You'll never want to step foot in the ocean again after watching this creepy video. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the weirdest and most unexpected discoveries that were made in or near the ocean.
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00:00You're in the largest canyon in the world and no one's ever been there before.
00:05There's so little known about this area that we're going to see species that we didn't
00:09know existed.
00:10Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the weirdest and most unexpected
00:15discoveries that were made in or near the ocean.
00:18We'll be excluding creepy-looking aquatic animals, as they deserve a list of their own.
00:23It has the, it does the.
00:24Oh, what is that?
00:25I actually have no idea.
00:26Hold on.
00:27I don't know what that is.
00:29Number 30, Christ of the Abyss.
00:32While some creepy discoveries have been formed by nature, humans have also contributed their
00:37own fair share.
00:38The Christ of the Abyss refers to three bronze statues scattered across the globe, the most
00:43unsettling of which lurks in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Italy.
00:47This particular statue was installed in the same area where a diver tragically drowned,
00:52creating a permanent legacy for him.
00:54Due to its sheer magnitude, the site of the statue's arms stretched towards the surface
00:58is breathtaking and haunting all at once.
01:01Before its repair in 2003, corrosion and other natural occurrences had morphed the art piece
01:06into nightmare fuel.
01:08Thankfully, it looks more normal now, but beholding it can still send shivers down one's
01:14spine.
01:15Number 29, Cancun Underwater Museum.
01:17Welcome to an underwater world of mysterious figures, frozen in time.
01:24This unique museum off the coast of Cancun has nearly 500 sculptures.
01:29Beautiful, unnerving, and fighting for a good cause.
01:32What more could you want from art?
01:34The Cancun Underwater Museum was created to advocate for the conservation of coral reefs
01:38in the area, which had been damaged by tourists.
01:42The goal was to direct traffic to areas with concrete reefs instead, while still giving
01:46them something gorgeous to view.
01:48The museum has collected and placed hundreds of sculptures below the surface, each one
01:52depicting a human interacting with the environment in some capacity.
01:56The statues are made from a pH-neutral material to attract fish and coral, and the cement
02:02is high-grade to withstand strong currents.
02:05It's a great way of highlighting the relationship between the two forces, while reminding the
02:09viewer of humanity's negative impact as well.
02:12The result is a powerful tour that's guaranteed to stick with you long after you visit.
02:17Number 28, The Orang Medan.
02:19The existence of this ship has been widely debated.
02:23Is it a legendary ghost ship?
02:24Or just a phantom?
02:25Who doesn't love a good mystery?
02:28Everything about this legend, from the ship itself to the crew aboard it, remains an enigma.
02:33In the 1940s, the Orang Medan was supposedly found in the Strait of Malacca after sending
02:37out a distress signal.
02:39The message was simple yet terrifying.
02:42Everyone on board had died, and the sender knew they were next.
02:45When help arrived, it was too late.
02:48The vessel was filled with corpses, their faces frozen in expressions of sheer terror.
02:53The captain was dead on the bridge, and dead officers were found in the wardroom, chartroom,
02:58and wheelhouse.
02:59Sailors sprawled about the deck, passageways, and their rooms.
03:02Even the ship's terrier was found dead.
03:04With no visible injuries, speculation ran wild.
03:08Some suggested carbon monoxide poisoning, others blamed the ship's own toxic cargo.
03:13However, none of these theories has been verified, leaving the alleged fates of the
03:17crew in perpetual uncertainty.
03:2027.
03:21A Bag of Human Hands
03:23Picture this.
03:24You're strolling along the beach, only to stumble upon a severed human hand.
03:28Finding just one is terrifying enough.
03:31So when a bag containing 27 pairs of hands was discovered on a Siberian island in 2018,
03:37it quickly became an international sensation.
03:40Located near the Siberian city of Khabarovsk, the island in the Amur River where the bag
03:45was found is a popular fishing spot.
03:48The question on everybody's mind was, who did these hands belong to?
03:52Several conspiracies were tossed around, from medical research to a twisted form of justice.
03:57Eventually, the Russian government stepped in to clarify.
04:00They explained that the appendages had come from cadavers at a medical lab, which had
04:04been improperly disposed of.
04:06Police also found bandages and hospital-style plastic shoe covers.
04:11Sure, this explanation was less sinister than the wild theories.
04:15But if you ask us, we'd rather just find a seashell on the seashore.
04:2026.
04:21The Neptune Memorial Reef
04:22Picture this.
04:23You're strolling along the beach, only to stumble upon a severed human hand.
04:24Finding just one is terrifying enough.
04:25So when a bag containing 27 pairs of hands was discovered on a Siberian island in 2018,
04:26it quickly became an international sensation.
04:27Located near the Siberian city of Khabarovsk, the island in the Amur River where the bag
04:28was found is a popular fishing spot.
04:29The question on everybody's mind was, who did these hands belong to?
04:30Several conspiracies were tossed around, from medical research to a twisted form of
04:31justice.
04:32Eventually, the Russian government stepped in to clarify.
04:34There's no wrong way to grieve.
04:39The Neptune Memorial Reef provides a unique way to honor the deceased.
04:43It's a human-made underwater reef that lies just off the coast of Florida, consisting
04:47of structures that are made from cremated human remains mixed with cement.
04:52This allows the departed to become part of something bigger, and to enjoy a peaceful
04:56burial at sea.
04:57Right now we have a little bit more than an acre, but when it's finished it'll be 16 acres.
05:01It will be the largest artificial reef in the world, and it will be the only artificial
05:06barrier reef in the entire world.
05:08The site can be accessed by divers and aquatic life, creating a wonderful final resting place
05:13and a slightly ominous tourist destination.
05:15It's gained such fame that even well-known figures like renowned chef Julia Child have
05:20been laid to rest there.
05:21The reef was built to withstand even the fiercest storms, ensuring that the memorial remains
05:26undisturbed.
05:37Even something as simple as a rock formation can be disconcerting.
05:41Near the island of Bimini lies a supposedly natural phenomenon, a series of stones in
05:46a perfect linear formation.
05:48Despite seeming nondescript, they've been the cause of countless debates within the
05:52scientific community.
05:54Everything about it has been questioned.
05:56From its age to how it ended up below the depths in the first place.
05:59Some are convinced it's a human-made structure, and believe it could be the remains of an
06:04ancient road.
06:05A lot of the rocks stick together like jigsaw puzzles, there's all these rectilinear 90-degree
06:09angles which you don't find in nature.
06:12Meanwhile, the opposing side is adamant that it's a natural formation that could be well
06:16over 3,000 years old.
06:18The lack of any definitive evidence has helped this become one of the most well-known nautical
06:23enigmas.
06:27In 2010, scientists from the University of Leeds found strange currents of water flowing
06:32along the seabed.
06:34Just when we think we've seen it all, nature still has a way of throwing us a curveball.
06:38Deep beneath the surface of two recorded bodies of water lies a surprise, rivers flowing within
06:44them.
06:45This marvel is still being studied, but the news has already taken the world by storm.
06:49The original was found in 2010 within the depths of the Black Sea, and another called
06:54the Cenote Angelita was found in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
06:58Are these separate bodies of water, or just a slight illusion caused by varying amounts
07:02of salinity?
07:03One glance at the pictures reveals how surreal and awe-inspiring they are, a true reminder
07:09of how unpredictable the world can be.
07:12Number 23, Las Cruces de Malpique.
07:15In the 1500s, pirates practically owned the seas, making nautical travel dangerous.
07:23Some Jesuit ship learned this the hard way when they left the Canary Islands for a missionary
07:28trip and never returned.
07:29They had been attacked and boarded by a French pirate ship, who stole their goods and ship,
07:34before tossing the poor crew overboard and leaving them to a watery grave.
07:38Over two centuries later, Pope Benedict XIV declared the lost men martyrs.
07:43That still wasn't enough.
07:44In 2000, they were finally given a proper send-off.
07:48Forty crosses were placed in the waters where they passed, finally giving them a permanent
07:52resting place.
07:54Tourists can even visit the site and see the crucifixes for themselves, if they dare.
08:00Number 22, the Coryvreckian Maelstrom.
08:04Whirlpools may be a natural occurrence, but one that seemingly never stops is enough to
08:08pique someone's interest.
08:10Located near the shores of Scotland, the Coryvreckian Maelstrom constantly rages on.
08:14A pre-Christian Celtic myth has it that this powerful maelstrom is where Kyle Yack Bearer,
08:22washes her great cloak in the churning waters.
08:25It's the third largest whirlpool known to man, making its constant movements all the
08:30more interesting and startling.
08:32The current is so strong that only certain life can be sustained there, with every organism
08:36having to be resilient in order to thrive.
08:39It's unknown how or when this came to be, leading to several myths being spread about
08:43the violent pool.
08:44The boat is spinning around now and it's that fear of the unknown.
08:48Is there a great creature below, sucking the water around?
08:52Daring tourists can even take a tour to see it up close and sail directly into it, giving
08:57them a taste of what being ensnared in it would feel like.
09:01Number 21, the mummified body of Manfred Fritz Bayrat.
09:06Forget creepy, some discoveries at sea are purely horrifying.
09:10While fishing in the Philippine Sea, a crew was about to head home for the night when
09:14they saw something in the distance.
09:16It was a ship that had reportedly been missing.
09:18It's unbelievable that he was drifting for so long and so far.
09:23How he wasn't picked up by the authorities, no one knows.
09:27When they climbed aboard and investigated, it appeared to be abandoned.
09:30However, the real shock came when they ventured below deck.
09:34There, they discovered the remains of the boat's owner, Manfred Fritz Bayrat, which
09:39had been mummified due to the dry, salty conditions.
09:42The gentleman who was in it, who expired, was still at his same position.
09:46He had died of a heart attack.
09:48What makes the situation even more tragic is that his death occurred only a week prior,
09:53meaning he might have been found safe had he drifted there sooner.
09:57Number 20, 87 World War II mortars found at Calshot Beach.
10:02When visiting the beach, people are usually wary of jellyfish and maybe the occasional
10:06broken bottle, but nobody ever expects to find bombs.
10:09In 2011, Calshot Beach became the site of a shocking discovery as 87 World War II mortars
10:15made their presence known.
10:17The Royal Navy came in to handle the explosives, with an expert remarking how unusual it is
10:21to discover so many.
10:23The ocean hides its secrets well.
10:26Someone could be enjoying a lovely day at the beach, completely oblivious to the fact
10:30that dozens of mortars are submerged close by.
10:33Number 19, the Indian Lost City near Mahabalipuram.
10:37In late 2004, the Boxing Day tsunami hit the Indian Ocean, including the Mahabalipuram
10:43port city in Tamil Nadu.
10:45As the sea line pulled back, eyewitnesses spoke of underwater buildings that temporarily
10:49appeared, a claim strengthened by the fact the tsunami unearthed various relics on the
10:54shore.
10:55In due time, an explorative team managed to back up these eyewitness accounts, although
10:59the building remnants were naturally quite damaged.
11:02Myth has it that Mahabalipuram once had seven temples, with only one building remaining
11:06on dry land.
11:07Regardless of what the truth might be, the power of the ocean to wipe parts of civilization
11:12off the map, and perhaps even history, is frightening.
11:16Number 18, the Ice Finger of Death.
11:20Certain phenomena happen in such specific circumstances and difficult-to-reach locations
11:25that they're rarely seen directly.
11:27Occurring in the ice-cold polar regions, brinicles are the result of brine escaping from sea
11:32ice into the ocean.
11:34As the brine makes its way to the ocean bed, it freezes the seawater along the way, leaving
11:39a frozen finger of death in its wake.
11:41The death part refers to the sea creatures who cannot quite react quickly enough to get
11:46out of the ice's way.
11:47Like the ocean itself, this phenomenon can be both beautiful and dangerous.
11:52Number 17, Train Wreck Under the Sea.
11:56For this entry's look into the creepy objects that await us in the abyss of the ocean, we
12:00have a locomotive graveyard located off the coast of New Jersey.
12:03Researchers and archaeologists discovered two rare locomotives under 90 feet of water
12:07in 1985.
12:08Making this even more strange is the fact that these trains are from the 1850s.
12:13Exactly how the locomotives got there is still up for debate.
12:17Researchers believe that a storm was the cause of their disappearance when they were being
12:19transported on a barge from Boston.
12:22There are hopes to resurface and restore the two trains, but as things stand, no concrete
12:26plans are in place to lift these 15-ton behemoths up from their ocean graveyard.
12:31For now, they make for quite the creepy diving landmark.
12:34Number 16, The SS Thistlegorm.
12:38Sunken ships litter the ocean floor.
12:40While Mother Nature has played a part in many disasters, plenty of ships have met their
12:44ends through warfare.
12:46In 1941, the SS Thistlegorm went down in the Red Sea after being subjected to a military
12:51onslaught.
12:52After a 15-year wait, Jacques Cousteau discovered the steamship's wreckage.
12:57While the explorer and his team salvaged a few items, most of the cargo can be found
13:01memorialized in the ocean.
13:03Photos of the SS Thistlegorm wreckage are haunting, a reflection of the fact that the
13:07ship went down during one of humanity's darkest eras.
13:11Number 15, A Village From The Stone Age.
13:14The next stop on our journey under the waves takes us to an ancient Neolithic village.
13:18Submerged under the Mediterranean Sea, the new Stone Age settlement known as Atlit Yam
13:23is located off the coast of Atlit, Israel.
13:25Urban-dated somewhere between 8,900 and 8,300 years old, this once-populated place gives
13:31off some really spooky vibes.
13:33It's believed that a volcano that triggered a tsunami in nearby cities is what also led
13:37to the sudden desertion of the inhabitants of the society.
13:40As well, there is some research pointing to rising sea levels at the time as to the cause
13:45of Atlit Yam's demise.
13:46Adding to its eeriness are unearthed skeletons and burial sites.
14:00Archaeologists have also found piles of fish ready to trade that were quickly abandoned,
14:05making scientists believe Atlit Yam had to be abandoned quickly.
14:08Number 14, Sunken City Of Cuba Or Just Nature?
14:13In 2001, explorers recorded sonar images of unusual stone formations close to the Guanajuac-Habibes
14:19Peninsula in Cuba.
14:21The designs and placements of the structures gave them a human-made aesthetic, one that
14:25suggested a long-lost city.
14:27Further studies didn't add weight to this theory, as marine geologists estimated the
14:31city would have needed to sink during an era when such buildings were not possible.
14:36Some speculate the structures are remnants of a submerged island, while others believe
14:39it's just nature throwing humanity a curveball.
14:42Either way, the ocean has probably taken the truth down with it.
14:46Number 13, Black Smokestacks For this creepy item, we'll have to take
14:50a deep dive under the waters off the coast of the Galapagos Islands.
15:03Giant hydrothermal vents that spew black smoke were first discovered here in 1976.
15:08These black smokers, which can reach sizes of almost 200 feet, are found between 8,200
15:14to 9,800 feet under the sea.
15:28When superheated water from below the Earth's crust meets the cold ocean water, the ominous
15:33black smoke is formed.
15:34The superheated water can reach temperatures as high as 752 degrees Fahrenheit.
15:39These vents also host various types of sea life, such as aquatic snails, shrimp, and
15:44giant tube worms, which survive off bacteria that use the minerals found within the water
15:49from the smoke clouds.
15:51Number 12, The Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon Located off the coast of Chuk Lagoon, an area
15:56previously called Truk Atoll, is a watery graveyard littered with sunken military ships,
16:02planes, vehicles, and more.
16:04That's because this area, which is found northeast of New Guinea, was the site of
16:07Operation Hailstone, a surprise attack against the Japanese fleet during World War II.
16:12This air and surface attack saw the sinking of over 40 ships and hundreds of other land
16:17and air vehicles.
16:19The Ghost Fleet now acts as a tourist attraction for many divers every year, who tell of their
16:23experience at Chuk Lagoon by sharing stories of towering empty battleships reclaimed by
16:28coral and fish.
16:30Be warned, human remains have even been found among the wreckage.
16:34Number 11, The Baltic Sea Anomaly When in doubt, blame it on aliens.
16:39In 2011, a treasure hunting operation produced sonar images of a seafloor formation with
16:44an otherworldly aesthetic.
16:46Known as the Baltic Sea Anomaly, the formation sent ripples across the internet due to it
16:50bearing a resemblance to the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.
16:59The sonar images' low quality made it difficult to discern most of the formation's details,
17:04and geologists were quick to point out that nature can get imaginative with its creations.
17:09As exciting as it is to imagine UFOs crash-landing into the Baltic Sea, the fact remains that
17:14the ocean is still mostly unexplored.
17:17What else is just waiting to be discovered?
17:19Number 10, Tonos-Heracleion The sea does not discriminate.
17:24A major port city in ancient Egypt, Tonos-Heracleion consisted of small islands connected through
17:29water channels.
17:30Historians believe the city was extremely relevant for hundreds of years, although its
17:34importance would wane after the 4th century BC.
17:37Over nearly a thousand years, the sea would gradually consume Tonos-Heracleion, leaving
17:42only ruined temples and other artifacts for researchers to discover.
17:53Once upon a time, Tonos-Heracleion was a bustling port that played a crucial role in an expansive
17:58civilization.
17:59Nowadays, only fragments of the city and its legacy remain, the rest washed away by the
18:05water.
18:06Number 9, The Great Blue Hole Here we have a giant underwater sinkhole
18:11filled with sharks.
18:12Dropping down to a gut-wrenching depth of 407 feet, the Great Blue Hole is as terrifying
18:17as it is amazing.
18:18Jacques Cousteau, the renowned French explorer, ranked the Great Blue Hole as one of the world's
18:23top five diving destinations after making his own trip there.
18:27Visitors can find various species of fish, like the midnight parrotfish, swimming around
18:31in this massive sinkhole, located off the coast of Belize.
18:34Though it is obviously beautiful, an underwater dive into the Great Blue Hole can also be
18:38scary thanks to the presence of reef sharks, bull sharks, and hammerhead sharks, which
18:43can be seen in its crystal-clear waters.
18:46Number 8, The Yonaguni Monument Everything returns to nature in due time.
18:52Founded in the 1980s near Japan's Yonaguni Island, the Yonaguni Monument has divided
18:57scientists ever since.
18:58Reminiscent of a step pyramid, some geologists have explored the idea that the Yonaguni Monument
19:03could be a lost city, even reporting the existence of carvings on some of the surfaces.
19:09This explanation is, however, just a theory, as the Yonaguni Monument could also be a natural
19:14formation.
19:15This element of the unknown is the creepiest part, as the ocean has the power to scrub
19:20the traces of humanity from a city or forge a structure that can pass for human-made.
19:26Number 7, The Lost City of Dwarka The ancient kingdom of Krishna Dwaraka was
19:31once located in what's now known as modern-day Dwarka in northwest India.
19:35Legend has it that Krishna settled and administered his kingdom in this lost city of Dwarka, which
19:40was a flourishing port city that's believed to have been lost when it was submerged under
19:44the sea.
19:58Historical records date the ancient city all the way back to 574 A.D.
20:02However, 20th century archaeological findings of ruins featuring ancient sculptures and
20:07pottery have linked them to a city-state that could have existed as early as 1500 B.C.
20:13Picture and video footage taken from the site are absolutely breathtaking, while the very
20:17recognizable stone streets and buildings make for a simultaneously awesome and creepy experience.
20:23Number 6, The Spanish Galleon San Jose This story of sunken treasure begins all
20:28the way back in 1708 off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia.
20:32The enormous Spanish Galleon San Jose was part of a treasure fleet.
20:36Laden with gold, silver, emeralds, and other gemstones collected from Spain's South American
20:41colonies, the San Jose was sunk in battle off the coast of Cartagena.
20:59Its specific location is now a closely guarded secret due to its estimated value of $17 billion.
21:06Along with all the treasure that made its way to the bottom of the ocean, so did all
21:09but 11 of its 600-strong crew.
21:23In May 2024, the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History began the first stage of recovering
21:29items from the wreck site.
21:31Dive teams have kept the exact location of the galleon secret for obvious reasons.
21:35It was found in 1,000 feet of water during what was very much a high-tech treasure hunt.
21:41Number 5, The Turtle Graveyard As the ocean is overflowing with life, there
21:46naturally has to be just as much death.
21:49In a cave near Cipedan Island rests the bones of deceased turtles and even a dolphin, animals
21:55who met a grim end after getting lost in the tunnels.
21:58The turtle tomb delivers bones and plenty of them, preserving the animals' remains
22:02for curious divers.
22:04Skeletons are creepy enough on their own, but the horror is enhanced by the visual of
22:09a living turtle struggling to escape a cave that is quickly morphing into its coffin.
22:14Number 4, The Antikythera Mechanism Next up we have a 2,000-year-old analog computer
22:29that is shrouded in mystery.
22:31In the early 1900s, divers found a corroded, emerald-green clock-shaped mechanism at the
22:36site of an ancient Roman shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, an island north of Crete.
22:42Believed to have been used to track the paths of the sun, moon, and the planets, the true
22:46use of the Antikythera Mechanism has left researchers baffled for many years.
22:50In 2006, CT scans of the bronze mechanism were published, giving details on what's
22:55written on it and what's inside of it.
22:57Researchers are still working to decipher its hidden inscriptions and make sense of
23:01many of the missing parts.
23:13The Antikythera Mechanism really goes to show how many surprises are sitting, waiting to
23:17be discovered down in the cold, watery depths.
23:36Number 3, A Giant Mysterious Eyeball You are not going to believe your eyes, or
23:43should we say eye, when you see this.
23:46A single, humongous eyeball, about the size of a softball, was found washed up on Pompano
23:51Beach in Florida in the early 2010s.
23:53At first, many thought the eyeball belonged to a large fish, like a tuna or deepwater
23:58fish.
23:59After some research, it came to be believed that the eye may come from a giant squid.
24:03But a later discovery of bones around the eye, as well as more analysis, ruled out the
24:07giant squid conclusion.
24:15As of October 2012, researchers are fairly sure that the eye belonged to a massive swordfish,
24:20so Florida beachgoers beware, we guess.
24:23Number 2, A Purple Orb During an expedition near California's Channel
24:27Islands, the E.V.
24:29Nautilus team discovered a purple orb that left the explorers stumped.
24:38This shiny sphere was unlike anything these experts had seen before, even though later
24:42studies would suggest it might be some type of sea slug, the purple orb retained an air
24:47of mystery to it.
24:48The unknown is terrifying, and this purple orb serves as a reminder that only a small
24:53fraction of the ocean has been documented.
25:03Water makes up more than 70% of the Earth's surface, so there very well could be thousands
25:08of purple orbs and other undiscovered things nestled beneath the waves.
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25:28Number 1, Jemchug Canyon Our journey under the waves now takes us to
25:33the Bering Sea in the Pacific Ocean.
25:35Jemchug Canyon is an unimaginably deep hole.
25:51At 8,530 feet deep, Jemchug is not only the deepest ocean canyon, but it's also over
25:572,500 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon.
26:00Home to countless deepwater marine life species, the submarine canyon is both the stuff of
26:05wonders and nightmares.
26:15A handful of researchers have taken submersible crafts into it, but none has yet been able
26:20to reach the bottom.
26:21Its sheer size adds numerous complications that have made its exploration a difficult
26:26task to this day.
26:27It'll most likely take many dives into its dark depths before Jemchug Canyon is fully
26:32explored.
26:33Who knows who or what is down there?
26:46Which deep-sea discovery freaks you out the most?
26:48Let us know in the comments below.
26:55Did you enjoy this video?
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