to adjust their

01:51:08ears to the sounds they hear.

01:51:10It may also be the way to show their

01:51:12empathy to the owner. Or

01:51:14they got something stuck in there.

01:51:16Tickling is bound to cause a laughter reflex,

01:51:18but nothing will happen if you

01:51:20tickle yourself. That's because there

01:51:22will be no element of surprise.

01:51:24Your brain knows what you're going to do.

01:51:26Barcodes speed up the

01:51:28purchasing process. If a barcode

01:51:30consists of 12 digits, the one

01:51:32on the very left is a system identifier.

01:51:34For example,

01:51:362 means it's a randomly weighed item.

01:51:383 is used for products related

01:51:40to health. The next 5 digits

01:51:42identify the manufacturer.

01:51:44And the following 5 are the product's number.

01:51:46The last one is the check

01:51:48digit. Scanners need it to make

01:51:50sure they've read the code correctly.

01:51:52The song is bound to get stuck

01:51:54in your head if its music is simple,

01:51:56the text is repetitive and short,

01:51:58and the rhythm makes you move.

01:52:00Another reason you might have an earworm

01:52:02is that you hear some songs too

01:52:04often, and your brain can easily

01:52:06detect them.

01:52:08Highlighters are filled with a special

01:52:10semi-transparent fluorescent ink that

01:52:12can glow in dim light.

01:52:14Yellow and light green hues are the most

01:52:16popular because they don't prevent you from

01:52:18seeing the text after black and white

01:52:20photocopying. Photocopiers

01:52:22perceive yellow and light green marks as

01:52:24pale and don't print them.

01:52:26With age, your hair loses

01:52:28its natural color. It happens

01:52:30because keratin receives less

01:52:32pigment. As people grow older,

01:52:34the pigment cells in their hair follicles

01:52:36gradually vanish, and hair

01:52:38becomes gray. Some time

01:52:40passes, and no pigment is produced at

01:52:42all. That's when hair turns white.

01:52:44Trees stop growing

01:52:46at a certain age. It might be

01:52:48because when a tree reaches a particular

01:52:50height, it gets difficult for it to

01:52:52pull water from the soil.

01:52:54Because after that, it needs to pump it all

01:52:56the way to the top, and that's when

01:52:58gravity comes into play.

01:53:00Some trees, like the baobab, start

01:53:02growing out instead of up once

01:53:04they reach their full height.

01:53:06Your own body makes mosquito bites

01:53:08swell and itch. A mosquito

01:53:10breaks your skin. Your immune system

01:53:12perceives the insect's saliva as a

01:53:14foreign substance, so it starts

01:53:16a special reaction to flush the intruder

01:53:18out of your body. A

01:53:20compound produced by the immune system

01:53:22called histamine makes the blood flow

01:53:24faster around the bitten area,

01:53:26and it causes the swelling.

01:53:28The histamine also sends a signal to the

01:53:30nearest nerves, which makes the bite

01:53:32itch. Geese usually

01:53:34fly in a V-shaped formation

01:53:36to conserve energy and make sure

01:53:38none of their team members get lost.

01:53:40You can't hum while

01:53:42holding your nose, trust me.

01:53:44During humming, you exhale air,

01:53:46but when both your mouth and your nose

01:53:48are closed, the air can't escape.

01:53:50The longer you can hum like this is

01:53:522 seconds. Then you'll have to

01:53:54open your mouth and catch your breath.

01:53:56Road and construction workers

01:53:58are usually dressed in orange

01:54:00because the bright orange hue is visible

01:54:02even in bad weather. It's the most

01:54:04effective color to attract attention

01:54:06and alert people. No wonder

01:54:08lots of safety jackets and traffic cones

01:54:10are orange as well.

01:54:12Modern-day, perfectly round coins

01:54:14used to be shaped randomly

01:54:16or have no shape whatsoever in the past.

01:54:18But dishonest people

01:54:20stole valuable metals the coins

01:54:22were made of by chipping their corners

01:54:24off. Of course, it was illegal.

01:54:26To prevent this kind of fraud,

01:54:28they invented round coins.

01:54:30After that, it instantly became obvious

01:54:32when the coins had been fiddled with.

01:54:34Most ambulances have this

01:54:36word printed on the front of the vehicle,

01:54:38which is the word ambulance

01:54:40backward. It's written in reverse

01:54:42so that the driver in front of the ambulance

01:54:44can see the word properly in their

01:54:46rear-view mirror. Then they can

01:54:48move out of the way and let the ambulance

01:54:50pass.

01:54:52White is the most popular color for

01:54:54painting aircraft. It reflects sunlight

01:54:56most effectively, which doesn't let the

01:54:58plane heat up too much.

01:55:00All kinds of cracks, dents, and other damage

01:55:02are much more visible on the white background.

01:55:04It means the fault can be

01:55:06spotted and repaired as fast as possible.

01:55:08And finally, it costs

01:55:10less to buy a white-colored airplane

01:55:12because it's the color they have

01:55:14at birth. Unlike what

01:55:16many people believe, adding salt

01:55:18to water won't make it boil faster.

01:55:20It's true that salt water gets

01:55:22hotter more quickly than the regular one,

01:55:24but its boiling point is also

01:55:26higher since salt adds some extra

01:55:28mass to the water, so it won't

01:55:30make things speed up.

01:55:32The first basketballs were brown

01:55:34because they were made of brownish leather.

01:55:36But such balls were difficult to see

01:55:38for both players and for fans.

01:55:40To make the basketball more visible,

01:55:42they decided to make it orange.

01:55:44Ooh, like the traffic cones!

01:55:46Flamingos are born gray,

01:55:48but they turn pink because

01:55:50of their diet. A lot of tiny

01:55:52shrimps and blue algae.

01:55:54Both of these products are packed with special

01:55:56pigments. When the flamingo's liver

01:55:58processes these pigments, special

01:56:00molecules travel to the bird's legs,

01:56:02bill, and feathers, painting them

01:56:04pink. Donuts are

01:56:06shaped like rings because, otherwise,

01:56:08they might get overdone at the edges

01:56:10but uncooked and gooey inside.

01:56:12With a hole in the center, both

01:56:14the outsides and the insides get ready

01:56:16at the same time.

01:56:18Bears don't sleep for months during

01:56:20hibernation. Instead, all the

01:56:22processes in their bodies slow down.

01:56:24They don't need to eat or drink,

01:56:26but they can still react to any

01:56:28unexpected things going on around them.

01:56:30You see the sun as

01:56:32yellow or orange because the

01:56:34atmosphere of our planet scatters such

01:56:36colors as blue, green, and violet.

01:56:38This is also why the sun looks

01:56:40warmer at sunrise and sunset.

01:56:42Emergency services

01:56:44use two colors of flashing

01:56:46lights – red and blue.

01:56:48The red one is associated with warning

01:56:50and danger. It's also

01:56:52one of the most noticeable colors.

01:56:54But this color can get lost in heavy traffic

01:56:56because most cars have red

01:56:58taillights. That's when blue

01:57:00flashing lights come in handy.

01:57:02Your tongue doesn't have separate bitter,

01:57:04sweet, sour, or salty sections for tasting.

01:57:06Each of the 8,000

01:57:08taste buds you have on the tongue,

01:57:10the roof of the mouth, or even in the

01:57:12throat, yep, can detect

01:57:14all the tastes. Lots of

01:57:16private houses have triangular-shaped

01:57:18roofs because this allows rain,

01:57:20snow, and fallen leaves to slide

01:57:22off the slope. If all this stuff

01:57:24piled up on top of your house, one

01:57:26day, your roof would collapse.

01:57:28Kangaroos have muscular

01:57:30legs, big feet, and tails

01:57:32that allow them to move forward really fast.

01:57:34But the animal can't

01:57:36go in the opposite direction. That's

01:57:38because of their body construction.

01:57:40Leather often looks dull to the eye

01:57:42because it's covered with itsy-bitsy

01:57:44scratches and scrapes. They scatter

01:57:46the light that hits the material.

01:57:48When you coat your shoes in a layer of wax,

01:57:50you fill these tiny crevices.

01:57:52The surface becomes smoother, and

01:57:54the rays of light bounce off it more

01:57:56evenly. That's why the leather looks

01:57:58shiny. Bread tag colors

01:58:00indicate the day when the bread was baked.

01:58:02For Monday, they use the blue tag.

01:58:04Tuesday is green, and Thursday

01:58:06is red. Bread bags have

01:58:08white tags on Friday, and on

01:58:10Saturday, they are yellow. This

01:58:12makes it easy for grocery store employees

01:58:14to remove stale bread from the shelves

01:58:16and replace it with freshly baked

01:58:18ones. Wimbledon tennis

01:58:20balls are always stored at 68°F.

01:58:22The temperature

01:58:24can influence their bounciness.

01:58:26When the ball is warm, gas

01:58:28molecules inside it expand.

01:58:30This makes the ball bouncier.

01:58:32After the ball cools down, the molecules

01:58:34shrink. This decreases

01:58:36the bounciness. When a storm

01:58:38is coming, clouds seem to

01:58:40turn dark, but it's just an

01:58:42illusion. Thin clouds on a sunny

01:58:44day let the light through easily.

01:58:46They also scatter all the colors of the

01:58:48light spectrum. This makes us perceive

01:58:50the clouds as white. But

01:58:52the thicker the clouds are, and the more water

01:58:54droplets they contain, the less light

01:58:56they let through, and the darker they look.

01:58:58Modern light bulbs come in

01:59:00all shapes, styles, and sizes.

01:59:02But in the past, all light bulbs

01:59:04used to be spherical. This shape

01:59:06made the glass stronger and less prone

01:59:08to breaking. And the sphere worked

01:59:10best when it came to delivering light evenly.

01:59:12If your blender stops

01:59:14chopping food and just spins it around

01:59:16in circles, you've probably skipped

01:59:18the pulse button. Most modes

01:59:20make the ingredients move around in the same

01:59:22direction at the same speed.

01:59:24But the pulse function creates turbulence.

01:59:26And instead of rolling

01:59:28around, fruit pieces fall into the

01:59:30center and turn into a smoothie.

01:59:32I like smoothies. The markings on the

01:59:34bottom of a toothpaste tube are there for

01:59:36the factory robots.

01:59:38Colorful squares mark the line that helps

01:59:40the machines understand where to cut

01:59:42and fold the tube.

01:59:44Green and black tea come from the same bush.

01:59:46The leaves get their different

01:59:48tastes and looks after they get harvested.

01:59:50Green tea is withered

01:59:52and heated through steaming.

01:59:54And black tea is crushed or curled

01:59:56and then left to oxidize and darken.

01:59:58The stop sign has

02:00:00an 8-sided shape to help

02:00:02drivers recognize it easily, even

02:00:04if they see it from the back.

02:00:06And when the signs weren't reflective yet,

02:00:08the octagon shape prevented drivers from

02:00:10confusing the stop sign with any

02:00:12other at night.

02:00:14Water is great at cleaning stuff

02:00:16because it has triangular molecules.

02:00:18They're made of 1 oxygen

02:00:20and 2 hydrogen atoms.

02:00:22Um, H2O. Yep.

02:00:24Such molecules have slightly different

02:00:26charges on their opposite sides,

02:00:28pretty much like magnets.

02:00:30That's why water easily sticks to other molecules,

02:00:32including those that make up dirt.

02:00:34Glass breaks so

02:00:36easily because its atoms are arranged

02:00:38rather loosely and randomly.

02:00:40They can't rearrange themselves

02:00:42fast enough to maintain the glass's structure.

02:00:44As a result, glass

02:00:46doesn't bend. It shatters.

02:00:48Earth doesn't get closer

02:00:50to the Sun in the summer. In reality,

02:00:52it's closest to it in January

02:00:54and farthest in July.

02:00:56It's warmer in the summer because

02:00:58Earth's axis is tilted.

02:01:00It lets the planet's northern part

02:01:02catch more sunlight for half of the year

02:01:04and the southern part for the other half.

02:01:06You can always squeeze

02:01:08in some dessert no matter how much

02:01:10salad soup or meat you've eaten before.

02:01:12Your body gets bored of

02:01:14savory tastes, but when you see

02:01:16and smell something sweet,

02:01:18like ice cream, cakes, or chocolate,

02:01:20your brain gets excited.

02:01:22It overrides all fullness

02:01:24signals for pleasure. Plus,

02:01:26your stomach is a flexible organ,

02:01:28and sugar helps it relax and physically

02:01:30make room for dessert.

02:01:32Hey, I can use that information!

02:01:34The first solar calculator

02:01:36hit the shelves in the late 1970s.

02:01:38That's when scientists began

02:01:40experimenting with relatively cheap

02:01:42solar cells. Calculators

02:01:44were among the first products that needed

02:01:46a little power to work. Later,

02:01:48this technology moved to larger stuff,

02:01:50such as lights and highway signs.

02:01:52Light

02:01:54isn't the fastest thing in the world.

02:01:56Of course, nothing can compare to its speed

02:01:58in a vacuum, but it slows down

02:02:00when going through water or glass.

02:02:02Oranges, the fruit

02:02:04not the traffic cone, aren't

02:02:06always orange. The green skin

02:02:08variety is just as sweet and ripe.

02:02:10This unusual skin color protects

02:02:12oranges from the sun. It's also

02:02:14a sign there's plenty of chlorophyll in the

02:02:16fruit. That's why green oranges

02:02:18mostly grow in warmer climates.

02:02:20A shadow is cast when you

02:02:22have an object in the path of light.

02:02:24Light travels in a straight line,

02:02:26which is why you always get a shadow

02:02:28when something's in front of a light source.

02:02:30Birds and airplanes are no

02:02:32exception. They do cast shadows,

02:02:34but you can't see them.

02:02:36The closer the object is to a light source,

02:02:38the denser its shadow is.

02:02:40And if the object is too far away,

02:02:42its shadow disperses.

02:02:44So get this.

02:02:46An extra hole at the

02:02:48upper part of the sink has multiple

02:02:50hidden functions. First,

02:02:52in case someone forgets to close the tap,

02:02:54the water won't overflow and the

02:02:56bathroom won't get flooded.

02:02:58Second, thanks to that hole, the water

02:03:00drains faster, as it gives an escape

02:03:02for the air helping the water flow down.

02:03:04Those two holes

02:03:06on the side of any converse shoe

02:03:08are not there only to let the stinky

02:03:10air out. Sure, breathability

02:03:12is important for any athlete.

02:03:14But the second reason is that athletes

02:03:16lace through those holes to get a better grip.

02:03:18Donuts have a

02:03:20hole in the middle, and it doesn't stand for

02:03:22O and Donut.

02:03:24It's not designed for an easier grip either,

02:03:26although it can be quite convenient.

02:03:28It's actually made this way for mass

02:03:30baking so that they cook all the

02:03:32way through evenly.

02:03:34Most metallic zippers have a hidden

02:03:36lock inside them to save you from

02:03:38awkward situations such as an

02:03:40undone fly.

02:03:42Don't leave the zipper handle in

02:03:44an upward position. When you pull

02:03:46it downwards, it automatically locks.

02:03:48It's all thanks to those tiny

02:03:50grooves hidden underneath the handle.

02:03:52Almost any

02:03:54public toilet has a large gap

02:03:56between the floor and the door.

02:03:58The reason for such a zero-privacy

02:04:00thing is to actually minimize

02:04:02the level of privacy and comfort

02:04:04so that people wouldn't stay there

02:04:06long and there'd be no lines.

02:04:08It's also easier to clean

02:04:10and safer if some emergency occurs.

02:04:12Spoiled milk

02:04:14emits gases, like most foods when

02:04:16they go bad. A classic

02:04:18plastic milk jug has a concave

02:04:20shape on one side, so

02:04:22when the gases expand inside the jug,

02:04:24it expands too, and the

02:04:26concave shape curves out.

02:04:28Also, if you want to save some

02:04:30milk for later and freeze it,

02:04:32the jug will expand when the milk gets

02:04:34solid as well, occupying more

02:04:36space in a jug.

02:04:38Headrests in a car are about

02:04:40comfort, and detachable headrests

02:04:42are about safety. If you pull the

02:04:44headrest out of the seat, you'll see

02:04:46two bars, which are quite sturdy.

02:04:48If you ever get locked or trapped

02:04:50in a car, you can get out of there

02:04:52smashing the window with one of these bars.

02:04:54Bath foam

02:04:56isn't only for fun or a nice smell.

02:04:58It also helps regulate the temperature.

02:05:00The bubbles keep the water hot,

02:05:02so you can enjoy a bath a bit

02:05:04longer. Anyway, it works for

02:05:06acrylic bathtubs only. Those

02:05:08made of metal lose heat really

02:05:10fast either way.

02:05:12Many cups and mugs have little

02:05:14grooves on the bottom on purpose.

02:05:16They're designed for dishwashing machines.

02:05:18The grooves

02:05:20let the water flow and not spill

02:05:22over your feet when you take the cup out.

02:05:24Also, those grooves let the air

02:05:26flow, so the cup doesn't crack

02:05:28even if the tea is scalding.

02:05:30Almost all measuring tapes

02:05:32have a metal tip with a small slot

02:05:34on the end. You can use this slot

02:05:36to hang the tape on a nail or a screw

02:05:38and make measurements without

02:05:40anyone's help. Sometimes

02:05:42this tip has a row of sharp points

02:05:44along the edge on one side.

02:05:46That comes in handy when you want to

02:05:48leave a mark without using a pencil.

02:05:50Doorknobs are usually

02:05:52made of brass, bronze, and some

02:05:54other copper alloys for a reason.

02:05:56They have an antibacterial effect,

02:05:58so they stop microbes from

02:06:00spreading. They get rid of a range

02:06:02of harmful germs pretty fast

02:06:04within a couple of hours. But don't

02:06:06forget to wash your hands anyway.

02:06:08Grocery carts have

02:06:10loops for a reason. You don't want to put

02:06:12your jacket in a cart next to potatoes

02:06:14and onions. Hang it on a loop.

02:06:16This little hook-like thing is here

02:06:18to help you better organize the space

02:06:20in your cart. The carts

02:06:22also have a super handy grid.

02:06:24Whenever the cart's full, you just

02:06:26need to lift the grid and attach the

02:06:28shopping basket for extra purchases,

02:06:30placing it in between the horizontal

02:06:32bar above the wheels and the

02:06:34hook the grid has.

02:06:36A point on an ointment cap is

02:06:38there for a reason too. Most

02:06:40tubes are usually sealed with foil,

02:06:42and it's better to avoid opening it

02:06:44with fingers unless you're ready to say

02:06:46goodbye to your nails. A point

02:06:48easily opens even the most

02:06:50safely sealed tube.

02:06:52A pack of cotton pads has

02:06:54those strings on it so that we could hang

02:06:56it on some hook or holder. And

02:06:58no, there's no need to untighten

02:07:00and tighten the pack again.

02:07:02Look at the bottom of the pack. It has a

02:07:04perforated line. Tear along it

02:07:06and now you're good to pull out a

02:07:08cotton pad. If you've ever

02:07:10tried a Nintendo cartridge to

02:07:12taste, you'll confirm that

02:07:14they taste revolting, leaving

02:07:16a sour-bitterish aftertaste

02:07:18in your mouth. They're covered with

02:07:20denatonium benzoate, one of

02:07:22the most disgusting flavors ever

02:07:24known. Actually, this taste

02:07:26is kind of a hidden function. It

02:07:28prevents people from swallowing those

02:07:30cartridges. Silica gel

02:07:32can often be found in different things you

02:07:34buy, like bags, shoes,

02:07:36and many others. Don't throw it away.

02:07:38It's meant to absorb excess

02:07:40moisture, so anytime your shoes

02:07:42are a bit wet, just throw in

02:07:44a packet with silica gel.

02:07:46Escalator brushes

02:07:48aren't for keeping your shoes clean

02:07:50or polished. It's for our

02:07:52safety. Brushes won't let

02:07:54you come close to the edge, so

02:07:56a long coat or bootcut jeans

02:07:58won't end up between the steps.

02:08:00Rough edges on the

02:08:02dimes aren't just about design.

02:08:04The coins used to be made of precious

02:08:06metals to show their real value.

02:08:08People would shave off the edges,

02:08:10spending the shaven coins with the same

02:08:12value, and melt the edges into

02:08:14new coins. To avoid

02:08:16it, minters added that pattern so

02:08:18people could tell if someone cut that coin

02:08:20before. Ever notice

02:08:22a tiny hole on the bottom of a

02:08:24padlock? Its hidden purpose is

02:08:26to drain water to help avoid

02:08:28corrosion. It's always the

02:08:30most convenient place to lubricate a padlock.

02:08:32A drop of oil in there will

02:08:34make it open and close easier.

02:08:36Bottles have long

02:08:38necks for a reason. Hold

02:08:40the neck, not the bottle, if you want to

02:08:42enjoy a cold drink.

02:08:44Same goes for fancy glasses.

02:08:46Their stem saves any drink from

02:08:48overheating. So, hold it right!

02:08:50Notebook margins

02:08:52are not some extra space for

02:08:54note-taking. In fact, people

02:08:56invented them to protect their notes.

02:08:58People used to co-live with rats,

02:09:00and these guys liked gnawing on

02:09:02everything they see on their way,

02:09:04including paper. Still, rats

02:09:06weren't able to chew more than the

02:09:08space left on the margins.

02:09:10That black grate

02:09:12on a microwave isn't just some fancy

02:09:14decoration. It's called a

02:09:16Faraday shield, and it prevents

02:09:18the rays from escaping the microwave.

02:09:20It also speeds up the heating,

02:09:22so you can enjoy yesterday's leftovers

02:09:24faster. It may also block

02:09:26phone signals, so if you're tired

02:09:28of numerous calls, just put the phone

02:09:30into a microwave, but don't

02:09:32turn it on. All

02:09:34Tic Tac containers are designed to dispense

02:09:36one Tic Tac every time you open it.

02:09:38The lid has the same shape

02:09:40as the candy. Turn the container

02:09:42upside down, gently shake it, and

02:09:44slowly open it, you'll notice only

02:09:46one candy stuck between those

02:09:48lid grooves. So, if you just

02:09:50open the container and shake it until

02:09:52five or more candies fall into your mouth,

02:09:54that means you've been eating Tic Tac

02:09:56wrong all this time.

02:09:58Those little holes

02:10:00in the airplane windows are designed

02:10:02to control the cabin pressure.

02:10:04They also protect the windows from fogging

02:10:06up as the temperatures drop and rise.

02:10:08By the way, the airplane

02:10:10window is round for a reason.

02:10:12This way, pressure is evenly distributed

02:10:14so it doesn't get deformed.

02:10:16Blue bristles on a

02:10:18toothbrush are actually an indicator

02:10:20that it's just about time to change

02:10:22the brush. As the bristles

02:10:24get in contact with water, the blue

02:10:26or whatever other pigment fades

02:10:28away. So, the more you use it,

02:10:30the duller the color becomes.

02:10:32A triple handle

02:10:34on a jerry can is there to make

02:10:36it easier for two people to carry it

02:10:38and distribute the fuel evenly.

02:10:40Gas cans often have a second

02:10:42hole that actually needs to be uncapped

02:10:44too before you pour the gas.

02:10:46The air passage will prevent it from pouring

02:10:48out, so no more fuel waste!

02:10:50The tab

02:10:52on the rearview mirror does have

02:10:54a function. It holds your air freshener,

02:10:56a pair of foam dice, your graduation

02:10:58tassel, and some other

02:11:00useful stuff. But in fact,

02:11:02it works as a tumbler between day

02:11:04and night mode. It helps hold the

02:11:06glare from the car behind you. Those car

02:11:08lights can blind you.

02:11:12As you take your first step

02:11:14off the plane, an eager crowd of

02:11:16emperor penguins surround you,

02:11:18pushing and shoving, all wanting your

02:11:20autograph. No wait, it's

02:11:22worse. You're hit with a chill

02:11:24like you've never felt before.

02:11:26Even though you're equipped with over

02:11:2820 pounds of gear, the icy

02:11:30wind still finds you. The blinding

02:11:32sunlight obscures your view,

02:11:34but it doesn't help you to warm up at all.

02:11:36Yep, this is your first

02:11:38day at the South Pole, and it wasn't

02:11:40easy to get here. You meet your

02:11:42coordinator, ready to begin your new

02:11:44life in the most remote place

02:11:46in the entire world.

02:11:48Grabbing your luggage from the plane, you look

02:11:50around at your companions. You all

02:11:52went through the same rigorous physical

02:11:54and psychological testing to

02:11:56prepare you for this uniquely challenging

02:11:58environment. The program had

02:12:00to make sure that you all had what it

02:12:02takes to handle months of isolation,

02:12:04freezing temperatures, and unfamiliar

02:12:06night cycles. The

02:12:08South Pole only has a single sunset

02:12:10and sunrise across an

02:12:12entire year. This isn't

02:12:14even mentioning the physical tests you had

02:12:16to pass. Researchers need a clean

02:12:18bill of health when they set off

02:12:20because there's usually only one doctor

02:12:22on the base. You hesitate

02:12:24at first, seeing nothing before

02:12:26you but an endless icy desert.

02:12:28But it isn't long before you

02:12:30notice a large building in the distance.

02:12:32This is the Amundsen-Scott

02:12:34South Pole Station. After a long

02:12:36walk through the deep snow, you

02:12:38reach it. One step through the doors

02:12:40and you immediately stop shivering.

02:12:42It's so warm that everyone

02:12:44is walking around in T-shirts.

02:12:46You almost forget that you are

02:12:48in the coldest place on the planet.

02:12:50It surprises you to see how

02:12:52many people come to greet you.

02:12:54And they're not penguins. These

02:12:56researchers are stationed for the entire

02:12:58summer, studying things in the South

02:13:00Pole's extreme climates.

02:13:02You're officially welcome with an introductory

02:13:04slideshow in the conference room.

02:13:06The basic ground rules can help you

02:13:08in case things go, you know, south.

02:13:10Everything is organized

02:13:12from provisions to waste management.

02:13:14The station recycles

02:13:16everything it can, even different

02:13:18kinds of batteries. Anything

02:13:20that can't be recycled is sent on a

02:13:22voyage all the way across the ocean

02:13:24to a dump in America.

02:13:26Once you're finished, the coordinator

02:13:28escorts you to your dorm,

02:13:30a place you'll call home for the duration

02:13:32of your stay. You're excited

02:13:34to tell your family and friends how

02:13:36amazing it is at the South Pole.

02:13:38And luckily, the station comes

02:13:40equipped with Internet access.

02:13:42As soon as you open up YouTube and

02:13:44click on a video, though, you're greeted

02:13:46with a buffering sign.

02:13:48The lack of satellites over Antarctica

02:13:50means you'll need to get used to

02:13:52slow Internet for a while.

02:13:54From your window, you can see the

02:13:56snowscape spreading out before you.

02:13:58Unlike the area around

02:14:00the coast of the continent, the South Pole

02:14:02is completely devoid of life.

02:14:04No plants or animals are able

02:14:06to brave the conditions this far

02:14:08inland. Other than the occasional

02:14:10bird blown off course by the wind,

02:14:12the entire area is just

02:14:14a deserted sea of ice.

02:14:16The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station

02:14:18stands alone in this desert.

02:14:20The base camp needs

02:14:22all kinds of people so it can survive

02:14:24in the unique environment.

02:14:26Cooks, plumbers, electricians,

02:14:28medics, and other staff are all

02:14:30required to keep things working

02:14:32so the scientists can do their research.

02:14:34You might be surprised at how

02:14:36nice the living conditions are for

02:14:38all these workers. Sure,

02:14:40you'd find the usual research facilities

02:14:42and the laboratories, but there

02:14:44are also many rooms set aside for

02:14:46fun activities. The base

02:14:48has its own basketball court where

02:14:50different departments can regularly

02:14:52compete. There are even whole

02:14:54rooms set aside for music and arts.

02:14:56Most importantly, there's

02:14:58a dentist who can make sure your teeth

02:15:00aren't damaged from all that chattering.

02:15:02Let's not forget the cafeteria

02:15:04that serves dishes from all over

02:15:06the world. Craving a delicious

02:15:08green salad? Then you

02:15:10head down to the internal greenhouse

02:15:12to pick some fresh fruits and veggies.

02:15:14You'll find tomatoes,

02:15:16avocados, lettuce, and even tropical

02:15:18fruits. The greenhouse might

02:15:20also be the most humid place on the

02:15:22entire continent. Amazingly,

02:15:24it's so effective that it can

02:15:26produce around 20 pounds of goodies

02:15:28per week. There won't be any

02:15:30water shortages either. The base

02:15:32is planted on an almost infinite

02:15:34supply of fresh water.

02:15:36The crews simply feed Antarctic ice

02:15:38into their specially designed

02:15:40generators that melt and filter it

02:15:42into clean drinking water.

02:15:44If the stress of the extreme climate

02:15:46ever gets to you, you can just

02:15:48hop into the sauna. Detoxing

02:15:50in the South Pole is a one-of-a-kind

02:15:52experience. Now that you're

02:15:54familiar with the facilities and can

02:15:56get around with ease, it's time

02:15:58to work. The base is mainly

02:16:00dedicated to astronomy because

02:16:02the crystal-clear Antarctic sky

02:16:04allows researchers to capture

02:16:06amazing images of space.

02:16:08Antarctica is perfect for these

02:16:10pictures because it's the driest

02:16:12place on Earth. There's almost no

02:16:14water vapor in the atmosphere.

02:16:16You're here for another reason, though.

02:16:18The station is also used to study

02:16:20volcanic activity. Scientists

02:16:22have discovered 91

02:16:24volcanoes buried underneath the

02:16:26Antarctic ice sheet, and it's your

02:16:28job to collect samples from one of them.

02:16:30Back out into the

02:16:32frigid cold, your teeth begin

02:16:34to chatter again. Luckily,

02:16:36this is nowhere near as bad as

02:16:38the lowest temperature ever recorded here.

02:16:40The South Pole has been as cold

02:16:42as minus 120 degrees

02:16:44Fahrenheit. That's so cold

02:16:46that if you threw a glass of boiling

02:16:48water into the air, it would turn

02:16:50to ice before it hit the ground.

02:16:52It would be almost impossible to

02:16:54even leave the station at that temperature.

02:16:56The warmest the South Pole

02:16:58has ever been was 10 degrees

02:17:00Fahrenheit, and that was at the

02:17:02peak of summer. As you

02:17:04approach the digging site, you start to

02:17:06notice changes in the scenery.

02:17:08There are hilltops and steep ledges

02:17:10all around. As you got

02:17:12closer to the coast, you begin to

02:17:14see more animal life. You can

02:17:16even see a colony of penguins

02:17:18out in the distance. You scout

02:17:20the area around the site,

02:17:22perhaps expecting to see an enormous

02:17:24mountain spewing lava from its

02:17:26tip. In fact, there's nothing

02:17:28inside at all. That's

02:17:30because the volcano is right beneath

02:17:32your feet. It's part of the

02:17:34enormous landmass below the ice

02:17:36that the continent is famous for.

02:17:38Antarctica might just look

02:17:40like a giant field of ice, but

02:17:42there's actually a huge continent

02:17:44underneath. That means it has

02:17:46volcanoes, mountains, and valleys

02:17:48like any other continent. Scientists

02:17:50have recently discovered that the

02:17:52Antarctic landmass has the lowest

02:17:54point on the planet, as well as

02:17:56huge mountain ranges.

02:17:58If any of the numerous volcanoes

02:18:00were to erupt, it would melt a

02:18:02huge part of the surface ice

02:18:04and increase the spill of ice into the ocean.

02:18:06The sea level would rise

02:18:08and flood coastal areas around the world.

02:18:10The ocean waters would also

02:18:12be disrupted, putting marine life

02:18:14at risk. You can count yourself

02:18:16lucky, though. All of these volcanoes

02:18:18are dormant at the moment,

02:18:20so you can begin your work.

02:18:22You begin to unpack your equipment

02:18:24and start digging. You and

02:18:26your team set up a small tent

02:18:28to try to stay warm while you monitor

02:18:30the progress on some portable screens.

02:18:32Your stomach rumbles

02:18:34and your team rummage for the sandwiches

02:18:36they brought with them. There was no need

02:18:38to carry them in a cooler for obvious

02:18:40reasons. Smelling the food,

02:18:42Antarctic birds begin to

02:18:44circle above you as you eat.

02:18:46As you lay down to sleep, your

02:18:48three layers of clothes begin to feel

02:18:50like nothing more than a T-shirt.

02:18:52You put even more on and

02:18:54zip the tent up so you can finally get

02:18:56some rest. Strong wind

02:18:58buffets the tent, and you think you

02:19:00hear a growling outside.

02:19:02You panic, but then you remember

02:19:04there are no polar bears in Antarctica.

02:19:06In fact, there are no

02:19:08large predators at all, so

02:19:10you can sleep easy.

02:19:12You wake up, and the sky

02:19:14looks the same as it did all night.

02:19:16Each day lasts six

02:19:18months on this continent. Your work

02:19:20is done, so you can pack up

02:19:22and begin the long journey back to

02:19:24the station. Hours later,

02:19:26you get back to the more familiar flatlands

02:19:28of the South Pole, and eventually

02:19:30the warmth of the research station.

02:19:32Your first few days

02:19:34on the station were a great success.

02:19:36You might have helped us to understand

02:19:38just a little bit more about this

02:19:40mysterious continent. There

02:19:42are sure to be many more surprises

02:19:44hidden under the ice sheet, though.

02:19:46Who knows what we might find in the

02:19:48future?

02:19:58North Yungas

02:20:02Road in Bolivia is one of the

02:20:04most picturesque and most

02:20:06hazardous roads in the world.

02:20:08Just imagine biking along a

02:20:10cliff trail at a mind-numbing

02:20:12height, overlooking the lush

02:20:14Bolivian jungle and misty mountains

02:20:16at a distance. What a view!

02:20:18But as soon as you realize you're riding

02:20:20on a 10-foot wide stretch of road,

02:20:22some of which isn't even paved,

02:20:24you might get skin crawls.

02:20:26And for good reason. Over

02:20:28200 folks tumble to their

02:20:30demise each year on this

02:20:32devious mountain climb, and

02:20:34the absence of any guardrail doesn't

02:20:36help at all.

02:20:38Now, if you're more into walking,

02:20:40consider the Husseini Bridge in Pakistan.

02:20:42It's officially the most

02:20:44dangerous hanging bridge in the world,

02:20:46but hardly the only one in the

02:20:48country. It's a long and nerve-wracking

02:20:50traverse over Lake Borut,

02:20:52with many planks of the bridge missing

02:20:54and the whole construction creaking

02:20:56ominously in the wind.

02:20:58Still, the place has become a major

02:21:00tourist attraction, although the

02:21:02old and broken bridge visible

02:21:04nearby only adds to the

02:21:06impression that you're inevitably

02:21:08going to fall to a screaming end.

02:21:10Well,

02:21:12at least you can be thankful that the lake

02:21:14beneath is not Lake Natron

02:21:16in Tanzania. If you fall

02:21:18into water, you still have a chance of survival.

02:21:20If you fall into the waters

02:21:22of Natron, not so much.

02:21:24The pH levels here are

02:21:26skin-melting 10.5.

02:21:28What passes for water is more

02:21:30like an alkaline soup.

02:21:32No wonder this place is so peaceful.

02:21:34Pretty much nothing wants to live here.

02:21:36And yet, flocks of flamingos

02:21:38come to Lake Natron to breed

02:21:40every few seasons, and it becomes

02:21:42a white-pink paradise for the period.

02:21:44Positively.

02:21:46Which

02:21:48can't be said about the Danikil Depression

02:21:50in Ethiopia.

02:21:52Despite its beautiful, otherworldly

02:21:54landscape, it's perhaps the

02:21:56loneliest place on Earth.

02:21:58Yellow, orange, and green mounds

02:22:00are made of salt, sulfur, and iron,

02:22:02creating views like nowhere

02:22:04else on the planet. Yet,

02:22:06the combination of temperature and toxic

02:22:08minerals makes this place

02:22:10absolutely unlivable.

02:22:12Researchers coming here haven't found even

02:22:14microscopic life in this valley.

02:22:16Really, like another planet.

02:22:18Beautiful and desolate.

02:22:20On the other hand,

02:22:22there's an island that's bubbling with life,

02:22:24yet still, you don't want to be

02:22:26there. It's called Snake

02:22:28Island, and the name says it all.

02:22:30It's chock-full of snakes.

02:22:32In fact, there are so many of

02:22:34them, especially the venomous

02:22:36varieties, that Brazil has

02:22:38forbidden access to the island to any

02:22:40and all visitors.

02:22:42But even if it wasn't closed off,

02:22:44not many would be brave enough to go

02:22:46to a place where a single step

02:22:48offshore could land you a

02:22:50venomous bite.

02:22:52Now, I'll bet that Fly Geyser

02:22:54in the middle of the Nevada desert

02:22:56was created partly because humans

02:22:58became jealous of that.

02:23:00This place had been just another bit of desert

02:23:02until 1916.

02:23:04People came here to drill a water

02:23:06well. They quickly saw the error

02:23:08of their ways, though. The water

02:23:10came out boiling hot and unfit

02:23:12for drinking. 50 years later,

02:23:14there was another attempt, but the

02:23:16same thing happened. We don't learn, do

02:23:18we? Anyway, hot water never

02:23:20stops spewing from under the ground.

02:23:22And today, we have a massive

02:23:24geyser cluster, colored

02:23:26in shades of red, orange, and

02:23:28yellow.

02:23:30Now, I say let's take a break from things that

02:23:32could bite, burn, or crush you,

02:23:34and take a walk in a serene forest.

02:23:36We're in Japan,

02:23:38and it's Sagano Bamboo Forest,

02:23:40a marvelous natural park

02:23:42where you can't help but hush your voice

02:23:44and just look. And listen,

02:23:46too. Because the sound of the

02:23:48wind in the bamboo trees is

02:23:50the first ever officially recognized

02:23:52soundscape.

02:23:54All the more surprising to find such a place

02:23:56just half an hour's ride

02:23:58from Kyoto, one of the busiest

02:24:00cities in the country.

02:24:02Take a deep breath of fresh

02:24:04air now. You're gonna need it.

02:24:06We're going underwater.

02:24:08Behold the Great Blue Hole,

02:24:10apparently named by Captain

02:24:12Ovious. It's one of the most beautiful

02:24:14places on the planet.

02:24:16Located off the coast of Belize,

02:24:18this giant sinkhole is a massive

02:24:20tourist attraction, especially

02:24:22popular among divers.

02:24:24It's actually a whole cave system,

02:24:26and they say it gets weirder and more

02:24:28picturesque the deeper you dive.

02:24:30Beware, though. It's popular

02:24:32among sharks, too, and both

02:24:34bull sharks and hammerheads have been

02:24:36spotted here more than once.

02:24:38Here, have a towel

02:24:40and prepare for some barbecue.

02:24:42The Darvasa gas crater is waiting.

02:24:44A huge hole again,

02:24:46this time in the ground and burning.

02:24:48Over 50 years ago,

02:24:50geologists found this spot in Turkmenia,

02:24:52Central Asia, and were

02:24:54quite a bit alarmed. There was an

02:24:56enormous deposit of methane, a

02:24:58highly flammable gas, underground.

02:25:00They set it on fire to prevent

02:25:02the gas from spreading, and

02:25:04since then, the holes kept burning.

02:25:06It's over 200 feet

02:25:08across and 100 feet deep,

02:25:10and no one knows when it'll finally

02:25:12run out of fuel.

02:25:14Is it too hot again?

02:25:16Well, let's have a little swim with jellyfish

02:25:18then. Jellyfish Lake on

02:25:20one of the rock islands in Palau

02:25:22is perfectly described by its name.

02:25:24In 2005,

02:25:26there were about 30 million of these

02:25:28creatures here. Although today, only

02:25:30700,000 of them remain,

02:25:32their number is growing, and

02:25:34tourists can actually swim with them.

02:25:36Until they get stung, that is.

02:25:38Okay, kidding. These jellyfish don't have

02:25:40stingers, so it's safe.

02:25:42Until they decide to grow stingers,

02:25:44of course.

02:25:46From the depths, we're going even deeper.

02:25:48The Gomentang Caves are our

02:25:50next stop. The cave system on

02:25:52the island of Borneo could've been

02:25:54Batman's hideout, given how many

02:25:56bats live there. At night,

02:25:58these nocturnal animals fly out

02:26:00of the cave in the thousands,

02:26:02making you wonder why you're still there watching it.

02:26:04But if you're brave enough to go

02:26:06inside the cave, you can truly

02:26:08marvel at the variety given to

02:26:10us by nature. Because there,

02:26:12on the floor and walls of the

02:26:14cave, lie tons of bat

02:26:16droppings, giving food and home

02:26:18to millions of cockroaches, parasites,

02:26:20and giant centipedes.

02:26:22Wondrous. Okay, I'm outta here.

02:26:24Now, if you're as

02:26:26easy to get away as I am, here's

02:26:28a place to go – Mediti National

02:26:30Park in Bolivia. It's one of the

02:26:32largest protected areas in South

02:26:34America, and is home to an

02:26:36immense variety of animals, birds,

02:26:38and insects. I could do without

02:26:40the mosquitoes, but it's still among

02:26:42the few places where you could see

02:26:44wild macaws, monkeys, capybaras,

02:26:46and dozens of other creatures.

02:26:48Still, it's better to be careful

02:26:50because wild animals aren't

02:26:52always happy to see you, and

02:26:54there are known cases of attacks on

02:26:56tourists. Ever wanted

02:26:58to feel like Frodo Baggins in

02:27:00Middle-Earth? Here's your chance!

02:27:02In Iceland, there's a slumbering

02:27:04volcano named Thryguga

02:27:06Geirgurð that welcomes guests

02:27:08to a tea party. Now, don't

02:27:10confuse this with another infamous Icelandic

02:27:12volcano, Eyjafjallajökull.

02:27:14Yeah, it's easy

02:27:16to mix them up – they sound so similar.

02:27:18Here, tourists are actually

02:27:20ushered down into the volcano

02:27:22and spend close to an hour inside,

02:27:24looking at the magmatic

02:27:26landscape. They say Thryguga

02:27:28Geirgurð can't wake up all

02:27:30of a sudden, but who knows?

02:27:32Don't forget to bring the ring of power

02:27:34just in case.

02:27:36From the lowest dungeon to the

02:27:38highest peak, and here we are

02:27:40at Mount Hua in China.

02:27:42It's called the most dangerous hike in the world

02:27:44for a reason. It's high,

02:27:46it's crazy scary, and it's

02:27:48a hike. At the height of 7,000

02:27:50feet, which already makes me

02:27:52reconsider, there are several wooden

02:27:54planks nailed to the sheer wall

02:27:56of the mountain. When you get to the start

02:27:58of the hike, you put on safety gear

02:28:00and realize there's no

02:28:02turning back. You have to walk

02:28:04all the way. And then back.

02:28:06But, if you're lucky,

02:28:08you'll see a crowd of hundreds of tourists

02:28:10and decide not to spend hours

02:28:12waiting for your turn.

02:28:14Finally, to really

02:28:16creep you out, I'm taking you to Pripryat

02:28:18in Ukraine. If you

02:28:20watch the TV show Chernobyl,

02:28:22you probably know what happened

02:28:24in this area. If you didn't see it,

02:28:26well, don't have a meltdown.

02:28:28Much of the town is still off-limits for

02:28:30visitors, but there are already

02:28:32guided tours around the place.

02:28:34As haunting as it is,

02:28:36the landscape has some magnetic force.

02:28:38The silence makes you keep

02:28:40as quiet as you can.

02:28:42Also, you can see with your own

02:28:44eyes what happens when people

02:28:46abandon a whole city.

02:28:48Nature takes back what once belonged to it.

02:28:50Creeping vines along

02:28:52the walls and lampposts.

02:28:54Trees and bushes sprouting from

02:28:56under concrete. And the main attraction

02:28:58in this desolate place

02:29:00is the rusty old Ferris wheel.

02:29:02That sure shivers my timbers.

02:29:06Puna Grasslands,

02:29:08Peru. A bare desert,

02:29:10rocky land, and one

02:29:12big nothing. Oh no, wait,

02:29:14there's urethra.

02:29:16Urethra is a flowering plant

02:29:18that looks so unique, you might

02:29:20actually think it's photoshopped.

02:29:22That's how different it is from the rest of

02:29:24the desert. At first sight,

02:29:26it looks like some rocks covered in moss.

02:29:28But we're talking about

02:29:30a 3,000-year-old plant

02:29:32found in the freezing Puna

02:29:34Grasslands of the Andes.

02:29:36This plant grows in packs,

02:29:38and they're so dense, you could stand

02:29:40on top of a urethra shrub,

02:29:42and it'd take your weight without problems.

02:29:44Spotted

02:29:46Lake, Canada.

02:29:48They call it the most magical spot

02:29:50in Canada. In winter

02:29:52and spring, this is just a regular

02:29:54lake that looks like any other.

02:29:56But try going there in the summer

02:29:58when the water starts to evaporate.

02:30:00It'll feel as if you've entered

02:30:02a different world, a polka

02:30:04dotted landscape with blue,

02:30:06green, and yellow spots.

02:30:08Over the summer, there

02:30:10are over 300 pools there,

02:30:12and they look magical.

02:30:14Over the centuries, people

02:30:16believed each of them had different healing

02:30:18properties. Oh,

02:30:20and the explanation for the vibrant colors

02:30:22is pure science.

02:30:24Each of them has a high concentration

02:30:26of different minerals.

02:30:28Rio Tinto,

02:30:30Spain. For

02:30:32more than 5,000 years, the

02:30:34Red River has been surrounded by

02:30:36mines full of copper, silver,

02:30:38gold, and other minerals.

02:30:40They give the river its unique reddish

02:30:42color. People were mining

02:30:44that area for centuries until

02:30:46the whole industry started to fade out.

02:30:48The mines remained

02:30:50abandoned until they were rediscovered

02:30:52in the 18th century.

02:30:54The river is quite impressive,

02:30:56but it's also very dangerous

02:30:58for people because of its high

02:31:00acidity. The bacteria

02:31:02in the water create similar conditions

02:31:04that can be found in some other

02:31:06places in our solar system.

02:31:08For example, scientists

02:31:10believe there's something similar on one

02:31:12of Jupiter's moons, Europa.

02:31:14An acidic ocean

02:31:16is hidden underneath the moon's

02:31:18surface.

02:31:20Toyama Bay.

02:31:22If you're walking along the shore

02:31:24of Toyama Bay in Japan,

02:31:26you might be lucky to see

02:31:28mystical neon blue light.

02:31:30It's coming from underneath the water

02:31:32and lighting up the night sea.

02:31:34There aren't many places where

02:31:36you can see a phenomenon like this.

02:31:38It's the firefly squid that's

02:31:40responsible for the breathtaking show.

02:31:42The creature lives at a depth of

02:31:44more than 650 feet under

02:31:46the surface. But in spring,

02:31:48they gather near the coast.

02:31:50Sometimes, waves even

02:31:52wash them ashore. The light

02:31:54these animals emit is actually

02:31:56camouflage, which helps them to

02:31:58hide and protect themselves.

02:32:00During the day, the squids

02:32:02go back to the deep, but

02:32:04they come back to party near the shore

02:32:06at night. The light they produce

02:32:08isn't so bright you could read a book

02:32:10in the dark, but it's still quite impressive.

02:32:16Imagine you're

02:32:18in a space rocket. At one point,

02:32:20you realize you've entered the atmosphere

02:32:22of some unknown planet.

02:32:24You haven't even realized it's there.

02:32:26The planet's gravity

02:32:28starts to pull your rocket down.

02:32:30Soon, it crash lands

02:32:32on the surface. Luckily,

02:32:34your spacecraft is sturdy enough

02:32:36to stay intact. So, you

02:32:38pull on your spacesuit and crawl outside.

02:32:40Right in front of you,

02:32:42there's something you've never seen before.

02:32:44Incredible nature,

02:32:46unbelievable colors, and a

02:32:48bizarre mountain-like thing.

02:32:50And suddenly, it spews out

02:32:52a column of boiling water.

02:32:54You shake your head.

02:32:56Ah, this vivid imagination of yours.

02:32:58You're actually in Nevada,

02:33:00looking at Fly Ranch Geyser.

02:33:02Don't get disappointed. It's still

02:33:04marvelous. The geyser

02:33:06appeared in the 1960s

02:33:08when a geothermal power company

02:33:10drilled a hole. This allowed

02:33:12the groundwater to escape.

02:33:14And the colors similar to those you can

02:33:16see in Yellowstone National Park?

02:33:18All because of algae.

02:33:20Speaking of Yellowstone,

02:33:22that's another place that looks as if

02:33:24it's been imported from another galaxy.

02:33:26On an area bigger than

02:33:28the states of Delaware and Rhode Island

02:33:30combined, there are more than

02:33:3210,000 hydrothermal features,

02:33:34500 geysers, and

02:33:36incredible waterfalls.

02:33:38Tsingy de Bemaraha,

02:33:40Madagascar.

02:33:42Now here's the place where you can

02:33:44easily imagine meeting some ancient animals.

02:33:46You can almost see them

02:33:48hiding somewhere among the pointy rocks

02:33:50going up to 330 feet.

02:33:52Half of this national

02:33:54park is covered in forest.

02:33:56And the other half is rocky,

02:33:58formed by the erosion of water.

02:34:00The place is home to

02:34:02many animals, like chameleons,

02:34:04iguanas, frogs, and lots

02:34:06of different lemur species.

02:34:08Vatnajökull

02:34:10Glacier, Iceland.

02:34:12On your quest for the extraterrestrial

02:34:14wonders of our planet, don't

02:34:16forget to drop by Iceland.

02:34:18There, you'll find the biggest glacier

02:34:20in all of Europe. In some

02:34:22places, the ice can be more than

02:34:243,000 feet thick.

02:34:26Vatnajökull has 30

02:34:28outlet glaciers ready to be explored.

02:34:30Those are channels of ice

02:34:32that once flew out of an ice cap

02:34:34but remain stuck within the borders

02:34:36of the valley. As for

02:34:38famous Icelandic ice caves,

02:34:40they're formed when meltwater runs through

02:34:42a glacier, trying to get to the surface.

02:34:44This usually happens in the

02:34:46summer, when temperatures are higher

02:34:48and the water flow is more turbulent.

02:34:50When the temperatures go down,

02:34:52the water freezes.

02:34:54That's how the caves are shaped.

02:34:56Staffa, Scotland,

02:34:58UK.

02:35:00Staffa is an uninhabited island

02:35:02that looks like a place from a different

02:35:04planet. Once you see it,

02:35:06you can't shake off the feeling it

02:35:08hides plenty of secrets.

02:35:10In reality, though, it's a calm spot,

02:35:12almost completely taken over by

02:35:14seabirds and seals.

02:35:16Even so, no one can argue

02:35:18that the incredible rock columns

02:35:20give this place a unique and mysterious

02:35:22look. It's always encouraged

02:35:24local people to spread legends

02:35:26about the unusual cave.

02:35:28The columns themselves formed

02:35:30millions of years ago, mostly

02:35:32because of volcanic eruptions.

02:35:34Glowworm Caves

02:35:36in New Zealand.

02:35:38Imagine finding an entrance

02:35:40to a magical cave.

02:35:42You row your boat, eager to sneak a peek

02:35:44inside, and get rewarded

02:35:46with one of the most beautiful views ever.

02:35:48You see a closed cave

02:35:50that looks as if it's under a magnificent

02:35:52starry sky.

02:35:54You don't need to travel all the way around the

02:35:56Milky Way to find something like that.

02:35:58Glowworm Caves in New Zealand

02:36:00are there for you.

02:36:02The caves started forming millions of years

02:36:04ago, and now they have

02:36:06an impressive collection of stalagmites

02:36:08and stalactites.

02:36:10But what makes them really special is glowworms.

02:36:12The caves are

02:36:14home to thousands and thousands of

02:36:16luminescent larvae.

02:36:18Worms need to attract insects and potential

02:36:20partners. To do that,

02:36:22they use their tails that glow

02:36:24in the dark.

02:36:26There are lots of caves like this in the area,

02:36:28and people have been exploring them

02:36:30for over 100 years.

02:36:32Wuling Yang Scenic Area

02:36:34Wuling Yang Scenic Area,

02:36:36Zhangjiajie, China.

02:36:38This amazing place has

02:36:40breathtaking sceneries and more than

02:36:423,000 sandstone pillars.

02:36:44They look as if nature decided

02:36:46to make its own version of skyscrapers.

02:36:48Some of them are half as

02:36:50tall as the Empire State Building.

02:36:52Usually, you can't even

02:36:54figure out where the pillars start.

02:36:56All you see when you try to make

02:36:58out what's there at the bottom is

02:37:00endless mist.

02:37:02Two natural stone bridges seem to be

02:37:04floating among the pillars, lost in the

02:37:06clouds.

02:37:08The Eye of the Sahara

02:37:10That's a mystery that's remained

02:37:12hidden for millennia.

02:37:14This geologic formation is difficult to spot

02:37:16when you're standing on the ground.

02:37:18That's why it wasn't discovered

02:37:20until people started to explore space.

02:37:22For some time,

02:37:24scientists thought it was an

02:37:26impact crater created by some

02:37:28space object hitting Earth's surface.

02:37:30But after doing the research,

02:37:32they found out the origin of

02:37:34the eye was entirely

02:37:36Earth-based. These days,

02:37:38geologists believe the eye's

02:37:40formation started over 100 million

02:37:42years ago, when plate tectonics

02:37:44were pulling apart the supercontinent

02:37:46Pangaea. Molten

02:37:48rock, which was rising toward the

02:37:50surface, created a massive

02:37:52dome made up of different layers.

02:37:54Later on, volcanic

02:37:56activity and erosion finished

02:37:58the eye's look.

02:38:00Baikal Lake,

02:38:02Russia

02:38:04The deepest, the oldest, and one of

02:38:06the biggest freshwater lakes in the world

02:38:08is bound to have some secrets of its own.

02:38:10The lake is frozen

02:38:12from early January to May.

02:38:14In the summer, the water

02:38:16is so clear you can see up to

02:38:18130 feet down.

02:38:20That's because melted ice from the

02:38:22Siberian mountains is incredibly

02:38:24pure. There are also

02:38:26no mineral salts in Baikal.

02:38:28Salar de Uyuni,

02:38:30Bolivia

02:38:32It's one of the most extreme

02:38:34places in South America.

02:38:36The world's biggest salt flat

02:38:38stretches for over 4,000 square

02:38:40miles. It appeared when

02:38:42prehistoric lakes evaporated

02:38:44thousands of years ago.

02:38:46A thick, salty crust

02:38:48extends beyond the horizon.

02:38:50At one point, you're not even sure

02:38:52where the land ends and the sky

02:38:54begins.

02:38:56The Atacama Desert, Chile

02:38:58The world's

02:39:00driest desert is all about rocky

02:39:02landscapes, salt lakes,

02:39:04dunes, and extreme temperatures.

02:39:06In some parts of the desert,

02:39:08there's been no rain for almost

02:39:10500 years.

02:39:12With no water or nutrients from the ground,

02:39:14there are no plants.

02:39:16That's one of the reasons why

02:39:18you might feel as if you're on another planet,

02:39:20like Mars. But wait

02:39:22for the night to fall.

02:39:24An infinite sky full of stars

02:39:26looks like a window to the universe

02:39:28and its mysteries.

02:39:30You're playing fetch with

02:39:32your doggy when all of a sudden

02:39:34you see something falling down from the sky.

02:39:36It's glowing and has a large

02:39:38tail behind it. It's speeding

02:39:40down at an alarming rate, getting

02:39:42ever closer. You try to grab

02:39:44your pooch to take it inside,

02:39:46but it goes stubborn, barking and growling.

02:39:48But then you look up and notice

02:39:50the shining UFO becoming more

02:39:52like a ball, and it looks like it's

02:39:54heading towards you. You run around

02:39:56your backyard trying to catch your hound,

02:39:58but this time it thinks you're playing with it

02:40:00and runs away from you.

02:40:02You improvise and chase it to go inside the

02:40:04house. And great timing too!

02:40:06The object in the sky flashes

02:40:08so brightly you can't even look at it.

02:40:10And then boom!

02:40:12It's like a small piece of the sun just

02:40:14crashed right behind your house.

02:40:16You leave behind a couch and try to take

02:40:18a look at what happened. Your neighbors

02:40:20knock on your door to see if you're alright.

02:40:22Once you open to them, they all

02:40:24flood in with their cameras.

02:40:26You collect yourself and head back to the backyard

02:40:28where everyone is gathered round.

02:40:30You make your way to the object,

02:40:32and you can already feel the warmth

02:40:34that gives off. It looks like

02:40:36a regular fist-sized rock

02:40:38lying in a hole in the ground.

02:40:40You observe it from all corners and try

02:40:42to get the best angles.

02:40:44You once read that you shouldn't pick up a meteorite

02:40:46if it ever lands in your backyard.

02:40:48You can't find your gloves,

02:40:50but instead you cut off some fresh

02:40:52aluminum foil to grab hold of the rock.

02:40:54You head back outside

02:40:56and see someone already touching it

02:40:58and taking selfies. You immediately

02:41:00rush to the scene.

02:41:02You take the rock from the onlookers

02:41:04and place it in a Ziploc bag to protect

02:41:06it from humidity or anything in the

02:41:08atmosphere that could potentially damage it.

02:41:10It's still wrapped in the foil too.

02:41:12A large meteorite

02:41:14would be too hot to touch if it fell

02:41:16from the sky, but something about

02:41:18that size would cool down before

02:41:20hitting the ground. By grabbing

02:41:22it with your bare hands, you may

02:41:24contaminate the meteorite with skin oils

02:41:26and microbes that could harm

02:41:28its surface. Anything that falls

02:41:30from space isn't meant to be played

02:41:32with like a toy. So you

02:41:34take it away and all the neighbors

02:41:36disperse. Sorry everyone, but

02:41:38the party's over. You call the

02:41:40space agency and they rush over to

02:41:42collect the sample from you.

02:41:44A few days later, a severe storm

02:41:46comes to your neighborhood and you see

02:41:48a billboard on the other side of the street

02:41:50falling down from the wind.

02:41:52Then all the lights go off.

02:41:54Ah, great! When the

02:41:56raging is over, you grab your toolbox

02:41:58and go outside to fix the electrical

02:42:00works. What a way to spend your Sunday!

02:42:02You make your way to the shed,

02:42:04but a large puddle of water

02:42:06on your grassy lawn is in your way.

02:42:08No big deal, you just go around

02:42:10it. But a little voice

02:42:12inside your head tells you to stop

02:42:14and deal with that. Ah,

02:42:16come on! You put the tools

02:42:18down and get in some proper gear

02:42:20to clean up that puddle. Though

02:42:22it may sound kinda cool to have a mini

02:42:24lake in your backyard, you're essentially

02:42:26creating a breeding ground for

02:42:28mosquitoes and other pests to thrive.

02:42:30You wouldn't want a swarm of those

02:42:32buzzing blood drinkers keeping you up all

02:42:34night and leaving you itchy every day.

02:42:36Also, having a pet around

02:42:38unsupervised could be hazardous

02:42:40as it may take a lap from the

02:42:42contaminated water. And

02:42:44what's even worse is that this puddle

02:42:46is right next to the electrical chamber,

02:42:48which is a recipe for disaster.

02:42:50So, after a long day,

02:42:52you manage to dry up the

02:42:54stagnant water and fix up your lawn

02:42:56as well. You fix the electricity

02:42:58issue too, and are able to enjoy

02:43:00the rest of the day with your dog.

02:43:02You're enjoying some delicious burgers

02:43:04in your backyard. You take a

02:43:06few bites and reach out to munch on some

02:43:08fries, but you grab onto something

02:43:10that doesn't feel too French

02:43:12frying. You take a look and

02:43:14see a full-grown wasp

02:43:16crawling around your lunch.

02:43:18You get up and go into a full freak-out

02:43:20mode, tossing your burger away

02:43:22and running inside your house.

02:43:24You shut the door and grab onto your dog.

02:43:26Yeah, you may have

02:43:28overreacted just a tad bit.

02:43:30But anyway, you're looking at your

02:43:32freshly grilled patties laid out on the

02:43:34table and see another wasp

02:43:36join the first, and then

02:43:38another, and another.

02:43:40You step back outside and try

02:43:42to find where they're coming from.

02:43:44You glance about suspiciously.

02:43:46And as you walk around,

02:43:48you notice a wasp flying back

02:43:50and forth from the grill to an area

02:43:52by the roof. One goes

02:43:54back to the roof, and two other wasps

02:43:56come out. Yep, there's

02:43:58definitely a wasp nest over there.

02:44:00You grab a ladder from the shed

02:44:02and climb up to see a small hole in

02:44:04your roof where the wasps created

02:44:06a nest. And it's a good

02:44:08thing they made that nest outside.

02:44:10There have been cases where people

02:44:12found wasp nests inside

02:44:14their homes behind closets and

02:44:16cupboards in their kitchen. Your

02:44:18dog wanders outside and tries to get a

02:44:20bite off of one of those patties.

02:44:22The wasps around seem intimidated

02:44:24and fly around your dog to give

02:44:26it a good warning. But luckily,

02:44:28you jump to the rescue, snatch

02:44:30your dog away, and tuck it inside.

02:44:32Wasps don't

02:44:34usually sting humans unless agitated.

02:44:36And the difference between

02:44:38good old honeybees and wasps

02:44:40is that the latter can sting multiple

02:44:42times. But wasps are still

02:44:44extremely beneficial for us

02:44:46because they keep insect populations

02:44:48in check. Wasps don't become

02:44:50prey as often as other creatures,

02:44:52which is why farmers even deploy some

02:44:54onto their crops.

02:44:56At this point, the wasps have taken

02:44:58over your little grill and left you

02:45:00alone inside. They invite

02:45:02more of their friends and are even playing

02:45:04cool party games. You look at

02:45:06your dog, and it's extremely disappointed

02:45:08in what happened. The best thing

02:45:10to do in such a situation would

02:45:12be to call pest control and move the

02:45:14nest to another location. It's

02:45:16really risky to do that on your own.

02:45:18But at least you can

02:45:20do another grill out without any wasps

02:45:22bothering you. Watch out for those

02:45:24mosquitoes, though.

02:45:26Another great afternoon in the yard playing with

02:45:28your dog. But this time, it

02:45:30seems distracted by a noise

02:45:32coming from behind the bushes.

02:45:34It runs all the way there and starts digging.

02:45:36You run over to check what's going

02:45:38on and find cute little puppies

02:45:40crying and crawling about.

02:45:42Amazed, you take a closer

02:45:44look at the puppies and notice

02:45:46they don't look like ordinary dogs.

02:45:48They have a kind of orangish shade

02:45:50to their fur and pointy ears.

02:45:52Well, congratulations! You've just

02:45:54found a little fox den in your

02:45:56backyard. Or rather, your dog

02:45:58found it. These babies are hungry

02:46:00and could use some food. But

02:46:02it's better to wait for their mama to come

02:46:04and bring some goodies. It's pretty

02:46:06common to see foxes around urban

02:46:08areas, especially places that are

02:46:10built in already existing fox habitats.

02:46:12But you're in total

02:46:14shock seeing one right behind

02:46:16your house. You count

02:46:187 cubs in the litter, and all of them

02:46:20seem pretty healthy and good.

02:46:22Many of them are playful and friendly.

02:46:24Some are shy and hide away.

02:46:26Animals can be really protective

02:46:28of their young, so best stay low

02:46:30for now. And don't let your dog

02:46:32around them either. The mama fox

02:46:34might take it as a threat, and

02:46:36that wouldn't be something nice to see.

02:46:38Foxes eat almost anything

02:46:40and wouldn't think twice about rummaging

02:46:42in trash for scraps of food

02:46:44to eat. You take your dog inside

02:46:46again and try to figure

02:46:48out what to do. Moving

02:46:50some cute cubs may sound like a harmless

02:46:52and fun thing to do, but handling

02:46:54such creatures at their age could

02:46:56potentially harm them. Any slight

02:46:58pressure around certain parts of their bodies

02:47:00can damage them. Not to

02:47:02mention ticks or fleas these babies

02:47:04may have. Being exposed

02:47:06in the outdoors leaves them vulnerable

02:47:08to all sorts of nasty vermin

02:47:10lurking around. So

02:47:12you grab your phone and call Animal

02:47:14Control to report the fox death.

02:47:16And once they arrive, they finally

02:47:18deal with his issue.

02:47:20Gee, what an interesting backyard you

02:47:22have!

02:47:30You're walking down

02:47:32the beach toward the water, but

02:47:34something feels different today.

02:47:36The water is bright green,

02:47:38and your nose gets filled with a recognizable

02:47:40pungent stench of rotting eggs.

02:47:42Should you probably come closer

02:47:44to check this unusual phenomenon?

02:47:46Stop right now

02:47:48until it's too late!

02:47:50What you see is called a harmful

02:47:52algal bloom, also called algae bloom.

02:47:54And approaching it is a very

02:47:56bad idea. This bloom

02:47:58contains algae that can produce

02:48:00dangerous toxic gases.

02:48:02That's what makes previously popular

02:48:04touristy places deserted and

02:48:06outright treacherous. You can

02:48:08come to a sea or lake beach and spot something

02:48:10that looks like blue-green foam

02:48:12floating on or just beneath the surface

02:48:14of the water. Or it may resemble

02:48:16streaks of bright green paint.

02:48:18Some blooms, called red tides,

02:48:20can color the water brown

02:48:22or red. Anyway, once you

02:48:24notice something like that, try to stay away.

02:48:26Keep in check that curiosity

02:48:28of yours, and don't go exploring.

02:48:30When algae decompose,

02:48:32pockets of toxic hydrogen sulfide

02:48:34gas are trapped under the crust.

02:48:36If you unknowingly step

02:48:38on such a pocket, you'll set the gas

02:48:40free and can accidentally

02:48:42inhale it. It's enough to say that

02:48:44this is likely to end tragically.

02:48:46On some beaches,

02:48:48bulldozers pile up the algae

02:48:50into dump trucks and bring it

02:48:52to special centers. There,

02:48:54workers dry the seaweed and get rid of it.

02:48:56But sometimes, these centers

02:48:58have to be temporarily closed.

02:49:00Algae mixed with sand and mud

02:49:02smell so awful that local

02:49:04people can't sleep at night because of the

02:49:06stench. There are three types

02:49:08of dangerous algae that can gather into

02:49:10harmful algal blooms.

02:49:12Cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates,

02:49:14and diatoms.

02:49:16All of them are made up of minuscule floating

02:49:18life forms that use sunlight to create

02:49:20their own food. The blue-green

02:49:22algal blooms are caused by

02:49:24cyanobacteria. They produce

02:49:26dangerous toxins that destroy nerve

02:49:28tissue. They can get so bad

02:49:30that water treatment plants might

02:49:32be unable to get rid of the toxin.

02:49:34Then, local people are recommended

02:49:36not to use tap water.

02:49:38Dinoflagellates and one

02:49:40diatom species are responsible

02:49:42for creating red tides.

02:49:44They occur mostly in ocean bays.

02:49:46For a red algal bloom to form,

02:49:48the water has to be warm,

02:49:50salty, and rich in nutrients.

02:49:52Such blooms release a huge amount

02:49:54of different toxins. In Texas,

02:49:56red tides used to happen once

02:49:58in a decade. Now, they occur

02:50:00every three years. In Florida,

02:50:02red algal blooms appear

02:50:04every year. Long, skinny

02:50:06diatoms can also produce toxic

02:50:08substances harmful to people.

02:50:10Even worse, if some shellfish

02:50:12like razor clams eat a lot of this

02:50:14plankton, they become toxic too.

02:50:16That's why cooking them for dinner

02:50:18can lead to a disaster.

02:50:20It's one of the reasons why marine waters

02:50:22are usually monitored. If toxin

02:50:24levels become too high, beaches

02:50:26get closed for shellfish harvesting.

02:50:28Harmful algal

02:50:30blooms can last for several days

02:50:32to a couple of months. They rid the

02:50:34water of oxygen, causing marine life

02:50:36to disappear. But it gets

02:50:38even worse when microbes start to

02:50:40decompose the algae at the end of the

02:50:42bloom. They consume even more

02:50:44oxygen in the process, and no

02:50:46fish can survive it. This creates

02:50:48huge areas of water almost

02:50:50totally devoid of oxygen and

02:50:52any kind of plant or animal life.

02:50:54Harmful algal

02:50:56blooms appear in the regions with too many

02:50:58nutrients in the water. And the most

02:51:00common of these nutrients comes from

02:51:02agriculture and other industries.

02:51:04Plus, winter monsoons have

02:51:06become warmer and now carry more

02:51:08moisture. This allows algae

02:51:10to gather in huge blooms.

02:51:12Some of them get so gigantic

02:51:14that the thick green swirls can be seen

02:51:16from space. Not all

02:51:18algal blooms are harmful, though.

02:51:20Some of them just add a terrible taste to the

02:51:22water, change its color, or produce

02:51:24revolting smells. Unfortunately,

02:51:26you won't be able to tell

02:51:28toxic algae from totally harmless

02:51:30kinds, judging only by their

02:51:32appearance. Algae aren't the

02:51:34only organisms that look deceitfully

02:51:36harmless. Here are other marine

02:51:38inhabitants you should never, ever touch.

02:51:40The arukinji

02:51:42jellyfish found in Australia

02:51:44looks tiny and totally innocent.

02:51:46But appearances are deceitful.

02:51:48And this baby, the size of a

02:51:50human thumbnail, is actually

02:51:52lethal. During stinger

02:51:54season, which lasts from November to May,

02:51:56tons of beaches get closed

02:51:58because of these itsy-bitsy creatures.

02:52:00What makes the jellyfish particularly

02:52:02dangerous is their miniature size.

02:52:04You will simply fail to notice one

02:52:06while swimming. Oops!

02:52:08The blue-ringed octopus

02:52:10looks not just harmless,

02:52:12it's breathtakingly beautiful.

02:52:14But don't let the looks fool you.

02:52:16You wouldn't want to disturb this relatively

02:52:18small, 8-inch-long creature.

02:52:20It carries enough venom to bring down

02:52:2226 adults within mere minutes.

02:52:24And once the animal feels

02:52:26threatened, well, you can probably guess

02:52:28the outcome. At the same time,

02:52:30when left alone, the octopus

02:52:32is absolutely docile.

02:52:34The infamous box

02:52:36jellyfish, named for its cubic

02:52:38body shape, lives in the Indian

02:52:40and Pacific Oceans. Stay clear

02:52:42from a creature with a squarish bell

02:52:44and long, dangling tentacles.

02:52:46And even if you see only

02:52:48a single tentacle, without the jellyfish

02:52:50attached to it, don't come close

02:52:52or touch it. The box jellyfish can

02:52:54grow up to 10 feet, and each

02:52:56of its tentacles has about 500,000

02:52:58microscopic harpoons

02:53:00to inject venom. Unlike

02:53:02other jellyfish, box jellyfish are

02:53:04hunters. They can latch onto you

02:53:06by wrapping their slender tentacles around

02:53:08your limb or body. With how dangerous

02:53:10their venom is, it won't be

02:53:12a pleasant experience.

02:53:14The crown-of-thorns starfish

02:53:16got its name because of the venomous

02:53:18spines covering its entire body.

02:53:20The second-largest starfish

02:53:22in the world, it can grow up to

02:53:2420 inches across. They feed

02:53:26on corals, and they eat a lot.

02:53:28Just one hungry starfish can

02:53:30finish off more than 100 square feet

02:53:32of corals within a year.

02:53:34The creatures also tend to have loads

02:53:36of babies. They produce more than

02:53:38500 million eggs at a time.

02:53:40Really, an overachiever!

02:53:42The fairly small

02:53:44blue-spotted ribbon-tailed ray

02:53:46mostly lives in the tropical Indian

02:53:48and western Pacific Oceans,

02:53:50near coral reefs. No more than

02:53:5214 inches across, the creature

02:53:54has a striking color pattern.

02:53:56It's yellow with electric blue

02:53:58spots on its body and several

02:54:00blue stripes on its tail.

02:54:02But, however pretty this animal is,

02:54:04keep in mind that it's also dangerous.

02:54:06It can injure you with

02:54:08venomous tail spines.

02:54:10You can come across lionfish

02:54:12in the South Pacific Ocean and

02:54:14in the Caribbean Sea. Despite

02:54:16what most people think, it's okay

02:54:18to cook these fish. These creatures

02:54:20present real danger when they are alive.

02:54:22You can get accidentally stung

02:54:24by their needle-sharp fins that contain

02:54:26venom.

02:54:28If you're an enthusiastic shell collector,

02:54:30you should know the cone snail

02:54:32by sight. About 4 inches long,

02:54:34the snail looks cute and innocent.

02:54:36But this look is deceitful,

02:54:38especially if you're dealing with a tropical

02:54:40species. Imagine

02:54:42finding a pretty shell and picking it up.

02:54:44You aren't afraid. Your diving

02:54:46gloves seem to offer perfect protection.

02:54:48But cone snails have tiny

02:54:50needle-like protrusions they can deploy

02:54:52from their mouths, and those are

02:54:54full of lethal neurotoxins.

02:54:56These harpoons can easily get through

02:54:58your diving suit's fabric.

02:55:00But the worst thing is that the venom contains

02:55:02painkillers. You won't even know

02:55:04you've been stung.

02:55:06The flower urchin got to the

02:55:08Guinness Book of Records as the most

02:55:10dangerous sea urchin on the planet.

02:55:12These creatures live in the Indian and

02:55:14Western Pacific Oceans. And while

02:55:16a flower urchin may look like something

02:55:18you'd love to see in your aquarium,

02:55:20never ever touch it. Flower

02:55:22urchins have enough venom to make your

02:55:24holiday extremely unpleasant.

02:55:26Or short.

02:55:28The reef stonefish, the

02:55:30world's most venomous fish, knows

02:55:32how to camouflage. Oh, goody.

02:55:34It can blend into the surrounding

02:55:36so well, you won't even notice

02:55:38it, even if you're paying attention.

02:55:40This makes it all too easy to

02:55:42step on the fish. Once the creature

02:55:44feels threatened, like when you're

02:55:46accidentally trying to crush it, it extends

02:55:48the venomous spines growing along

02:55:50its back. The more pressure,

02:55:52the more venom the fish produces.

02:55:54The creature remains dangerous even

02:55:56taken out of the water.

02:55:58The Indonesian needlefish

02:56:00isn't venomous, doesn't have sharp

02:56:02teeth, and will most likely stay as

02:56:04far away from you as possible.

02:56:06The danger lies in the fish's body

02:56:08shape. After all, it wasn't called the

02:56:10needle for nothing.

02:56:12Needlefish swim near the surface.

02:56:14In case of danger, they launch themselves

02:56:16out of the water, and their speed

02:56:18can reach 37 miles per hour.

02:56:20Their long, sharp jaws

02:56:22turn the fish into flying spears.

02:56:24The striped

02:56:26surgeonfish got its name

02:56:28because of the spines growing near the base

02:56:30of its tail. When the fish feels

02:56:32in danger, it moves the tail

02:56:34and reveals these scalpel-shaped spines.

02:56:36If you don't hurry to move away,

02:56:38you can get several nasty cuts.

02:56:40Keep in mind that some species

02:56:42are also venomous.

02:56:44Have a nice day at the beach, y'all!

02:56:52Like and share it with your friends.

02:56:54Or, if you want more, just click on these videos

02:56:56and stay on the Bright Side!

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