Things You Should Never Touch And More Essential Safety Tips

Bright Side

Next time you're at the beach, be careful about what you pick up – some things can be pretty dangerous! Steer clear of jellyfish, broken glass, and sharp shells, as they can cause painful injuries. Watch out for unfamiliar sea creatures too, like cone snails and sea urchins, which can be venomous. If you spot any strange objects, like metal canisters or suspicious packages, it's best to leave them alone and alert authorities. Always keep an eye on the tides and weather conditions – if things start looking rough, it’s time to run for safety!  Animation is created by Bright Side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV   Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightside Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en   Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.

Transcript

00:00:00You're walking along the riverbank.

00:00:03It's quiet, save for the water's peaceful burbling.

00:00:07The hot Georgia sun beats down on your neck.

00:00:09That's when you notice something strange on the ground.

00:00:13Looks like a quarter-sized black coin with a weird pattern on it.

00:00:17You bend over for a closer look.

00:00:20Is it a coin?

00:00:21This thing looks like an ancient seal with a symbol carved in it.

00:00:25It's probably from some long-lost civilization.

00:00:28You could sell it and make a fortune.

00:00:31You crouch down on one knee to pick up your newfound treasure.

00:00:35As soon as your finger touches it, you pull your hand back as fear wells in your gut.

00:00:40It's hairy.

00:00:41You go to pick it up again, digging your nails in the dirt around it to pull it out of the

00:00:46ground.

00:00:47That's when it moves.

00:00:49Your heart jumps in your throat.

00:00:51It's pounding so hard you can feel it in your head.

00:00:54The fear turns to horror when the coin wiggles its way out of the ground.

00:00:59It's no ancient treasure.

00:01:01It's a huge spider!

00:01:03A ravine trapdoor spider, to be precise.

00:01:06This hard, coin-looking growth on the back of its body serves as a shield.

00:01:11The eight-legged terrors burrow into the ground and plug it like a cork so hungry enemies

00:01:16can't get to them.

00:01:17Or you know, giant confused humans like you.

00:01:21The spider is venomous, but its bite isn't toxic to humans.

00:01:25Lucky you!

00:01:27But I didn't say you wouldn't feel it.

00:01:29Best stay away from those sizable, pincer-like fangs.

00:01:32Ow!

00:01:33Well, so much for your riches.

00:01:36Perhaps fortune awaits you in Mexico's Baja, California peninsula.

00:01:40You're walking on dried-up ground when you notice a long, white stripe up ahead.

00:01:46You get closer.

00:01:47Oh, looks like a super long worm, you think to yourself.

00:01:51It doesn't move like any worm you've ever seen.

00:01:54That's when you see it has arms!

00:01:57And a head!

00:01:59This pale creature with black, beady eyes is a Mexican mole lizard.

00:02:03It lives in the ground where all its dinner of insects and termites hang out.

00:02:08It rarely comes out, so you're pretty lucky to have seen this bizarre reptile.

00:02:13Now you're in a rainforest in northeastern Australia.

00:02:17Ahead, half-hidden among the trees, you notice something large and round.

00:02:23This mysterious figure lying on the ground is covered in black hair.

00:02:27At first, you think it's a bear curled up sleeping.

00:02:31But that wouldn't make any sense.

00:02:33There are no bears down under.

00:02:34You're getting closer when a twig snaps under your foot.

00:02:38The thing hears you and springs to its legs.

00:02:41It turns to you, and you now see this is a bizarre and beautiful bird.

00:02:47That black hair is actually a thick coat of long, fine feathers.

00:02:51This formidable fowl has a bright blue head with a large horn on top.

00:02:57It stands on two powerful legs with a dagger-like claw on each foot that can be as long as your

00:03:03hand.

00:03:04Take away those feathers, and you might mistake this thing for a velociraptor.

00:03:08But it's actually a cassowary, the most dangerous bird in the world.

00:03:13It could jump straight over your head if it wanted to.

00:03:16It can fly high enough to kick you in the chest.

00:03:18And its blows are strong enough to break bone.

00:03:21Not to mention that claw that can cut through anything like butter.

00:03:25This bird was made to hunt and avoid being hunted.

00:03:28Don't even consider running away.

00:03:30Not unless you too can sprint over 30 miles per hour.

00:03:34Diving into that lake over there won't save you either.

00:03:37This bird is an excellent swimmer.

00:03:40Best just to back away slowly and hope it doesn't come after you.

00:03:44Another creature that proves it's best to keep your hands to yourself is the panda

00:03:49ant.

00:03:50The naming is obvious.

00:03:51It's black and white and furry like the beloved bamboo-chewing bear.

00:03:56This furry little bugger lives in the forests of Chile.

00:03:59But don't go to pet this fluffy little ant.

00:04:02What you're looking at is no ant at all.

00:04:04It's a species of wasp.

00:04:07That black and white coloring serves one purpose – to warn others of this insect's powerful

00:04:12sting.

00:04:13But if that doesn't make you back away, the wasp will let out a squeaking sound.

00:04:18It sounds cute to us humans, but it means a painful sting is around the corner.

00:04:24These insects are loners.

00:04:25They don't live in colonies and don't have nests.

00:04:28They're also parasites.

00:04:30A female panda ant lays eggs next to the larvae of another insect.

00:04:35Then the hatched babies use these larvae as food.

00:04:39Surely you've seen bugs that look like leaves and twigs.

00:04:44But what about a creature that looks like a beautiful orchid?

00:04:47You can find this fragrant flower in the forest or a green field among other plants.

00:04:52But make sure that's a flower you're leaning in toward to smell.

00:04:56If it's not, you risk being bitten by a preying mantis.

00:05:00The orchid mantis is nearly impossible to distinguish among the flowers.

00:05:04It has pink-white coloring with legs and claws that look identical to little petals.

00:05:10It uses its resemblance to the plant to hide from predators and hunt insects that love

00:05:15these flowers.

00:05:17A butterfly or a bee flies up to the flower when one of the petals starts moving.

00:05:22The unsuspecting meal might take it as simply the wind.

00:05:26But then the petal turns into a sharp claw that suddenly grabs the insect.

00:05:31Now imagine you're in the jungles of Costa Rica.

00:05:35You notice a brown snake sitting on a tree branch in front of your face.

00:05:39The snake looks like it's about to strike.

00:05:42You want to run away as far as possible, but notice that this snake is unusually short.

00:05:48And it doesn't lash out at you.

00:05:50You wait, but the snake keeps staring at you.

00:05:53It doesn't even hiss.

00:05:55Lucky for you, it'll never bite because it's not a snake, but a caterpillar.

00:06:00The hawkmoth caterpillar can change the shape of its body to look like a menacing serpent.

00:06:06This easily scares away any hungry foes.

00:06:09The coloring and pattern on the skin imitates a snake's scales and eyes.

00:06:14This insect also knows how to move like a reptile.

00:06:17A master of disguise, this one!

00:06:20Let's get out of the hot jungle and head to Central Europe.

00:06:23You're in the middle of a sunny green meadow.

00:06:26Colorful flowers bloom around, birds sing, and bees buzz by.

00:06:32Among the bees, some are not what they seem.

00:06:35You'd hardly be able to distinguish the imposters.

00:06:38But if you look really closely, you'll see the golden beefly moving through the air.

00:06:44It looks like a bumblebee, but it's the buzzer's biggest enemy.

00:06:48The golden beefly sneaks into bee nests and lays eggs there.

00:06:52Its larvae hatch and feed on the bees and flower nectar.

00:06:56The yellow and black coloring allows the intruder to go undetected the whole time.

00:07:02The camouflage also keeps enemies away.

00:07:05Nothing would touch this fly if it thinks it'll get a bumblebee sting.

00:07:09The next spot on your journey is the rainforest in southern Thailand.

00:07:13Now, be extra careful and watch your step.

00:07:17Not because the next animal is poisonous or bites, but because you might actually step

00:07:22on it.

00:07:23The leaves from the trees have fallen and turned a gray-brown hue.

00:07:28Among these leaves, it's tough to distinguish the Malaysian horned leaf frog.

00:07:33Its body shape, coloring, and especially those pointy growths coming out above its eyes all

00:07:39allow this amphibian to hide perfectly among the fallen foliage.

00:07:43This frog can sit for hours in one place, waiting for its next meal to come close enough

00:07:48to…

00:07:49Now you're in a garden.

00:07:52You see a beautiful bright flower and a small bird hovering near it.

00:07:56The bird flaps its wings so quickly you can hardly see them.

00:08:00And that long, needle-like beak makes you immediately assume you're looking at a hummingbird.

00:08:06But as soon as you get closer, you realize this is not a bird, but an insect.

00:08:11Fortunately, the hummingbird hawkmoth isn't venomous and doesn't sting.

00:08:16It's just a lovely little creature that decorates the garden with its presence.

00:08:21Many people even grow plants rich in nectar to attract these moths.

00:08:25Hey, that's an idea!

00:08:29The Baltic Sea Anomaly In 2011, a diving team came down to the bottom

00:08:34of the northern part of the Baltic Sea.

00:08:36They went on a treasure hunt, but what they came upon was a pretty weird object.

00:08:42When they took photos and showed them to others, many believed it was a sunken spaceship of

00:08:47another civilization.

00:08:50Other people thought that some natural causes formed the object, but the metals inside the

00:08:55structure definitely couldn't have been formed naturally.

00:08:58Now, some scientists even believe it was something that appeared way back in the Ice Age.

00:09:05Maybe it was even a meteorite that ended up trapped under ice back then.

00:09:11A maelstrom is a whirlpool, some sort of a powerful rotational current that forms when

00:09:16two currents collide and create a circular vortex.

00:09:21Even fearless Vikings were afraid of maelstroms because those were forces so powerful that

00:09:26they could sink large ships.

00:09:28These whirlpools remain dangerous even today, but luckily not for big modern ships that

00:09:34are large enough to withstand the power of maelstroms.

00:09:38But a cruise ship that gets into a maelstrom usually faces massive waves that can rock

00:09:43even big vessels from side to side pretty intensely.

00:09:48A maelstrom can be so strong it can turn into some sort of an underwater black hole.

00:09:54Yep, black holes are not only present in the cold expanse of space, you can find them here

00:10:00on our home planet too, swirling in the oceans.

00:10:03They're similar to those in space since they're compacted so tightly that nothing they trap

00:10:08can escape.

00:10:12Underwater black holes often span up to 93 miles in diameter, and if you got into one

00:10:17of those, you probably wouldn't even know it.

00:10:21These black holes act like vortices, but because of their size, even professionals can hardly

00:10:26see their boundaries.

00:10:29Here's something relaxing.

00:10:31Next time you go to the beach, pay attention, and maybe you'll see an optical phenomenon

00:10:36called the green flash.

00:10:38You can see it shortly after sunset or right before sunrise.

00:10:43It occurs when the sun is almost completely below the horizon, while its rim, the upper

00:10:48one, is still visible.

00:10:51For just a second or two, that upper edge of the sun will appear green.

00:10:56It's because you're looking at the sun through thicker parts of the atmosphere as it's moving

00:11:00down in the sky.

00:11:02As it's dipping below the horizon, light refracts, or bends, in the atmosphere and gets dispersed.

00:11:11Look for a clear day with no clouds or haze on the horizon to see this phenomenon better.

00:11:18You've been looking forward to a nice swim, only to realize that the water in the ocean

00:11:22is red?

00:11:24Better avoid going in.

00:11:26Florida is known for its red tides.

00:11:29It occurs when the concentration of specific microscopic algae is higher than normal.

00:11:36Thousands of species of algae in marine and fresh waters are mostly harmless to animals

00:11:41and humans.

00:11:42They even help us, since they're an important source of oxygen.

00:11:46But some, like the algae that makes the ocean red, can be extremely dangerous for marine

00:11:52animals like sea turtles, fish, and seabirds.

00:11:57This kind can grow out of control and produce neurotoxins harmful to humans, especially

00:12:03those who have some respiratory issues.

00:12:05Such people should avoid red tide areas, especially when winds are strong enough to

00:12:10push the algae toward the shore.

00:12:14Volcanoes can spew poisonous gas, ash, and red-hot lava.

00:12:19Those are the most obvious dangers most of us already know about.

00:12:22But submarine volcanoes can be very tricky in their own way.

00:12:26Sometimes, when they're located in shallow waters, they reveal their presence by blasting

00:12:31debris of rock and steam high above the surface.

00:12:36Since submarine volcanoes are surrounded by an unlimited supply of water, they can behave

00:12:41differently from those on land.

00:12:43When they erupt, seawater gets into active submarine vents.

00:12:49Lava can be spreading across a shallow seafloor, or sometimes even flowing into the sea from

00:12:55land volcanoes, when in water it may cool down so quickly that it shatters into rubble

00:13:01and sand.

00:13:02So, there are large amounts of volcanic debris left there.

00:13:05You know those popular black sand beaches in Hawaii?

00:13:09That's how they formed.

00:13:12Hot lava and powerful eruptions certainly don't sound safe, but submarine volcanoes

00:13:17in deeper waters are equally dangerous, even though they're not necessarily erupting.

00:13:23They produce pockets of bubbles.

00:13:25These bubbles reduce the density of the surrounding waters, which can even sink ships.

00:13:32The worst thing is that when you look at the surface of the ocean, you can't understand

00:13:37something's wrong, but at the same time, tiny bubbles are there, causing ships to lose buoyancy

00:13:43and with very little warning.

00:13:47Across sea is a rare phenomenon, beautiful to observe, but also very dangerous.

00:13:53That's when you see square waves, which are more common in shallow parts of the ocean.

00:13:58That's something you can often see in France or on certain beaches of Tel Aviv, but it

00:14:03can also happen in many coastal areas across the world.

00:14:08A cross sea occurs when two wave patterns travel at oblique angles.

00:14:13They form this checkerboard-like pattern.

00:14:16It mostly happens when two swells meet, or when a swell pushes waves in one direction

00:14:21while a strong wind pushes them in another.

00:14:26These square waves can be dangerous for swimmers and boaters.

00:14:30The waves produced by strong ocean currents can be pretty unpredictable and tall, sometimes

00:14:35up to almost 10 feet.

00:14:37This phenomenon is sometimes called white walls.

00:14:40These waves can be so powerful that they can turn over even big boats.

00:14:46If you fill a clear glass with some ocean water and take a closer look, you'll see it's

00:14:51full of very small particles.

00:14:54Seawater contains dissolved salts, fats, algae, proteins, detergents, and other bits of artificial

00:15:01and organic matter.

00:15:04If you shake that glass, you'll see tiny bubbles forming on its surface.

00:15:08That's how sea foam forms when waves and winds agitate the ocean.

00:15:13When you see thick sea foam, algal blooms might have caused it.

00:15:17When big blooms of algae fall apart in the sea, large amounts of that matter move in

00:15:22the direction of dry land.

00:15:25Most kinds of sea foam aren't dangerous to humans.

00:15:29But when blooms of algae fall apart, it can have a negative impact on both the environment

00:15:34and people.

00:15:35For example, when sea foam bubbles pop, the toxins they contain get released into the

00:15:40air and they can irritate your eyes or cause some other health issues.

00:15:47You can see a tidal bore in the areas where a river empties into a sea or an ocean.

00:15:53It's a powerful tide that goes against the current and pushes up the river.

00:15:57A tidal bore falls into a category of something called the surge, which is a sudden change

00:16:03in depth.

00:16:04A tidal bore is a positive surge, which means it pushes up a river, making it much deeper.

00:16:10A negative surge is when the river suddenly becomes very shallow.

00:16:16You won't see tidal bores everywhere.

00:16:18The river must be fairly shallow with a narrow outlet to the sea.

00:16:22The place where the sea and the river meet must be flat and wide.

00:16:26Also, the area between low and high tide must be at least 20 feet across.

00:16:33Of course, there are some exceptions, like the Amazon River, the world's largest one.

00:16:39The mouth of the Amazon is not narrow, but the river experiences tidal bores.

00:16:44That's because its mouth is shallow and has many sandbars and low-lying islands.

00:16:50The tidal bore is so strong there that the river doesn't even have a delta.

00:16:54Its sediment goes directly into the Atlantic Ocean, where fast-moving currents take it

00:16:59away.

00:17:01A tidal bore is often unpredictable and can be extremely rough.

00:17:05In many cases, it changes the color of the river from greenish or blue to brown.

00:17:11It can damage vegetation or even tear trees out of the ground.

00:17:15So, recreation sports like kayaking and river surfing can be hazardous in these areas.

00:17:23Even if you just want to take a look at a tidal bore, be careful.

00:17:27Tidal waves can sweep over lookout points and drag whatever or whoever is there into

00:17:32the churning river.

00:17:33Hey, ever heard of a fire rainbow?

00:17:36Yeah, me neither.

00:17:38How about a circumhorizontal arc?

00:17:41Didn't think so, but just so you know, they're one and the same thing.

00:17:45At first glance, it looks like a painting or like a rainbow-colored splash in the sky.

00:17:50Despite the name, they have nothing in common with either fire or rain.

00:17:55This phenomenon happens on rare occasions when the sun shines through a particular type

00:18:00of ice cloud formation.

00:18:03The rainbow halos are just as unique.

00:18:05Again, a specific type of ice crystals and clouds needs to be present for the surface

00:18:10of the Earth to bend light from the sun into a perfect ring.

00:18:15The same thing can happen with moonlight.

00:18:17The only difference will be that moon halos are usually white, and sun halos can be rainbow-colored.

00:18:24When visiting regions with high altitudes, you may be one of the lucky people to stumble

00:18:29upon penitentes.

00:18:31They're basically naturally formed ice spikes.

00:18:34For them to be formed, they need a really cold and elevated environment where the air

00:18:38is dry.

00:18:39The sunlight turns ice directly into vapor, rather than melting it into water.

00:18:44And that's why these blades of snow and ice start to pop up on the surface of the Earth.

00:18:50As cute as they may be, they can end up as tall as 15 feet!

00:18:55What happens when small, individual droplets of lava meet the wind?

00:19:00Pele's hair, basically.

00:19:02Let me explain.

00:19:03The word Pele comes from an ancient Hawaiian symbol for volcanoes.

00:19:08Whenever the wind picks up little drops of lava, it stretches them into hair-like strands,

00:19:13similar to the process of glass wire creation.

00:19:17These delicate strands can stretch as far as 6 feet!

00:19:21On rare occasions, it can rain without any clouds.

00:19:25But does it really?

00:19:26Let's look at the science behind this rare phenomenon.

00:19:30It's sometimes called a sun shower, just because it looks like the rain is falling

00:19:34straight from the sun.

00:19:36Let's be clear, though.

00:19:37There is no way rain can ever come down directly from a star.

00:19:42Rain clouds are at a bit of a distance from that specific location.

00:19:46With sun rays being angled, the clouds become out of sight.

00:19:50Add a little wind to blow the rain in your direction, and ta-da!

00:19:54You get sun showers!

00:19:57Located in Bolivia is a place called Salar de Uyuni.

00:20:01It's the largest salt flat in the world.

00:20:03It's also the home of half of the world's lithium, which is a crucial component for

00:20:08making batteries.

00:20:10What else is so special about this place?

00:20:12Well, whenever the rain season comes, it turns this piece of flat land into a perfectly reflective

00:20:18mirror lake.

00:20:20What comes to your mind when you hear about the Blood Falls?

00:20:23A horror movie?

00:20:24Bleh!

00:20:25Well, they are merely a series of waterfalls located in one of the driest regions of Antarctica.

00:20:31They emerge from an underground lake filled with a special kind of bacteria.

00:20:36These little organisms use sulfates as fuel instead of sugars, which makes them very intriguing

00:20:41for scientists.

00:20:43The water contained in this lake is so full of iron that it basically just rusts when

00:20:48it meets the air.

00:20:49Hence, the reddish color of the waterfall, which also gives it its trademark name.

00:20:54Okay, we all know the song, but it's not really made up.

00:20:58There is actually such a thing called a desert rose.

00:21:02It's not a plant, though, but a unique form of the mineral gypsum.

00:21:06It develops in dry sandy places that can occasionally flood.

00:21:10This constant switching between a wet and dry environment lets the gypsum crystals emerge

00:21:15between grains of sand, trapping them and forming a rose-like shape.

00:21:21Ever heard of the Eye of Sahara?

00:21:23Scientists are still trying to figure out how it was formed.

00:21:27You can only see it if you fly above it, but it's basically a naturally formed dome that

00:21:32dates back to approximately 100 million years ago.

00:21:36And no, I wasn't around then.

00:21:38It has a rough diameter of 25 miles and consists of a bunch of concentric rings.

00:21:44The biggest one, or the central area, measures about 19 miles in diameter.

00:21:50Astronauts were some of the first people to notice it, and it's been studied ever since.

00:21:54In fact, even to this day, when landing in Florida, they know they're almost home when

00:21:59they see the Eye of Sahara.

00:22:03One of the most beautifully colored trees in the world is located in the Philippines

00:22:07and Indonesia.

00:22:08It's called the Rainbow Eucalyptus.

00:22:11It got its name because of its bark that switches colors and peels away as the tree ages.

00:22:17The bright green bark is the youngest as it contains a substance called chlorophyll, usually

00:22:22found in leaves.

00:22:24It then switches to purple and then to the color red, and finally, it turns brown as

00:22:29it grows and loses the chlorophyll.

00:22:32Don't be tricked into thinking that's a whole forest.

00:22:35It's one single tree.

00:22:37And no, it's not some sort of optical illusion either.

00:22:41Let me explain.

00:22:43Underneath that soil, there is a complex network of roots that connects around 47,000 tree-like

00:22:49shapes you see above the ground.

00:22:52It's called the quaking aspen.

00:22:54Some of these trees are among the oldest and largest organisms in the world.

00:22:59Now here's a good destination for all travelers.

00:23:02Or maybe not so good, after all.

00:23:04The most lightning-stricken area in the world, according to recent data released by NASA,

00:23:10is Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.

00:23:13Out of all the days in a year, 300 of them feature thunderstorms in this location.

00:23:18What makes this area so unique, though, that storms happen so often?

00:23:22Well, it's because where cool mountain air meets the warm moist breeze and generates

00:23:28electricity over the lake.

00:23:31The Eternal Flame Falls are located in upstate New York, near the Canadian border.

00:23:36In this region, there is a tiny waterfall with a big secret – a spark about 8 inches

00:23:42tall.

00:23:43Turns out there's a natural gas seep that provides fuel to the flame behind the waterfall.

00:23:48The waterfall provides enough coverage so that it stays lit pretty much every time.

00:23:54Hikers do enjoy to relight it if they see that it's been blown out.

00:23:58This phenomenon is actually quite common, but this one gained more popularity because

00:24:03it is younger than most.

00:24:05And it looks very good in pictures, let's be honest.

00:24:08I've heard of yellow sand, white sand, and even black sand here or there.

00:24:13But I've never heard of green beaches until now.

00:24:16Apicolia, also known as Green Sand Beach, is located in Hawaii and is one of the few

00:24:22beaches in the world that features green sand.

00:24:25The unique coloring comes from olivine rock that was formed when a nearby volcano erupted.

00:24:32Actually in Hawaii, all the volcanoes are nearby.

00:24:36Move over, green sands, because some of the other beaches around the world can even glow

00:24:40at night.

00:24:41Some it's completely natural, the culprit?

00:24:44A little thing called photoplankton, or microalgae as they're sometimes called.

00:24:50They're basically little plants that contain chlorophyll and need sunlight in order to

00:24:54live and grow.

00:24:57Most photoplankton kinds are able to float in the upper part of the ocean, where the

00:25:01sunlight can still reach them beneath the water.

00:25:03When the photoplankton gets agitated by the movement of waves and currents, they emit

00:25:08light, which looks like some glow during the night.

00:25:12These special microorganisms are found on beaches in a lot of places around the world,

00:25:17such as the Maldives, Puerto Rico, and the Everglades.

00:25:22At the base of a mountain located just outside of Afton, Wyoming, is a little river called

00:25:27the Intermittent Spring.

00:25:29There are only 3 of this kind in the whole world, but what makes this little string of

00:25:34water so mysterious?

00:25:35Well, the fact that it starts and stops every few minutes.

00:25:39Scientists have yet to pinpoint precisely why this happens.

00:25:43They speculate that it's basically just a siphon effect that happens deep within the

00:25:47ground that causes the river to just start and stop so often.

00:25:51Should you ever be interested in checking it out, be sure to do so in the late summer,

00:25:56as that's when the intermittent spring is most active.

00:26:00Do you see the irony here?

00:26:02You can only see the spring in the summer?

00:26:04Okay, I'm done.

00:26:06The Liquid Rainbow, or the River of Five Colors, exists, and it's located in La Macarena, Colombia.

00:26:12Here, you'll be able to see red, yellow, green, and purple waters flow down the river.

00:26:18And the color depends on the water or light conditions.

00:26:21The Macarenia clavigera, an aquatic plant, is the one responsible for this beautiful

00:26:26natural phenomenon.

00:26:28It latches onto the rocks found in the riverbed and gives the river that particular reddish

00:26:32hue.

00:26:33It also helps that the water here is really clear, since there are almost no nutrients

00:26:38or other small particles.

00:26:40The hottest place on Earth, and the lowest point in all of North America, is called the

00:26:45Death Valley.

00:26:46While traveling there, you may be tricked into thinking you're suddenly surrounded by ice.

00:26:51But that's not frozen water.

00:26:52It's actually salt.

00:26:54As rain mixes with minerals, they dissolve the outer layer of rocks surrounding the area.

00:26:59When the water evaporates, we're only left with the salt.

00:27:03This surreal landscape becomes even more striking once you see the dunes.

00:27:07They only account for a small portion of Death Valley, but are some of the most memorable

00:27:11sights, some rising over 680 feet.

00:27:15Should you ever be at the top of the dunes, you may be lucky enough to experience one

00:27:19of the strangest wonders of the desert, singing sand.

00:27:23Truth is, we've yet to fully understand this phenomenon.

00:27:26One explanation could be that the sand that slides down the dunes actually creates this

00:27:31sound.

00:27:32It's because of the friction between its grains.

00:27:34When listening to it, it's similar to an airplane flying in the distance.

00:27:38This is one of the few places on Earth where the sand makes such a loud noise that it can

00:27:43be heard by visitors, along with the Namib Desert in Africa, or the barking sands of

00:27:48Hawaii.

00:27:50Earthquake lights can appear before, during, or immediately after an earthquake.

00:27:55These white and blue lights generally last for just a few seconds, but you might catch

00:28:00one of those rare 10-minute ones too at times.

00:28:03It's difficult to study this natural phenomenon because earthquake lights seem to appear at

00:28:07different distances from the epicenter of the earthquake.

00:28:11Sometimes they happen directly over the epicenter, other times as far as 250 miles away.

00:28:17What we do know is that they only happen when the earthquake is strong enough, a Richter

00:28:21scale rating of 5.0 or above.

00:28:24It may have something to do with the release of ionized oxygen by the breaking of certain

00:28:28stone types.

00:28:30This unusual occurrence is called the Hestalen Lights and only happens on a small patch of

00:28:35land in Norway.

00:28:36They were first noticed in the 1930s.

00:28:38They also neither hover over the valley or move at great speed.

00:28:42Lasting just a couple of seconds, they are rainbow-colored patches in yellow, white,

00:28:47and red.

00:28:48On average, people have seen them between 10 and 20 times per year.

00:28:52The rare element called scandium might be responsible for this weird phenomenon.

00:28:57The Hestalen Lights might be the effect of it combusting with deposits of hydrogen, oxygen,

00:29:03and sodium.

00:29:04This solar phenomenon makes vertical objects look like they have no shadows in broad daylight.

00:29:09For this to happen, the sun needs to be at a 90-degree angle, directly above our planet.

00:29:14It's called Lahaina Noon.

00:29:16It translates to cruel sun in Hawaiian.

00:29:19To see it, you'll need to visit any location, like Singapore, Nicaragua, and parts of the

00:29:24Philippines that has a zero-degree latitude.

00:29:27In any of these places, you can enjoy Lahaina Noon twice a year.

00:29:32People can see a clear reflection of the sky in the waters of Sassaran Beach, Hualalampur,

00:29:37twice a month.

00:29:39That's because the tides are the lowest during the new moon and full moon days.

00:29:43The thin layer of water stretches across the smooth sand and makes it look like a mirror.

00:29:49Locals call it Mirror of the Sky, and it's a great place to take pictures that almost

00:29:53look photoshopped.

00:29:55The Namib Desert in Namibia is unlike any other desert.

00:29:59These weird circular patches spread all across the Namib, in an area of about 1,553 miles.

00:30:06They're also nicknamed the Fairy Circles, and the mysterious phenomenon that causes

00:30:10them was discovered a few years ago, in 2017.

00:30:14For starters, since there is little water in the desert, plants compete for food and

00:30:18eventually disappear.

00:30:20Here's where the patches come from.

00:30:22But then, the patches are taken over by termites, so nothing can grow back in the same area.

00:30:28The mountainside of Zhangjia National Geopark in China is known for its splashes of rainbow

00:30:33and thick straight lines.

00:30:35The rocks here are also smooth, sharp, and several hundred meters tall.

00:30:40The resulting colors are caused by deposits of sandstone and other minerals dating back

00:30:45over 24 million years.

00:30:47Wind and other weather conditions sculpted these stunning shapes over time, giving them

00:30:51varying colors, sizes, and patterns.

00:30:54To preserve the location, tourists are not allowed to climb directly on these rocks.

00:30:59Underneath the frozen waters of Lake Abraham in Alberta, you'll be able to spot some

00:31:04weird objects beneath the ice that look like frozen jellyfish.

00:31:08These creepy formations are just frozen methane bubbles, meaning pockets of gas that were

00:31:12trapped underwater and got stuck there after the lakes turned to ice.

00:31:17They're made when leaves and grass fall into the water and are eaten by bacteria,

00:31:21which transforms them into methane.

00:31:23It's nice to look at, but dangerous, since it can easily become highly flammable.

00:31:29When the temperatures rise during the spring, the ice melts and these gassy bubbles pop

00:31:34and fizz.

00:31:35It's a spectacular sight.

00:31:37Just remember not to have any fire source nearby.

00:31:40Scientists have found these types of methane bubbles out there stretched over 3,000 feet

00:31:45long areas.

00:31:46The Kjerug Bolton Boulder got trapped there during the alternating melting of Norwegian

00:31:51glaciers in the flooding of the valleys.

00:31:53It's become a popular hiking location and an even more popular one for taking pictures.

00:31:59Visiting it does take you more than 3,280 feet high.

00:32:03These are lenticular clouds and they create a lovely illusion.

00:32:07If you look at them, you might think they look like mountains that are somehow wearing

00:32:11white fluffy hats.

00:32:13These clouds are most common where strong, wet winds blow over harsh terrain.

00:32:18Mount Fuji is famous for its lenticular clouds, but they were also seen at Mount Rainier in

00:32:23Washington, and Mount Aragal in Ireland.

00:32:27This forest of giant limestone spikes is called Syngi, which translates to where one cannot

00:32:33walk barefoot, or walk on tiptoes for people living in Madagascar.

00:32:38To see these needle-like formations from this national park, a bridge was set in a place

00:32:43where tourists can walk across, covering more than 580 square miles.

00:32:48This forest has some rock pinnacles reaching over 2,500 feet high.

00:32:53In the colder season, New York's Letchworth State Park, sometimes called the Grand Canyon

00:32:58of the East, has its own phenomenon.

00:33:01Water from a natural spring-fed fountain freezes mid-flight, making a sharp ice volcano.

00:33:07It also grows larger and larger as winter days pass, sometimes growing as tall as 50 feet.

00:33:13Selenisurus grandiflorus.

00:33:15Meh, let's leave it on the screen for now.

00:33:18Right, this one looks like a wilted cactus on any given day.

00:33:22But on one magical summer evening, this mysterious plant makes up these vanilla-scented white

00:33:27blooms.

00:33:28Unfortunately, it only lasts until the next morning.

00:33:31For botany enthusiasts, there is an annual show at Tucson's Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens,

00:33:37which features the largest collection of such plants.

00:33:40The annual show is quite tricky to organize, too, since the bloom can only be predicted

00:33:44on the day it happens.

00:33:46To witness a rare, golden waterfall, you'll just have to drive out to Yosemite National

00:33:51Park at the Horsetail Falls.

00:33:54Plan your trip in winter or early spring.

00:33:56That's the only time during the year when this weird phenomenon can be spotted.

00:34:00It's nothing more than sunlight, at dusk, hitting the waterfall in such a unique way

00:34:05that it makes it look like a river of lava, or gold, the viewer's choice.

00:34:10That's the reason why during this time of year, the Horsetail Falls is also named the

00:34:14Fire Fall.

00:34:16This site is becoming less and less visible in recent years because of drought.

00:34:20Now picture this.

00:34:22You're watching a volcano erupt, which is a scary view by itself.

00:34:25But suddenly, you notice ominous bright flashes lighting up the sky over the volcano.

00:34:31It takes the nightmarishness of the experience to a whole new level!

00:34:36One causes static electricity, which occurs when dense ash particles rub together not

00:34:41very high above the ground.

00:34:43The other source of volcanic lightning is high above the surface, near the stratosphere,

00:34:48where chaotically moving ice crystals set free powerful jolts.

00:34:54Salar del Uyuni feels like you're standing on top of a large mirror, but it's actually

00:34:58a salt flat of more than 4,000 square miles.

00:35:02It's located in Bolivia, South America's highest elevated country.

00:35:07This natural mirror is a remnant of prehistoric lakes that had evaporated a long time ago.

00:35:13Even though it may look flat, GPS technology proved that some of the landscape has some

00:35:18little defaults that are all less than an inch small.

00:35:22The place is so bogged that it has around 10 billion tons of salt.

00:35:27If you get there at the right time, some of the nearby lakes overflow with a small

00:35:31layer of water, which acts as the mirror of the sky.

00:35:35Many locals extract salt and lithium from there.

00:35:38Don't forget to pass by the world's first salt hotel when you visit!

00:35:42You can find a real rainbow mountain in Peru.

00:35:45Scientists still can't explain it.

00:35:47The colorful peak is hard to reach, but seeing the blue, red, green, yellow, and pink colors

00:35:52in nature is something to remember.

00:35:56What looks like frozen flying saucers is, in fact, pockets of highly flammable and combustible

00:36:02methane gas.

00:36:03Trapped underwater, it forms psychedelic landscapes and stunning patterns.

00:36:08Typical for northern lakes, such as Lake Abraham in Alberta, Canada, these bubbles appear when

00:36:14dead animals, leaves, and plants fall into the water and get consumed by bacteria.

00:36:19These bacteria later excrete methane gas.

00:36:22Wow, I can smell it from here!

00:36:25In late March 2018, Eastern Europe witnessed an event as beautiful as it was spooky.

00:36:32Skiers glided down tangerine slopes under the red-tinted sky.

00:36:37Puzzled and excited, people described this experience as walking on Mars or skiing down

00:36:42sand dunes.

00:36:44But however mysterious this phenomenon seems, it has a disappointingly simple explanation.

00:36:50The sponsor of the extraterrestrial landscape was a powerful sandstorm that had arrived

00:36:55from the Sahara Desert.

00:36:57This storm had brought along dust, sand, and pollen particles that colored the snow orange.

00:37:02It's not a one-time natural phenomenon.

00:37:04Meteorologists say that orange snow covers the lands of Eastern Europe at least once

00:37:09every five years.

00:37:10Meanwhile, don't eat the orange snow!

00:37:14On February 20 and 21 of 2018, people in the northeastern part of the US experienced one

00:37:21of the most extraordinary weather events of recent times, and it was… a heat wave.

00:37:26Yep, in February!

00:37:28In fact, it was the most impressive winter heat wave since official weather records started

00:37:33in the 1800s.

00:37:34For example, in Freiburg, Maine, people were taking off their coats after the temperature

00:37:39had risen to a baffling 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

00:37:42In Fitchburg, Massachusetts, confused people put on sandals when they saw the temperature

00:37:47outside – 80 degrees.

00:37:49The same was happening in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where the temperature reached 83, and in Wells,

00:37:55Maine, where the thermometer showed 77 degrees.

00:38:00Around 11,000 years ago, in present-day Turkey, with no cities or metal tools whatsoever,

00:38:06some incredibly skilled craftsmen completed Gobekli Tepe.

00:38:10How they managed to chip and lift limestone blocks three times as heavy as a T-Rex and

00:38:15what they symbolize is still unknown.

00:38:20One mind-blowing fact about Devil's Tower in Wyoming, USA, is that scientists can't

00:38:26explain how it came to existence in the first place.

00:38:28You see, it's an 867-foot rock formation with walls so steep they're basically vertical.

00:38:36This piece of stone just arose amid the rolling plains of Wyoming with nothing like it for

00:38:41miles and miles around.

00:38:43So how is it that such a flat landscape could've suddenly given birth to something so tall?

00:38:48Theories abound, but nobody has the answer yet.

00:38:53Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is a major tourist attraction and a World Heritage

00:38:59Site with many unique animals and plants teeming around.

00:39:03It looks like an epic movie set with infinite waterfalls flowing from every direction and

00:39:09the clear lakes all around.

00:39:12In the mid-1980s, a scuba diver discovered the Yanaguni Monument off the coast of Japan.

00:39:18Scientists are positive this collection of structures is thousands of years old, but

00:39:23they still can't decide if it's natural or man-made.

00:39:26In case it proves to be an ancient city, the new mystery is what lost civilization built

00:39:31it and how did it make it to the bottom of the sea?

00:39:36The shape and formations of these rocks aren't a result of some human's work.

00:39:40They were created by intense volcanic eruptions.

00:39:44Scientists are still confused why the Giant's Causeway in Ireland is shaped in such a weird

00:39:49way.

00:39:51Back in 1812, for an unknown reason, an English farmer paid a local painter to remove tons

00:39:57of soil on a hillside and fill the contours with chalk.

00:40:01The painter ran away with the money, so the farmer had to pay a second time to get the

00:40:06Alton Barn's white horse finished.

00:40:10Black Falls in Iceland get their name from the dark lava columns surrounding it.

00:40:15The base of the waterfall has sharp rocks.

00:40:17The entire structure was the inspiration for Icelandic architecture seen in some of their

00:40:22famous buildings.

00:40:25You can see hair ice in the forest on a humid winter night.

00:40:29Resembling cotton candy or a white hair wig, unusual ice crystals grow on rotting wood.

00:40:35Unfortunately, this beauty melts as soon as the sun comes up.

00:40:39We recently have scientists discover what creates hair ice.

00:40:43All this time it was, are you ready?

00:40:45Fungus.

00:40:46Yep.

00:40:47It allows the ice to form super-thin hairs and helps them to support this form throughout

00:40:51the night.

00:40:53When this particular type of fungus isn't present, instead of fragile hair, ice forms

00:40:58a crust-like structure.

00:41:01One of the most common causes of wildfires is lightning from thunderstorms.

00:41:06But have you ever heard of a wildfire that triggered a thunderstorm?

00:41:10Well, now you know!

00:41:12It happened on May 11, 2018, not far from Amarillo, Texas.

00:41:17Then the super-powerful Mallard Fire not only created a massive dense cloud high in the

00:41:22air, its heat also caused a violent thunderstorm that later dumped tons of quarter-sized hailstones

00:41:2960 miles away in Wheeler County, Texas.

00:41:34Carhenge is the weirdest landmark of Nebraska.

00:41:37Its author studied the real Stonehenge and created his own version out of old cars as

00:41:42a tribute to his father.

00:41:44Some cars stand like monoliths.

00:41:47Others are connected into arches.

00:41:52When asked why he did all this, the creator of the construction said, why not?

00:41:58Another Stonehenge lookalike was found on the bottom of Lake Michigan in 2007.

00:42:04There's a group of rocks in a circle and carvings of a mastodon.

00:42:08This beast ceased existing over 10,000 years ago, so the carving has to be older than that.

00:42:13Its location is kept secret from the public.

00:42:16Good luck finding it!

00:42:19Canada's Hudson Bay is probably the only place in the world where gravity is indeed

00:42:23lower than anywhere else on the planet.

00:42:26Even skeptics can't smirk at it because the difference has been measured with precision

00:42:31equipment.

00:42:32So does it mean that the gravity here is as low as, say, on the Moon?

00:42:37Unfortunately, or is it luckily, I'm not sure yet.

00:42:40The difference is minuscule.

00:42:42The exact value is 0.005, or 1 200th of a percent.

00:42:48You won't be able to feel it even if you try your hardest, but it's still there.

00:42:52Scientists say this anomaly exists because of the ice sheet that covered the area about

00:42:5710,000 years ago.

00:42:58It compressed the rocks so much that they still can't fully recover, shifting the

00:43:03gravitational field in Hudson Bay.

00:43:06Sometime in the future, though, the gravity will return to normal in this area as well.

00:43:12In 2010, fossilized fish were uncovered 250 miles west of the Nile River, where the Sahara

00:43:18Desert was as arid as ever.

00:43:21This chance finding led scientists to believe there could've been a sea where the Sierra

00:43:25is now.

00:43:27So they conducted a geological survey of the area, and it yielded unexpected results.

00:43:33They found evidence of something huge under the sands, and it wasn't part of any sea

00:43:37at all.

00:43:40For several months, the research continued with GPS equipment on land, and later, when

00:43:45all the ground data was collected, scientists took a look at the area from a satellite.

00:43:49The view was astounding.

00:43:51It turned out there was an enormous basin underneath the desert, with another, smaller

00:43:56one nearby.

00:43:58Along the shores of these basins, ancient human settlements had been found previously,

00:44:03and now the researchers finally had the answer as to why exactly they had chosen those spots

00:44:08to live.

00:44:09There had been a lake of impressive proportions – over 42,000 square miles of freshwater

00:44:15in total, about half the size of Lake Michigan.

00:44:21In Russia, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, there's an enigmatic national park.

00:44:26The Dancing Forest is a place that no scientist has managed to explain so far.

00:44:31The pine trees of the forest are all crooked and twisted into loops and spirals.

00:44:36The forest didn't appear until the early 60s, when the pines were planted in order

00:44:41to make the sand dune in that area more stable.

00:44:44One theory is that it's the unstable sand that made the trees twist in such a way.

00:44:49Other theories for the crooked trees are strong winds, or even supernatural powers.

00:44:54Some people say the forest is a place where positive and negative energies meet, twisting

00:44:59the trees.

00:45:00Local legend says that if a person climbs through one of the rings of a tree, it'll

00:45:05add an extra year to this person's life, or they'll be granted a wish.

00:45:09I like that one.

00:45:11Speaking of bizarre trees, and I was, one grows in the region of Piedmont, Italy.

00:45:16There, a cherry tree grows on the top of a mulberry tree.

00:45:21The strange thing is that both trees are perfectly healthy.

00:45:26A continuous storm at Saturn's north pole has an odd shape – a hexagon.

00:45:32This is probably because of the gradient of the winds.

00:45:35The total length of this cloud pattern is 9,000 miles, which is about 1,200 miles longer

00:45:40than the Earth's diameter.

00:45:42The hexagon has been observed for many years, but it gets even more mysterious because it

00:45:47changes color too.

00:45:49It used to be turquoise, but it has recently shifted to a golden color.

00:45:54The reason for the color change is that the pole gets exposed to sunlight as the seasons

00:45:59change.

00:46:02Rain isn't unusual for Oakville, Washington.

00:46:05However, this one still doesn't have any solid scientific explanation.

00:46:10Instead of common raindrops, people watched translucent jelly-like blobs fall from the

00:46:15skies.

00:46:16These blobs covered about 20 square miles.

00:46:19Those who got really close to the rain experienced flu-like symptoms.

00:46:23What were the blobs?

00:46:25Researchers claimed that the blobs contained human white blood cells.

00:46:29Later tests showed no presence of nuclei.

00:46:32Some people claim the blobs might've been evaporated jellyfish resulting in rain.

00:46:37Or maybe even waste from a commercial plane.

00:46:42Walking rocks, also known as sailing rocks, move across the Death Valley National Park

00:46:47in California without any external intervention, leaving long trails in the dirt and sand along

00:46:54their way.

00:46:55Various time-lapse footages of the moving rocks have been taken.

00:46:59Scientists even installed GPS navigators on some of the rocks, and it showed that the

00:47:03rocks move at a considerable speed.

00:47:06Some researchers believe that the movement is due to thin sheets of ice that form overnight

00:47:11at freezing temperatures in the valley, letting the rocks move until it melts during the day.

00:47:17Or there was a Rolling Stones concert.

00:47:21Nah.

00:47:23The Batageca Crater in Siberia looks like a doorway to the underworld.

00:47:28It's about a half-mile long and over 280 feet deep, but it never stops growing.

00:47:34As it gets deeper, it exposes more underground layers.

00:47:37The layers show what our planet looked like thousands of years ago, as the slumps reveal

00:47:42the used-to-be climates.

00:47:44The crater appeared back in the 60s, and it all started with rapid deforestation.

00:47:49Trees no longer cast shade on the ground, and it got hotter.

00:47:53The permafrost melted, resulting in the crater formation.

00:47:58The throbbing hum in Taos, New Mexico has driven locals wild since the 1990s.

00:48:09The low-frequency hum deprives people of sleep and depletes their energy.

00:48:14Even though scientists have tried to find the source of the hum, they still haven't

00:48:18pinpointed its origin.

00:48:20Different variations of the hum have also been heard in the UK, Australia, Canada, and

00:48:25other areas of the US.

00:48:27Luckily, only about 2% of the world's population can hear it.

00:48:31The hums have been blamed on mechanical devices, multiple disturbances of auditory systems,

00:48:37and even animals.

00:48:38The West Seattle hum, for example, was blamed on toadfish.

00:48:44Fairy rings, also known as elf rings or pixie rings, are mysterious rings of mushrooms that

00:48:50appear in grasslands and forested areas.

00:48:53There's a lot of debate about why these fungi form a nearly perfect circle.

00:48:58Some superstitions claim that fairy dances would burn the ground, causing mushrooms to

00:49:02rapidly grow.

00:49:05In Costa Rica, there's an assortment of about 300 spherical stone balls.

00:49:11Locals call them las bolas, which is simply the balls in English.

00:49:15These stones have an almost perfect round shape.

00:49:18Some of them are huge, weighing up to 16 tons each.

00:49:22They're also made of different materials – gabbro, limestone, and sandstone.

00:49:27They're considered to have been put in straight lines in front of the chiefs' houses, but

00:49:31there's no precise information of their origin.

00:49:34Some myths claim that these stones originated in Atlantis.

00:49:41If you ever travel to the Mekong River in late October, you have a chance of seeing

00:49:45glowing balls rising from the water and beelining up into the air.

00:49:50Locals call these glowing balls the Naga fireballs.

00:49:54The size of the lights vary.

00:49:56The reddish balls can be as tiny as a spark and as large as a basketball.

00:50:00There can be dozens to thousands of balls a night.

00:50:04Scientists don't have any solid explanation for why it happens, but it could be due to

00:50:08flammable gases released by the marshy environment.

00:50:12Some superstitious locals are sure it's all because of a giant serpent living in the

00:50:16Mekong.

00:50:18Giant balls of fire.

00:50:22In Minnesota, on the north shore of Lake Superior, there's a park known for the Devil's Kettle.

00:50:28This is a waterfall that splits in two.

00:50:30One part of the river continues, while the other part disappears into a hole in the ground.

00:50:36Whatever object you throw into the Devil's Kettle won't reappear.

00:50:40Scientists still haven't fully explained where the water that drops into the hole goes.

00:50:45Devil's Kettle is considered to be unsafe for people because it's nearly impossible

00:50:49to trace the flow.

00:50:50Yeah, not a place to go tubing.

00:50:54Grunions are fish known for their bizarre mating ritual.

00:50:58The females climb out of the water and onto the shore.

00:51:01They dig their tails into the sand in order to lay eggs.

00:51:05The legs stay hidden in the sand, waiting.

00:51:07Ten days later, the high tide comes, washing the newly hatched young to the sea.

00:51:13Scientists still can't give any solid explanation for this way of breeding.

00:51:19People who live in rural central Norway, over the Hestalen Valley, can often witness floating

00:51:25lights of white, yellow, and red cross the sky.

00:51:28The lights appear both at day and night, and once back in the 80s, they were spotted 15-20

00:51:34times in a single week.

00:51:36The Hestalen lights can last just a few seconds, but sometimes they can last more than an hour.

00:51:42The lights move, seeming to float or even sway around.

00:51:46Some scientists believe that the reason for these lights is due to ionized iron dust.

00:51:51Others say it's combustion that includes sodium, oxygen, and hydrogen.

00:51:56Many people claim they're just misidentified aircrafts.

00:52:01Yellowstone Park has a famous boiling lake, but it's not the world's only place of

00:52:06boiling water.

00:52:08Deep in the Amazon, there's the 4-mile Chenet-Timpishka River that's always hot.

00:52:13The name means boiled by the sun.

00:52:16Well, it's not exactly boiling, but it can reach 196°F – enough to cook pasta!

00:52:22Ooh, let's try that!

00:52:25The lowest temperature in these waters is about 113°F.

00:52:29This river still can't be scientifically explained because it would require close proximity

00:52:34to a volcano for the water to reach such temperatures.

00:52:37However, the closest volcano is 400 miles away.

00:52:41But there could be a fault between the Earth that could explain this phenomenon.

00:52:47In western Venezuela, locals living close to the Catatumbo River aren't afraid of

00:52:52lightning because they see it almost every single night.

00:52:56It starts at around 7 o'clock and doesn't stop until dawn.

00:53:00The everlasting Catatumbo lightning did once stop for a few months, from January to March

00:53:062010.

00:53:07It was probably due to drought.

00:53:09Or maybe the charge ran out.

00:53:11In 1991, a scientist suggested that the phenomenon happens because of cold and warm air currents

00:53:17meeting in the area.

00:53:19Another theory is that the lightning could be due to the presence of uranium in the bedrock.

00:53:24Speaking of lightning, I gotta bolt!

00:53:27Bye!

00:53:28The Baltic Sea Anomaly In 2011, a diving team came down to the bottom

00:53:33of the northern part of the Baltic Sea.

00:53:35They went on a treasure hunt, but what they came upon was a pretty weird object.

00:53:41When they took photos and showed them to others, many believed it was a sunken spaceship of

00:53:46another civilization.

00:53:49Other people thought that some natural causes formed the object, but the metals inside the

00:53:54structure definitely couldn't have been formed naturally.

00:53:58Now, some scientists even believe it was something that appeared way back in the Ice Age.

00:54:04Maybe it was even a meteorite that ended up trapped under ice back then.

00:54:10A maelstrom is a whirlpool, some sort of a powerful rotational current that forms when

00:54:16two currents collide and create a circular vortex.

00:54:20Even fearless Vikings were afraid of maelstroms because those were forces so powerful that

00:54:25they could sink large ships.

00:54:27These whirlpools remain dangerous even today.

00:54:30Luckily, not for big modern ships that are large enough to withstand the power of maelstroms.

00:54:37But a cruise ship that gets into a maelstrom usually faces massive waves that can rock

00:54:43even big vessels from side to side pretty intensely.

00:54:48A maelstrom can be so strong, it can turn into some sort of an underwater black hole.

00:54:53Yep, black holes are not only present in the cold expanse of space, you can find them here

00:54:59on our home planet too, swirling in the oceans.

00:55:02They're similar to those in space, since they're compacted so tightly that nothing they trap

00:55:08can escape.

00:55:11Underwater black holes often span up to 93 miles in diameter, and if you got into one

00:55:17of those, you probably wouldn't even know it.

00:55:20These black holes act like vortices, but because of their size, even professionals can hardly

00:55:25see their boundaries.

00:55:28Here's something relaxing.

00:55:30Next time you go to the beach, pay attention, and maybe you'll see an optical phenomenon

00:55:35called the green flash.

00:55:38You can see it shortly after sunset or right before sunrise.

00:55:42It occurs when the sun is almost completely below the horizon, while its rim, the upper

00:55:47one, is still visible.

00:55:50For just a second or two, that upper edge of the sun will appear green.

00:55:55That's because you're looking at the sun through thicker parts of the atmosphere as

00:55:59it's moving down in the sky.

00:56:01As it's dipping below the horizon, light refracts, or bends, in the atmosphere and gets dispersed.

00:56:10Wait for a clear day with no clouds or haze on the horizon to see this phenomenon better.

00:56:17You've been looking forward to a nice swim, only to realize that the water in the ocean

00:56:22is red?

00:56:24Better avoid going in.

00:56:25Florida is known for its red tides.

00:56:28It occurs when the concentration of specific microscopic algae is higher than normal.

00:56:35Thousands of species of algae in marine and fresh waters are mostly harmless to animals

00:56:40and humans.

00:56:41They even help us, since they're an important source of oxygen.

00:56:45But some, like the algae that makes the ocean red, can be extremely dangerous for marine

00:56:51animals like sea turtles, fish, and seabirds.

00:56:56This kind can grow out of control and produce neurotoxins harmful to humans, especially

00:57:02those who have some respiratory issues.

00:57:05Such people should avoid red tide areas, especially when winds are strong enough to push the algae

00:57:10toward the shore.

00:57:13Volcanoes can spew poisonous gas, ash, and red-hot lava.

00:57:18Volcanoes are the most obvious dangers most of us already know about.

00:57:21But submarine volcanoes can be very tricky in their own way.

00:57:26Sometimes, when they're located in shallow waters, they reveal their presence by blasting

00:57:31debris of rock and steam high above the surface.

00:57:36Since submarine volcanoes are surrounded by an unlimited supply of water, they can behave

00:57:40differently from those on land.

00:57:43When they erupt, seawater gets into active submarine vents.

00:57:49Lava can be spreading across a shallow sea floor, or sometimes even flowing into the

00:57:53sea from land volcanoes.

00:57:55When in water, it may cool down so quickly that it shatters into rubble and sand.

00:58:01So, there are large amounts of volcanic debris left there.

00:58:05You know those popular black sand beaches in Hawaii?

00:58:08That's how they formed.

00:58:12Lava and powerful eruptions certainly don't sound safe, but submarine volcanoes in deeper

00:58:17waters are equally dangerous.

00:58:20Even though they're not necessarily erupting, they produce pockets of bubbles.

00:58:25These bubbles reduce the density of the surrounding waters, which can even sink ships.

00:58:31The worst thing is that when you look at the surface of the ocean, you can't understand

00:58:36something's wrong.

00:58:37But at the same time, tiny bubbles are there, causing ships to lose buoyancy, and with very

00:58:43little warning.

00:58:46Across sea is a rare phenomenon, beautiful to observe, but also very dangerous.

00:58:52It's when you see square waves, which are more common in shallow parts of the ocean.

00:58:57That's something you can often see in France, or on certain beaches of Tel Aviv.

00:59:02But it can also happen in many coastal areas across the world.

00:59:08Across sea occurs when two wave patterns travel at oblique angles.

00:59:13They form this checkerboard-like pattern.

00:59:15It mostly happens when two swells meet, or when a swell pushes waves in one direction,

00:59:20while a strong wind pushes them in another.

00:59:25These square waves can be dangerous for swimmers and boaters.

00:59:29The waves produced by strong ocean currents can be pretty unpredictable and tall, sometimes

00:59:34up to almost 10 feet.

00:59:36This phenomenon is sometimes called white walls.

00:59:39These waves can be so powerful that they can turn over even big boats.

00:59:44If you fill a clear glass with some ocean water and take a closer look, you'll see it's

00:59:50full of very small particles.

00:59:53Ocean water contains dissolved salts, fats, algae, proteins, detergents, and other bits

00:59:59of artificial and organic matter.

01:00:03If you shake that glass, you'll see tiny bubbles forming on its surface.

01:00:07That's how sea foam forms when waves and winds agitate the ocean.

01:00:12When you see thick sea foam, algal blooms might have caused it.

01:00:16When big blooms of algae fall apart in the sea, large amounts of that matter move in

01:00:21the direction of dry land.

01:00:25Most kinds of sea foam aren't dangerous to humans.

01:00:28But when blooms of algae fall apart, it can have a negative impact on both the environment

01:00:33and people.

01:00:34For example, when sea foam bubbles pop, the toxins they contain get released into the

01:00:39air and they can irritate your eyes or cause some other health issues.

01:00:46You can see a tidal bore in the areas where a river empties into a sea or an ocean.

01:00:52It's a powerful tide that goes against the current and pushes up the river.

01:00:57A tidal bore falls into a category of something called the surge, which is a sudden change

01:01:02in depth.

01:01:03A tidal bore is a positive surge, which means it pushes up a river, making it much deeper.

01:01:10A negative surge is when the river suddenly becomes very shallow.

01:01:15You won't see tidal bores everywhere.

01:01:17The river must be fairly shallow with a narrow outlet to the sea.

01:01:21The place where the sea and the river meet must be flat and wide.

01:01:25Also, the area between low and high tide must be at least 20 feet across.

01:01:32Of course, there are some exceptions, like the Amazon River, the world's largest one.

01:01:38The mouth of the Amazon is not narrow, but the river experiences tidal bores.

01:01:43That's because its mouth is shallow and has many sandbars and low-lying islands.

01:01:49The tidal bore is so strong there that the river doesn't even have a delta.

01:01:54Its sediment goes directly into the Atlantic Ocean, where fast-moving currents take it

01:01:58away.

01:01:59A tidal bore is often unpredictable and can be extremely rough.

01:02:04In many cases, it changes the color of the river from greenish or blue to brown.

01:02:10It can damage vegetation or even tear trees out of the ground.

01:02:14So, recreation sports like kayaking and river surfing can be hazardous in these areas.

01:02:22Even if you just want to take a look at a tidal bore, be careful.

01:02:26Tidal waves can sweep over lookout points and drag whatever or whoever is there into

01:02:31the churning river.

01:02:32Hey, ever heard of a fire rainbow?

01:02:35Yeah, me neither.

01:02:37How about a circumhorizontal arc?

01:02:40Don't think so, but just so you know, they're one and the same thing.

01:02:44At first glance, it looks like a painting, or like a rainbow-colored splash in the sky.

01:02:50Despite the name, they have nothing in common with either fire or rain.

01:02:54This phenomenon happens on rare occasions when the sun shines through a particular type

01:02:59of ice cloud formation.

01:03:02The rainbow halos are just as unique.

01:03:04Again, a specific type of ice crystals and clouds needs to be present for the surface

01:03:09of the Earth to bend light from the sun into a perfect ring.

01:03:14The same thing can happen with moonlight.

01:03:16The only difference will be that moon halos are usually white, and sun halos can be rainbow-colored.

01:03:23When visiting regions with high altitudes, you may be one of the lucky people to stumble

01:03:28upon penitentes.

01:03:30They're basically naturally formed ice spikes.

01:03:33For them to be formed, they need a really cold and elevated environment where the air

01:03:37is dry.

01:03:39The sunlight turns ice directly into vapor, rather than melting it into water.

01:03:44And that's why these blades of snow and ice start to pop up on the surface of the

01:03:48Earth.

01:03:49As cute as they may be, they can end up as tall as 15 feet!

01:03:54What happens when small, individual droplets of lava meet the wind?

01:03:59Pele's hair, basically.

01:04:01Let me explain.

01:04:02The word Pele comes from an ancient Hawaiian symbol for volcanoes.

01:04:07Whenever the wind picks up little drops of lava, it stretches them into hair-like strands,

01:04:13similar to the process of glass wire creation.

01:04:16These delicate strands can stretch as far as 6 feet.

01:04:20On rare occasions, it can rain without any clouds.

01:04:24But does it really?

01:04:26Let's look at the science behind this rare phenomenon.

01:04:29It's sometimes called a sun shower, just because it looks like the rain is falling

01:04:33straight from the sun.

01:04:35Let's be clear, though.

01:04:36There is no way rain can ever come down directly from a star.

01:04:41Rain clouds are at a bit of a distance from that specific location.

01:04:45With sun rays being angled, the clouds become out of sight.

01:04:49Add a little wind to blow the rain in your direction, and ta-da!

01:04:53You get sun showers!

01:04:56Located in Bolivia is a place called Salar de Uyuni.

01:05:00It's the largest salt flat in the world.

01:05:03It's also the home of half of the world's lithium, which is a crucial component for

01:05:07making batteries.

01:05:08But what else is so special about this place?

01:05:12Whenever the rain season comes, it turns this piece of flat land into a perfectly reflective

01:05:17mirror lake.

01:05:19What comes to your mind when you hear about the Blood Falls?

01:05:22A horror movie?

01:05:23Well, they are merely a series of waterfalls located in one of the driest regions of Antarctica.

01:05:30They emerge from an underground lake filled with a special kind of bacteria.

01:05:35These little organisms use sulfates as fuel instead of sugars, which makes them very intriguing

01:05:40for scientists.

01:05:42The water contained in this lake is so full of iron that it basically just rusts when

01:05:47it meets the air.

01:05:48Hence, the reddish color of the waterfall, which also gives it its trademark name.

01:05:53Okay, we all know the song, but it's not really made up.

01:05:58There is actually such a thing called a desert rose.

01:06:01It's not a plant, though, but a unique form of the mineral gypsum.

01:06:05It develops in dry sandy places that can occasionally flood.

01:06:09This constant switching between a wet and dry environment lets the gypsum crystals emerge

01:06:14between grains of sand, trapping them and forming a rose-like shape.

01:06:20Ever heard of the Eye of Sahara?

01:06:22Scientists are still trying to figure out how it was formed.

01:06:26You can only see it if you fly above it, but it's basically a naturally formed dome

01:06:31that dates back to approximately 100 million years ago.

01:06:35And no, I wasn't around then.

01:06:37It has a rough diameter of 25 miles and consists of a bunch of concentric rings.

01:06:43The biggest one, or the central area, measures about 19 miles in diameter.

01:06:49Astronauts were some of the first people to notice it, and it's been studied ever since.

01:06:53In fact, even to this day, when landing in Florida, they know they're almost home when

01:06:59they see the Eye of Sahara.

01:07:02One of the most beautifully colored trees in the world is located in the Philippines

01:07:06and Indonesia.

01:07:07It's called the Rainbow Eucalyptus.

01:07:10It got its name because of its bark that switches colors and peels away as the tree ages.

01:07:16The bright green bark is the youngest, as it contains a substance called chlorophyll,

01:07:21usually found in leaves.

01:07:23It then switches to purple, and then to the color red.

01:07:26And finally, it turns brown as it grows and loses the chlorophyll.

01:07:31Don't be tricked into thinking that's a whole forest.

01:07:35It's one single tree.

01:07:36And no, it's not some sort of optical illusion either.

01:07:40Let me explain.

01:07:42Underneath that soil, there is a complex network of roots that connects around 47,000 tree-like

01:07:48shapes you see above the ground.

01:07:51It's called the Quaking Aspen.

01:07:53Some of these trees are among the oldest and largest organisms in the world.

01:07:57Now, here's a good destination for all travelers.

01:08:01Or maybe not so good, after all.

01:08:03The most lightning-stricken area in the world, according to recent data released by NASA,

01:08:09is Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.

01:08:12Out of all the days in a year, 300 of them feature thunderstorms in this location.

01:08:17What makes this area so unique, though, that storms happen so often?

01:08:21Well, it's because where cool mountain air meets the warm moist breeze and generates

01:08:27electricity over the lake.

01:08:30The Eternal Flame Falls are located in upstate New York, near the Canadian border.

01:08:35In this region, there is a tiny waterfall with a big secret – a spark about 8 inches

01:08:41tall.

01:08:42Turns out there's a natural gas seep that provides fuel to the flame behind the waterfall.

01:08:47The waterfall provides enough coverage so that it stays lit pretty much every time.

01:08:53Hikers do enjoy to relight it if they see that it's been blown out.

01:08:57This phenomenon is actually quite common, but this one gained more popularity because

01:09:02it is younger than most.

01:09:04And it looks very good in pictures, let's be honest!

01:09:07I've heard of yellow sand, white sand, and even black sand here or there.

01:09:12But I've never heard of green beaches until now.

01:09:15Papakolia, also known as Green Sand Beach, is located in Hawaii and is one of the few

01:09:21beaches in the world that features green sand.

01:09:25The unique coloring comes from olivine rock that was formed when a nearby volcano erupted.

01:09:31Actually in Hawaii, all the volcanoes are nearby.

01:09:35Move over, green sands, because some of the other beaches around the world can even glow

01:09:39at night.

01:09:40And it's completely natural.

01:09:42The culprit?

01:09:43A little thing called photoplankton, or microalgae as they're sometimes called.

01:09:49They're basically little plants that contain chlorophyll and need sunlight in order to

01:09:53live and grow.

01:09:56Most photoplankton kinds are able to float in the upper part of the ocean, where the

01:10:00sunlight can still reach them beneath the water.

01:10:03When the photoplankton gets agitated by the movement of waves and currents, they emit

01:10:07light, which looks like some glow during the night.

01:10:11These special microorganisms are found on beaches in a lot of places around the world,

01:10:16such as the Maldives, Puerto Rico, and the Everglades.

01:10:21At the base of a mountain located just outside of Afton, Wyoming, is a little river called

01:10:26the Intermittent Spring.

01:10:28There are only 3 of this kind in the whole world, but what makes this little string of

01:10:33water so mysterious?

01:10:34Well, the fact that it starts and stops every few minutes.

01:10:39Scientists have yet to pinpoint precisely why this happens.

01:10:42They speculate that it's basically just a siphon effect that happens deep within the

01:10:46ground that causes the river to just start and stop so often.

01:10:50Should you ever be interested in checking it out, be sure to do so in the late summer,

01:10:56because that's when the Intermittent Spring is most active.

01:10:59Do you see the irony here?

01:11:01You can only see the spring in the summer?

01:11:03Okay, I'm done.

01:11:05The Liquid Rainbow, or the River of Five Colors, exists and is located in La Macarena, Colombia.

01:11:12Here you'll be able to see red, yellow, green, and purple waters flow down the river.

01:11:17And the color depends on the water or light conditions.

01:11:20The Macarenia clavigera, an aquatic plant, is the one responsible for this beautiful

01:11:25natural phenomenon.

01:11:27It latches onto the rocks found in the riverbed and gives the river that particular reddish hue.

01:11:32It also helps that the water here is really clear, since there are almost no nutrients

01:11:37or other small particles.

01:11:40The hottest place on Earth, and the lowest point in all of North America, is called the

01:11:44Death Valley.

01:11:45While traveling there, you may be tricked into thinking you're suddenly surrounded by ice.

01:11:50But that's not frozen water.

01:11:52It's actually salt.

01:11:53As rain mixes with minerals, they dissolve the outer layer of rocks surrounding the area.

01:11:58When the water evaporates, we're only left with the salt.

01:12:02This surreal landscape becomes even more striking once you see the dunes.

01:12:06They only account for a small portion of Death Valley, but are some of the most memorable

01:12:10sights, some rising over 680 feet.

01:12:14Should you ever be at the top of the dunes, you may be lucky enough to experience one

01:12:18of the strangest wonders of the desert, singing sand.

01:12:22Truth is, we've yet to fully understand this phenomenon.

01:12:26One explanation could be that the sand that slides down the dunes actually creates this

01:12:30sound because of the friction between its grains.

01:12:33When listening to it, it's similar to an airplane flying in the distance.

01:12:38This is one of the few places on Earth where the sand makes such a loud noise that it can

01:12:42be heard by visitors, along with the Namib Desert in Africa or the Barking Sands of Hawaii.

01:12:49Earthquake lights can appear before, during, or immediately after an earthquake.

01:12:54These white and blue lights generally last for just a few seconds, but you might catch

01:12:59one of those rare 10-minute ones too at times.

01:13:02It's difficult to study this natural phenomenon because earthquake lights seem to appear at

01:13:06different distances from the epicenter of the earthquake.

01:13:10Sometimes they happen directly over the epicenter, other times as far as 250 miles away.

01:13:16What we do know is that they only happen when the earthquake is strong enough, a Richter

01:13:20scale rating of 5.0 or above.

01:13:23It may have something to do with the release of ionized oxygen by the breaking of certain

01:13:27stone types.

01:13:29This unusual occurrence is called the Hessdalen Lights, and only happens on a small patch

01:13:34of land in Norway.

01:13:35They were first noticed in the 1930s.

01:13:38They also neither hover over the valley or move at great speed.

01:13:42Lasting just a couple of seconds, they are rainbow-colored patches in yellow, white,

01:13:46and red.

01:13:47On average, people have seen them between 10 and 20 times per year.

01:13:51The rare element called scandium might be responsible for this weird phenomenon.

01:13:57The Hessdalen Lights might be the effect of it combusting with deposits of hydrogen, oxygen,

01:14:02and sodium.

01:14:03This solar phenomenon makes vertical objects look like they have no shadows in broad daylight.

01:14:08For this to happen, the sun needs to be at a 90-degree angle, directly above our planet.

01:14:13It's called Lahaina Noon.

01:14:15It translates to cruel sun in Hawaiian.

01:14:18To see it, you'll need to visit any location, like Singapore, Nicaragua, and parts of the

01:14:23Philippines that has a zero-degree latitude.

01:14:26In any of these places, you can enjoy Lahaina Noon twice a year.

01:14:31People can see a clear reflection of the sky in the waters of Sassaran Beach, Kuala Lumpur

01:14:36twice a month.

01:14:38That's because the tides are the lowest during the new moon and full moon days.

01:14:42The thin layer of water stretches across the smooth sand and makes it look like a mirror.

01:14:48Locals call it Mirror of the Sky, and it's a great place to take pictures that almost

01:14:52look photoshopped.

01:14:54The Namib Desert in Namibia is unlike any other desert.

01:14:58These weird circular patches spread all across the Namib, in an area of about 1,553 miles.

01:15:05They're also nicknamed the Fairy Circles, and the mysterious phenomenon that causes

01:15:09them was discovered a few years ago, in 2017.

01:15:13For starters, since there is little water in the desert, plants compete for food and

01:15:17eventually disappear.

01:15:19Here's where the patches come from.

01:15:21But then, the patches are taken over by termites, so nothing can grow back in the same area.

01:15:28The mountainside of Zhangjia National Geopark in China is known for its splashes of rainbow

01:15:33and thick straight lines.

01:15:34The rocks here are also smooth, sharp, and several hundred meters tall.

01:15:39The resulting colors are caused by deposits of sandstone and other minerals dating back

01:15:44over 24 million years.

01:15:46Wind and other weather conditions sculpted these stunning shapes over time, giving them

01:15:51varying colors, sizes, and patterns.

01:15:53To preserve the location, tourists are not allowed to climb directly on these rocks.

01:15:58Underneath the frozen waters of Lake Abraham in Alberta, you'll be able to spot some

01:16:03weird objects beneath the ice that look like frozen jellyfish.

01:16:07These creepy formations are just frozen methane bubbles, meaning pockets of gas that were

01:16:11trapped underwater and got stuck there after the lakes turned to ice.

01:16:16They're made when leaves and grass fall into the water and are eaten by bacteria, which

01:16:20transforms them into methane.

01:16:22It's nice to look at, but dangerous, since it can easily become highly flammable.

01:16:28When the temperatures rise during the spring, the ice melts and these gassy bubbles pop

01:16:33and fizz.

01:16:34It's a spectacular sight.

01:16:36Just remember not to have any fire source nearby.

01:16:39Scientists have found these types of methane bubbles out there stretched over 3,000 feet

01:16:44long areas.

01:16:45The Kjerug Bolton Boulder got trapped there during the alternating melting of Norwegian

01:16:50glaciers in the flooding of the valleys.

01:16:52It's become a popular hiking location and an even more popular one for taking pictures.

01:16:58Visiting it does take you more than 3,280 feet high.

01:17:03These are lenticular clouds, and they create a lovely illusion.

01:17:06If you look at them, you might think they look like mountains that are somehow wearing

01:17:10white fluffy hats.

01:17:12These clouds are most common where strong, wet winds blow over harsh terrain.

01:17:17Mount Fuji is famous for its lenticular clouds, but they were also seen at Mount Rainier in

01:17:22Washington, and Mount Aragal in Ireland.

01:17:26This forest of giant limestone spikes is called Syngi, which translates to where one cannot

01:17:32walk barefoot, or walk on tiptoes for people living in Madagascar.

01:17:37To see these needle-like formations from this national park, a bridge was set in a place

01:17:42where tourists can walk across, covering more than 580 square miles.

01:17:47This forest has some rock pinnacles reaching over 2,500 feet high.

01:17:52In the colder season, New York's Letchworth State Park, sometimes called the Grand Canyon

01:17:57of the East, has its own phenomena.

01:18:00Water from a natural spring-fed fountain freezes mid-flight, making a sharp ice volcano.

01:18:06It also grows larger and larger as winter days pass, sometimes growing as tall as 50

01:18:12feet.

01:18:13Brachysurus grandiflorus Eh, let's leave it on the screen for now.

01:18:17Right, this one looks like a wilted cactus on any given day.

01:18:21But on one magical summer evening, this mysterious plant makes up these vanilla-scented white

01:18:26blooms.

01:18:27Unfortunately, it only lasts until the next morning.

01:18:30For botany enthusiasts, there is an annual show at Tucson's Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens,

01:18:36which features the largest collection of such plants.

01:18:39The annual show is quite tricky to organize, too, since the bloom can only be predicted

01:18:43on the day it happens.

01:18:46To witness a rare, golden waterfall, you'll just have to drive out to Yosemite National

01:18:50Park at the Horsetail Falls.

01:18:53Plan your trip in winter or early spring.

01:18:55That's the only time during the year when this weird phenomenon can be spotted.

01:19:00It's nothing more than sunlight, at dusk, hitting the waterfall in such a unique way

01:19:04that it makes it look like a river of lava, or gold, the viewer's choice.

01:19:09That's the reason why during this time of year, the Horsetail Falls is also named the

01:19:13Firefall.

01:19:15This site is becoming less and less visible in recent years because of drought.

01:19:19Hello distinguished guests and welcome to Aquarium Bright.

01:19:23Here you will get to see the most dangerous sea and ocean creatures.

01:19:27But don't let what I said mislead you.

01:19:29It's very well possible for you to come across one of these underwater animals during a walk

01:19:34on the beach.

01:19:35So take a look at them carefully now and you might just avoid a disaster.

01:19:42Is it fish or is it stone?

01:19:44What you're looking at is commonly known as the Stonefish, but its fancier names include

01:19:49the Dornorn and the Sinansia.

01:19:52If you're into diving and observing the underwater, you might already have come across one without

01:19:58noticing.

01:19:59Its appearance makes it almost impossible to distinguish it from a real stone due to

01:20:03its gray coloration and mottled appearance, especially if you're wearing fogged snorkel

01:20:09goggles.

01:20:10So you better pay attention because otherwise, the consequences can be unfortunate since

01:20:14Stonefish are the most venomous fish known.

01:20:17Although some types of Stonefishes are known to live in rivers, and most of them are found

01:20:22in coral reefs near the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans.

01:20:26Their needle-like dorsal fin spines stick up when they're disturbed or threatened and

01:20:31inject the poison they contain.

01:20:33The most common reason why Stonefish stings occur is swimmers stepping on them without

01:20:38realizing it.

01:20:39However, you don't need to be in the water to get stung.

01:20:42Since they can survive out of the water for up to 24 hours, you'll have to watch where

01:20:46you step when you're at the beach as well.

01:20:49Those who got stung by Stonefish describe their experience to be extremely distressing.

01:20:55Their venom can result in infection, and in some cases, it is known to cause shock

01:20:59and paralysis.

01:21:01It might come as a bit of a shock, but despite its bad reputation, Stonefish is edible if

01:21:07it's prepared properly.

01:21:08When the fish is heated, its venom breaks down.

01:21:11And if the dorsal fins, which are the main source of its venom, are removed, raw Stonefish

01:21:16is served as part of sashimi too.

01:21:20This creature might look like it came out of a science fiction movie, but it's very

01:21:23much real.

01:21:25Say hello to the blue-ringed octopuses.

01:21:28Don't be deceived by their small size, which can range between 5 to 8 inches including

01:21:33their arms, because they're packed with venom to cause great damage to as many as

01:21:3726 people within minutes!

01:21:40Just like Stonefishes, blue-ringed octopuses are found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans,

01:21:46from Japan to Australia.

01:21:48They typically live on coral reefs and rocky areas of the seafloor.

01:21:52Some may also be found in tide pools, seagrass, and algal beds.

01:21:58Blue-ringed octopuses are not aggressive in nature.

01:22:01When they're not seeking food such as crabs or shrimps, or searching for a mate, they

01:22:05often hide in marine debris, shells, or crevices.

01:22:09It's only if they're provoked, cornered, or handled that they get dangerous to humans.

01:22:14When they're threatened, they turn bright yellow or blue iridescent rings appear all

01:22:19over their body as a warning display towards the potential predators.

01:22:24Their bites usually come unnoticed, so you might not be able to realize you're bitten

01:22:28until it's too late.

01:22:29The venom of a blue-ringed octopus can cause dizziness and loss of senses and motor skills,

01:22:35and ultimately paralysis.

01:22:37So better try to keep your hands to yourself and back away in a hurry if you see one.

01:22:42Nope, it's not a flower bouquet, so don't try to pick and smell one of those pink tube-like

01:22:48things.

01:22:49What's standing before your eyes is a marine animal called a flower urchin.

01:22:54It may look gorgeous, but don't let the looks deceive you.

01:22:57It was named the most dangerous sea urchin in the 2014 Guinness World Records.

01:23:03Flower urchins inhabit the tropical areas of the Indo-West Pacific, and are found among

01:23:08coral reefs, rocks, sand, and seagrass depths at depths of 0 to 295 feet.

01:23:15The most noticeable feature of them is their pedicularia, which are claw-shaped defensive

01:23:20organs that are also found in sea stars.

01:23:23What makes flower urchins differ from any other sea urchin is the fact that their pedicularia

01:23:28is, as the name suggests, flower-like, and usually pinkish-white to yellowish-white in

01:23:33color with a central purple dot.

01:23:36Hidden underneath those flowers, they possess short and blunt spines.

01:23:42Although many sea urchins deliver their venom through such spines, flower urchins deliver

01:23:47their venom through their pedicularia, or flowers.

01:23:50If they're undisturbed, the tips of these flowers are usually expanded into round, cup-like

01:23:55shapes.

01:23:56On their surface, they possess tiny sensors with which they can detect threats, and once

01:24:01they contact such threats, these flowers immediately snap shut and start injecting venom.

01:24:08What's weird is that the little claws of the flowers can sometimes break off from their

01:24:12stalks, stick to the point of contact, and continue injecting venom for hours into whoever

01:24:18touched it.

01:24:20Yeesh!

01:24:21Looks like a giant puddle of melted strawberry ice cream, right?

01:24:25You wish!

01:24:26It's a lion's mane jellyfish, which is also called giant jellyfish, arctic red jellyfish,

01:24:32or hairy jelly.

01:24:34They're known to prefer cool water, that's why they can mostly be found in the Arctic,

01:24:39Northern Atlantic, and Northern Pacific Oceans.

01:24:43But it's possible to spot them around the British Isles or in the Scandinavian waters

01:24:47too.

01:24:49Lion's mane jellyfish are one of the largest known species of jellyfish.

01:24:53They get their name from their long, flowing, hair-like tentacles and can reach lengths

01:24:58up to 10 feet.

01:25:00And although the average bell diameter of a lion's mane jellyfish is around 20 inches,

01:25:05they can sometimes attain a diameter of over 7 feet!

01:25:10The largest lion's mane jellyfish recorded was seen in 1865 off the coast of Massachusetts.

01:25:17It was measured to have tentacles around 125 feet long and a diameter of 7 feet.

01:25:23To help you picture it, this is longer than a blue whale!

01:25:27Lion's mane jellyfish hunt by extending their tentacles outward and creating a trap

01:25:32to catch their food.

01:25:33Since they have around 1,200 stinging tentacles, the fish would have to be extremely lucky

01:25:40to be able to escape them.

01:25:42The sting of a lion's mane jellyfish is usually not life-threatening, but you would

01:25:46still want to avoid swimming into its tentacles because it can be very painful to humans.

01:25:51And if you see one washed up on the beach, better not touch it because it can still deliver

01:25:56a sting long after they've been on the shore.

01:25:59Fun fact, the lion's mane jellyfish appears in the Sherlock Holmes story, The Adventure

01:26:03of the Lion's Mane, as a suspect.

01:26:06But don't worry, we won't give you any spoilers!

01:26:10The last marine animal you're seeing now is a sea snake, and yes, they are different

01:26:15from eels.

01:26:17There are 69 identified species of sea snakes.

01:26:21Most of them can be found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific

01:26:26Oceans, and they have been around for millions of years.

01:26:30To make things easier, scientists have separated all different species of sea snakes into two

01:26:35categories, true sea snakes and sea kraits.

01:26:39Whereas true sea snakes spend almost all their time at sea, sea kraits can spend some time

01:26:45on land as well.

01:26:47If you see a snake on the beach, you can tell whether it's a land or sea snake by looking

01:26:52at its tail.

01:26:53If it's paddle-like, then that's a sea snake you got there, but make sure to keep your

01:26:57distance in both cases.

01:27:00All sea snakes need to surface regularly to breathe since they have no gills.

01:27:05That's why you can come across one while swimming.

01:27:07If that happens, you better swim away as fast as you can, because most sea snakes have more

01:27:12venom than the average cobra or rattlesnake.

01:27:15However, since they only attack if provoked, bites are quite rare.

01:27:21One more cool fact about sea snakes, they are the only reptiles to give birth in the

01:27:25oceans.

01:27:26The majority of sea snakes keep the eggs within themselves and give birth to nearly fully

01:27:31formed snakes while swimming.

01:27:33That's except for the yellow-lipped sea krait, though.

01:27:36They come onto land to lay eggs of their little ones.

01:27:39Remember the stonefish from the beginning of our tour?

01:27:42They're hunted by sea snakes.

01:27:43Blame the food chain.

01:27:45Imagine you're hanging out somewhere in the forests of Australia.

01:27:48You're thirsty, so you go to the nearest stream.

01:27:51Suddenly, you feel that you have a runny nose.

01:27:54It's strange, because you're perfectly healthy.

01:27:57You stop and wait.

01:27:58A few seconds pass.

01:28:00Your nose is itching.

01:28:01A few minutes pass.

01:28:03Your eyes are watering.

01:28:05Your throat is going crazy.

01:28:06You can't breathe freely, and you're constantly sneezing.

01:28:10It seems you're breathing poisoned air.

01:28:13But what's poisoning it?

01:28:15The smallest particles of the most dangerous plant in the world are flying around you.

01:28:20It's called gimpy gimpy.

01:28:22There it is.

01:28:23It looks ordinary.

01:28:24A small bush with green stems and leaves.

01:28:27The closer you come, the worse you're feeling.

01:28:31You need more air, and your skin is turning red.

01:28:33It physically hurts you to be here.

01:28:36You may lose consciousness if you stay here for a little bit more.

01:28:39Do you know what will happen if you touch this plant?

01:28:42Well, it will feel like red-hot needles penetrating your skin.

01:28:46And even if you run away as far as possible from here right now, the pain will not subside.

01:28:52The effects of the sting will last for several hours.

01:28:55Days will pass, and the pain will remain.

01:28:58Weeks and months will pass, but you'll still feel it.

01:29:01You can wash the touch area with cold water and soap, but this won't help a lot.

01:29:06It might not go away for several years.

01:29:09And all those tiny plant hairs that penetrated your skin can stay with you forever.

01:29:16The toxicity of gimpy gimpy is so high that even if you tear off one leaf and touch it

01:29:21after a year, it will still cause damage to your body.

01:29:25The bad news is that this plant is hard to spot.

01:29:29You can easily confuse it with burdock or nettle.

01:29:32Just imagine what will happen if someone falls into the bush.

01:29:35Its distinctive feature is a thin layer of fluff on each leaf.

01:29:40But be careful, this fluff consists of thousands of poisonous hairs.

01:29:44They also fly around the plant, so it's dangerous to be here without a gas mask.

01:29:49An ordinary medical mask won't help here since the hairs can get through the fabric.

01:29:55The good news is there aren't many of them around the world, and people usually put warning

01:29:59signs near them.

01:30:01This bad guy grows in Australia.

01:30:04Wood miners discovered this plant in 1860 near the town of Gimpy, and something is telling

01:30:09me it wasn't the happiest discovery.

01:30:12Even now, gimpy gimpy poses a serious danger to loggers and tourists.

01:30:17You may accidentally touch it with your hand.

01:30:20One touch is enough to make you lose your working capacity for several weeks.

01:30:24In some cases, the affected area continues to hurt for decades.

01:30:30One man fell into the bush and lost his mind because of the pain.

01:30:34People compare a gimpy gimpy sting with a bite of 30 wasps at the same time, and you

01:30:40won't know how to get rid of it.

01:30:42One guy experienced an unpleasant feeling every time he took a shower for two years

01:30:47after touching this plant.

01:30:49If you want to study it, you need to wear a protective suit and a gas mask.

01:30:54There should be no open areas on your body.

01:30:57Lock your pant legs into your boots, put on protective gloves, and move out into the forest.

01:31:02It grows on the edge, next to streams.

01:31:06Gimpy gimpy is one of the six species of poisonous trees native to Australia.

01:31:10They love the sun and the vegetation around them.

01:31:13Every hair on the surface of the leaf is poisoned.

01:31:16When it contacts any surface, it opens and sprays a burning toxin.

01:31:21Then, the pain increases and the skin turns red.

01:31:25The duration of the effect depends on the number of hairs that penetrate your body.

01:31:30After a few years, you can put pressure on the bite site and feel the hairs are still there.

01:31:36There's no antidote because scientists still don't know what the toxic poison's components are.

01:31:42All they know is that the poison effect lasts a very long time, several years.

01:31:47It can withstand cold and hot temperatures.

01:31:50Water only enhances its effect.

01:31:53Botanical samples of this plant in laboratories are still dangerous,

01:31:57despite scientists keeping them for several years.

01:32:00After you have passed by gimpy gimpy, don't forget to disinfect yourself.

01:32:04Carefully remove clothes, shoes, masks, and glasses.

01:32:08Put a protective suit in the washing machine and wash everything else well.

01:32:13Tiny hairs can be in your pants or the sleeves of your jacket, so be careful.

01:32:18This toxicity makes gimpy gimpy the most protected plant in the world.

01:32:22But wait, what's that?

01:32:24Do you see these little holes on its leaves?

01:32:27It seems that someone is eating it.

01:32:30These are the usual nocturnal beetle species.

01:32:33They can devour gimpy gimpy all day long as the poisonous hairs can't harm them.

01:32:38These bugs just don't care.

01:32:40Gimpy gimpy is the perfect lunch as no one can disturb these beetles while they're sitting

01:32:44on this plant.

01:32:45And yes, all the animals living nearby know that it's better not to get close to it.

01:32:50But there's one mammal that is not afraid of gimpy gimpy.

01:32:54It's a red-legged padamelon.

01:32:57It looks like a little kangaroo and loves to eat the gimpy gimpy leaves.

01:33:01Scientists still don't know what exactly protects this animal from toxic hairs.

01:33:06We know almost all the places where this plant grows.

01:33:09People mark them with signs.

01:33:11If you see one, just don't go there.

01:33:15Gimpy gimpy is a terrible plant, but how about a plant that can take over the whole world

01:33:20and destroy all the crops?

01:33:22It doesn't need favorable conditions for growth.

01:33:24It can survive in the rain, in arid places under the scorching sun, at low and high temperatures.

01:33:30It's called the giant hogweed.

01:33:33If the seed of this plant gets into a vegetable bed or a wheat field, the plant will displace

01:33:38all competitors in a few weeks.

01:33:40The wind can blow on the giant hogweed seeds and spread them further to the nearest territories.

01:33:46This plant can worsen ecosystems around the world.

01:33:50It grows faster than people manage to destroy it.

01:33:52If you spray poison on the leaves, it doesn't even care.

01:33:55If you let parasitic beetles into giant hogweed territory, it doesn't care either.

01:34:00It multiplies very fast and lives longer than many plants.

01:34:04The giant hogweed can reach the height of a one-story house and go deep underground

01:34:09with its roots.

01:34:11It's also dangerous to touch it with your hands.

01:34:14It can turn your skin red, and it won't feel good to say the least.

01:34:18That's how it's making it so hard to fight against it.

01:34:21This poison destroys any plants, bushes, and flowers nearby.

01:34:26Scientists still can't create an effective poison to combat this green monster.

01:34:30No beetles feed on it.

01:34:32That's why the giant hogweed is one of the most dangerous plants in the world.

01:34:36It simply has no enemies in nature.

01:34:39But scientists are sure that evolution will create some creatures capable of destroying

01:34:43the giant hogweed.

01:34:45It can be small bugs or parasitic bacteria.

01:34:48But until that happens, people have to fight this beast on their own.

01:34:53They spend millions of dollars trying to destroy the plant, but it doesn't always work out.

01:34:58You can burn a field, but if one seed remains, it will quickly grow on the scorched ground.

01:35:05You've seen some of the most dangerous plants in the world, but what about trees?

01:35:09A manchineel tree grows in Florida.

01:35:12This trunk secretes toxic juice that's dangerous for your skin, but it gets much worse during

01:35:18the rain.

01:35:19When water falls on the bark, it mixes with the poison.

01:35:22Then, these poison drops can bounce off the tree and get on your skin.

01:35:27Leaves and fruits also have this toxin, so never hide under this tree in bad weather.

01:35:33Mushrooms, shrubs, and flowers don't grow near this tree either.

01:35:39Animals never come close to it.

01:35:40Trees never sit on its branches.

01:35:43Manchineel trees are resistant to water and high temperatures.

01:35:46Never try to burn it.

01:35:48The smoke released during combustion is toxic and dangerous to your eyes.

01:35:53The locals mark this tree with red circles.

01:35:56Superpowers!

01:35:58Believe it or not, some animals have them.

01:36:01From sticky tongues to changing colors, you're about to meet 13 amazing animals with some

01:36:06very special abilities.

01:36:08If you have ants in your pants or termites in the house, you'll wish you lived next door

01:36:13to this animal.

01:36:14The giant anteater lives up to its name.

01:36:17It's 6.5 feet long from snout to tail.

01:36:20If it stood up on its hind legs, it would be taller than most people.

01:36:24Good thing it only eats insects.

01:36:26With a diet of ants and termites, it gobbles close to 35,000 of the little critters in

01:36:31a single day.

01:36:33To capture its meal, the anteater is equipped with a long, narrow tongue.

01:36:37About 2 feet long, it's made of small, backward-pointing spines and covered in sticky saliva.

01:36:43When it comes across an anthill, the anteater uses its massive claws to dig into the earth.

01:36:49As the ants go scrambling, it flicks out its tongue, up to 150 times per minute, and the

01:36:55ants stick to it.

01:36:56Slurp!

01:36:57Now, the giant anteater doesn't have teeth for biting and chewing.

01:37:01It's part of a group of animals known as edentate, which means lacking teeth.

01:37:06Instead, the giant anteater grinds its food against the roof of its mouth.

01:37:11A tongue like that would certainly make eating popcorn at the movies more interesting.

01:37:16Another animal with an amazing tongue is the alligator snapping turtle.

01:37:20No, its tongue is not long and sticky.

01:37:23Instead, it has a small, blood-filled addition that looks like a little pink worm.

01:37:28When the turtle gets hungry, it will lay perfectly still under the water.

01:37:32The only thing moving?

01:37:33That worm-like appendage.

01:37:35Any fish that swims in for a closer look quickly becomes dinner.

01:37:39This turtle is also very good at holding its breath.

01:37:42It can stay underwater for 50 minutes while waiting for a bite to eat.

01:37:47Most humans can only hold their breath for 1-2 minutes.

01:37:51Another amazing tongue?

01:37:52The penguin has a cool one.

01:37:54It doesn't have any taste buds and is covered in keratinized bristles instead.

01:37:59Yep, keratin is the same stuff that makes up our fingernails and hair.

01:38:03These spiky protrusions point backward into the throat, and the fish can only move in

01:38:08one direction, into the penguin's tummy.

01:38:11But one of the coolest tongues in the animal world belongs to the chameleon.

01:38:16Unlike the anteater, the chameleon can only eat one insect at a time.

01:38:20Its tongue ends in a sticky ball of muscle.

01:38:23It shoots the tongue out, and when it hits its prey, that muscle changes shape.

01:38:28It becomes a suction cup, helping grab the insect and pull it back into the chameleon's

01:38:33mouth.

01:38:35If you've ever tried to grab a fly, you know how hard it is.

01:38:39Those things are fast.

01:38:40The chameleon's tongue, then, needs to be even faster.

01:38:43And it is.

01:38:45It can theoretically travel 8,000 feet per second.

01:38:48There's no way an insect will see it coming and have time to escape.

01:38:52The chameleon has another special trick.

01:38:55It can change colors.

01:38:57It was once believed that the animal did it as a way to hide from enemies.

01:39:00It would change its color to blend into the background, nearly becoming invisible.

01:39:05But this isn't really the reason behind this special ability.

01:39:09As cold-blooded animals, chameleons can't regulate their body temperature like we do.

01:39:13They become darker in color as a way to absorb heat from the sun.

01:39:18And they turn lighter to reflect that heat to cool down.

01:39:22They also use this ability to communicate with other chameleons.

01:39:25One color might tell a rival to stay away.

01:39:28Another can be used to attract a partner.

01:39:31It's like their version of emojis.

01:39:34When it comes to color-changing, though, the chameleon is no match for the cuttlefish.

01:39:39Related to the squid and octopus, these cute ocean creatures can change the color and texture

01:39:44of their skin.

01:39:46This means they can look like almost anything in their environment, from a random rock on

01:39:50the ocean floor to a piece of floating vegetation.

01:39:53They truly are the world's champions at hide-and-seek.

01:39:57This ability comes in super handy when trying to hide from dolphins, sharks, or seals that

01:40:02see cuttlefish as a delicious snack.

01:40:05An animal that relies on camouflage 24-7 is the walking stick, or stick insect.

01:40:11As its name suggests, it looks like a twig with legs.

01:40:14It can range in size from 1 inch to 1 foot long.

01:40:18And while it's hiding in the tree, looking like just another tiny branch, it can eat

01:40:23all it wants.

01:40:24As an herbivore, it's very happy munching on leaves.

01:40:28Just don't grab one by accident next time you play fetch with Fido.

01:40:32But there are some animals that do the exact opposite.

01:40:36Through time, they have evolved to actually stand out as a way to warn predators of potential

01:40:41danger.

01:40:42This often involves bright coloring and patterning and is called aposematism.

01:40:47An example of this is the monarch butterfly.

01:40:50When you see one, it's easy to marvel at its beautiful orange coloring and the pattern

01:40:54on its wings.

01:40:56But with such a bright appearance, surely it makes it easy for predators to find.

01:41:00Actually, the bright color is a warning that eating a monarch can be a bad idea.

01:41:06Because of their diet in the larval stage, monarchs are very poisonous.

01:41:11Any animal that eats one will become quite ill and will never risk doing it again.

01:41:16The white and black stripes of a skunk are there for the same reason.

01:41:20It lets other animals know that if you mess with the skunk, you're in for a nasty surprise.

01:41:26Skunks have two glands in their rear that can emit a noxious spray called theol.

01:41:31It smells like rotten eggs.

01:41:33The animal can actually aim its spray, making its defense a powerful one.

01:41:38And they can spray six times in a row.

01:41:41After that, they'll be defenseless for 10 to 14 days while their glands develop more

01:41:45of that wonderful perfume eau de skunk.

01:41:49And once you've been sprayed, it's very difficult to get it off, even with a shower.

01:41:54So when you see a skunk in the wild, make sure to give it plenty of room to do its own thing.

01:42:00Like the skunk, the porcupine gives you 30,000 very good reasons to leave it alone.

01:42:06It's covered in many sharp quills.

01:42:08And because of the nearly 800 barbs near the tip of each one, these quills are difficult

01:42:13to remove if you get one stuck in your skin.

01:42:17Luckily, one common belief about porcupines is wrong.

01:42:21They cannot shoot those quills through the air.

01:42:23You have to touch one before it can come off.

01:42:26There are animals even underwater that have special powers for defense.

01:42:30The electric eel has a very shocking ability, though you've probably already guessed what

01:42:35it is.

01:42:36It has organs in its body that can release a powerful electric charge of up to 800 volts,

01:42:42which is higher than the voltage in an electrical outlet.

01:42:45The creature uses this to stun smaller animals or zap its enemies.

01:42:50It can also create electric pulses to communicate, sending out a form of Morse code to other

01:42:56eels.

01:42:57Instead of an electric charge, archerfish use spit to capture their next dinner.

01:43:02When you first see one, you wouldn't think it was at all special.

01:43:05It looks like any other fish, yawn.

01:43:08But wait, because it really does have a superpower.

01:43:12Archerfish feed on insects.

01:43:15Insects, however, don't live in the water.

01:43:17This makes it difficult for the archerfish to eat.

01:43:19So what does this little critter do?

01:43:21Relying on the special design of its mouth and its great eyesight, it spits out a powerful

01:43:27stream of water.

01:43:28This knocks an unsuspecting insect over.

01:43:31It falls into the water, and the archerfish pounces.

01:43:34The stream is so precise that it can hit an insect up to five feet away.

01:43:39A creature with a similar but much more disgusting ability is the horned lizard.

01:43:45It can flood the sinus area near the eye with blood.

01:43:48Then, when it feels threatened, it will squirt that blood out of its eye socket.

01:43:53This can travel as far as four feet.

01:43:56This is enough to startle an enemy, giving the lizard time to escape.

01:44:00It will also use this special skill to remove dirt and dust that gets into its eye.

01:44:05And finally, the one animal you will probably never meet in your lifetime, even though they

01:44:10live all over the planet, is the tardigrade.

01:44:14Also known as water bears or moss piglets, these are microscopic, eight-legged animals

01:44:19that have even gone to outer space and survived.

01:44:23They're pretty much indestructible and have been found in the deep sea and the frozen

01:44:27wasteland of Antarctica.

01:44:29In order to survive in the harshest conditions, they will transform into dehydrated balls

01:44:34called tons, and in this form, they have been known to survive at temperatures as low

01:44:39as minus 328 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

01:44:45Those are all some pretty amazing powers, well, except for the blood shooting from the

01:44:49eye.

01:44:50That's just gross.

01:44:52Texas is home to some of the oddest, creepiest, and most unusual animals you've ever heard

01:44:57of.

01:44:58It might come as a surprise, but this state is full of creatures you'll hardly see in

01:45:03other places.

01:45:04So let's have a look at the most amazing ones!

01:45:10This truly beautiful, bright blue creature is called the blue sea dragon.

01:45:16Despite such an imposing name, the critter is actually tiny.

01:45:20Usually no bigger than a grape, you may find it on the beach or floating beside you in

01:45:24the water.

01:45:25Now, you need to remember one thing, however pretty this little slug may look, never ever

01:45:32touch it.

01:45:34One tourist spotted a few of these pretty dragons on the shore of Mustang Island.

01:45:39He scooped one of the creatures up.

01:45:41He wanted to film it.

01:45:43Luckily, he put it back into the water before it could sting him.

01:45:46Otherwise, it would have ended badly since the blue sea dragon is venomous.

01:45:53Despite their tiny size, their sting can pack a punch.

01:45:57All because of their diet.

01:45:58Their favorite dish is the Portuguese man o' war, a jellyfish that has enough venom

01:46:03to paralyze small fish and crustaceans.

01:46:07The blue dragons first use mucus to neutralize the jellyfish's infamous stinging cells.

01:46:12And then they steal these cells from the man o' war's tentacles and store and concentrate

01:46:17them within their own tissues.

01:46:19Then they release these stinging cells on contact, which makes their own sting more

01:46:24powerful, even worse than that of the man o' war itself.

01:46:29These awesome creatures are also extremely sneaky.

01:46:33Even though their appearance is bright to say the least, they're well-known masters

01:46:37of disguise.

01:46:38You see that vibrant blue coloring is actually on their bellies.

01:46:42And when they float on their backs, they simply blend with the water.

01:46:46As for their backs, they're great to camouflage these animals on the seafloor.

01:46:51Now how about a funny fact.

01:46:54A group of tiny dragons floating together is called a blue fleet.

01:46:58And another fact.

01:46:59Blue dragons normally lay a string of around 16 eggs.

01:47:04And it takes them 3 days or so to hatch into larvae.

01:47:08Blue sea dragons rarely make it to the shore.

01:47:11They're soft-bodied, so when the animals finally get through the surf zone and are

01:47:15deposited on the shore, they're already broken apart.

01:47:19And still, watch out!

01:47:22Even in this case, the venom in their bodies doesn't dissipate.

01:47:26But of course, blue sea dragons aren't the only unusual animals inhabiting Texas.

01:47:31Have a look at this nightmarish creature, poisonous, slimy, and kinda immortal.

01:47:37Meet the hammerhead worm.

01:47:39The worst thing?

01:47:40It might be lurking in your garden while you're watching this video.

01:47:46You can easily recognize this worm by its creepy spade-shaped head.

01:47:51It doesn't look like any other invertebrate you've ever seen.

01:47:54Or any other creature, that is.

01:47:56At first, it was only found in East Texas.

01:48:00But later, researchers spotted these spine-chilling creatures in North, Central, and South Texas.

01:48:07Basically everywhere but the arid areas of West Texas.

01:48:12One of the most terrifying things about this worm might be its length.

01:48:17This creature can grow as long as one foot.

01:48:20Luckily, such giants aren't very common.

01:48:23Most hammerhead worms only reach 6 inches in length.

01:48:26You can come across two species of these worms in Texas, and both of them will have a dark

01:48:31stripe down the middle.

01:48:33The larger of these two species munches on earthworms, which is actually a big problem.

01:48:39You might know that earthworms play an important role in keeping the soil rich in minerals

01:48:44and overall healthy.

01:48:47If earthworms disappear, plants in such areas won't be getting the nutrients they need.

01:48:53Even for humans and pets, meeting a hammerhead worm isn't the most pleasant experience either.

01:48:59Hammerheads are the only terrestrial invertebrates that secrete a very dangerous neurotoxin.

01:49:05The same as pufferfish produce.

01:49:08Thanks to the sheer size of the human body, touching a hammerhead worm won't hurt you

01:49:12too much, but it may still cause your hand to start tingling or even go numb.

01:49:18It's much more dangerous for pets.

01:49:20There have been cases when dogs ate hammerheads which left them feeling sick for the whole

01:49:25day.

01:49:26Interestingly, these worms are native to Southeast Asia, but they must have mastered the art

01:49:32of hitchhiking since in the early 1900s they were already found in the US.

01:49:40Keep in mind that if you want to get rid of a hammerhead worm, which is the best course

01:49:44of action, the worst thing you can do is chop it with a shovel.

01:49:49The thing is, flatworms reproduce by ripping themselves in half, so by cutting it, you

01:49:54actually help the populations of the worms, turning one into two.

01:49:59That's the reason why hammerheads are sometimes described as immortal, which is a bit of a

01:50:03stretch since these creatures can't survive in vinegar or salt.

01:50:09Now even though you're safe from the hammerhead worm in West Texas, it doesn't mean you can't

01:50:13come across another dangerous animal, such as the land lobster from hell.

01:50:20These creatures are also known as vinegaroons, and they're not real crustaceans, they're

01:50:25arachnids!

01:50:26Huh?

01:50:27Who would have guessed?

01:50:29Anyway, these eight-legged critters have a really nasty bite, but it's not the worst

01:50:34thing about them.

01:50:36Land lobsters, brace yourself, spray vinegar-like 85% acid from their tails.

01:50:43Mostly they do it to protect themselves, but it still sounds like an unfriendly thing to

01:50:47do, right?

01:50:48A land lobster can also pinch a finger that's gotten too close with its heavy mouth parts.

01:50:55At the base of their abdomens, vinegaroons have long whip-like tails.

01:51:00That's why these arachnids are often called whip scorpions, even though they're neither

01:51:05related to scorpions nor have stingers.

01:51:08Summer rains lure these arachnids out of their burrows in search of food and love.

01:51:14Luckily, experts claim that land lobsters aren't poisonous to humans, but they're very

01:51:19likely to leave a mark with their large pinchers, which they use to capture insects.

01:51:25Vinegaroons can be considered useful since they eat millipedes, crickets, scorpions,

01:51:30and cockroaches.

01:51:32They hunt by sensing the vibrations of their prey with those long front legs of theirs.

01:51:37Since land lobsters prefer to come out after dark, you aren't likely to see one in the

01:51:42daylight.

01:51:43But if you stumble upon one, check it out!

01:51:47If it's a female, it may be carrying her hatchlings on her back.

01:51:52Now imagine it's the middle of spring and you're walking among blooming flowers and

01:51:57greenery.

01:51:58Suddenly, you spot something extremely bizarre on the ground.

01:52:03The animal looks cute, fluffy, and soft-looking.

01:52:07The desire to touch it is irresistible.

01:52:10Watch out!

01:52:11The sting of the hairy caterpillar can pack a serious punch.

01:52:15This one is called the Pus Moth Caterpillar, or ASP.

01:52:20There are several stinging caterpillar species in Texas.

01:52:23The Buck Moth Caterpillar, Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar, Saddleback Caterpillar, and Eel

01:52:29Moth Caterpillar.

01:52:31And touching any of them can lead to unpleasant consequences.

01:52:35If you had touched that pretty hairy thing in the park, you'd most likely start feeling

01:52:39a burning sensation and develop an itchy rash.

01:52:43In the worst-case scenario, you'd even have to go to the emergency room.

01:52:49The main problem is that people react very differently to caterpillar toxins.

01:52:54Some may develop more severe reactions than others.

01:52:57Plus, how bad the consequences are also depends on the thickness of the skin in the affected

01:53:02area.

01:53:04In most cases, the unpleasant sensation and rash go away in a few hours or sometimes days.

01:53:10On the bright side, such caterpillars later turn into moths and butterflies that help

01:53:14pollinate flowers and trees.

01:53:17Getting rid of these critters means doing a massive disservice to the area where you

01:53:21live.

01:53:22Specialists are sure that coming across a stinging caterpillar won't lead to anything

01:53:27bad if you keep in mind the rule of thumb.

01:53:30If a caterpillar looks fuzzy, don't touch it.

01:53:34And the best solution to dealing with such creatures is educating people on what such

01:53:38caterpillars are, what they look like, and why it's dangerous to touch them with unprotected

01:53:45hands.

01:53:46Look at this pretty creature.

01:53:47It looks cute and totally harmless.

01:53:50But you should know that appearances are deceptive, and the blue-ringed octopus is an extremely

01:53:54venomous species of octopus.

01:53:56In fact, they are one of the world's most venomous marine animals.

01:54:00These creatures are found in tide pools and coral reefs.

01:54:04Despite their small size, a mere 5 to 8 inches, they are very dangerous to humans if provoked.

01:54:10Their venom contains a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin.

01:54:14When the animal feels threatened, its first instinct is to flee.

01:54:18But if the threat persists, for example, if you don't give up the idea of picking the

01:54:22octopus up, it will go into a defensive stance and display its blue rings.

01:54:27If the octopus is cornered and touched, it may bite its attacker, and it can end very,

01:54:31very badly.

01:54:33Tetrodotoxin causes severe consequences and sometimes results in total body paralysis.

01:54:38When the victim is fully aware of the surroundings but unable to move, the victim remains conscious

01:54:42and alert, but because of the paralysis, there's no way of signaling for help or indicating

01:54:47distress.

01:54:48Interestingly, in its chilling mode, the blue-ringed octopus looks brown or even pale.

01:54:54But once it feels endangered, it switches on its psychedelic pattern.

01:54:59Such a response is called aposematic behavior.

01:55:02In simple words, it's when an animal flashes bright colors warning others that, should

01:55:06they take a bite, they won't live to tell the tale.

01:55:09Of course, the blue-ringed octopus isn't the only dangerous animal that looks harmless

01:55:13out there.

01:55:14For example, look at this creature.

01:55:17This animal looks super cute, fluffy and soft-looking.

01:55:20The desire to touch it is irresistible.

01:55:23Watch out!

01:55:24The sting of the hairy caterpillar can pack a serious punch.

01:55:27It's called the Puss Moth Caterpillar, or ASP.

01:55:30Hidden among that luxurious fur, there are venom spines equipped with stinging cells

01:55:34like jellyfish.

01:55:35People react very differently to caterpillar toxins.

01:55:39Some may develop more severe reactions than others.

01:55:41Plus, how bad the consequences are also depends on the thickness of the skin in the affected

01:55:46area.

01:55:47In most cases, the unpleasant sensations and rash go away in a few hours or sometimes days.

01:55:53The next animal on our list is the Poison Dart Frog.

01:55:57There are more than 170 species of these frogs, and funnily enough, not all of them are actually

01:56:03poisonous.

01:56:04Those which are secret, extremely dangerous toxins through their skin.

01:56:09On the bright side, the frogs never use these toxins for hunting or attacking.

01:56:13They only have them for self-defense.

01:56:16Experts aren't sure, but they suppose that the frogs' ability to produce these toxins

01:56:21might come from a diet rich in toxin-containing animals, for example, centipedes or ants.

01:56:26Indigenous peoples in Central and South America have been known to rub their arrows and darts

01:56:30on the frogs in order to give them a poison tip.

01:56:34The main thing you need to keep in mind, if you touch a Poison Dart Frog, seek assistance

01:56:39immediately.

01:56:40Especially if you've come across the Golden Poison Dart Frog, it's the most toxic one.

01:56:46The Flamboyant Cuttlefish is the only known venomous cuttlefish species.

01:56:50This creature has incredibly poisonous muscle tissue, despite its tiny, 2-3 inches at most,

01:56:56frame.

01:56:57Watch out for a dark brown underwater animal with two tentacles and eight arms.

01:57:02It's also likely to have purple and yellow around its arms.

01:57:05Anyway, your best bet is to avoid biting into one of these intriguing creatures, and you'll

01:57:09most likely be safe.

01:57:12Predatory Cone Snails are very slow animals.

01:57:15This is the main reason why they have no means to capture their prey mechanically.

01:57:18I mean, they can't really grasp another animal or bite it.

01:57:21Instead, the Cone Snail has evolved potent venom that helps it survive.

01:57:27Probably the coolest thing about these creatures is that, among almost 1,000 species, there's

01:57:33no overlap in the toxins produced by each of them.

01:57:37Even though Cone Snails don't have fangs, they have a venom-covered harpoon they use

01:57:41to sting their prey.

01:57:42There's a tube-like structure at the end of a venom bulb, and a modified tooth can shoot

01:57:46out of the tube at a mind-boggling speed of 400 miles per hour.

01:57:50So being slowpokes doesn't actually bother Cone Snails.

01:57:53And since the venom is unique to certain species, some of them can deliver a minor sting, while

01:57:58others might cause serious harm to your health.

01:58:01For example, this reef-dwelling little fella unleashes a harpoon-like tooth to sting its

01:58:05prey, and there is no known cure for its venom.

01:58:09When you think of Pufferfish, you probably imagine a bloated-looking creature with impressive

01:58:13360-degree quills.

01:58:16But beneath those funny spikes, there is a vicious creature, and the most dangerous part

01:58:21of this creature is its poison, which is considered to be one of, if not the, most

01:58:25dangerous and potent in the world.

01:58:28The good news is that you won't get poisoned unless you eat the fish.

01:58:32So maybe better stick to the California roll.

01:58:35Now look at this insect and try to never approach it.

01:58:38It's the Japanese Giant Hornet.

01:58:40This monstrously-sized creature, which can grow to be almost 2 inches long, is known

01:58:44to be highly aggressive.

01:58:46Its impressive stinger packs enough venom to make the sting very, and I mean it, painful.

01:58:52Some people don't survive being stung by this insect.

01:58:55Even though the venom isn't the most potent, the large size of the creature makes the dose

01:58:59too big, and if it's not one but several hornets attacking you, well, the consequences are

01:59:05likely to be dramatic.

01:59:07The Giant Hornet isn't necessarily unfriendly toward people or other animals, but it will

01:59:11sting if you provoke it.

01:59:14This truly beautiful bright blue creature is called the Blue Sea Dragon.

01:59:18Despite such an imposing name, the critter is actually tiny, usually no bigger than a

01:59:22grape.

01:59:23You may find it on the beach or floating beside you in the water.

01:59:25Now you need to remember one thing.

01:59:27However pretty this little slug may look, never ever touch it.

01:59:31Despite their tiny size, their sting can pack a punch, all because of their diet.

01:59:36Their favorite dish is the Portuguese Man o' War, a jellyfish that has enough venom

01:59:40to paralyze small fish and crustaceans.

01:59:43The Blue Dragons first use mucus to neutralize the jellyfish's infamous stinging cells,

01:59:49and then they steal these cells from the Man o' War's tentacles, and store and concentrate

01:59:53them within their own tissues.

01:59:56Then they release these stinging cells on contact, which makes their own sting even

02:00:00more powerful, even worse than that of the Man o' War's itself.

02:00:04These awesome creatures are also extremely sneaky.

02:00:07Even though their appearance is bright, to say the least, they're well known masters

02:00:12of disguise.

02:00:13You see, that vibrant blue coloring is actually on their bellies.

02:00:18And when they float on their backs, they simply blend with the water.

02:00:21As for their backs, they're grey to camouflage these animals on the sea surface.

02:00:26The Irukandji jellyfish, found in Australia, looks tiny and totally innocent, but appearances

02:00:32are deceitful, and this baby the size of a human thumbnail is actually extremely dangerous.

02:00:39During stinger season, which lasts from November to May, tons of beaches get closed because

02:00:44of these itsy bitsy creatures.

02:00:47What makes the jellyfish particularly dangerous is their miniature size.

02:00:52People simply fail to notice them while swimming.

02:00:55The infamous box jellyfish, named for its cubic body shape, lives in the Indian and

02:00:59Pacific Oceans.

02:01:00Stay away if you spot a creature with a squarish bell and long, dangling tentacles.

02:01:05And even if you only see a single tentacle without the jellyfish attached to it, don't

02:01:09come close or touch it.

02:01:11The box jellyfish can grow up to 10 feet, and each of its tentacles has about 500,000

02:01:15microscopic harpoons to inject venom.

02:01:19Unlike other jellyfish, box jellyfish are hunters.

02:01:23They can latch onto you by wrapping their slender tentacles around your limb or body.

02:01:27With how dangerous their venom is, it won't be a pleasant experience.

02:01:31You're relaxing at the beach when suddenly you notice a huge flock of birds.

02:01:36They're excited about something near the water.

02:01:39You get the urge to go and investigate what's going on there.

02:01:42Here's some advice.

02:01:44Sit back down and stay away from the water.

02:01:47I get it, you think you're tough enough to handle a few pecks from a seagull.

02:01:51But it's not the birds that have me worried.

02:01:54It's what's lurking beneath the water.

02:01:57Jellyfish are a staple of many diets across the animal kingdom, both above and below the

02:02:02ocean.

02:02:03Tuna, squid, and octopus, as well as marine mammals like seals, all prey on a wide variety

02:02:09of smaller fish.

02:02:12Species such as bluefish and striped bass are their favorite dinner time meal.

02:02:17They're also the favorite of another ultra predator, which is why you shouldn't join

02:02:21those birds by the water.

02:02:23If you do, you're risking an encounter with a creature that can measure up to 20 feet

02:02:28long.

02:02:29That's three times the size of an average human.

02:02:33These are the size credentials of a great white shark.

02:02:36If there are fish around, they may come up near the ocean's surface to feed.

02:02:42A great white shark has the strongest bite force among animals.

02:02:47The only other animal species that comes close to them is the saltwater crocodile.

02:02:53And boy is their ability to catch whiffs strong.

02:02:56Scientists believe it to be more than 100 times stronger than a human's.

02:03:01They don't even use the nostrils located beneath their snouts to breathe.

02:03:05It simply serves as a specialized sniffer.

02:03:10Thankfully though, we're not the favorite meal of a shark, and the creature isn't going

02:03:14out of its way to hunt us.

02:03:16Researchers claim that the odds of being attacked by a shark are as low as 1 in 3.7 million.

02:03:24When unfortunate meetings between sharks and humans do happen, a shark may mistake a human

02:03:29for a seal or an extremely large striped bass.

02:03:33This is why you should stay away from those birds and fishes, and just let the other animals

02:03:37animal.

02:03:39You just focus on catching a tan in that sun chair.

02:03:44So I guess this means that sharks have poor vision?

02:03:47Not quite.

02:03:48Their vision in clear water is up to 10 times better than that of humans swimming in the

02:03:52same environment.

02:03:53The structure of a shark's eye is quite similar to that of our own.

02:03:57It consists of a cornea, lens, retina, deep blue iris, and the pupil.

02:04:03Their eyes have two types of photoreceptors, rods and cones.

02:04:08Just like humans.

02:04:10Although we're not too sure how well rods and cones perform for sharks, research has

02:04:14shown that they possess only one type of cone.

02:04:18It means they most likely don't have full color vision like a human.

02:04:22This might explain why they can sometimes mix humans up with other creatures.

02:04:26But hey, who's ever really fully focused when they're about to devour their dinner?

02:04:32Shark eyes also have tapetum lucidum.

02:04:35This is a layer of mirrored crystals located behind the shark's retina.

02:04:40These crystals allow the shark to see quite well in extremely dim light and murky water.

02:04:46The crystals reflect incoming light, which gives the rods inside the retina a second

02:04:50chance at detecting light that they might have missed the first time around.

02:04:56Fun fact, cats also have tapetum lucidum.

02:04:59This is why your cat's eyes glow in the dark when you shine a light on them.

02:05:04Another telltale sign that sharks may be hovering around in nearby waters is the presence of

02:05:09whales.

02:05:11Sharks have been known to stalk the creatures for over 100 miles.

02:05:15They'll follow pods waiting for one of the members to become vulnerable before expertly

02:05:20striking.

02:05:21So lesson learned?

02:05:23If you now see birds by the water, it's probably not a good thing, unlike when you see thousands

02:05:29of birds flying together through the sky.

02:05:32This is known as murmuration.

02:05:34You can see thousands of starlings unite together in the sky, moving in unison, dipping and

02:05:39swerving at the same time.

02:05:41It's like they're competing in some sort of synchronization event at the Bird Olympics.

02:05:47This happens when the birds begin to roost.

02:05:49It can be as early as September in some places and as late as the end of November elsewhere,

02:05:55with more birds joining the nightly displays during this time.

02:05:59Are they doing it for our entertainment?

02:06:01Well, not really.

02:06:03Grouping together in the sky offers protection for predators, like falcons.

02:06:08It can also get cold when you're flying that high up.

02:06:11So the birds gather in their thousands to keep warm and exchange information on potential

02:06:16feeding sites.

02:06:17Okay, so in this case, a huge group of birds doesn't mean anything evil.

02:06:22But if you ever see some flying towards you whilst in a wooded area, it's probably time

02:06:26to leave the area.

02:06:29Birds and other animals flee wildfire areas.

02:06:33Certain mammals, like amphibians, may actually stay in the fire.

02:06:37Instead of fleeing for their lives, they will dig underground to escape it.

02:06:41But nearly all other animals will try their best to leave.

02:06:45Oh, and don't forget to jump out of the way whilst all those animals are running towards

02:06:49you.

02:06:50Why don't we switch back from birds to sharks?

02:06:52Yes, we now know if there are birds near the ocean surface, then sharks will probably be

02:06:58quite close as well.

02:06:59But what if there are no sharks anywhere near at all?

02:07:03If you ever happen to be in the ocean and notice some sharks heading deep towards the

02:07:07bottom of the ocean, this may be a sign that a hurricane or tropical storm is on the way.

02:07:13Sharks can sense the drop in barometric pressure that accompanies the storm, so they could

02:07:18be trying to get out of the hectic zone.

02:07:21Sharks don't quite care for humans, so they don't view our sandy beaches and inland towns

02:07:26and cities as safety zones.

02:07:28They're quite intelligent creatures and know the deeper they go in the ocean, the safer

02:07:32it gets.

02:07:34But the ocean's not always the best place to go in an emergency.

02:07:38Case in point, if you come across sea creatures who usually live in water randomly resting

02:07:43on the sand, don't get inside the water.

02:07:47This is a sign that the water is potentially toxic.

02:07:50It's possible that a red tide is congregating in the water near the beach.

02:07:55Red tides happen all over the world, but one algae species causes them in the Gulf of Mexico.

02:08:02A red tide occurs when the water is full of more toxic algae than normal.

02:08:07It can make the water reddish or brown, but sometimes the water's color is normal.

02:08:12If you go in the water, you might experience respiratory irritation like coughing or an

02:08:16itchy throat.

02:08:19If this happens to you, you should thoroughly rinse your mouth with fresh water.

02:08:24Speaking of water, frogs are famous for their croaking, but if you've ever heard them do

02:08:29it a lot more than usual, it might be because it's about to rain.

02:08:33One theory says that this might have to do with their mating.

02:08:37They first do it, then lay eggs in bodies of fresh water.

02:08:41A good rain means more watery real estate for the frogs.

02:08:46That's why male frogs invite the ladies for a date before the showers with a croaking

02:08:51symphony.

02:08:53If you hear a lot of buzzing around, meaning the bees are more active than usual, a storm

02:08:59could be on the way.

02:09:01When they feel like it's approaching, bees start working even harder and faster to collect

02:09:06more nectar before the storm.

02:09:09And once they're done with it, they'll always come back to the hive 10 to 15 minutes before

02:09:14the heavy rain, even when there are no obvious signs of it.

02:09:19Their secret is super sensitive hairs on their back that can pick up electrostatic

02:09:24buildups from storm clouds.

02:09:32Something interesting has recently happened in South Dakota.

02:09:35It was all over the internet, so perhaps you already know about it.

02:09:40In July of 2022, the sky in this state suddenly turned green.

02:09:45So what happened there?

02:09:48Was it caused by a human or by nature?

02:09:51Let's find out.

02:09:53Tuesday, July 5, 2022.

02:09:57Shortly after a heavy storm, the sky over South Dakota in the U.S. was still overcast.

02:10:03Locals finally went outside and saw that the sky had an intense dark green hue, and they'd

02:10:08never seen anything like that before.

02:10:11People said that it looked like something straight up from science fiction or even a

02:10:15horror movie.

02:10:17Unsurprisingly, South Dakotans immediately started spreading the news all over social

02:10:23media.

02:10:24People shared their beautiful yet very eerie pictures on Twitter.

02:10:28They showed the sky over the city of Sioux Falls and a few other towns.

02:10:34Even though it may look like something supernatural, in reality, this is not a terrifying phenomenon

02:10:40at all.

02:10:41It's a simple play of the light and the atmosphere.

02:10:44Something like this happens quite rarely and usually means that really bad weather

02:10:48is approaching.

02:10:51And that's also true to what happened in South Dakota.

02:10:54Just before people started sharing photos, a thunderstorm swept through the town of Sioux

02:10:59Falls.

02:11:00This was confirmed by the U.S. Weather Service.

02:11:03This hurricane was terrible.

02:11:04The wind speed was about 100 miles per hour.

02:11:07According to the Buford Scale on wind speeds, this is the fastest and most destructive storm.

02:11:13There are only 12 numbers on this scale and the maximum wind strength starts at 73 miles

02:11:18per hour.

02:11:21But why isn't this all over the news then?

02:11:23Well, because it's kind of a usual thing for the residents.

02:11:29Thunderstorms occur very often in the United States, especially in the warmer months.

02:11:34And one out of ten such thunderstorms can become something serious, like a tornado.

02:11:40This one wasn't an exception.

02:11:42It was the so-called Dorayko storm.

02:11:45Dorayko is very widespread and long-lived.

02:11:50It's actually a combination of a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms and downpours.

02:11:56People often say that a Dorayko is as strong as a tornado.

02:12:00Still, there's a difference between them.

02:12:03A tornado is a vortex, a rotating column of air.

02:12:06It's usually about 500 feet in diameter.

02:12:09Although sometimes its width can reach up to 2.5 miles.

02:12:13I don't envy those who would stumble upon that.

02:12:16But the main point is that they rotate.

02:12:19The wind moves very fast in a circle near some invisible center.

02:12:25A Dorayko is a strong thunderstorm, or a system of strong thunderstorms with straight-line

02:12:31winds.

02:12:32In other words, it doesn't spin.

02:12:34Instead, the Dorayko chooses a point somewhere and simply runs to it, like a very motivated

02:12:41marathon runner.

02:12:44If we compare a Dorayko to an ordinary tornado, the latter has six levels of strength, from

02:12:5040 to 380 miles per hour.

02:12:53So a Dorayko is kind of like a small, average-level 1-2 tornado.

02:12:59Usually its speed is within the range of 73 to 113 miles per hour.

02:13:06And in both cases, they can be accompanied by severe thunderstorms, lightning, and rain.

02:13:11But still, these are different things.

02:13:15A storm becomes a Dorayko if the damaged trail left by it exceeds 240 miles, and if the wind

02:13:22speed is at least 58 miles per hour.

02:13:27It's quite difficult to predict.

02:13:29It can form even on a clear day, when meteorologists don't even anticipate any storms.

02:13:35And then, the winds appear suddenly.

02:13:38It's so surprising that they may even feel explosive.

02:13:42But the National Weather Service tries to warn people at least half an hour or an hour

02:13:46before this happens, so that residents have time to prepare and hide.

02:13:51It wasn't any different this time.

02:13:54The storm swept through almost all of South Dakota, as well as the states of Minnesota

02:13:59and Iowa.

02:14:01The consequences were quite serious.

02:14:03More than 30,000 people were left without electricity.

02:14:06Fortunately, people were fine.

02:14:10That's because the locals are pretty used to Doraykos.

02:14:14However, the green sky is something different.

02:14:18It became a very unusual sight for the locals.

02:14:22Everyone was wondering why it happened.

02:14:24Was it a bad sign or a normal weather phenomenon?

02:14:27Well, to be honest, scientists don't have an exact explanation.

02:14:33But, although there are only assumptions, they sound pretty convincing.

02:14:39A green sky is a very rare phenomenon.

02:14:42Most scientists think that this happens when a powerful storm approaches the area before

02:14:47sunset or sunrise.

02:14:49Then the sky will turn green in this area.

02:14:54NBC meteorologist Bill Cairns, who once faced a similar event himself, suggests that the

02:14:59green sky appeared because of the huge hail before the storm.

02:15:04First, let's talk about why the sky looks blue, or any other shade, depending on its

02:15:10mood.

02:15:11In short, the sun simultaneously carries all the rays of the color spectrum.

02:15:16It may seem white to us in total, but it actually has all the colors at the same time.

02:15:23However, these color waves all have different lengths.

02:15:27For example, blue rays are shorter than the other ones.

02:15:31They jump away from the air molecules better than the red waves, so they reach us faster.

02:15:38Because of this, on a regular clear day, the sky seems blue.

02:15:44At the same time, red and orange color waves are very long and move slower, so they're

02:15:50usually left behind.

02:15:52When the sun goes below the horizon or rises, the rays' directions change, and these waves

02:15:58reach us better.

02:16:01It all means that even if the sunrises and sunsets seem red and orange to us, in fact,

02:16:07there are still blue and green waves among them.

02:16:11But they have to bounce off something to reach us faster and become stronger than the red

02:16:15rays.

02:16:16Have you guessed what I'm getting at?

02:16:21This is where the water comes into play.

02:16:24Clouds are made up of water droplets.

02:16:26When they become large enough but don't fall yet, for example, due to strong winds, they

02:16:32affect how the light behaves in the sky.

02:16:36Large heavy storms mostly consist of water and hail, and water reflects blue and green

02:16:42rays best of all.

02:16:44That's exactly the reason why the water in rivers and lakes seems bluish green to us,

02:16:49although in reality, it's transparent.

02:16:52And yeah, algae matter too.

02:16:56So there are a couple of key factors why the sky may turn green.

02:17:01First off, the sun should be at the horizon level.

02:17:05Another factor is that while the storm clouds are approaching, they shouldn't cover the

02:17:09sky completely.

02:17:11There still must be a little room for the sun rays.

02:17:14Then, barely noticeable blue rays jump up to storm clouds.

02:17:18They're repelled by water droplets and hail.

02:17:21Mixing with the red sunset, they turn into a bright green light, and this green light

02:17:27is spreading all over the sky.

02:17:31That's why in most of these cases, when the sky turns green, people can only see it in

02:17:36the evenings.

02:17:37Yeah, it can also happen in the middle of the day.

02:17:40But since the conditions are already quite specific, seeing something like that during

02:17:44the day is even rarer.

02:17:47Still, if you see a green sky, you don't need to panic.

02:17:52It doesn't necessarily mean that a terrible storm is approaching.

02:17:56The chances are high though, but still, it's not a rule.

02:18:00It can be just heavy rain or a heavy hail.

02:18:04In other words, if you see a green sky, then you'd better hide.

02:18:09And hide your car.

02:18:11However, if you were lucky enough to see the stunning sky from the comfort of your own

02:18:15home, it's indeed very exciting.

02:18:18If you get a glimpse of something like that, just know that you had a chance to experience

02:18:22something very rare and special.

02:18:25Some people said it was the most incredible thing they had ever seen.

02:18:30Ah, beautiful.

02:18:33You're walking with your friend and look up at the sky.

02:18:36The sun looks a bit different today.

02:18:38It looks like it has some kind of ring around it, a rainbow type thing.

02:18:42Huh, look at that.

02:18:44Your friend pulls his head up out of his phone.

02:18:47You shouldn't look directly at the...

02:18:49Stop everything, he says.

02:18:51It's a sun halo.

02:18:53We need to find shelter now, unless you have the world's biggest umbrella on you.

02:18:58A sun halo is nature's sign that there's a snow or rainstorm on its way.

02:19:04It's caused by clouds that are made of bazillions of small ice crystals.

02:19:09Sunlight goes through those crystals, which causes the light to split and refract, like

02:19:13when there's a rainbow.

02:19:15Now don't look at the sun halo directly.

02:19:18It's going to be tempting because it's not something you see every day, plus it's really

02:19:22beautiful.

02:19:23But, ultraviolet light can burn the exposed tissue of your retina and cause serious damage,

02:19:29so it's not worth it.

02:19:31Grab some sunglasses and you're good to go.

02:19:34This phenomenon lasts around 40 minutes.

02:19:36These clouds are the same ones that can cause a spooky ring around the moon at night sometimes.

02:19:42In June 2020, what the people were looking at was an anvil cloud, a rare storm formation

02:19:48in the sky.

02:19:50Formed when strong air currents carry water vapor upwards, the air expands and spreads

02:19:55out as it hits the bottom of the stratosphere.

02:19:59It pushes the dense cloud into the cool anvil shape you see, and sometimes it even gets

02:20:04to be a mushroom.

02:20:06Anvil clouds produce some of the most dangerous lightning of all storms, one that's called

02:20:11a bolt out of the blue.

02:20:13This lightning strike seems to magically come out of the blue sky, with the storm being

02:20:18many miles away.

02:20:20This type of bolt comes from the top of the anvil and can be 10 times more powerful than

02:20:25a typical lightning strike.

02:20:28People got so frightened after witnessing a giant cloud that they thought something

02:20:32terrible must have happened.

02:20:34The locals had pictures of the large billow on social media before officials could explain

02:20:39what was going on.

02:20:41Authorities managed to calm everyone's fears by informing them it was nothing more than

02:20:45a natural phenomenon, and a beautiful one at that.

02:20:49Before dissipating, these clouds typically stay in one area, regardless of how strong

02:20:53the wind is.

02:20:56If you look off the western coast of France, you'll see the Isle of Rey.

02:21:01Thanks to its beautiful blue waters, clean sandy beaches, and stunning lighthouses, this

02:21:06place is a very popular vacation spot.

02:21:09But perhaps the coolest part about the Isle of Rey is what you see just beyond the shore.

02:21:15Square waves.

02:21:17This strange wave pattern looks like a giant chessboard over the ocean.

02:21:21Many visitors to the island become captivated by these waves and go to high up places like

02:21:26nearby lighthouses to take pictures of this natural phenomenon.

02:21:30They say that when looking down at these square patterns in the water, it's almost as if there's

02:21:35some sort of metal grid underneath it.

02:21:38And while these wave patterns are truly fascinating, the people who choose to enjoy them from afar

02:21:43are doing it right.

02:21:45They know to stay out of the water.

02:21:47To understand how these square waves come to be, it's important to know how waves occur

02:21:53in the first place.

02:21:55Generally, waves can travel many miles over the surface of the water, depending on local

02:22:00winds and weather.

02:22:02And even on days when the weather seems somewhat calm, storms located elsewhere can send in

02:22:07crashing waves that affect the surrounding calm waters.

02:22:11When waves travel onto the shores of distant lands, they're called swells.

02:22:16This is different from a wave that occurs from local wind.

02:22:20When two different swells coming from opposite directions meet, it's known as a cross sea.

02:22:26This is what generates these square waves you see near the Isle of Rey.

02:22:32While these waves are one of the reasons why people flock to this island, they can still

02:22:36expect to enjoy calm, relaxing waters most of the time.

02:22:40The cross sea only occurs during certain times of the year, in specific weather.

02:22:45Plus, it's common knowledge around Rey to steer clear of the ocean when these square

02:22:50waves appear, so it's not often that you hear about anyone getting caught in them because

02:22:56most people know better.

02:22:58And since a lot of people on the island are tourists, there are plenty of signs around

02:23:02warning them to get out of the water during this time.

02:23:06However, not everyone gets the memo.

02:23:09There have been a handful of cases where people got caught in the cross sea, but thankfully

02:23:14and luckily, they managed to get out safely.

02:23:19These square waves have become somewhat famous over time given that there's really no other

02:23:23place in the world that boasts a cross sea like this one.

02:23:27In fact, no one has ever spotted square waves anywhere but the Isle of Rey.

02:23:33However, there are swells that can be found throughout the oceans in the world, and a

02:23:37cross sea can take place.

02:23:40But if the angle they approach each other at is more shallow, the wave may actually

02:23:44look like it's coming from the same direction, even when it's not.

02:23:49Not to mention, swells can slowly lose momentum as they drip further and further away, so

02:23:54their crest, or the top of the wave, appears more round and less jagged.

02:24:00The Isle of Rey's specific wind and weather patterns are literally the perfect storm and

02:24:05create a cross sea that people can clearly recognize.

02:24:10It's 2009 in Italy.

02:24:12A man was hanging out in his kitchen.

02:24:15Then he saw some flickering lights.

02:24:17He knew just what to do.

02:24:19He moved his family to a safe place.

02:24:21A couple of seconds later, a massive earthquake hit the whole region.

02:24:25His family survived thanks to his quick reaction.

02:24:29He knew these flickering lights were actually a sign of an upcoming earthquake.

02:24:34People have been seeing these mysterious lights for ages.

02:24:37Some thought it was some kind of sign coming from space.

02:24:42Scientists never used to take them seriously.

02:24:44But after the invention of photography, more and more evidence of these strange lights

02:24:49appeared.

02:24:50Soon, they realized the connection.

02:24:52The lights appear, and pretty soon, the earthquake hits.

02:24:58After a bit of digging around, they actually found some records of these earthquake lights

02:25:02from hundreds of years ago.

02:25:05There were bluish flames coming out of the ground right before an earthquake.

02:25:10Oh, creepy.

02:25:13The Christmas Island crab is part of an amazing phenomenon once a year.

02:25:18Their migration period is determined by the phase of the moon and the first rainfall between

02:25:23October and February, although the precise date can't be predicted.

02:25:27Once the crabs have been prompted, they leave their homes amongst the forest and migrate

02:25:32in massive hordes towards the sea.

02:25:35Numbering in millions, a sea of red crabs is observed as they make their journey across

02:25:41the island, creating roadblocks and making their way to the ocean.

02:25:45There, they lay their eggs and then make their trek back, returning to the forest until the

02:25:51next year.

02:25:53There are bridges in the Indian state of Meghalaya that are created entirely of living tree roots.

02:26:00The bridges are made up of tangled thick roots that are strong enough to hold over

02:26:0450 people at a time.

02:26:07The Khasi and Jaintia tribes became masters in the art of growing these insane bridges.

02:26:13They need them to cross the streams below with ease.

02:26:17Some of these root bridges are over 180 years old.

02:26:20To make them, the members of the tribes care for the roots until they grow long enough

02:26:25to reach the opposite bank.

02:26:27It can take as long as 10 to 15 years to grow a bridge.

02:26:31In the process, the roots become tightly entwined with one another.

02:26:36This is how the bridges get so strong.

02:26:38And once a bridge is fully grown, it can last for over 500 years.

02:26:43While some roots decay, new ones are continually growing.

02:26:47That's why the unusual natural constructions last so long.

02:26:52Light pillars are colorful beams of light that either jet up from Earth towards the

02:26:56sky or shine down from the clouds.

02:26:59Usually, they only occur in cold temperatures as they form when the sunlight gets reflected

02:27:05off ice crystals floating in the air.

02:27:07The higher the crystals are in the air, the taller these bright and colorful pillars become.

02:27:13They're most common at sunrise and sunset.

02:27:17There are hidden caves all over the world that are filled with glowing light.

02:27:22This light comes from hundreds of glowworms that have made a cozy home in the caves.

02:27:27Some of the caves are more than 30 million years old, and most of them can be found in

02:27:31New Zealand and Australia.

02:27:34The worms themselves don't actually glow.

02:27:37But baby worms, called larvae, form silk strings made out of mucus.

02:27:42These strings form nets.

02:27:44It's these nets that can illuminate the entire cave.

02:27:48Their purpose is to attract flies and other tasty insects for the glowworms to munch on.

02:27:55Rainbow trees are 100% a real thing.

02:27:58Hailing from the Philippines and Indonesia, these colorful wonders are called rainbow

02:28:03eucalyptus, or rainbow gum.

02:28:06The rainbow hues are created by the contrast in colors of old and new bark.

02:28:11As the thin surface layers of bark peel away, they reveal newer ones with brighter, more

02:28:16eye-catching colors.

02:28:19The brand new bark is green.

02:28:21Then it changes to purple, then red, and finally brown.

02:28:25This is because the trees contain a substance called chlorophyll.

02:28:29It makes the bark green.

02:28:30As each strip of bark ages, it loses chlorophyll and slowly changes its color.

02:28:37Ah, the beauty of nature all around you, the fresh air, and days and days of meditative

02:28:44rest far away from civilization ahead of you.

02:28:47But you've been walking for quite some time to get this far, and now it's time to set

02:28:52up camp.

02:28:53The woods around are dense, and there's no suitable place to put up your tent.

02:28:58Then you notice a nice green patch completely devoid of trees and only sprinkled with some

02:29:03low-growing bushes.

02:29:05Well, you go there, smug about your find, and get to work on the tent.

02:29:10The ground is unusually soft and smooth, but that doesn't bother you too much.

02:29:15All the better!

02:29:16The pegs go into the soil like a knife into butter.

02:29:19By the time you're done, it's dark already, so you get inside the tent and crawl into

02:29:24your cozy sleeping bag.

02:29:27You wake up from a creepy feeling that something's not right.

02:29:31You feel… wet?

02:29:33You start wriggling inside your bag, and yes, it's almost completely soaked from below.

02:29:39You rush out of the tent as quickly as you can, and see that it's started to sink into

02:29:44the ground.

02:29:45Turns out, you've set up camp on a swamp!

02:29:50And you've been lucky too!

02:29:51Swamps aren't always obvious.

02:29:53Sometimes you won't even see them until you're knee-deep in muck and trouble.

02:29:58Getting out of there can be tricky as well.

02:30:00The moss and roots create a soft padding that's slowly pulling you under, and when you try

02:30:06to raise your feet, you might end up without your boots.

02:30:10Telling a forest swamp is fairly easy when you know what to look for.

02:30:14If you're in a dense thicket and see a lush, sunlit glade where nothing but moss and an

02:30:19occasional bush grows, chances are high it's a swamp.

02:30:24You can also check it by stepping lightly on this serene ground.

02:30:27If it feels springy, better stay away!

02:30:31Another thing the swamp can be dangerous for is, surprisingly, a forest fire.

02:30:36If you stay too close to a swamp and start a campfire, it might catch on, especially

02:30:41if there's a strong wind.

02:30:44Swamps and marshes are chock-full of tar hidden underneath the layers of water and moss.

02:30:49When it starts to burn, extinguishing it is nearly impossible.

02:30:54Always keep a safe distance from any swamp before starting a campfire.

02:30:58Another common mistake while breaking camp in the wild is not looking up.

02:31:03Let's say you found some solid ground to put up the tent, cleared it from all the nasty

02:31:08cones and stones, and made sure there aren't any anthills close by.

02:31:13You don't want anything to creep inside your sleeping bag at night, do you?

02:31:17The spot you've chosen is perfect, and the tree your tent is leaning to protects you

02:31:22from the wind and rain.

02:31:24You set up for the night, turning off your camping light, and suddenly, your tent is

02:31:29thrashing as if a wild beast has attacked you.

02:31:32Bewildered, you scramble out and see a huge branch has fallen on top of your tent.

02:31:38The worst thing about this is that you would've seen it coming if only you'd looked up before

02:31:43setting up camp.

02:31:45Half-broken and rotten branches are easy to spot, and it's never a good idea to put

02:31:50your tent straight beneath them.

02:31:52Such a thing can break off at any moment, and you'll be lucky if it doesn't tear

02:31:56your tent and harm you.

02:31:59Dozens of tourists make this mistake every year, and often pay dearly for it.

02:32:05Looking up will also help you make sure there are no wasp nests or spider nets above you.

02:32:11These might prove even worse than a branch because wasps don't like to be disturbed,

02:32:16and spiders may turn out to be venomous.

02:32:19Now if you see a beautiful river and decide to break camp on its banks, pay special attention

02:32:25to where exactly you put up your tent as well.

02:32:28If you stay too close to the water, especially in spring or fall, chances are you'll find

02:32:34yourself afloat in the middle of the night.

02:32:37Always check the weather forecast for the day and the night after.

02:32:41If there's a chance of rain, better stay away from any bodies of water, especially

02:32:45rivers.

02:32:46Rain might raise the water level in it and make it burst its banks, drowning your little

02:32:51camp and ruining your vacation.

02:32:54But even if you're far from water, rain could spoil it for you.

02:32:58Say you're once again deep in the forest and tree crowns are protecting you from the

02:33:02weather.

02:33:03Precipitation still gets to the forest floor, but at least it's not as bad as in the open.

02:33:09The next night, when you set up camp in another place, you feel the ground is soft and springy.

02:33:15It's not a swamp though, just the last night's rain has loosened the soil.

02:33:19If you're in such a spot, better move to somewhere solid.

02:33:23Thing is, soft and loose ground might start creeping out from under you at any point.

02:33:29This movement isn't as dangerous as when you're in a swamp, but the pegs of your

02:33:33tent might come loose too, and you'll end up buried underneath a pile of rugs that used

02:33:38to be your tent.

02:33:40If you decided to set up your camp in a cozy-looking valley, and the rain starts falling when you're

02:33:45already there, well, prepare for a nice floating trip.

02:33:50All the water will naturally go down and into your shelter, eventually finding its way under

02:33:55your tent.

02:33:57No wonder you'll find yourself knee-deep in rainwater when you wake up!

02:34:01Oh, what a great spot for taking a bit of rest after a long walk!

02:34:05It's on a hilltop, so there's no water nearby, the sun's shining, and not a single

02:34:10tree to block it out.

02:34:12Sunbathing here is gonna be fabulous!

02:34:15Well, it seems this way for the first few hours.

02:34:18But when you stay here long enough, you'll see the error of your decision.

02:34:23Direct sunlight on your tent can make it hot in a matter of hours due to the materials

02:34:28it's made of.

02:34:29And you'll feel it on your skin as soon as you crawl inside.

02:34:33Let's just say you won't want to stay in there for long until it's night, and the tent's

02:34:37cooled down at least.

02:34:39Same thing with the wind.

02:34:41In an open spot, gusts can reach crazy speeds, and if you haven't been careful while hammering

02:34:46down the pegs, you might say goodbye to your tent sooner than you'd like.

02:34:51It's best to find a spot near a tree that would protect you, both from the sun and the

02:34:56wind.

02:34:57Still, don't get tempted to camp near a lone tree when the weather forecast isn't in your

02:35:02favor.

02:35:03Both sunny and rainy weather are okay, but if there's a serious storm coming, a single-standing

02:35:09tree will serve as a lightning rod.

02:35:12It's not hard to imagine what may come if lightning strikes a tree you're camping under.

02:35:17Hey, you might get a charge out of it!

02:35:20When winter camping, the weather can be even more treacherous.

02:35:24Remember what I said about direct sunlight?

02:35:26Forget it.

02:35:27In winter, it's best to have the sun shining on your tent.

02:35:30The cold might get to you no matter how cool and expensive your tent is, and the winds

02:35:35are generally much more vicious in the cold season.

02:35:39Direct sunlight will help you cope with much of the cold.

02:35:42One of the more common mistakes hikers make is starting a campfire too close to the tent.

02:35:48Again, the material of the tent conducts heat very well, and it's a good thing when it's

02:35:54warm.

02:35:55But it also catches on fire easily.

02:35:57Sometimes, one spark is enough to burn your shelter to cinders.

02:36:01Make sure there's enough room between your tent and the campfire, and never leave your

02:36:06fire unsupervised.

02:36:08When you go to sleep, it's a rule to extinguish the fire so that you don't wake up to a blazing

02:36:13inferno around you.

02:36:15Insects can ruin even the most exciting hike.

02:36:18Mosquitoes, ants, ticks, and other pesky bugs can find their way into your tent wherever

02:36:24you are.

02:36:25So, make sure you protect yourself from them.

02:36:29Use skin repellents when you go outside, and put an anti-insect spiral next to the entrance

02:36:34to your tent.

02:36:35Don't put it too close or inside, though – the smell is irritating, and it can also

02:36:40cause a fire.

02:36:42To avoid the best part of mosquitoes, and especially ticks, try to stay away from lakes,

02:36:47ponds, and dense forests where swamps may occur.

02:36:51Mosquitoes reproduce in still water, so areas around such pools are replete with the winged

02:36:56pests.

02:36:58But they have a hard time flying when there's some wind, so choosing an open spot is your

02:37:03best bet to get rid of them.

02:37:05Don't let them bug you!

02:37:07When you think of the world's most dangerous bird, as I do sometimes, eagles or vultures

02:37:13may come to your mind.

02:37:15Surprisingly, these awkward cassowaries may cause way more damage than the other more

02:37:20notorious angry birds I first mentioned.

02:37:24The largest cassowary species may be as tall as an average person and weighing as much.

02:37:30These plump birds can't fly, but neither can you.

02:37:33Plus, they run fast, so don't you try to escape from them!

02:37:37They can reach you even in water since they're great swimmers.

02:37:41They can run as fast as 30 mph, so you might need a getaway car if there's a cassowary

02:37:46who's mad at you.

02:37:47But don't worry, their attacks are quite rare anyways.

02:37:52Mute swans are gorgeous, graceful creatures.

02:37:56At least, that's what we all think.

02:37:58But touching one of these 28-pound birds is a bad idea.

02:38:03They have bony spurs in their wings that they use to take enemies out.

02:38:07Their wingspan is about 8 feet, and they can slap you with all of that.

02:38:12And they also bite.

02:38:13Don't ever get too close to one.

02:38:15They regularly go after humans, especially if the bird has younglings nearby.

02:38:21And don't let the name fool you either, they aren't mute.

02:38:25Swans can hiss loudly and even bark.

02:38:28Good warning signs that you're encroaching a bit too close.

02:38:33Humans and magpies have always had weird almost love-hate relationships.

02:38:39These medium-sized birdies can be pretty aggressive at times, but if you treat them well, you'll

02:38:44probably become friends.

02:38:46They can recognize human faces, and they're sure to come back to your balcony if you treat

02:38:51them to something yummy.

02:38:53If you offend a magpie, they're gonna remember that too and bear some grudges.

02:38:58So keep an eye on your eye, pardon the pun.

02:39:03Pelicans are symbols of love, and they say they're ready to sacrifice their own life

02:39:07to protect their offspring.

02:39:09Ah, now it's clear why they can swallow the entire prey without even chewing it or

02:39:14tearing it.

02:39:16You just don't want to go near their nest.

02:39:18Sure, you're not a tiny fish, and pelican beaks are too small for a human being.

02:39:23But you don't want to be bitten now, do you?

02:39:27Okay, this one's gonna frighten you only with its name.

02:39:30A shoobill stork is an impressively large bird, up to 5 feet, just below the average

02:39:36human height.

02:39:38No wonder they can fight a crocodile.

02:39:40Alright, a baby crocodile.

02:39:42But they need only their super-powerful jaw to win in one hit.

02:39:47Still not afraid?

02:39:48Well, they make blood-chilling noises, as if you were in some action blockbuster movie.

02:39:56If you think these cowardly ostriches don't pose any danger, you got it wrong.

02:40:01Twice.

02:40:02First, they actually don't shove their heads in the sand, it's an optical illusion.

02:40:07And yeah, how are they even supposed to breathe in the sand?

02:40:10Second, these guys are kinda overprotective parents.

02:40:14So if you ever want to approach their young, these heavyweight beasts who can run as fast

02:40:19as a car within city limits are gonna come for you.

02:40:23Not scared yet?

02:40:24Welp, you should be.

02:40:26Ostriches are the closest living relatives to T. rex, together with chickens.

02:40:32It seems look quite harmless, except for their foul smell, but that's another story.

02:40:38But their babies have notorious wings.

02:40:41The chick's flappers have two distinct claws that are multipurpose.

02:40:45First, they are a sort of protection against predators, and second, they help them climb

02:40:50trees in case the baby's out of the nest.

02:40:54Once they grow up, the claws disappear just like milk teeth.

02:40:59Size doesn't matter at times.

02:41:02If you were a hummingbird, you'd have to eat almost 300 pounds of food per day to maintain

02:41:08normal weight with that little bird's metabolism.

02:41:11But the lifespan would be way shorter too, only about 3-5 years.

02:41:18If you dye your hair, you probably have more in common with a bearded vulture than you

02:41:23might think.

02:41:24We're probably the only two species in the world who use dye on purpose.

02:41:29Vultures dye their feathers with red soil to show their dominance over other birds.

02:41:34People?

02:41:35Well, we just like changes.

02:41:39California condors may not be as large as an aircraft, but they're huge anyways.

02:41:45Their wingspan is almost 10 feet.

02:41:47These are potentially dangerous for people, but chances that you ever meet them are slim.

02:41:52There are only about 200 of them left in the US.

02:41:57Here you are, looking for something yummy in the fridge, but you just can't see what

02:42:01you really want.

02:42:03If you were a bastion thrust, you'd break wind at the fridge.

02:42:07Sounds gross, but that's apparently the way these birdies look for hiding worms.

02:42:11They give them a gas attack, so the worms get shocked and yippee, they are now an easy

02:42:17target for a bastion thrush.

02:42:19Hold your nose and bon appetit!

02:42:23Okay enough of those funky stories, let's look at the skies.

02:42:27You wouldn't expect a poisonous bird on this list, but, alas, I present to you the hooded

02:42:32pitohui.

02:42:34Scientists found out they were poisonous when they kept experiencing numbness and a burning

02:42:38sensation after handling these birds.

02:42:41There are lots of toxins in their feathers, especially on the underside.

02:42:45The birds don't produce toxins themselves.

02:42:48They probably get them from the beetles they eat.

02:42:51Or how about the spur-winged goose?

02:42:54These guys are notorious for being toxic too.

02:42:57And the toxicity comes from munching on blister beetles.

02:43:01It's safe to touch them, but eating one can lead to irreversible consequences.

02:43:07The toxin remains even after cooking.

02:43:11Another bird you don't want to eat is a common quail.

02:43:14Don't mix it up with a Japanese quail, which is usually kept as poultry.

02:43:19Common quails can be really poisonous, leading to even such dreadful consequences as kidney

02:43:25failure.

02:43:26It all depends on the certain plants this bird eats.

02:43:29Good news, it's only poisonous during the migration period, but it's yummy and safe

02:43:34outside the migration.

02:43:36If you're not quite sure, it's better to avoid this one on your plate unless you want

02:43:40some muscle soreness.

02:43:43If you spot a cute fluffy snowy owl, you better close your eyes and run.

02:43:48They might look innocent, but in fact, they have razor-sharp talents which they know perfectly

02:43:54how to use.

02:43:55They point them at the most vulnerable parts, like head, eyes, you got it.

02:44:00Do not mess with a snowy owl.

02:44:03One more species you don't want to contact is the little shrike thrush.

02:44:08Say that a few times fast, shrike thrush.

02:44:11Just look at this tiny birdie and its innocent eyes.

02:44:14And don't let them fool you.

02:44:16Remember the way they look and never touch them.

02:44:19They're as poisonous as notorious Central and South American dart frogs.

02:44:24Blue-capped ifrita may be tiny, but it has a toxic mechanism that makes this small birdie

02:44:30invincible.

02:44:31They eat only certain types of beetles that provide this bird with special toxins.

02:44:36Even if you touch it, you'll probably get numb as a result of intoxication.

02:44:41It's inedible since the toxins don't disappear even when it's cooked.

02:44:46Golden eagles are the power lifters in the bird's world.

02:44:50They can carry weights up to 4 pounds.

02:44:52They pick up tortoises and other prey easily.

02:44:55These mighty birds are strong enough to steal a toddler, but they actually never do that.

02:45:01Moreover, in Mongolia, people even use these eagles to hunt wolves.

02:45:07Canada geese have been living close to humans for years, but they're still wary of us

02:45:12getting near their homes, especially in the spring mating season.

02:45:16At this time, the geese can chase and bite people they consider a threat to their eggs,

02:45:21mates, or babies.

02:45:22If you want to avoid being attacked by these seriously angry birds, the best thing you

02:45:27can do is just slowly back away.

02:45:31Romantic seagulls in the sky don't seem to cause many problems.

02:45:35The worst thing they can do is leave you some unwanted droppings.

02:45:39Well, this impression is pretty misleading because these birds are very aggressive.

02:45:45Like all of their kind, they don't attack because they feel like doing so.

02:45:49So the rule is quite simple – just don't touch those birds and stay away from their

02:45:54nests.

02:45:55Oh, and when the time machine is finally invented, be especially careful with the birds from

02:46:02the past.

02:46:03Stiletto raptors are long past existing, just like the rest of the dinosaurs.

02:46:08They had talons and feathers, so these guys were actual birds and not scaly lizards.

02:46:13By the way, these are the stiletto-sharp talons you should be afraid of.

02:46:18These could cut anything.

02:46:20Beware if you go into the future too – you never know what's waiting for you over there!

02:46:27Boom!

02:46:29This word isn't nearly enough to illustrate the explosion, the most powerful one you've

02:46:34ever seen.

02:46:35And what's most important, it's a lake that's just blown up!

02:46:38Hey, all you wanted to do is light up some fireworks in this picturesque place, but you

02:46:43must have totally missed the Danger!

02:46:45Strictly No Fire warning sign along the way, and now the wall of fuming water is quickly

02:46:51closing in on you!

02:46:53But first, let's rewind to the beginning of the whole thing.

02:46:56You're in Alberta, Canada, and have just arrived to Abraham Lake for a hike of your

02:47:01life.

02:47:02The lake is frozen, and the view is awesome!

02:47:05Those bubbles under the ice look like hundreds of frozen jellyfish.

02:47:09In reality, they're made of methane, a toxic and highly flammable gas produced by bacteria

02:47:16living on the bottom of the lake.

02:47:18That's why the sign is there – if you so much as light a match on this ice, it might

02:47:22set the whole thing on fire!

02:47:24Luckily, you've taken note of it on the way here and put away the fireworks you wanted

02:47:29to light up!

02:47:31Another place, another time.

02:47:33Another lake.

02:47:34This one's not frozen.

02:47:36In fact, it probably hasn't seen a winter since the last ice age.

02:47:40We're in Cameroon now, and the place is called Lake Nyos.

02:47:44It looks peaceful, but make no mistake – its orange-brown waters hide a deadly secret.

02:47:50The lake rests atop a highly volatile area, and the fissures in its bottom let out massive

02:47:56amounts of carbon dioxide.

02:47:58When the ground shifts, this gas spills out of the lake and flows miles around it.

02:48:04The concentrations are so high that one breath of it would make you faint, and you'd have

02:48:09zero chance of waking up.

02:48:11You get the picture.

02:48:12But the most sinister thing about it is that the CO2 doesn't have a smell or color, so

02:48:18you wouldn't even see it coming.

02:48:20Local authorities have set up a system of pipes that drains the gas from the lake, making

02:48:25it relatively safe for people and animals in the vicinity.

02:48:29And another toxic lake, Kivu, on the border of Congo and Rwanda, has even been made to

02:48:34provide energy for millions of people thanks to its gases.

02:48:39While we're in Africa, the Danikil Depression in Ethiopia is also worth a blood-curdling

02:48:45visit.

02:48:46Dubbed the hottest place on Earth, it sure lives up to its name.

02:48:49The ravine is peppered with extremely hot springs, toxic acid ponds, and active volcanoes.

02:48:56The landscape is surreal, to say the least, and is probably the only inhabited place on

02:49:01Earth where no life can exist.

02:49:04The Afar people live here all year round and gather salt around the springs for trade,

02:49:09while scientists couldn't find any evidence of microbial life in those.

02:49:14Humans are notorious for settling in places most would gladly avoid.

02:49:19Like Mount Tambora in Indonesia, thousands of people have been living on and around its

02:49:23slopes for centuries until the fateful day in 1815.

02:49:28Tambora is a volcano, and that year it decided to erupt, resulting in a blast that obliterated

02:49:35everything on the island and was heard almost a thousand miles away.

02:49:40It spewed out so much volcanic ash that it fell in sheets on the surrounding isles and

02:49:45caused a year without a summer in the whole Northern Hemisphere.

02:49:49It was the most powerful eruption in the last 10,000 years, and Mount Tambora became as

02:49:54much as 5,000 feet lower after it.

02:49:58But back to our time.

02:49:59There's an island you won't be allowed to visit, but I bet you wouldn't want to anyway.

02:50:05The Snake Island in Brazil is home to thousands of snakes, as its name implies.

02:50:10The moment you step on its soil, you're in grave danger of being bitten by a viper.

02:50:15The island is also the only place you can meet a golden lancehead viper – the encounter

02:50:20of a lifetime, literally.

02:50:22This place is so dangerous that Brazil has banned tourists and any other visitors from

02:50:27it unconditionally.

02:50:28Okay, gotta go!

02:50:31Now get your warmest clothes on and don't forget a fur face mask.

02:50:35We're going to Omaeok in Russia.

02:50:37It's a small town in the far north that's often called the coldest place on the planet

02:50:42where people still live.

02:50:44The only place with a lower average temperature is Antarctica, and that's saying something.

02:50:49In the winter, if you so much as forget to put on a sweater, another sweater, another

02:50:54sweater, and a fur coat, you'll get frozen to the bone in mere seconds.

02:50:59Temperatures here drop to the chilling minus 96°F. Fresh fruit turns to chunks of ice

02:51:06in minutes and become so hard you could drive nails into wood with an apple here.

02:51:11Before you freeze in place, let's go somewhere no boat will take you – the Skeleton Coast

02:51:16in Namibia.

02:51:17No, really, you can only drive or fly in here because boats and ships won't go near the

02:51:23place.

02:51:24The waters are treacherous, sudden gales toss vessels around, and sharp rocks hiding underwater

02:51:30are all too happy to ram into their hulls.

02:51:33The coast itself stretches for hundreds of miles and is divided into southern and northern

02:51:38parts.

02:51:39Visitors on all-terrain vehicles are allowed freely into the southern part, but only about

02:51:44800 people a year can get to the northern one and only with guided tours.

02:51:49People are known to have been lost in this desert forever, and it's a daunting place

02:51:53to go.

02:51:54It got its name from numerous animal carcasses found here.

02:51:58Still, about 50,000 indigenous people managed to survive in this place along with adapted

02:52:04animals, lizards, hyenas, and even elephants.

02:52:09You'd expect a living destruction machine anywhere but the heart of Europe.

02:52:12Naples, one of the most famous cities in Italy, is built on top of an active supervolcano.

02:52:19In 2018, scientists noticed this monster of a mountain was building up magma in its depths.

02:52:25They say it isn't likely to erupt in the near future, but there's a smaller yet no

02:52:31less dangerous volcano just a few miles off – the infamous Vesuvius.

02:52:36You might remember it for the immolation of the Roman city of Pompeii about 2,000 years

02:52:42ago.

02:52:43You might, but I wasn't around then.

02:52:46This one has been active for a long while, and both citizens and guests of Naples put

02:52:51their lives at stake every single day they spend in town.

02:52:54But hey, while you're there, try the pizza!

02:52:58Northeast of France is also an unwelcoming place.

02:53:02A chain of areas has been dubbed Zone Rouge, or Red Zone, and declared off-limits since

02:53:07the 1920s.

02:53:08If, by some wild chance, you find yourself in one of these places, you'll only see

02:53:14wilted plants and scorched earth, so much in contrast with the lush landscapes of the

02:53:19rest of the country.

02:53:21The soil and air is so polluted here that people are prohibited to enter for fear of

02:53:25choking.

02:53:27And in any case, nothing can live in the Red Zone at the time.

02:53:32There's an inhabited island in Japan that was once closed for air travel for 8 years.

02:53:37Miyake-jama is basically a volcano on whose slopes people live.

02:53:42It has been erupting roughly every 20 years, and the latest eruption was in 2000.

02:53:47The volcano doesn't normally spill lava, but instead it throws out enormous clouds

02:53:52of toxic sulfuric gases.

02:53:54Hey, don't forget your mask!

02:53:56Speaking of which, at the peak of its activity, residents of the island had to wear gas masks

02:54:02at all times, and even years after the eruption, they took those masks with them just in case.

02:54:08Hey, I can relate!

02:54:11Not far from where we've just been, in Kamchatka region of Russia, there's an incredibly

02:54:16beautiful valley in which you don't want to stay for too long.

02:54:20It's ominously called the Valley of Death, and it sits at the base of another active

02:54:25volcano.

02:54:26When the mountain lets out its fumes, spoiler quite often, the toxic gases heavier than

02:54:31air go down its slopes and right into the valley.

02:54:35Small critters have no chance of survival breathing this stuff, and even larger animals

02:54:39and humans will have trouble getting out unscathed.

02:54:44Another deadly vacation destination is Saltstromen Strait in Norway.

02:54:49It looks serene and beautiful, and you can almost feel it inviting you to take a dip

02:54:54and bathe in its waters.

02:54:56Don't do that, though.

02:54:58Every 6 hours, the calm strait turns into a roaring mass dotted with huge and powerful

02:55:03whirlpools.

02:55:04It's all because of a tidal current between two fjords the strait is connecting.

02:55:09Here, on a high tide, the rush of water is too massive for the narrow stream, making

02:55:14it a deadly trap for both swimmers and boats.

02:55:19Over in Bolivia, there's a 45 miles long road that only the bravest dare to traverse.

02:55:25Yungas Road goes along the side of a mountain range and is a major attraction for cyclists

02:55:30craving for a thrill.

02:55:32A new passage has been built that bypasses the most dangerous parts of the route, but

02:55:37the original road was very narrow, with the abyss and no guardrails to speak of on one

02:55:42side and a steep slope on the other.

02:55:45Frequent landslides, fog, and rains made cycling here extremely dangerous and unpredictable,

02:55:51which of course, never stopped adrenaline seekers from all over the world to come here

02:55:56for a bike ride like no other.

02:55:59Finally, if you like hot springs, you might also love a visit to Boiling Lake in Dominica.

02:56:06Located in a national park, it's a cavity filled with constantly boiling water from

02:56:11the rivers in the vicinity.

02:56:12It's kept hot by the extremely hot springs of toxic gas, and the fumes above the surface

02:56:18are also toxic.

02:56:20The lake attracts tourists, but getting too close to it might prove really dangerous.

02:56:25It's known to burst, flooding the surrounding area with clouds of gas.

02:56:30That's it for today, so hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like

02:56:36and share it with your friends.

02:56:38Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side of life!

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