Natural Phenomena Best Watched from a Distance

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Transcript
00:00:00The Baltic Sea Anomaly In 2011,
00:00:03a diving team came down to the bottom of the northern part of the Baltic Sea.
00:00:07They went on a treasure hunt, but what they came upon was a pretty weird object.
00:00:12When they took photos and showed them to others,
00:00:15many believed it was a sunken spaceship of another civilization.
00:00:21Other people thought that some natural causes formed the object,
00:00:25but the metals inside the structure definitely couldn't have been formed naturally.
00:00:30Now, some scientists even believe it was something that appeared way back in the Ice Age.
00:00:36Maybe it was even a meteorite that ended up trapped under ice back then.
00:00:42A maelstrom is a whirlpool, some sort of a powerful rotational current
00:00:47that forms when two currents collide and create a circular vortex.
00:00:52Even fearless Vikings were afraid of maelstroms
00:00:55because those were forces so powerful that they could sink large ships.
00:00:59These whirlpools remain dangerous even today.
00:01:02But luckily, not for big modern ships that are large enough to withstand the power of maelstroms.
00:01:09But a cruise ship that gets into a maelstrom usually faces massive waves
00:01:14that can rock even big vessels from side to side pretty intensely.
00:01:20A maelstrom can be so strong, it can turn into some sort of an underwater black hole.
00:01:25Yep, black holes are not only present in the cold expanse of space.
00:01:29You can find them here on our home planet too, swirling in the oceans.
00:01:34They're similar to those in space since they're compacted so tightly that nothing they trap can
00:01:40escape. Underwater black holes often span up to 93 miles in diameter.
00:01:47And if you got into one of those, you probably wouldn't even know it.
00:01:52These black holes act like vortices, but because of their size,
00:01:56even professionals can hardly see their boundaries.
00:02:00Here's something relaxing. Next time you go to the beach, pay attention.
00:02:05And maybe you'll see an optical phenomenon called the green flash.
00:02:09You can see it shortly after sunset or right before sunrise.
00:02:14It occurs when the sun is almost completely below the horizon,
00:02:17while its rim, the upper one, is still visible.
00:02:22For just a second or two, that upper edge of the sun will appear green.
00:02:27It's because you're looking at the sun through thicker parts of the atmosphere
00:02:31as it's moving down in the sky. As it's dipping below the horizon,
00:02:35light refracts, or bends, in the atmosphere and gets dispersed.
00:02:42Wait for a clear day with no clouds or haze on the horizon to see this phenomenon better.
00:02:47You've been looking forward to a nice swim, only to realize that the water in the ocean is red?
00:02:54Better avoid going in. Florida is known for its red tides.
00:02:59It occurs when the concentration of specific microscopic algae is higher than normal.
00:03:06Thousands of species of algae in marine and fresh waters
00:03:09are mostly harmless to animals and humans.
00:03:12They even help us, since they're an important source of oxygen.
00:03:15But some, like the algae that makes the ocean red,
00:03:19can be extremely dangerous for marine animals, like sea turtles, fish, and seabirds.
00:03:26This kind can grow out of control and produce neurotoxins harmful to humans,
00:03:31especially those who have some respiratory issues.
00:03:35Such people should avoid red tide areas,
00:03:37especially when winds are strong enough to push the algae toward the shore.
00:03:41Volcanoes can spew poisonous gas, ash, and red-hot lava.
00:03:46Those are the most obvious dangers most of us already know about.
00:03:49But submarine volcanoes can be very tricky in their own way.
00:03:54Sometimes, when they're located in shallow waters,
00:03:56they reveal their presence by blasting debris of rock and steam high above the surface.
00:04:04Since submarine volcanoes are surrounded by an unlimited supply of water,
00:04:08they can behave differently from those on land.
00:04:11When they erupt, seawater gets into active submarine vents.
00:04:17Lava can be spreading across a shallow seafloor,
00:04:20or sometimes even flowing into the sea from land volcanoes.
00:04:24When in water, it may cool down so quickly that it shatters into rubble and sand.
00:04:30So, there are large amounts of volcanic debris left there.
00:04:33You know those potholes, right?
00:04:35Hot lava and powerful eruptions certainly don't sound safe.
00:04:40But submarine volcanoes in deeper waters are equally dangerous.
00:04:44Even though they're not necessarily erupting, they produce pockets of bubbles.
00:04:49These bubbles reduce the density of the surrounding waters, which can even sink ships.
00:04:56The worst thing is that when you look at the surface of a volcano,
00:04:59you can't see the bottom of the sea.
00:05:01The worst thing is that when you look at the surface of the ocean,
00:05:07you can't understand something's wrong.
00:05:09But at the same time, tiny bubbles are there,
00:05:12causing ships to lose buoyancy and with very little warning.
00:05:18Across sea is a rare phenomenon, beautiful to observe, but also very dangerous.
00:05:24It's when you see square waves, which are more common in shallow parts of the ocean.
00:05:29That's something you can often see in France or on certain beaches of Tel Aviv.
00:05:34But it can also happen in many coastal areas across the world.
00:05:40A cross sea occurs when two wave patterns travel at oblique angles.
00:05:45They form this checkerboard-like pattern.
00:05:47It mostly happens when two swells meet,
00:05:50or when a swell pushes waves in one direction while a strong wind pushes them in another.
00:05:56These square waves can be dangerous for swimmers and boaters.
00:06:00The waves produced by strong ocean currents can be pretty unpredictable and tall,
00:06:04sometimes up to almost 10 feet.
00:06:07This phenomenon is sometimes called white walls.
00:06:10These waves can be so powerful that they can turn over even big boats.
00:06:17If you fill a clear glass with some ocean water and take a closer look,
00:06:21you'll see it's full of very small particles.
00:06:24Sea water contains dissolved salts, fats, algae,
00:06:28proteins, detergents, and other bits of artificial and organic matter.
00:06:34If you shake that glass, you'll see tiny bubbles forming on its surface.
00:06:38That's how sea foam forms when waves and winds agitate the ocean.
00:06:42When you see thick sea foam, algal blooms might have caused it.
00:06:47When big blooms of algae fall apart in the sea,
00:06:50large amounts of that matter move in the direction of dry land.
00:06:56Most kinds of sea foam aren't dangerous to humans,
00:07:00but when blooms of algae fall apart,
00:07:02it can have a negative impact on both the environment and people.
00:07:06For example, when sea foam bubbles pop,
00:07:09the toxins they contain get released into the air,
00:07:12and they can irritate your eyes or cause some other health issues.
00:07:16You can see a tidal bore in the areas where a river empties into a sea or an ocean.
00:07:22It's a powerful tide that goes against the current and pushes up the river.
00:07:27A tidal bore falls into a category of something called the surge,
00:07:31which is a sudden change in depth.
00:07:33A tidal bore is a positive surge,
00:07:36which means it pushes up a river, making it much deeper.
00:07:40A negative surge is when the river suddenly becomes very shallow.
00:07:44You won't see tidal bores everywhere.
00:07:46The river must be fairly shallow with a narrow outlet to the sea.
00:07:51The place where the sea and the river meet must be flat and wide.
00:07:55Also, the area between low and high tide must be at least 20 feet across.
00:08:02Of course, there are some exceptions,
00:08:04like the Amazon River, the world's largest one.
00:08:08The mouth of the Amazon is not narrow,
00:08:10The mouth of the Amazon is not narrow,
00:08:12but the river experiences tidal bores.
00:08:15That's because its mouth is shallow and has many sandbars and low-lying islands.
00:08:21The tidal bore is so strong there that the river doesn't even have a delta.
00:08:26Its sediment goes directly into the Atlantic Ocean,
00:08:29where fast-moving currents take it away.
00:08:32A tidal bore is often unpredictable and can be extremely rough.
00:08:36In many cases, it changes the color of the river from greenish or blue to brown.
00:08:42It can damage vegetation or even tear trees out of the ground.
00:08:46So, recreation sports like kayaking and river surfing can be hazardous in these areas.
00:08:54Even if you just want to take a look at a tidal bore, be careful.
00:08:57Tidal waves can sweep over lookout points
00:09:00and drag whatever or whoever is there into the churning river.
00:09:04Cerro de Uyuni feels like you're standing on top of a large mirror,
00:09:09but it's actually a salt flat of more than 4,000 square miles.
00:09:12It's located in Bolivia, South America's highest elevated country.
00:09:16This natural mirror is a remnant of prehistoric lakes that had evaporated a long time ago.
00:09:22Even though it may look flat, GPS technology proved that some of the landscape has some
00:09:27little defaults that are all less than an inch small.
00:09:30The place is so bogged that it has around 10 billion tons of salt.
00:09:35If you get there at the right time, some of the nearby lakes overflow with a small layer of water,
00:09:40which acts as the mirror of the sky. Many locals extract salt and lithium from here.
00:09:45Don't forget to pass by the world's first salt hotel when you visit!
00:09:51You can find a real rainbow mountain in Peru. Scientists still can't explain it.
00:09:55The colorful peak is hard to reach, but seeing the blue,
00:09:58red, green, yellow, and pink colors in nature is something to remember.
00:10:05Baratara Gorge Waterfall has three natural bridges for anyone to walk across,
00:10:10take awesome pictures, and even have picnics. The waterfall is a result of limestone erosion
00:10:15that's been going on for millions of years, even though it looks like someone punched a hole right
00:10:20in the middle. It's located in the village of Tanurin, which is just 2 hours away from
00:10:25the capital, Beirut. The Dead Sea has a high concentration of salt and minerals compared
00:10:33to other seas, even though it's technically a lake. Swimming is almost impossible, but people
00:10:38go there for the natural chemicals for the body. Floating on the surface is a great way to relax.
00:10:44This ancient body of water got its name because no macroscopic organisms can live there since
00:10:49it's 9.6 times saltier than oceans. Only a few bacteria and fungi can be found enjoying the salt.
00:10:56It's also Earth's lowest elevation on land, at 1,400 feet below sea level.
00:11:04All the way in Saudi Arabia is a rock sliced perfectly in the middle with two pieces sitting
00:11:09parallel. What makes al-Nasla so unique is that it wasn't artificially done,
00:11:14but is a result of nature's work over the years.
00:11:17This glacier may look like someone dropped tons of red paint in the middle of Antarctica,
00:11:22but it's actually the natural color. Blood falls is a result of extreme salted water
00:11:27mixed with iron oxide, giving out this eerie vibe in the middle of nowhere.
00:11:34In Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, you can enjoy your coffee just a few feet away from an
00:11:39actual moving train. The locals who live in this neighborhood have to make sure no one is on the
00:11:44tracks when the train drives by twice a day. On a crowded day, you would have to stick yourself
00:11:50on a wall behind you or head inside the many coffee shops nearby.
00:11:55Frozen bubbles are a common thing in Abraham Lake, Canada. They look like some jelly-like
00:12:00substance, but they're just methane gas produced by bacteria when they eat the organisms that sink
00:12:06to the bottom. During the process, methane bubbles are released, but since it's below
00:12:11But since it's below freezing temperatures, these bubbles become frozen in place.
00:12:17Australia is home to a unique horizontal waterfall on the coast of the Kimberley region.
00:12:23It's really just a fast tidal flow moving through two narrow aligned rocks.
00:12:27The tides can rise 30 feet. The falls reverse whenever the tide changes.
00:12:32Also down under is the biggest single rock in the world. It's so big that it even looks like
00:12:37a large hill. It has a circumference of 6 miles and is 1,100 feet high. The edges are eroded since
00:12:44the rock has been around forever. Antelope Canyon in Arizona, also known as
00:12:51the place where water runs through rock, has two sections of slotted canyons. Throughout the years,
00:12:57the water running through sandstone has created picturesque formations like no other.
00:13:02In the Philippines, you can swim in some of the most crystal-clear waters and discover an
00:13:07underwater world below you, in the province of Palawan. The municipality of Coron has white
00:13:13sandy beaches with many small boats riding through the many amazing sceneries.
00:13:20Tristan de Cunha is a small volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic with the only neighboring cities
00:13:26of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Cape Town, South Africa.
00:13:29It takes 7 days by ship to get to this unique place. If you want to escape from the rest of the world,
00:13:37staying with the 280 locals will make you feel like you're away from everything.
00:13:43An island even more isolated than Tristan de Cunha is Pitcairn Island. 1,350 miles off of
00:13:50Tahiti, this place is a mixture of British, Polynesian, and other Pacific Islanders living
00:13:56remotely with the volcanic soil used for crops. The population is around 50 people.
00:14:01The little island is considered to be the second-largest marine protected area.
00:14:06If you plan on visiting, be ready for a long sea voyage on a supply ship that hosts 12 passengers.
00:14:13This abandoned fantasy-like railway tunnel in Ukraine is one of the most romantic places you
00:14:18could visit. Walking through leaves and lush green plants feels like you're in a fairy tale.
00:14:24Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is a major tourist attraction
00:14:30and a World Heritage Site with many unique animals and plants teeming around. It looks
00:14:35like an epic movie set with infinite waterfalls flowing from every direction and the clear lakes
00:14:40all around. Lake Baikal, Siberia is the oldest lake in the world and contains 20% of unfrozen
00:14:49freshwater on Earth. It's also the deepest lake in the world with a maximum depth of 5,400 feet.
00:14:55It's one of the most diverse places for organisms due to its age and isolation.
00:15:00More than 1,300 species of animals and 570 plants live here.
00:15:07An underground crystal cave exists in Mexico, and it looks like some interstellar world.
00:15:13It's roughly 1,000 feet beneath the surface, with each spike measuring up to 35 feet in length
00:15:19and weighing up to 55 tons. These are some of the largest crystals in the world.
00:15:26Red sand is what makes this beach unique and why tourists flock to Tianjin, China. A red-colored
00:15:32plant called the Suida Salsa dwells in the saltwater. The whole beach is covered in red,
00:15:37with only the top layer of the sea visible. Also in China are the Tianzi Mountains,
00:15:44which inspired a famous Hollywood movie. These unique mountains spread across 20 square miles
00:15:49located in the Wuling-Yuan area. Millions of years of rock erosion created this amazing beauty.
00:15:58All the way over in sunny California is Sequoia National Park, home to the giant forest. It's
00:16:04been around for thousands of years. More than 8,000 of these colossal trees rule the land,
00:16:10including 10 of the largest living plants in the world. The General Sherman Sequoia is estimated
00:16:16to be up to 2,700 years old and is recognized as the world's largest known living tree by volume.
00:16:25Japan's Cat Island has a population of less than 10 people and over 120 cats. The island
00:16:32is located in a remote region, and the locals love it. If you're visiting this place,
00:16:37make sure to bring someone who loves cats!
00:16:40Yemen is home to the oldest skyscrapers in the world and the oldest metropolis. The ancient city
00:16:46of Shebam is considered to be the Manhattan of the desert due to the collection of mud buildings
00:16:52popping out of the desert floor. It was used as a caravan stop during ancient times. These mud
00:16:58brick buildings are 7 stories high and were built out of fertile soil, hay, and water that were made
00:17:03into bricks and left to bake under the sun for days. The ground floors were used for keeping
00:17:08livestock and grains, and the upper levels were places for socializing and catching good views.
00:17:17The chemical composition of the ancient hot springs in Pamukkale, Turkey,
00:17:21makes the water pouring over the edge look magical. They're not only good for cleansing
00:17:25your body, but the mind too! The shape and formation of these rocks aren't a result of
00:17:31some human's work. They were created by intense volcanic eruptions. Scientists are still confused
00:17:36why the Giant's Causeway in Ireland is shaped in such a weird way. Sukhutra is an alien-like
00:17:44island off the coast of Yemen in the Indian Ocean, with one of the most unique trees ever seen. It's
00:17:50called the Dragon Tree, and it can only be found on this amazing island. In 2008, it was labeled
00:17:57as a World Heritage Site. Black Falls in Iceland gets its name from the dark lava columns surrounding
00:18:04it. The base of the waterfall has sharp rocks. The entire structure was the inspiration
00:18:09for Icelandic architecture seen in some of their famous buildings.
00:18:16You're in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, one of the driest places on Earth.
00:18:21But this desert has a beautiful secret. Every 3 to 5 years, flowers pop up out of nowhere. It's
00:18:28so famous, it's also called the flowering desert. Seeds lie around in the ground just waiting for
00:18:34some rain. When the desert gets enough water, about 200 types of flowers sprout up. The yellow
00:18:40sands of the Atacama turn purple, white, green, and even pink! Another mystical phenomenon that
00:18:47can be seen in the desert is called a sand waterfall. When the wind brings a lot of sand
00:18:53to the edge of the canyon, it begins to fall down. Now amplify this effect 100 times, and you get a
00:19:00sand waterfall in Saudi Arabia. It really is like Niagara Falls, only there's not a drop of water.
00:19:06The locals say this phenomenon warns of an impending sandstorm. Fairy rings, also known as
00:19:13elf rings or pixie rings, are mysterious circles of mushrooms that appear in grasslands and
00:19:18forested areas. There's a lot of debate about why these fairy rings form a nearly perfect circle.
00:19:25Some superstitions claim that fairy dances would burn the ground, causing mushrooms to rapidly
00:19:31grow. In southern India, between July and September 2001, people witnessed one of the strangest
00:19:38weather phenomena in recorded history. The rain was red. What many would've thought to be a
00:19:45typical rainstorm left them shocked. The color was bright enough to stain clothes. There were
00:19:51other colors too, such as green, yellow, brown, and even black. In the middle of a monsoon,
00:19:57red rain started to fall, and so did periodically for several weeks. Researchers have found this
00:20:03unusual rain is stained either by dust or algae, so don't try to catch any on your tongue. Scientists
00:20:10aren't entirely sure how the algae got all the way up there. This does make events like this
00:20:15a little unsettling. People who live in rural central Norway, over the Hestalen Valley,
00:20:22can often witness floating lights of white, yellow, and red cross the sky. The lights appear
00:20:28both at day and night, and once back in the 80s, ahem, the 1980s, they were spotted 15 to 20 times
00:20:35in a single week. The Hestalen lights can last just a few seconds, but sometimes they can last
00:20:41more than an hour. The lights move, seeming to float or even sway around. Some scientists believe
00:20:48that the reason for these lights is due to ionized iron dust. Others say it's a combination that
00:20:53includes sodium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Many people claim they're just misidentified aircrafts. Norway!
00:21:02Snow donuts are one of the rarest meteorological sights to see, with perfect weather conditions
00:21:07needed just to create them. Found in any snow-covered mountain area, like the Rocky Mountains,
00:21:13the wind, temperature, snow, ice, and moisture all have to work together for us to see these
00:21:19phenomenal rings. A thin layer of wet snow on the ground. Under that layer, ice or powdered snow.
00:21:26Then, a strong enough breeze to roll the donut down a hill, just like a snowball. Once it stops
00:21:32rolling, it can be the size of a baseball or as large as a car tire. It all depends on how strong
00:21:38the wind is. A newly formed snow donut won't stay around for very long, so hurry up with that camera
00:21:44and watch your head! Can you believe there's another place on Earth with its own ecosystem
00:21:50and atmosphere, similar to another planet? Well, start believing! Movil Cave, located in
00:21:57southeastern Romania, remained closed in complete darkness for a whopping 5.5 million years.
00:22:04It wasn't until workers discovered the cave, when they were looking for a place to build,
00:22:08that anyone learned about it. Scientists carved out an opening to the cave and found that a
00:22:13completely sustained ecosystem was thriving inside. As a pathway was carved through the
00:22:19rock past numerous tunnels, scientists found a lake of sulfuric water that stank like rotten eggs.
00:22:26The air was filled with hydrogen sulfide and had 100 times more carbon dioxide than
00:22:31Earth's atmosphere contains. Needless to say, this air is completely toxic. What's even crazier
00:22:38is that a whole ecosystem has been existing in this cave, with 33 species that can't be found
00:22:43anywhere else on Earth. This cave gives us a glimpse of what could possibly exist on other
00:22:49planets with completely different atmospheres. How it managed to exist on Earth all this time
00:22:55without anyone knowing is rather unbelievable, isn't it? Now check these trees out. They're
00:23:01called Indian rubber trees. Their strong roots grow not underground but on the surface.
00:23:07With the help of special frames and fasteners, people have learned to control how these roots
00:23:12grow. Let's say a tree is next to a small pit. You need to make a bridge from one end of this
00:23:18pit to the other. You direct the growing tree roots in the needed direction. Over time,
00:23:24the roots penetrate the ground and strengthen under endless downpours. It takes about 15 years
00:23:29to create one bridge. Here's another amazing tree called the tree of life. It grows in Bahrain's
00:23:36desert. The tree has been standing on top of this sandy hill for more than 400 years,
00:23:41surrounded by miles of sand. It's extremely hot here, and there's no moisture. But despite this,
00:23:48the tree has green leaves, and it continues to grow. So far, scientists haven't figured out yet
00:23:54how the tree gets moisture and nutrients. There are only places with oil deposits around.
00:23:59Locals think the tree is sacred. After all, it demonstrates the magic of life and the power of
00:24:05nature. Some experts are sure it's all about the roots. They go so deep that they can reach
00:24:11underground sources of water. So there you are, you've been driving for hours through the night.
00:24:18You didn't have any chance to sleep, so your mind is hanging by a thread. You stop the car and go
00:24:24out to stretch your limbs. And then you look up into the sky and see a beautiful sunrise. Well,
00:24:31there are three suns in the sky. You rub your eyes, but nope, there are still three bright stars
00:24:38in the sky. No, our home star hasn't been torn into three pieces, nor has it been visited by
00:24:44two other stars. This is called a sun dog. It occurs mostly during severe frosts. Small ice
00:24:51crystals in the sky bend the light. As a result, you may see three bright spots in the sky instead
00:24:57of just one. This phenomenon is officially called a halo. Usually, it's just a circle around the sun.
00:25:04You can even see a halo at night, too. Just look at a street lamp, and you'll see a bright circle
00:25:09around it. Sometimes, a halo can take on a fancier shape. If there's a lot of ice in the air,
00:25:15the light is warped even more. Just like in a room with a dozen mirrors, then the halo can
00:25:21take on the shape of a human eye. Because of this phenomenon, a false
00:25:26dawn can also occur. While you're looking at the horizon, the dawn begins, and the edge of the sun
00:25:32appears. A little bit more, and wait, the sun starts to just dissolve in the sky. After a few
00:25:40moments, it's dark again. And only a minute later, the real sun shows its face. It was the same light
00:25:47curvature effect you saw before with the three suns. Only now, the light is curved vertically,
00:25:53not horizontally. And instead of the real sun, its reflection in ice crystals in the sky appeared.
00:25:59But the sunrise with three stars on the horizon is actually real. Not on Earth, though, but 340
00:26:06light-years away. There's a star system at the center of which lurks a star almost twice the
00:26:13size of the Sun. And there are two smaller stars orbiting around this giant. The strange world has
00:26:19a planet too. Sunsets and dawns there really happen with three stars. If you brought your
00:26:25significant other to a park bench to watch a sunset here, your date would go just fine.
00:26:31Whatever that means. And since we're talking about the most baffling natural phenomenon,
00:26:36it would be a crime not to mention snow in a desert. Yep, in the winter of 2018, the inhabitants
00:26:43of the Sahara Desert, one of the driest and hottest places on this planet, woke up to discover a thick
00:26:50blanket of snow covering the sand. In some places, the layer of snow enveloping the dunes reached a
00:26:56staggering 15 inches. Meteorologists, however, had an explanation for this exciting phenomenon.
00:27:03They stated that cold pools of air, combined with the precipitation from the most recent storm,
00:27:08resulted in a snowfall instead of rain. So, what do you do in that case? Build snow camels? Hmm,
00:27:16one hump or two. Now, picture this. You're watching a volcano erupt, which is a scary view
00:27:23by itself. But suddenly, you notice ominous bright flashes lighting up the sky over the volcano.
00:27:30It takes the nightmarishness of the experience to a whole new level.
00:27:34One causes static electricity, which occurs when dense ash particles rub together not very high
00:27:40above the ground. The other source of volcanic lightning is high above the surface near the
00:27:45stratosphere, where chaotically moving ice crystals set free powerful jolts.
00:27:52Salar del Uyuni feels like you're standing on top of a large mirror, but it's actually a salt
00:27:57flat of more than 4,000 square miles. It's located in Bolivia, South America's highest
00:28:03elevated country. This natural mirror is a remnant of prehistoric lakes that had evaporated a long
00:28:10time ago. Even though it may look flat, GPS technology proved that some of the landscape
00:28:16has some little defaults that are all less than an inch small. The place is so bogged that it has
00:28:23around 10 billion tons of salt. If you get there at the right time, some of the nearby lakes
00:28:28overflow with a small layer of water, which acts as the mirror of the sky. Many locals extract salt
00:28:35and lithium from there. Don't forget to pass by the world's first salt hotel when you visit!
00:28:40You can find a real rainbow mountain in Peru. Scientists still can't explain it. The colorful
00:28:46peak is hard to reach, but seeing the blue, red, green, yellow, and pink colors in nature
00:28:51is something to remember. What looks like frozen flying saucers is, in fact,
00:28:58pockets of highly flammable and combustible methane gas. Trapped underwater, it forms
00:29:03psychedelic landscapes and stunning patterns. Typical for northern lakes, such as Lake Abraham
00:29:09in Alberta, Canada, these bubbles appear when dead animals, leaves, and plants fall into the
00:29:15water and get consumed by bacteria. These bacteria later excrete methane gas. Wow,
00:29:21I can smell it from here! In late March 2018, Eastern Europe witnessed
00:29:27an event as beautiful as it was spooky. Skiers glided down tangerine slopes under the red-tinted
00:29:34sky. Puzzled and excited, people described this experience as walking on Mars or skiing down
00:29:41sand dunes. But however mysterious this phenomenon seems, it has a disappointingly
00:29:47simple explanation. The sponsor of the extraterrestrial landscape was a powerful
00:29:52sandstorm that had arrived from the Sahara Desert. This storm had brought along dust,
00:29:57sand, and pollen particles that colored the snow orange. It's not a one-time natural phenomenon.
00:30:03Meteorologists say that orange snow covers the lands of Eastern Europe at least once
00:30:07every 5 years. Meanwhile, don't eat the orange snow!
00:30:13On February 20 and 21 of 2018, people in the northeastern part of the US experienced one of
00:30:19the most extraordinary weather events of recent times, and it was a heatwave. Yep, in February!
00:30:26In fact, it was the most impressive winter heatwave since official weather records started
00:30:31in the 1800s. For example, in Freiburg, Maine, people were taking off their coats after the
00:30:37temperature had risen to a baffling 70°F. In Fitchburg, Massachusetts, confused people put
00:30:44on sandals when they saw the temperature outside – 80°F. The same was happening in Harrisburg,
00:30:49Pennsylvania, where the temperature reached 83°F, and in Wells, Maine, where the thermometer showed
00:30:5577°F. Around 11,000 years ago, in present-day Turkey, with no cities or metal tools whatsoever,
00:31:04some incredibly skilled craftsmen completed Gobekli Tepe. How they managed to chip and lift
00:31:10limestone blocks three times as heavy as a T-Rex, and what they symbolized, is still unknown.
00:31:18One mind-blowing fact about Devil's Tower in Wyoming, USA, is that scientists can't explain
00:31:24how it came to existence in the first place. You see, it's an 867-foot rock formation,
00:31:30with walls so steep they're basically vertical. This piece of stone just arose amid the rolling
00:31:37plains of Wyoming with nothing like it for miles and miles around. So, how is it that
00:31:42such a flat landscape could've suddenly given birth to something so tall? Theories abound,
00:31:48but nobody has the answer yet. Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is a major tourist attraction
00:31:57and a World Heritage Site, with many unique animals and plants teeming around.
00:32:02It looks like an epic movie set, with infinite waterfalls flowing from every direction
00:32:07and the clear lakes all around. In the mid-1980s, a scuba diver discovered the Yonaguni Monument
00:32:15off the coast of Japan. Scientists are positive this collection of structures is thousands of
00:32:20years old, but they still can't decide if it's natural or man-made. In case it proves to be an
00:32:26ancient city, the new mystery is, what lost civilization built it, and how did it make it
00:32:31to the bottom of the sea? The shape and formations of these rocks aren't a result of some human's
00:32:38work. They were created by intense volcanic eruptions. Scientists are still confused why
00:32:44the Giant's Causeway in Ireland is shaped in such a weird way. Back in 1812, for an unknown reason,
00:32:52an English farmer paid a local painter to remove tons of soil on a hillside
00:32:57and fill the contours with chalk. The painter ran away with the money,
00:33:02so the farmer had to pay a second time to get the Altenbahn's white horse finished.
00:33:08Black Falls in Iceland get their name from the dark lava columns surrounding it. The base of
00:33:13the waterfall has sharp rocks. The entire structure was the inspiration for Icelandic architecture
00:33:19seen in some of their famous buildings. You can see hair ice in the forest on a
00:33:25humid winter night. Resembling cotton candy or a white hair wig, unusual ice crystals grow on
00:33:32rotting wood. Unfortunately, this beauty melts as soon as the sun comes up. Only recently have
00:33:38scientists discovered what creates hair ice. All this time it was, are you ready? Fungus. Yep.
00:33:45It allows the ice to form super-thin hairs and helps them to support this form throughout the
00:33:50night. When this particular type of fungus isn't present, instead of fragile hair,
00:33:55ice forms a crust-like structure. Now, one of the most common causes
00:34:01of wildfires is lightning from thunderstorms. But have you ever heard of a wildfire that
00:34:07triggered a thunderstorm? Well, now you know! It happened on May 11, 2018, not far from Amarillo,
00:34:14Texas. Then the super-powerful Mallard Fire not only created a massive dense cloud high in the
00:34:20air, its heat also caused a violent thunderstorm that later dumped tons of quarter-sized hailstones
00:34:2760 miles away in Wheeler County, Texas. Carhenge is the weirdest landmark of Nebraska.
00:34:35Its author studied the real Stonehenge and created his own version out of old cars as a
00:34:40tribute to his father. Some cars stand like monoliths. Others are connected into arches.
00:34:50When asked why he did all this, the creator of the construction said,
00:34:54why not? Another Stonehenge lookalike was found on the bottom of Lake Michigan in 2007.
00:35:02There's a group of rocks in a circle and carvings of a mastodon. This beast ceased existing over
00:35:0810,000 years ago, so the carving has to be older than that. Its location is kept
00:35:13secret from the public. Good luck finding it! Canada's Hudson Bay is probably the only place
00:35:20in the world where gravity is indeed lower than anywhere else on the planet. Even skeptics can't
00:35:26smirk at it because the difference has been measured with precision equipment.
00:35:30So does it mean that the gravity here is as low as, say, on the Moon? Unfortunately,
00:35:36or is it luckily, I'm not sure yet. The difference is minuscule. The exact value is 0.005,
00:35:43or 1 200th of a percent. You won't be able to feel it even if you try your hardest,
00:35:49but it's still there. Scientists say this anomaly exists because of the ice sheet that covered the
00:35:54area about 10,000 years ago. It compressed the rocks so much that they still can't fully recover,
00:36:01shifting the gravitational field in Hudson Bay. Some time in the future, though,
00:36:05the gravity will return to normal in this area as well.
00:36:10In 2010, fossilized fish were uncovered 250 miles west of the Nile River, where the Sahara Desert
00:36:17was as arid as ever. This chance finding led scientists to believe there could've been a sea
00:36:23where the Sierra is now. So they conducted a geological survey of the area, and it yielded
00:36:29unexpected results. They found evidence of something huge under the sands, and it wasn't
00:36:35part of any sea at all. For several months, the research continued with GPS equipment on land,
00:36:42and later, when all the ground data was collected, scientists took a look at the area from a
00:36:47satellite. The view was astounding. It turned out there was an enormous basin underneath the desert,
00:36:54with another, smaller one nearby. Along the shores of these basins,
00:36:58ancient human settlements had been found previously, and now the researchers finally
00:37:03had the answer as to why exactly they had chosen those spots to live. There had been a lake of
00:37:09impressive proportions, over 42,000 square miles of freshwater in total, about half the size of
00:37:16Lake Michigan. 50 ships and 20 airplanes have gone missing, many people have disappeared,
00:37:23and mysterious forces might have, oh wait, the wrong script. This Bermuda Triangle is located
00:37:29in Transylvania. My bad. So, once upon a time in the heart of Transylvania, there was a mysterious
00:37:36place that people named the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania. Look at these twisted trees,
00:37:42and their tangled undergrowth. It seems like some evil creature may appear from behind a tree
00:37:47at any moment. There might even be ghosts and mysterious creatures that came from space,
00:37:52as stories said. The forest became so popular in the 1960s when a man was chilling there on a warm
00:37:59August afternoon with his girlfriend and a couple of friends. Suddenly, his girlfriend pointed at
00:38:04something unusual in the sky. A man came closer to the spot where she was standing and, to his
00:38:10surprise, saw it too. It was a weird silver disc, shining in the sky. He quickly pulled out his
00:38:17camera and took four photos before the creepy object bolted away. The object was there for a
00:38:23mere two minutes, but the man developed his film and the picture ended up being published in local
00:38:27papers. Many people were skeptical about this. They claimed that those were most likely some
00:38:33weather balloons that looked like a spaceship because they were photographed in odd lighting.
00:38:39But no weather balloons, blimps, or any other objects were in the sky above the forest on that
00:38:44day. Spooky, huh? That's not the only campfire legend from that area. Stories say that those who
00:38:51ventured too deep into the murky depths of this creepy place often did not return, which is how
00:38:57it got its nickname in the first place. There was a shepherd who entered the forest together with his
00:39:02200 sheep. They were never found again. People have also been whispering stories about a five-year-old
00:39:08girl who disappeared one day. She re-emerged one day, five years later, wearing the same clothes as
00:39:15the day she went missing. Plus, she hadn't aged a day. There are people who entered the forest and
00:39:22did manage to return, but with severe burns, high fever, and some other health issues they didn't
00:39:28have before. Some were sure that happened because the subsoil had lots of natural uranium with a
00:39:34high level of radioactivity. And according to others, it's not unusual that you come to this
00:39:39forest and feel like someone's watching you or your electronic devices just switch off. And now,
00:39:46here's something that's not a legend. The forest has a rich history. Some sources say it was home
00:39:53to the oldest settlement in Romania, dating all the way back to 6,500 BCE. Trees themselves are
00:40:01pretty mysterious. They grow in creepy spirals or have some unexpected zigzag patterns. Even though
00:40:08some scientists have come there to explore this phenomenon, they couldn't find the answer to why
00:40:13they're like this. It seems as if trees are twisting their limbs so they can reach out and
00:40:18grab you when you're not looking. And that's what's interesting. Each of these twisted trees spirals in
00:40:24a clockwise direction. But legends say lots of inexplicable things have happened in a specific
00:40:30part of the forest where you can't find trees or any other types of vegetation. It's a perfect
00:40:36circle called the clearing. The perfect name for a horror movie inspired by all these stories.
00:40:43The soil in this area with no vegetation has been tested and no one has found any weird stuff or
00:40:49anomalies that could potentially stop plants from growing there. Some locals believe the forest has
00:40:55positive energy, which is why it's good to make a wish there. But many more people let their
00:41:00imagination run wild, telling stories about paranormal activities happening there, like
00:41:05mysterious spheres popping out in the middle of the forest or extraterrestrial lights. Either way,
00:41:12you and your castle can step aside, Dracula, because you're not the only scary story from
00:41:16Transylvania. Here's another reason you won't be able to sleep well tonight. The Isla de la
00:41:22Munecas, or the Island of the Dolls. In the middle of the eerie and murky waters of canals near Mexico
00:41:29City, there's a small island. It may look charming at first, until you realize it's home to hundreds
00:41:36of dolls hanging from the trees and scattered throughout the overgrown vegetation. These dolls
00:41:42are old and decaying. They've lost their color over time and their once cheerful faces are now
00:41:48twisted into expressions of despair and horror. There is a sad story behind this disturbing place.
00:41:55It says the island used to be home to a reclusive man who left his family more than 50 years ago
00:42:02to live alone on the island. He started obsessively collecting dolls that were lost in the canal.
00:42:08The story says he even traded products he grew to locals to get more dolls. The man didn't clean
00:42:15these dolls nor show any interest in fixing them. He would just decorate his island with them
00:42:20regardless of the state in which he found them. Even those that looked good ended up ruined due
00:42:26to winds and rain. They weren't just outside, his cabin was full of these scary dolls too.
00:42:33Many people were terrified of this place, claiming it was cursed, but others believed the dolls
00:42:39safeguarded the island. Moving to the suburbs of North London, where you can find the mysterious
00:42:44Highgate Cemetery. It's definitely not a typical resting place for the dearly departed. This
00:42:50cemetery has so many peculiar graves, including those of Karl Marx and Douglas Adams, but that's
00:42:57not what draws visitors to its gates. People come there because of the legends claiming that this
00:43:02place is haunted by all sorts of spooky creatures, including vampires. Yep, stories about shadowy
00:43:09figures hovering over graves with glowing red eyes and sharp fangs never get boring. But this
00:43:16place wasn't always this creepy. It was established in the middle of the 19th century, once neglected
00:43:22and overgrown with crumbling monuments and vegetation that seemed to swallow up graves.
00:43:27But these legends became popular along with the place itself in the 1970s, after the cemetery had
00:43:33appeared in several horror movies. Some visitors there are even self-proclaimed vampire hunters.
00:43:40There's this peaceful and charming village called Pluckley, just a short drive away from London.
00:43:46At least that's what it seems at first sight. People whisper Pluckley could be the most haunted
00:43:51village in England. As you go through its winding streets, you'll come across many spots legends say
00:43:58are haunted. Many of them are connected to the Daring family, which held the title of Lords of
00:44:03the Manor for over four centuries. What gives the sense of old times is the round-topped windows on
00:44:10many buildings. Legend has it, hundreds of years ago, Lord Daring escaped when his enemies captured him.
00:44:17He jumped through one of these windows headfirst. In commemoration of this pretty daring act,
00:44:23every window in the manor house and the village was made in the same style. Even though the manor
00:44:28house burned down in 1951, the legacy of Lord Daring's escape lives on in the charming village
00:44:34of Pluckley. Some say Pluckley is surrounded by the so-called Screaming Wood. There are many legends
00:44:41about paranormal events that have occurred there. There are nice walking trails in this wood, but to
00:44:47be honest, I'd only be brave enough to hit them during the day. And how about the Crooked Forest?
00:44:53It's in Poland and it consists of 400 pine trees whose trunks take a sharp 90-degree turn and then
00:45:00become weirdly curved, like the letter J. Someone planted them in the early 1930s, but it's still
00:45:07not completely clear how all these trees got the same curve. One scientist said this looked like a
00:45:12typical response to gravity. Plants have a special mechanism that allows them to reorient themselves
00:45:18when the stem is horizontal to gravity, so these trees may have been grown this way for making
00:45:24boats or furniture. Of course, human imagination goes way beyond science, so many tried to explain
00:45:31the existence of these trees with stories of spirits that possess these trees or mysterious
00:45:36creatures from space that made them this way. Okay, I'm on. Let me just grab my popcorn.
00:45:42Ah, a purple sunset. You must've seen one of those at least once in your life.
00:45:48Normally, it's nothing ominous and has to do with the way light travels. The light that the sun
00:45:53produces is white. When it goes through a prism, you see light waves of different colors, from red
00:45:59and orange to blue, green, and indigo. Light normally travels in a straight line if there's no
00:46:05obstacle in its way. The shorter light waves, including blues and purples, are scattered easier
00:46:11when they meet with those obstacles, like molecules and aerosols in the atmosphere.
00:46:16Because the sun is low on the horizon at sunset and sunrise, its light has to pass through more
00:46:22molecules that scatter the violet and blue light. The colors that your eyes pick up, then,
00:46:27are yellow, orange, and red. But with the right conditions, you can see the gorgeous purple sky.
00:46:34Sometimes, purple sky appears for much scarier reasons. It can be caused by hurricanes,
00:46:39wildfires, or dust storms. The concentration of vapor in the air increases, and the light
00:46:45scatters more than usual. Dust, a setting sun, and low cloud cover all contribute to this natural
00:46:52show, too. The sky turns orange and red at dusk if there's still enough light. Then, it gives off
00:46:58pink hues, which mix up with the dark blue sky above. Now, do you remember what happens
00:47:03when you mix pink and blue? You get the color purple. Not every hurricane makes the sky turn
00:47:10purple, and trying to predict if it's going to happen is like trying to forecast a rainbow.
00:47:16Still, people reported several major hurricanes made the skies turn purple.
00:47:21Now, green skies might look just as spectacular as purple ones, but they actually also scream
00:47:27danger. They're usually there to tell you a thunderstorm, hailstorm, or tornado is somewhere
00:47:33nearby. The unique color is a result of yellow sun rays getting mixed with the blue light coming
00:47:40from storm clouds. So, you're enjoying a nice day by the ocean with a fresh breeze in your hair,
00:47:47when suddenly, you notice the water starts retreating from the beach at a huge speed.
00:47:52This is a sign for you to start running as fast and far away from the beach as you can.
00:47:57This most likely means that a tsunami is on the way. A quick reaction maximizes your chances of
00:48:04survival. Now, if you notice the sea level is rising, but it doesn't seem too extreme,
00:48:10it could be another sign of an approaching tsunami. It happens in 40% of cases, and the
00:48:16incoming water is the first tsunami wave. The next one, way larger and more dangerous,
00:48:22usually follows in about 10 minutes. Another thing about tsunamis is that they like to arrive
00:48:28with some loud sounds. People describe them as thunder, the sound of a locomotive, a helicopter,
00:48:34or just a loud boom. Do you see a channel of choppy water on the beach? It's in your best
00:48:40interest to stay away from the water. There might be a rip current under the surface that can be
00:48:45extremely dangerous. Sometimes, waves hit the shore in a weird way, which forms these rip
00:48:51currents. You might see a strange break in the waves, or an area with a different color than
00:48:56the rest of the water. Random bits of seaweed going in all directions is another rip current
00:49:02warning sign. If you happen to find yourself caught in a rip current, try to stay afloat,
00:49:08but don't try to go against the current. You'll only waste precious energy. Scream for help and
00:49:14try to float your way along the beach. Once you break out of the current, swim diagonally to the
00:49:20shore. The next time you spot conically-shaped clouds in the sky, remember it's a good time
00:49:26to start looking for some shelter. If it just stays like that, a severe storm is on the way.
00:49:32But if a cloud of that shape starts spinning around, it means it's about to transform into
00:49:38a tornado. If you have bees nearby, they can save you from big trouble one day.
00:49:45These hard-working little guys get more active than usual when they feel like a storm is on
00:49:50the way. They speed up to collect more nectar before it hits them, and once they're done with
00:49:55it, they'll always come back to the hive 10-15 minutes before heavy rain, even when there are
00:50:00no obvious signs of it coming. Their secret is super-sensitive hairs on the back that can pick
00:50:06up electrostatic build-ups from storm clouds. For centuries, people have noticed that animals
00:50:12act weirdly a couple of days before big seismic events. Dogs can't start barking, cows halt their
00:50:19milk, and toads, rats, and snakes leave their homes. It looks like animals can feel smaller
00:50:25initial shock waves that humans don't even notice. Scientists have tried to find some
00:50:30legit explanation for it and run endless tests and experiments. But so far, they're still on
00:50:36their way to explaining this mystery. Can you smell ozone in the air? When a
00:50:42thunderstorm is on the way, it's the most distinct and pungent smell you can pick up.
00:50:47An electrical charge of lightning sets it free from higher altitudes. The other,
00:50:52more pleasant smell of rain is petrichor. Rainwater wakes up molecules on plants,
00:50:57trees, concrete, and asphalt. Their aroma spreads all over the place. You can even feel that smell
00:51:04in your own mouth. All those positive ions in the air that a lightning bolt sets free
00:51:10gets mixed with ozone and your saliva, and that's how you get that bitter metallic taste.
00:51:16When lightning is about to strike, you might hear bizarre crackling, buzzing,
00:51:21or vibrating sounds coming from metal objects nearby. Your palms may begin to sweat, and then
00:51:27you can feel your hair stand on end. That's a clear call for action, and that action is to run
00:51:33for your life. Positive charges are going through your body trying to reach toward the negatively
00:51:38charged part of the storm. Trust me, you don't want these charges to meet. If you see no shelter
00:51:45that you can reach fast, try to make yourself smaller than the objects around you. Drop down
00:51:50your umbrella and stay away from wire fences, metal pipes, rails, and other metallic objects.
00:51:56And don't lie flat on the ground – it's likely wet, which means it's a great conductor of
00:52:02electricity. If you suddenly notice crevices in the asphalt next to your house, it could be a
00:52:08sinkhole warning sign. Inspect your house on the inside – does that door begin to jam? Or maybe
00:52:15there's a gap where the walls meet the ceiling? Uneven kitchen cabinets and drawers, slanted
00:52:21floors, stairs that begin to slope, water leaking after every rain, and displaced moldings are all
00:52:28signs that a sinkhole is about to open. To find out if it's definitely a sinkhole and how dangerous it
00:52:34is, you gotta consult with an engineering company. If you find a sinkhole that's already there,
00:52:40you gotta stay away from the sinkhole area. Fence or rope it off to make it
00:52:44less dangerous for others. You'll need professional help to fix it.
00:52:49Some volcanoes scream when they're about to erupt. Small earthquakes, which often happen before,
00:52:56produce a hum. It's mostly non-audible to human ears, but sometimes it reaches a frequency that
00:53:02lets you hear it as a strange rumbling or hissing sound coming from the ground.
00:53:07This noise is known as a harmonic tremor. With some volcanoes, it's the sound of magma bubbles
00:53:13vibrating when they're going through crevices in the crust of the Earth. But it's not always like
00:53:19this. If scientists managed to understand what exactly causes these volcanic streams,
00:53:24they could create a limited early warning system for volcanic eruptions.
00:53:29If you're out in the wild, pay attention to the water in creeks, streams, and rivers.
00:53:34If its level is quickly falling, even if it's raining, this might be a sign of a nearing
00:53:40landslide. And if you hear a faint rumbling noise or unusual sounds, like boulders knocking together,
00:53:47it could mean debris is on its way to you. It's a sign to head to safety immediately.
00:53:55Hey, ever heard of a fire rainbow? Yeah, me neither. How about a circumhorizontal arc?
00:54:02Didn't think so, but just so you know, they're one and the same thing. At first glance,
00:54:08it looks like a painting, or like a rainbow-colored splash in the sky. Despite the name,
00:54:13they have nothing in common with either fire or rain. This phenomenon happens on rare occasions
00:54:19when the sun shines through a particular type of ice cloud formation.
00:54:24The rainbow halos are just as unique. Again, a specific type of ice crystals and clouds
00:54:30needs to be present for the surface of the Earth to bend light from the sun into a perfect ring.
00:54:36The same thing can happen with moonlight. The only difference will be that moon halos are usually
00:54:41white, and sun halos can be rainbow-colored. When visiting regions with high altitudes,
00:54:48you may be one of the lucky people to stumble upon penitentes. They're basically naturally-formed
00:54:54ice spikes. For them to be formed, they need a really cold and elevated environment where the
00:55:00air is dry. The sunlight turns ice directly into vapor, rather than melting it into water. And
00:55:06that's why these blades of snow and ice start to pop up on the surface of the Earth. As cute as
00:55:12they may be, they can end up as tall as 15 feet! Now, what happens when small, individual droplets
00:55:19of lava meet the wind? Pele's hair, basically. Let me explain. The word Pele comes from an
00:55:26ancient Hawaiian symbol for volcanoes. Whenever the wind picks up little drops of lava,
00:55:32it stretches them into hair-like strands, similar to the process of glass wire creation.
00:55:38These delicate strands can stretch as far as 6 feet. On rare occasions, it can rain without any
00:55:45clouds. But does it really? Let's look at the science behind this rare phenomenon. It's sometimes
00:55:52called a sun shower, just because it looks like the rain is falling straight from the sun.
00:55:58Let's be clear, though. There is no way rain can ever come down directly from a star.
00:56:03Rain clouds are at a bit of a distance from that specific location. With sun rays being angled,
00:56:09the clouds become out of sight. Add a little wind to blow the rain in your direction,
00:56:14and ta-da! You get sun showers! Located in Bolivia is a place called Salar de Uyuni.
00:56:22It's the largest salt flat in the world. It's also the home of half of the world's lithium,
00:56:28which is a crucial component for making batteries. But what else is so special about this place?
00:56:34Well, whenever the rain season comes, it turns this piece of flat land into a perfectly reflective
00:56:40mirror lake. What comes to your mind when you hear about the Blood Falls? A horror movie?
00:56:47Well, they are merely a series of waterfalls located in one of the driest regions of Antarctica.
00:56:53They emerge from an underground lake filled with a special kind of bacteria. These little
00:56:58organisms use sulfates as fuel instead of sugars, which makes them very intriguing for scientists.
00:57:04The water contained in this lake is so full of iron that it basically just rusts when it meets
00:57:10the air. Hence the reddish color of the waterfall, which also gives it its trademark name.
00:57:16Ok, we all know the song, but it's not really made up. There is actually such a thing called
00:57:22a desert rose. It's not a plant, though, but a unique form of the mineral gypsum.
00:57:28It develops in dry sandy places that can occasionally flood. This constant switching
00:57:33between a wet and dry environment lets the gypsum crystals emerge between grains of sand,
00:57:39trapping them and forming a rose-like shape. Ever heard of the Eye of Sahara? Scientists are
00:57:45still trying to figure out how it was formed. You can only see it if you fly above it, but it's
00:57:51basically a naturally formed dome that dates back to approximately 100 million years ago.
00:57:57And no, I wasn't around then. It has a rough diameter of 25 miles and consists of a bunch
00:58:04of concentric rings. The biggest one, or the central area, measures about 19 miles in diameter.
00:58:11Astronauts were some of the first people to notice it, and it's been studied ever since. In fact,
00:58:16even to this day, when landing in Florida, they know they're almost home when they see the Eye of
00:58:22Sahara. One of the most beautifully colored trees in the world is located in the Philippines and
00:58:29Indonesia. It's called the Rainbow Eucalyptus. It got its name because of its bark that switches
00:58:35colors and peels away as the tree ages. The bright green bark is the youngest, as it contains a
00:58:42substance called chlorophyll, usually found in leaves. It then switches to purple and then to
00:58:47the color red. And finally, it turns brown as it grows and loses the chlorophyll. Now, don't be
00:58:54tricked into thinking that's a whole forest. It's one single tree. And no, it's not some sort of
00:59:01optical illusion either. Let me explain. Underneath that soil, there is a complex network of roots
00:59:08that connects around 47,000 tree-like shapes you see above the ground. It's called the Quaking
00:59:15Aspen. Some of these trees are among the oldest and largest organisms in the world.
00:59:20Now, here's a good destination for all travelers. Or maybe not so good, after all. The most
00:59:26lightning-stricken area in the world, according to recent data released by NASA, is Lake Maracaibo
00:59:33in Venezuela. Out of all the days in a year, 300 of them featured thunderstorms in this location.
00:59:40What makes this area so unique, though, that storms happen so often? Well, it's because where cool
00:59:46mountain air meets the warm moist breeze and generates electricity over the lake.
00:59:52The Eternal Flame Falls are located in upstate New York, near the Canadian border. In this region,
00:59:59there is a tiny waterfall with a big secret – a spark about 8 inches tall. Turns out,
01:00:05there's a natural gas seep that provides fuel to the flame behind the waterfall.
01:00:10The waterfall provides enough coverage so that it stays lit pretty much every time.
01:00:15Hikers do enjoy to relight it if they see that it's been blown out. This phenomenon is actually
01:00:21quite common, but this one gained more popularity because it is younger than most. And it looks very
01:00:27good in pictures, let's be honest. I've heard of yellow sand, white sand, and even black sand
01:00:33here or there. But I've never heard of green beaches until now. Papacolia, also known as
01:00:40Green Sand Beach, is located in Hawaii and is one of the few beaches in the world that features
01:00:46green sand. The unique coloring comes from olivine rock that was formed when a nearby
01:00:51volcano erupted. Actually, in Hawaii, all the volcanoes are nearby. Move over, green sands,
01:00:58because some of the other beaches around the world can even glow at night. And it's completely
01:01:04natural. The culprit? A little thing called photoplankton, or microalgae as they're sometimes
01:01:11called. They're basically little plants that contain chlorophyll and need sunlight in order
01:01:16to live and grow. Most photoplankton kinds are able to float in the upper part of the ocean,
01:01:22where the sunlight can still reach them beneath the water. When the photoplankton gets agitated
01:01:27by the movement of waves and currents, they emit light, which looks like some glow during the night.
01:01:33These special microorganisms are found on beaches in a lot of places around the world,
01:01:39such as the Maldives, Puerto Rico, and the Everglades.
01:01:43At the base of a mountain located just outside of Afton, Wyoming, is a little river called the
01:01:49Intermittent Spring. There are only 3 of this kind in the whole world, but what makes this
01:01:55little string of water so mysterious? Well, the fact that it starts and stops every few minutes.
01:02:01Scientists have yet to pinpoint precisely why this happens. They speculate that it's basically
01:02:06just a siphon effect that happens deep within the ground that causes the river to just start
01:02:11and stop so often. Should you ever be interested in checking it out, be sure to do so in the late
01:02:17summer, as that's when the Intermittent Spring is most active. Do you see the irony here? You
01:02:24can only see the spring in the summer? Okay, I'm done.
01:02:29Ah, Kyiv. You've been dreaming of getting here for years. Getting out your trusty camera,
01:02:34you start taking pictures of the cathedrals, aviation museum, and the Dnipro River, when,
01:02:40without warning, there's an enormous boom behind you. Turning around, you see something towering
01:02:47in the distance. It looks like a gigantic explosion. Uh-oh, time to leave fast!
01:02:53In June 2020, what the people of Kyiv were looking at was an anvil cloud, a rare storm
01:02:59formation in the sky. Forming when strong air currents carry water vapor upwards, the air
01:03:06expands and spreads out as it hits the bottom of the stratosphere. It pushes the dense cloud into
01:03:12the cool anvil shape you see, and sometimes it even gets to be a mushroom. Anvil clouds produce
01:03:19some of the most dangerous lightning of all storms, one that's called a bolt out of the blue.
01:03:26This lightning strike seems to magically come out of the blue sky with the storm being many
01:03:31miles away. This type of bolt comes from the top of the anvil and can be 10 times more powerful
01:03:38than a typical lightning strike. People got so frightened after witnessing a giant cloud
01:03:44just 60 miles away, thinking something terrible must've happened. The locals had pictures of the
01:03:50large billow on social media before officials could explain what was going on. Authorities
01:03:56managed to calm everyone's fears by informing them it was nothing more than a natural phenomenon,
01:04:02and a beautiful one at that. Before dissipating, these clouds typically stay in one area,
01:04:09regardless of how strong the wind is. Touring around the northern tip of Queensland, Australia,
01:04:16way away from those creepy crawlies, it's time to take a break and relax at the beach.
01:04:22Getting comfortable, you notice a great big shadow passes over you, then another, and yet another.
01:04:30Looking up, this weird weather is simply stunning. The clouds are called Morning Glory,
01:04:36a very rare type of cloud that almost seems to roll across the sky, looking like a massive tube.
01:04:43These clouds can measure up to 600 miles long, even appearing in large groups as well.
01:04:50This phenomenon is the result of an updraft pushing through the cloud,
01:04:55creating a rolling appearance, while moist cooler air at the back causes them to sink downward.
01:05:02Southern India, between July and September 2001, people witnessed one of the strangest weather
01:05:09phenomenon in recorded history. The rain was red. What many would've thought to be a typical
01:05:16rainstorm left them shocked. The color was bright enough to stain clothes. There were other colors
01:05:22too, such as green, yellow, brown, and even black. In the middle of a monsoon, red rain started to
01:05:30fall, and did so periodically for several weeks. Researchers have found this unusual rain is stained
01:05:38either by dust or algae, so don't try to catch any on your tongue. Scientists aren't entirely sure
01:05:45how the algae got all the way up there. This does make events like this a little unsettling.
01:05:52Like to take a bubble bath to relax after an exhausting day, but taking too long to
01:05:57fill the bathtub? Problem solved! Head to any coastline after a big storm and take a dip.
01:06:05Foamy tides aren't native to any one place or location. They can be formed anywhere in the
01:06:10world. They're most likely to happen along rocky coastlines, like the coast of San Francisco,
01:06:16Northern Ireland, or the Mooloolaba, Australia. Each coast has differing conditions forming the
01:06:23sea foams. If you scoop up seawater into a glass and look at it closely, you'll see it's full of
01:06:30tiny particles. Many things like plants, chemicals, and lots of salt and minerals create the perfect
01:06:37formula for foam. When powerful currents and wind mix it all together, we get something that
01:06:43resembles a cappuccino top floating on top of the water. When freezing temperatures hit orchards in
01:06:50Michigan, all kinds of unusual things happen. Like ghost apples. No, they're not going to scare you
01:06:57at all. But if you plan on sneaking away one winter to find one, be warned! Everything has
01:07:04to be perfect for this to occur, and it's going to be freezing cold. This is actually a rare
01:07:11weather phenomenon caused by having the apples freeze where they are with rain coating the fruit
01:07:16in a thin layer of ice. The apples then thaw and leak out like applesauce, leaving just the beautiful
01:07:24ice shell behind. The Catatumbo River in Venezuela might be the most electric place in the world,
01:07:32with nearly 300 storm days per year. The lightning storms are so consistent,
01:07:38they're predicted for 3 months in advance. During the wet season in October, you might
01:07:44see 30 lightning flashes in a single minute, a truly shocking experience. With each bolt having
01:07:51the energy to power a single light bulb for 6 months, the impressive display could power all
01:07:57of Venezuela forever. At sunset, strong winds flow around the three surrounding mountains,
01:08:04forming storm clouds over the water. As the water droplets of humid air collide with ice
01:08:10crystals from the cold air, it produces the static charges that cause the lightning storms nearly
01:08:16every night. If that wasn't bad enough, some storms have lightning above them as well.
01:08:23Try to take a picture of this one! Jellyfish lightning sprites are electrical discharges
01:08:28high in Earth's atmosphere. They're associated with powerful thunderstorms,
01:08:33but they have nothing to do with rain. These sprites occur 30 to 50 miles up in the sky,
01:08:40in the mesosphere. Artificial lights at night make it a lot harder to see this faint lightning.
01:08:47If you spot one, it'll look tiny but can be well over 30 miles wide.
01:08:53The red sprites are a type of cold plasma discharge above a thundercloud.
01:08:58They're the balance of the lightning charges between the storm clouds and the ground below.
01:09:04Don't try to find this type of doughnut at your favorite bakery – it won't be there!
01:09:10Snow doughnuts are one of the rarest meteorological sights to see,
01:09:14with perfect weather conditions needed just to create them.
01:09:18Found in any snow-covered mountain area, like the Rocky Mountains, the wind, temperature,
01:09:24snow, ice, and moisture have to all work together for us to see these phenomenal rings.
01:09:31A thin layer of wet snow on the ground. Under that layer, ice or powdered snow. Then,
01:09:37a strong enough breeze to roll the doughnut down a hill, just like a snowball. Once it
01:09:43stops rolling, it can be the size of a baseball or as large as a car tire. It all depends on how
01:09:50strong the wind is. A newly formed snow doughnut won't stay around for very long, so hurry up with
01:09:56that camera! Watching the sunset over the horizon, the beautiful purples and pink overhead are
01:10:04nothing compared to the three suns you see in front of you. Wow, since when did Earth get three suns?
01:10:11These phantom stars sometimes appearing besides the sun are called sun dogs.
01:10:17Maybe they're called that because they're kind of dogging the actual sun?
01:10:22Sun dogs often appear as colored areas of light at the same height above the horizon as the sun.
01:10:29They're mostly observed on a ring or halo, where ice crystals best reflect the light.
01:10:35There are also moon dogs that appear alongside the moon and are formed by lunar light passing
01:10:41through ice crystals, though these aren't seen nearly as much as their daytime partners.
01:10:48Taking photos in the wild, you've finally found the perfect spot to take that dream shot.
01:10:54The crystal-clear water, the pines, the mountains, and the flying saucer! Wait, a flying saucer?
01:11:01Oh, aliens are here! Ahem. You might be thinking this if you saw a saucer-shaped cloud.
01:11:09I'm not even going to try to pronounce their name, though. Put that on the screen, please.
01:11:13Wait, just kidding. It's Autocumulus lenticularis. Aren't you impressed? These are really just
01:11:20unusual cloud formations over mountaintops. When moist air flows over a mountain, a wave
01:11:27is created if the temperature difference is perfect. As the air passes through the wave,
01:11:33evaporation occurs, and a series of these clouds may form into an oval shape. Not aliens at all!
01:11:42The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Well, people who've experienced these clouds say
01:11:48they look like they're coming down from the sky. Mammatus clouds look like giant white
01:11:54lumpy marshmallows, but it might be hard to toast these ones. These weird fluffy clouds can
01:12:01extend hundreds of miles in any direction, remaining visible for short periods at the
01:12:06bottom of anvil or other thunderstorm clouds. The strange bubble shapes are formed from turbulence
01:12:13within the storm itself, creating an uneven cloud base and appearing anywhere in the world.
01:12:20Mammatus clouds form when moist air sinks into dry air.
01:12:24The air must be cooler than its surroundings, cooled with ice, or be heavy with water.
01:12:32You're taking a stroll on a warm summer afternoon. The grass is green, the sun is in the sky,
01:12:38and suddenly you feel yourself sinking. You begin to panic, but then immediately you bounce back up.
01:12:44You test your footing and jump slightly. The grass bounces with you, like a trampoline.
01:12:50This phenomenon is caused by soil liquefaction. Excess water from heavy rain or floods becomes
01:12:56trapped in the soil, causing it to be waterlogged. This makes the ground temporarily act like a
01:13:01giant water bed. While it may be tempting to run and bounce on the springy grass,
01:13:06it's best to tread carefully. The grass could potentially break open, and if someone fell
01:13:11through, it would be incredibly tricky for them to get back out again.
01:13:16An erupting volcano is already a pretty terrifying sight, with clouds of dark smoke and flowing
01:13:21molten hot lava. What's even more terrifying is that they can produce lightning. Volcanic
01:13:27lightning is pretty hard to study, so scientists don't know exactly what causes it. A common theory
01:13:33is that during an eruption, the ash picks up so much friction that it creates a buildup of
01:13:37static electricity. This static electricity then triggers the volcanic lightning.
01:13:43A fire whirl, or fire tornado, is exactly what it sounds like. They occur when ground winds pick up
01:13:48flames and escalate the embers into a whirling force. These spinning columns of fire can reach
01:13:53up to 1,000 feet tall, but luckily, they only last for a couple of minutes. Fire tornadoes are
01:14:00pretty rare, but they can be extremely dangerous. In Tokyo in 1923, a large city-wide fire produced
01:14:06a gigantic fire tornado. The tornado lasted 15 minutes and devastated the city, causing significant
01:14:13damage and leaving 38,000 people injured. On a cold and cloudless winter night, you might have
01:14:20been lucky enough to witness colorful beams of blue and orange light reaching up towards the sky.
01:14:25These are called light pillars. They occur when light is reflected from tiny ice crystals that
01:14:30float about in the atmosphere. These pillars are more common in cold, northern countries like
01:14:35Canada or Russia. We've all seen the colorful rainbow arches that the sun produces. It's much
01:14:42rarer to see a rainbow light up in the sky produced by the moon. This is called a moonbow.
01:14:47It's bright and colorful like a rainbow and occurs when moonlight reflects off water droplets in the
01:14:52sky. Moonbows are incredibly rare and can only occur in specific conditions. The moon must be
01:14:58very low, the sky has to be dark, and rain must fall directly opposite from the moon to create
01:15:04this lunar rainbow. If you're taking a moonlit stroll along the beach at night, you might come
01:15:10across the strange phenomena of a bioluminescent beach. This occurs when a microorganism in the
01:15:15water called plankton are agitated by the movement of the waves and give off a bright blue color.
01:15:21These microorganisms tend to live in warmer waters, so you can find these luminescent beaches in
01:15:26places like the Maldives, Puerto Rico, and even Florida. In Antarctica, you'll find the famous
01:15:33Blood Falls. Blood-red colored water pours out of the Taylor Glacier from an underground lake.
01:15:38Scientists originally believed that the striking color was caused by a microorganism
01:15:43similar to the luminescent beach's glowing plankton. But after further studies, it was
01:15:48discovered that the water has abnormally high levels of iron that oxidize and turn to rust
01:15:53the second they hit fresh air. In colder climates where lakes are frozen all year round, if you look
01:16:00pretty closely beneath the icy waters, you'll notice frozen bubbles trapped in the ice. These
01:16:05are small pockets of methane gas. Bacteria in the water feast on other organisms and digest them to
01:16:11produce methane. The methane turns into floating bubbles in the frozen water, trapped beneath layers
01:16:16of ice. Asperatus clouds are one of the rarest events in nature. This cloud formation consists
01:16:22of incredibly dark and storm-like waves of clouds. Although these clouds appear ominous and look like
01:16:28they carry a heavy storm, they usually dissipate without ever affecting the weather. These clouds
01:16:33most commonly appear in the Great Plains of the United States, but they haven't been observed
01:16:38since 2009. Despite being a famously harsh climate, the desert can produce some beautiful things,
01:16:45like desert roses. These are intricate rose-like formations of crystal clusters.
01:16:50The intense switch between dry and wet conditions forms the crystals and traps grains of sand within
01:16:57them to give them their signature color. From afar, you could easily mistake a water spout as a
01:17:03large tornado traveling over a body of water. In reality, water spouts are a type of funnel-shaped
01:17:09cloud. They are rotating columns of cloud-filled wind, which often take on a darker color. Water
01:17:15spouts are much weaker and smaller than tornadoes, and they aren't strong enough to suck anything into
01:17:20them. This phenomenon typically occurs in tropical climates, and they usually dissipate before
01:17:25reaching land. Lenticular clouds are flat clouds that lay on top of the other, looking like stacks
01:17:32of pancakes in the sky. They typically form in high altitudes where geographic features like
01:17:37mountains or tall buildings interrupt the airflow. Because of their unique shape, lenticular clouds
01:17:42have been suggested as an explanation for some UFO sightings. As our climate changes, new natural
01:17:50phenomena develop. One of these is exploding permafrost. The increasing temperature in arctic
01:17:55zones is causing the permafrost to melt. Just like in frozen lakes, bubbles of methane gas are trapped
01:18:01in the permafrost. As the permafrost begins to melt, the gas is released. This results in large
01:18:07explosions in the ground, which leave behind massive holes. The first case of this was reported
01:18:12in 2013, and several more have been reported since. When you think of icebergs, you usually
01:18:19think of a large chunk of pristine white ice. But in Antarctica, you find icebergs striped with
01:18:25colors of green, blue, yellow, and more. The different colors are caused due to the ice
01:18:29forming in special conditions. Green typically appears when water that is rich in algae freezes.
01:18:35Blue stripes are more often freshly frozen water. Other colors are typically caused by
01:18:39sediments of debris picked up by the water as it freezes. Nacreous clouds are some of the
01:18:46rarest clouds on the planet. They typically occur at high altitudes and are only visible
01:18:50within two hours after sunset. The clouds appear beautiful as they display light waves of various
01:18:56colors. But don't be fooled. These clouds are actually a pretty dangerous sight. Nacreous
01:19:01clouds are incredibly destructive to our atmosphere. Their presence encourages the chemical
01:19:06reaction that breaks down our ozone layer. The ozone layer is an essential shield protecting us
01:19:11from the sun's harmful rays. The more depleted it is, the more at risk we are of global warming.
01:19:19The last place you might expect to find a natural fire is in the middle of a waterfall.
01:19:23But it's more common than you think. In upstate New York, in the middle of a small running
01:19:27waterfall is an eternal flame around eight inches tall. Beneath the waterfall is a natural gas sea,
01:19:34a low pressure of gas that escapes from underground into the Earth's atmosphere.
01:19:38The small fire is sheltered enough by rocks from the waterfall's spray to stay lit permanently.
01:19:45Typically, green sand isn't what you'd imagine when you think of tropical beaches.
01:19:49But in Hawaii and other volcanic islands around the globe, you'll find beaches covered with dark
01:19:54green sand. This remarkable color is due to the erosion of olivine, a type of rock formed by
01:20:00nearby volcanic eruptions. Over the years, the rock slowly withers into sand and washes onto
01:20:05the shore, resulting in these strange colored beaches. Penitentes are fields of ice spikes
01:20:12formed in high altitudes. These occur when sunlight beams directly onto ice,
01:20:17turning it into water vapor rather than melting them. The sun beams vaporize small dimples in
01:20:22the snow's surface, resulting in sharp crystal-like formations. The spike can grow as tall as 15 feet.
01:20:30Mammatus clouds are some of the most unusual and distinctive formations of clouds.
01:20:35The clouds can extend over hundreds of miles and appear like the sky has been blanketed with
01:20:39cotton balls. The clouds themselves are harmless, but they often signify that a dangerous storm is
01:20:45nearby. So if you see them, head inside. A green flash sunset is a rare phenomenon
01:20:52that occurs briefly at sunset or sunrise. When the sun is almost entirely out of the sky,
01:20:57in the right conditions, onlookers can witness a distinct green flash,
01:21:02making the sun appear bright green. This is caused by sunlight reflecting off the Earth's
01:21:06atmosphere, causing the light to refract into different colors. The sun appears green,
01:21:11but really, it's just an optical illusion.
01:21:17Earthquake lights are some of the most mysterious natural phenomena.
01:21:21They can show up before, during, or after an earthquake. They're usually white or blue and
01:21:28last for a short time, but sometimes they can last up to 10 minutes. It's hard to study them
01:21:35because they can happen at different distances from an earthquake center. We know that they
01:21:40only happen during powerful earthquakes that have a Richter scale rating of 5 or higher.
01:21:46Scientists believe they may be caused by the release of ionized oxygen that occurs when
01:21:52certain rocks break apart. This next weird phenomenon is not spontaneous, but it doesn't
01:21:59make it any less impressive. You'll need to head over to La Macarena, Colombia to see it.
01:22:04It's called the Liquid Rainbow or the River of Five Colors. Here you can see the river change
01:22:11colors from red, yellow, green, and purple depending on the light and water conditions.
01:22:17This amazing sight is caused by a very talented aquatic plant. It attaches itself to the rocks
01:22:24in the river and gives the water a reddish color. The water is also very clear with very few
01:22:30particles floating in it, making the red pigments show even clearer. Should you ever reach this
01:22:36amazing destination, you'll also meet diverse fauna hanging around the lake. Red macaws can be seen
01:22:43at this location as well as howler monkeys. Every fall and spring, a magnificent natural
01:22:50phenomenon takes place in the Wadden Sea region in northern Europe. Approximately 1.5 million
01:22:57starlings flock at the same spot to rest in the tall grass for the night. However, before the
01:23:04night settles in, the starlings may be surrounded by hungry birds of prey. This creates a mesmerizing
01:23:11dance as the starlings form intricate patterns to escape from the birds of prey. This spectacle
01:23:17is referred to as the Black Sun and involves thousands of millions of birds flying in formation.
01:23:24The reason for their synchronized flight is that it makes it more challenging for predators
01:23:28to single out and capture some of the starlings. Volcanic sounds, also called volcanic acoustics,
01:23:36can happen before an eruption. They come from magma getting pressurized in cracks and pipes,
01:23:42bubbling explosions, and hot water systems near the surface of the volcano. As the magma rises,
01:23:49gas builds up and cracks the surface open. The gas-rich magma creates a sound like a pipe organ,
01:23:56which is known as a volcanic tremor. The sound changes over time, resembling a natural concert.
01:24:03A volcanic tremor is a sign that an eruption is coming,
01:24:07so it's best to seek shelter if you hear anything unusual near a volcanic site.
01:24:14One of the most surreal phenomena to experience on Earth is near sand dunes. Should you ever be
01:24:20at the top of a sand dune, you may be lucky enough to hear one of the strangest things, singing sand.
01:24:27The truth is scientists have yet to fully understand why this phenomenon occurs. One theory
01:24:33claims that the sand might produce this sound while sliding down the dunes because of the friction
01:24:38between its grains. But how can you recognize whether what you hear is singing sand? Well,
01:24:45it's similar to an airplane flying in the distance. One of the few places on Earth where sand makes
01:24:52such a loud noise that it can actually be heard by tourists is in the Namib Desert in Africa,
01:24:58or in the Barking Sands of Hawaii. To see a rare golden waterfall, you'll have to drive to Yosemite
01:25:07National Park, more precisely, to the Horsetail Falls. You will need to plan your trip ahead of
01:25:13time to make sure you get there either in the winter or early spring. It's the only period of
01:25:19the year when this beautiful sight can be spotted. Let's be clear, it's not real gold falling down
01:25:25the mountain. Actually, it's an optical illusion. When at dusk, the sunlight hits the waterfall
01:25:31in such a unique way that it makes it look like a river of lava or gold. In a California National
01:25:39Park called Death Valley, there are some rocks that seem to move on their own and leave trails
01:25:44behind. Scientists thought the Roadrunner bird could be responsible for these movements,
01:25:49but this creature is too small to drag rocks around. They also thought it could be the wind,
01:25:55but the rocks are also too heavy to be blown away. Scientists have been studying the rocks for years,
01:26:02but until 2014, they hadn't actually seen the rocks move, they'd just seen them in different
01:26:07positions at different times. With the help of time-lapse photography, they were able to
01:26:13discover that the movement was caused by a combination of rainfall, rapid temperature
01:26:19changes, and a bit of wind. When it rains, the water sometimes freezes and the rocks get stuck
01:26:25in the ice. As the temperature rises, the ice starts to melt and moves slowly, dragging the
01:26:31rocks with it. The traces left behind solidify under the heat of the sun. The ice sheets that
01:26:37move the rocks is very thin and evaporates quickly, which is why it was difficult for
01:26:43scientists to understand this phenomenon. Have you ever heard of a dirty thunderstorm?
01:26:50Buckle up, because I'm about to take you on a wild ride through the world of volcanic lightning.
01:26:56No, it's not a new dancing technique, although that would be pretty impressive.
01:27:01It's just a funky way of saying lightning and thunder during a volcanic eruption.
01:27:05When a regular thunderstorm happens, positive and negative particles collide and create a big
01:27:11spark of lightning. And the rumble you hear? That's just thunder. But when a volcano starts
01:27:17to holler, some ash particles get electrified and start colliding with each other. This causes
01:27:23electrical discharges, making it look like there's lightning coming straight from the volcano.
01:27:28And with all the ash, smoke, and gas flying around, it looks like something straight out of
01:27:34a sci-fi movie. That's why it's sometimes called a dirty thunderstorm, too.
01:27:41Whoa, did you just see that giant ray of light shooting up into the sky? They're called light
01:27:47pillars. And don't worry, they're not a magic trick, just a bunch of ice crystals playing tricks
01:27:53on us. You see, when it's cold outside, these ice crystals floating near the ground reflect light
01:27:59from unshielded lights and create these columns of light that look like they're coming from outer
01:28:04space. But really, it's just a bunch of little crystals showing off their reflective skills.
01:28:10And if you think those natural light pillars are cool, wait till you see the artificial ones.
01:28:15They can be even taller because the light from streetlights is not the same.
01:28:20Ice crystals can reflect the light even if they're a little tilted.
01:28:24Just imagine, all that light is coming from streetlights just a few feet away.
01:28:29So next time you see a light pillar, don't run for cover, just enjoy the show.
01:28:35If you come across these quirky bubble-like shapes in the sky, consider yourself lucky.
01:28:41These little gems are called mammatus clouds, and they're not your everyday run-of-the-mill clouds.
01:28:47Most clouds are formed when air rises, making them look like big cotton balls. But mammatus clouds
01:28:54are formed when air sinks, making them look like they're upside down. The air above and below such
01:29:01clouds creates a little turbulence, and before you know it, cloud particles form perfectly round
01:29:07orbs. Just don't stand there gawking at them for too long. They often signal that a thunderstorm
01:29:13is on its way. What do we have here? It looks like the sun is wearing a colorful party hat
01:29:20made of rainbows on top of the Ur mountains in Germany. This phenomenon is called a sun halo,
01:29:27by the way. These snow-covered trees look like they're joining in on the fun too.
01:29:32It's all thanks to those ice crystals in high clouds. They love to bend and reflect light,
01:29:38making it look like the sun is having a halo lava lamp dance party. And yes, it might mean that bad
01:29:44weather is just around the corner, but don't let it spoil your fun. You can still hang around and
01:29:49take some great pictures. This spiky tree knows how to shoot, so you better stay away from it.
01:29:57It's called a sandbox tree, and you can find it in Amazonia. Initially, its seeds are formed in
01:30:03the shape of a small pumpkin. As time goes by, they harden and mature. But here comes the fun
01:30:10part. Just as they reach peak maturity, the seeds pop and shoot out at a speed of 150 mph. They can
01:30:17even reach distances of 60 ft. That's what makes it so risky to be in their way during the blast
01:30:23process. Not to mention the seeds are poisonous too. Sure, some trees don't grow completely
01:30:31upright. But a tree that's altogether bent, with its branches even touching the ground,
01:30:36is a sight not to be missed. Such a tree, called the El Arbol de la Sabina, grows in Spain.
01:30:43Its shape depends on the wind, as the tree bends in its direction. As a result, not only does it
01:30:49often have a weird shape, but it can also change it completely during different times of the year.
01:30:54This flexible tree can reach more than 26 ft. in height and tends to grow in the most
01:30:59improbable of locations, like on rocks. Now how about a tree that's as old as
01:31:05dinosaurs? Discovered in 1994, the wallami pine tree species can be seen in the Blue Mountains
01:31:12of Sydney, Australia. It dates back to over 200 million years, so it's easy to believe dinosaurs
01:31:19might've even roamed around it. Since these trees are endangered, and only 100 exhibits exist to
01:31:25this day in the wild, the scientists don't feel like disclosing their location. They want to make
01:31:31sure the trees are well preserved. Also, they're important for science, as studying them may help
01:31:37us uncover new information on the Earth's past. The bark of the tree can teach us many different
01:31:42things, like different temperature periods or exposure to various chemicals. The tree of life
01:31:49gets its name because it's able to withstand difficult conditions and actually thrive.
01:31:54Located in the desert outskirts of Bahrain, the Prosopis cineraria has a very deep root system,
01:32:01which allows it to survive in the scorching heat. The scientists still can't find out how it manages
01:32:07to get sufficient water. It's so special that it gathers over 50,000 tourists each year.
01:32:14La India Dormida in Panama is a mountainous area that's shaped like the body of a sleeping girl.
01:32:20It's part of a bigger, mysterious region called La Val de Anton, one of the largest inhabited
01:32:26dormant volcanoes in the world. And it has some pretty weird trees too – square ones. Even the
01:32:32rings of these trees, meaning the interior of their trunks, are the same shape, with sharp edges,
01:32:38sometimes even at a perfect 90-degree angle. Researchers have tried to piece together why
01:32:44these trees grow in this particular shape. They even tried taking samples of some of the trees
01:32:49and planting them elsewhere, to see if they retain that shape. It wasn't the case,
01:32:54so it's clear that the odd shape of the trees has something to do with the valley itself.
01:32:59Some people believe that a local farmer might have originally planted the trees in boxes,
01:33:05forcing the trees to grow like that, to reduce lumber waste,
01:33:08since round trees often end up being cut in sharp angled pieces.
01:33:14One of the oldest and biggest trees in the world is found in the Sequoia National Park
01:33:18of the United States. It's called General Sherman and stretches at 275 feet. It's almost as big as
01:33:25the Statue of Liberty. Its circumference is equally as impressive, as near the ground it
01:33:31is around 102 feet around. As for its age, we can only guess it to be between 2,300 and 2,700 years.
01:33:43There are a lot of beautiful species of trees out there, but none as striking as the rainbow
01:33:49eucalyptus found in the Philippines. It almost looks hand-painted because of its multicolored
01:33:55layers of bark. This tree also shades its layers irregularly, which means it shows a lot of colors
01:34:01at once, from green to blue, then purple to orange, and then finally reaching brown. It's
01:34:07not used for decorating purposes, but rather for paper manufacturing. Located in Namibia is a tree
01:34:15that's also weird in shape and pretty dangerous — the bottle tree. Okay, in terms of shape,
01:34:21it's pretty self-explanatory, with a round trunk that narrows down toward the top.
01:34:26But the milky sap harvested from the tree is extremely poisonous. Legend has it that local
01:34:32hunters used to dip their arrows in it for added efficiency. It does look really beautiful during
01:34:38bloom season, with flowers that grow in pink and white with a red center. Now, to see a crooked
01:34:45tree every now and then isn't so special. But to see a whole forest of them, you'd have to travel
01:34:51to the Polish town of Grafino. Near it, there is a forest made out of 400 oddly-shaped trees.
01:34:58They've been curved with mechanical intervention. They didn't just grow like that, but their purpose
01:35:03remains a mystery to this day. Some have said it's because the wood from the trees was intended for
01:35:09furniture or even for the construction of boats, but either way, the forest was eventually abandoned.
01:35:17A silk cotton tree has taken over the ancient Ta Prohm temples of Cambodia, creating a spectacular
01:35:23view. The massive branches of the silk cotton trees were free to grow over the structures for
01:35:29ages, going back as far as the 12th century. The temples have been restored and are accessible to
01:35:35tourists. The dragon's blood tree grows in the Canary Islands of northwest Africa.
01:35:42Locals used to say that once a dragon passes away, it transforms into a tree. Standing at an
01:35:48impressive 50 feet in length, the tree is named like that due to its red sap, which can be harvested
01:35:54from the bark. The red substance to this day is used for dyes and in medicine. One of the biggest,
01:36:02oldest, and most impressive trees in the world is the Sunland Baobab tree. It's 72 feet high and
01:36:08has a circumference of 155 feet. It's located in South Africa. What makes it even more spectacular
01:36:16is the fact that it is naturally hollow inside. So, a small lounge was set up inside the tree
01:36:22back in 1933. It initially could support up to 20 individuals, but it can now host up to 60 people.
01:36:30Not to mention, the tree dates back over 6,000 years.
01:36:34The silver birch tree spread across Scandinavia and northeast Europe and found a way to reflect
01:36:40light. Its bark became lighter in color, and during the colder season, when its branches
01:36:45also freeze over, the site is something of a natural winter wonderland. It also developed
01:36:51a partnership with a fungus that connects to its roots and fans out under the forest,
01:36:56gathering up nutrients that trees can't reach. For these services, the tree gives the fungus
01:37:02sugars in return. The birch's companion is dangerous and shouldn't be consumed by people.
01:37:07It's easy to recognize with the classical scarlet-topped, red-sprinkled mushroom head.
01:37:14A natural festival not to be missed is Japan's cherry blossom season. The pinkish-white blossom
01:37:20is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, going hand-in-hand with a local saying called
01:37:26mano no arare, which relatively translates to the fact that everything is temporary,
01:37:33regardless of how perfect or beautiful it is. Should you ever visit Japan, you'll quickly see
01:37:39that the cherry blossom symbol is everywhere, from company logos to even clothing or household items.
01:37:45Yosemite National Park in California once had an amazing tree structure that was turned into
01:37:51a tunnel. It was a Coast Redwood tree, stretching 227 feet tall. It was nicknamed Wawona, the
01:37:58Native American word for the hoot of an owl. The tree fell in 1969 because of a heavy snow,
01:38:04but it survived as an ecosystem for animals, plants, and insects. It's now called the Fallen
01:38:11Tunnel Tree. One tree species known as Farkapasvipavet, well, you read it,
01:38:17is the rarest plant on Earth. The Guinness World Record book recorded one single tree of its kind
01:38:23off the coast of New Zealand. It wasn't always that lonely, but humans brought goats to the
01:38:28island which nipped at every other member of its family. Luckily, scientists are looking
01:38:34at ways to plant new specimens.
01:38:41The Batsingdae Tsunami, Indonesia. An undersea earthquake starts in the morning. Its tremors
01:38:48cause a series of tsunami waves. The largest reaches the height of the Arc de Triomphe in
01:38:53Paris. Unzen volcano megatsunami. A powerful volcanic eruption triggers a landslide from a
01:39:014,000-year-old lava dome. It sweeps through the city of Shimabara and reaches the sea,
01:39:07setting off a megatsunami. The Vagent Dam megatsunami, Italy. A landslide drags 9 billion
01:39:14cubic feet of forest, soil, and rock into the lake. A dark wall of water covers the sky over
01:39:21a tiny village at the bottom of the Vagent Dam. Then, with a deafening roar, the wave overtops
01:39:27the edge of the dam, taking out everything in its path. Mount St. Helen megatsunami, USA.
01:39:35As the volcano erupts, the upper 1,500 feet of Mount St. Helen collapses into a massive landslide.
01:39:43Part of this avalanche plunges down into nearby Spirit Lake, which splashes the lake waters into
01:39:49a series of waves almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower. Alaska's Lituya Bay tsunami. A landslide
01:39:56caused by an earthquake creates a megawave. It surges over the headland and washes away trees,
01:40:02plants, and soil down to bedrock. Molokai, Hawaii. A third of the East Molokai volcano caves in and
01:40:10collapses into the Pacific Ocean. This causes a tsunami the size of the second-tallest building
01:40:16in the world, Shanghai Tower. The waves reach Mexico and California. The Yucatan asteroid tsunami.
01:40:24The asteroid, which is rumored to have wiped out dinosaurs, strikes the Yucatan Peninsula. It
01:40:30creates a megatsunami, the largest in Earth's history. The first wave's almost twice bigger
01:40:36than the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Hurricane Mitch. Mitch forms in the
01:40:44Western Caribbean Sea. Soon, it strengthens to become the 8th most powerful Atlantic hurricane
01:40:50ever. The storm pours 4 inches of rain per hour for two days in Honduras. It causes terrible
01:40:56mudslides and floods. Hurricane Allen. Rare and extremely powerful, the storm is one of the few
01:41:03to reach Category 5, the highest possible. It causes more than $2 billion in damage.
01:41:10The Great Hurricane. After tearing down Barbados, the storm moves on. It strips the bark off the
01:41:16trees growing on Martinique and St. Lucia and travels further. This horrific natural disaster
01:41:22lasts for 6 days. Hurricane Dorian. It's the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit the Bahamas.
01:41:30The hurricane flattens most of the structures on the islands and sweeps them into the sea.
01:41:35Hurricane Wilma. The storm occurs in the Caribbean Sea near Jamaica and heads to the West. Two days
01:41:42later, it gathers enough power to turn into the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the
01:41:47Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Patricia. A regular storm develops a well-defined eye and turns into a
01:41:55Category 5 hurricane within a mere 24 hours. At one point, it travels faster than a Ferrari moving
01:42:02at its top speed. It makes Patricia the world's most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded.
01:42:08Kamchatka Earthquake. It happens in the early morning 80 miles away from the shores of Kamchatka.
01:42:14The earth tremors produce a tsunami. The first two waves are catastrophic, up to 60 feet high.
01:42:21The third one's much weaker. Valparaiso Earthquake, Chile. It happens at about 5 a.m. along the
01:42:29boundary of two tectonic plates. The tsunami, triggered by the earthquake, wipes out 620
01:42:36miles of Chile's coastline. Tohoku Earthquake, Japan. The first earth tremors start at a great
01:42:44underwater depth. The earthquake is so strong, it moves Japan's main island. It shifts the planet
01:42:50on its axis by up to 10 inches and increases its rotation speed. The disaster also triggers
01:42:56a tsunami with 133-foot-high waves that travel 6 miles inland. Indian Ocean Earthquake, Sumatra.
01:43:05A rupture along two tectonic plates sets off an undersea earthquake. It begins at about 8 a.m.
01:43:11near northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It makes the planet vibrate nearly a half inch and sets off
01:43:18earthquakes all over the world up to Alaska. Good Friday Earthquake, Alaska. The most powerful
01:43:25earthquake recorded in North America lasts for 4 minutes and 38 seconds. A 600-mile-long crack
01:43:32causes terrible landslides and a 27-foot tsunami. Areas 200 miles away get raised by 30 feet.
01:43:40Other places permanently drop 8 feet. Valdiva, Chile. The Great Chilean Earthquake starts in
01:43:47the afternoon and lasts for no less than 10 minutes. The disaster affects an area the size
01:43:53of California. It triggers tsunamis that reach the shore of Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines,
01:43:59Australia, and New Zealand. The average tornado usually lasts less than 10 minutes,
01:44:07but there are exceptions. El Reno Tornado. It's considered the world's largest tornado based on
01:44:14width. At its peak, the twister reaches 2.5 miles across. The Perryville Tornado, U.S.
01:44:22It occurs at about 2 a.m. and starts with snapping hardwood trees and breaking down stone
01:44:28constructions. Then the whirlwind becomes stronger. It levels two-story buildings,
01:44:33flips and tosses cars as if they were toys. Bridge Creek Moore Tornado. When the twister
01:44:40gets into the town of Bridge Creek, its width is at its peak, 1 to 1.5 miles. The wind speed of the
01:44:46tornado reaches more than 300 mph. This natural disaster causes $1 billion in damage. Manitoba,
01:44:55Canada. An outstanding tornado rages for nearly 3 hours. It breaks tons of trees and utility poles,
01:45:02damages roads and farmhouses, but miraculously misses every town on its path.
01:45:09Tri-State Tornado, U.S. The world's longest-lasting single tornado travels 220 miles through Missouri,
01:45:18Illinois, and Indiana. The average tornado's path is usually no longer than 5 miles.
01:45:24Tupelo, Gainesville, U.S. An outbreak that consists of at least 12 single tornadoes
01:45:31wipes out everything on its way. The accompanying rainstorms
01:45:35also trigger severe flash floods that make matters even worse.
01:45:42Valjant Landslide, Italy. At 10 p.m., a landslide with a volume of 100 Great Pyramids of Giza
01:45:50breaks off from the top of Monte Toc. It falls into the Valjant Dam Reservoir,
01:45:55producing a tsunami wave taller than the Golden Gate Bridge.
01:46:00Yunnan, China. An avalanche of rocks, stones, and mud so big it could fill up Sydney Harbor
01:46:06forms a dam on the Jinsha River. The Hida River, Japan. Triggered by a rainstorm,
01:46:13300,000 Olympic swimming pools of debris flows down before getting stopped by another,
01:46:19earlier landslide. Along the way, the landslide sweeps two buses off the road.
01:46:25Peru. A rock slide dams the Rio Montenegro, a long river running through the center of Peru.
01:46:32The whole process takes no more than 3 minutes, which means the landslide moves at a speed of up
01:46:38to 87 mph. It also leaves a trail of debris 5 miles long. The Usoi Dam, Tajikistan. Set off by
01:46:48a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, the rock slide falls into the Mergab River and blocks its flow. That's
01:46:55how the Usoi Dam, one of the tallest in the world, appears. Mount St. Helens, USA. At 8.30 a.m.,
01:47:03after much buildup, a volcanic vent finally gives way and sets off a catastrophic eruption,
01:47:10which makes the entire north side of Mount St. Helens fall away. It's the world's largest
01:47:15recorded landslide. North Bonneville, US. In the middle of the 15th century,
01:47:22a great earthquake occurs. An incredible amount of debris rushes down from Table Mountain.
01:47:28It covers more than 5 square miles and blocks the Columbia River with a dam 200 feet high
01:47:34and 3.5 miles long. Ah, a purple sunset. You must've seen one of those at least once in your
01:47:43life. Normally, it's nothing ominous and has to do with the way light travels. The light that the
01:47:49sun produces is white. When it goes through a prism, you see light waves of different colors,
01:47:54from red and orange to blue, green, and indigo. Light normally travels in a straight line if
01:48:00there's no obstacle in its way. The shorter light waves, including blues and purples,
01:48:06are scattered easier when they meet with those obstacles, like molecules and aerosols in the
01:48:11atmosphere. Because the sun is low on the horizon at sunset and sunrise, its light has to pass
01:48:17through more molecules that scatter the violet and blue light. The colors that your eyes pick up,
01:48:22then, are yellow, orange, and red. But with the right conditions, you can see the gorgeous purple
01:48:28sky. Sometimes, purple sky appears for much scarier reasons. It can be caused by hurricanes,
01:48:35wildfires, or dust storms. The concentration of vapor in the air increases, and the light
01:48:41scatters more than usual. Dust, a setting sun, and low cloud cover all contribute to this natural
01:48:47show, too. The sky turns orange and red at dusk if there's still enough light. Then, it gives off
01:48:54pink hues, which mix up with the dark blue sky above. Now, do you remember what happens when you
01:48:59mix pink and blue? You get the color purple. Not every hurricane makes the sky turn purple,
01:49:07and trying to predict if it's going to happen is like trying to forecast a rainbow. Still,
01:49:12people reported several major hurricanes made the skies turn purple. Now, green skies might
01:49:18look just as spectacular as purple ones, but they actually also scream danger. They're usually there
01:49:25to tell you a thunderstorm, hailstorm, or tornado is somewhere nearby. The unique color is a result
01:49:32of yellow sun rays getting mixed with the blue light coming from storm clouds. So, you're enjoying
01:49:39a nice day by the ocean with a fresh breeze in your hair, when suddenly, you notice the water
01:49:45starts retreating from the beach at a huge speed. This is a sign for you to start running as fast
01:49:51and far away from the beach as you can. This most likely means that a tsunami is on the way.
01:49:56A quick reaction maximizes your chances of survival. Now, if you notice the sea level is rising,
01:50:04but it doesn't seem too extreme, it could be another sign of an approaching tsunami.
01:50:09It happens in 40% of cases, and the incoming water is the first tsunami wave. The next one,
01:50:16way larger and more dangerous, usually follows in about 10 minutes. Another thing about tsunamis is
01:50:22that they like to arrive with some loud sounds. People describe them as thunder, the sound of a
01:50:28locomotive, a helicopter, or just a loud boom. Do you see a channel of choppy water on the beach?
01:50:35It's in your best interest to stay away from the water. There might be a rip current under
01:50:40the surface that can be extremely dangerous. Sometimes, waves hit the shore in a weird way,
01:50:45which forms these rip currents. You might see a strange break in the waves, or an area with a
01:50:51different color than the rest of the water. Random bits of seaweed going in all directions
01:50:57is another rip current warning sign. If you happen to find yourself caught in a rip current,
01:51:02try to stay afloat, but don't try to go against the current. You'll only waste precious energy.
01:51:09Scream for help and try to float your way along the beach. Once you break out of the current,
01:51:14swim diagonally to the shore. The next time you spot conically-shaped clouds in the sky,
01:51:21remember it's a good time to start looking for some shelter. If it just stays like that,
01:51:26a severe storm is on the way. But if a cloud of that shape starts spinning around,
01:51:31it means it's about to transform into a tornado. If you have bees nearby, they can save you from
01:51:39big trouble one day. These hard-working little guys get more active than usual when they feel
01:51:44like a storm is on the way. They speed up to collect more nectar before it hits them. And
01:51:49once they're done with it, they'll always come back to the hive 10-15 minutes before heavy rain,
01:51:55even when there are no obvious signs of it coming. Their secret is super-sensitive hairs
01:52:00on the back that can pick up electrostatic build-ups from storm clouds. For centuries,
01:52:07people have noticed that animals act weirdly a couple of days before big seismic events.
01:52:12Dogs can't start barking, cows halt their milk, and toads, rats, and snakes leave their homes.
01:52:19It looks like animals can feel smaller initial shock waves that humans don't even notice.
01:52:24Scientists have tried to find some legit explanation for it and run endless tests
01:52:29and experiments. But so far, they're still on their way to explaining this mystery.
01:52:35Can you smell ozone in the air? When a thunderstorm is on the way, it's the most distinct and pungent
01:52:41smell you can pick up. An electrical charge of lightning sets it free from higher altitudes.
01:52:47The other, more pleasant smell of rain is petrichor. Rainwater wakes up molecules on plants,
01:52:53trees, concrete, and asphalt. Their aroma spreads all over the place. You can even feel that smell
01:53:00in your own mouth. All those positive ions in the air that a lightning bolt sets free
01:53:05gets mixed with ozone and your saliva, and that's how you get that bitter metallic taste.
01:53:12When lightning is about to strike, you might hear bizarre crackling, buzzing,
01:53:17or vibrating sounds coming from metal objects nearby. Your palms may begin to sweat,
01:53:22and then you can feel your hair stand on end. That's a clear call for action, and that action
01:53:28is to run for your life. Positive charges are going through your body, trying to reach toward
01:53:33the negatively charged part of the storm. Trust me, you don't want these charges to meet.
01:53:39If you see no shelter that you can reach fast, try to make yourself smaller than the objects
01:53:44around you. Drop down your umbrella and stay away from wire fences, metal pipes, rails,
01:53:50and other metallic objects. And don't lie flat on the ground – it's likely wet,
01:53:55which means it's a great conductor of electricity.
01:53:59If you suddenly notice crevices in the asphalt next to your house, it could be a sinkhole warning
01:54:05sign. Inspect your house on the inside – does that door begin to jam? Or maybe there's a gap
01:54:11where the walls meet the ceiling? Uneven kitchen cabinets and drawers, slanted floors, stairs that
01:54:18begin to slope, water leaking after every rain, and displaced moldings are all signs that a
01:54:24sinkhole is about to open. To find out if it's definitely a sinkhole and how dangerous it is,
01:54:30you gotta consult with an engineering company. If you find a sinkhole that's already there,
01:54:36you gotta stay away from the sinkhole area. Fence or rope it off to make it less dangerous for
01:54:41others. You'll need professional help to fix it. Some volcanoes scream when they're about to
01:54:48erupt. Small earthquakes, which often happen before, produce a hum. It's mostly non-audible
01:54:54to human ears, but sometimes it reaches a frequency that lets you hear it as a strange
01:54:59rumbling or hissing sound coming from the ground. This noise is known as a harmonic tremor. With
01:55:06some volcanoes, it's the sound of magma bubbles vibrating when they're going through crevices in
01:55:11the crust of the Earth. But it's not always like this. If scientists manage to understand what
01:55:18causes these volcanic streams, they could create a limited early warning system for volcanic
01:55:23eruptions. If you're out in the wild, pay attention to the water in creeks, streams, and rivers.
01:55:30If its level is quickly falling, even if it's raining, this might be a sign of a nearing landslide.
01:55:37And if you hear a faint rumbling noise or unusual sounds, like boulders knocking together,
01:55:43it could mean debris is on its way to you. It's a sign to head to safety immediately.
01:55:51Octopuses have three hearts. Two of them pump blood to the gills,
01:55:55while the bigger heart circulates blood to the rest of their body. They also have nine brains.
01:56:01There's the large central one, but also, each of their eight arms has a mini-brain of its own,
01:56:06which is why they can act independently. Since each arm has its own brain, the central brain
01:56:12only needs to send a higher-level signal to the arm, things like,
01:56:16move to that nearby crevice, there might be a crab hiding inside. In the case of humans,
01:56:21the brain would guide and take control of each movement of our legs and arms. And with an
01:56:25octopus, arms act almost independently on their way to the crevice. It also tastes and feels with
01:56:32the suction cups on it. Since their arms are so independent, an octopus doesn't actually know
01:56:38where they are unless it sees them. The human body has an ability called proprioception. Thanks
01:56:44to it, we know where our arm is even if we hold it, let's say, behind our back.
01:56:501816 is known as the year when summer didn't come. In April 1815, there was a massive explosion on
01:56:58Mount Tambora in Indonesia. It sent enormous clouds of volcanic ash up into the atmosphere.
01:57:05The majority of the northern hemisphere got covered with a shroud of dust and dirt
01:57:10and kinda refused to settle. In June of the following year, the cold winter didn't just
01:57:15come to an end. Frost damaged crops, and snow and rain persisted during the whole summer.
01:57:22In Iceland, you'll find some of the most breathtaking sceneries on our planet.
01:57:26Jagged mountains, fjords, hot geysers, ice fields carved into the landscape.
01:57:32Stunning yet intriguingly black sand beaches, such as Reynisfjara Beach. Most of the sand on
01:57:38beaches is generally formed from rocks that have broken down because of weather changes and erosion
01:57:44through thousands or even millions of years. And on Reynisfjara, the sand is a striking black color,
01:57:50and that's because of volcanic activity. Lava came out of an erupting volcano,
01:57:55got to the surface, cooled, and then hardened in the Atlantic Ocean,
01:57:59creating such a fascinating black hue. This beach is so magically stunning,
01:58:04but it's also very dangerous because of its sneakier waves. That's when a few smaller waves
01:58:09join together into a single really big one. This phenomenon can happen when ocean currents
01:58:15force waves together, or in the case of Reynisfjara, when such waves come from an
01:58:20offshore underground cliff and get an even stronger pulling effect. Considering the ocean's
01:58:26low temperatures too, it's definitely better to just take pictures from a safe spot.
01:58:32Some trees talk to each other. Not the way we do, of course, but for example,
01:58:37acacia trees that grow over the African savannah can warn each other if there's something dangerous
01:58:42coming. When some animals such as antelopes gobble up its leaves, the tree immediately
01:58:48starts producing more tannin, which is toxic to animals. They also emit a special type of gas
01:58:54that travels through the air and warns other trees they should protect themselves too.
01:58:59You're stargazing, such a chill night, and then a flash of bright light streaks through the night
01:59:05sky. A shooting star, so cool! But what we see is not actually a star, although we call it that way.
01:59:12They're meteors, which are basically small chunks of dust and rock moving through space.
01:59:18As they're passing through our atmosphere, they cause something called friction
01:59:21when one thing rubs against another, and that's why they glow. Also, the friction causes heat.
01:59:28Dust and rocks get extremely hot as they fly through the atmosphere, and the heat makes them
01:59:32glow until the moment they burn out and turn into what we call the shooting star.
01:59:38Sunsets in deserts are extremely beautiful because of the spectacular colors they produce
01:59:43a bit more than elsewhere. Sunlight consists of various shades of the color spectrum.
01:59:48When the sun is high in the sky, these colors mix together and our eyes see them as white.
01:59:54But as the sun gets lower, its rays have to go through a thicker layer of atmosphere before
01:59:59they get to us. The atmosphere then scatters shorter wavelengths of light, like blue and
02:00:05purple, before we can even see them. That's why the longer orange and red wavelengths stand out.
02:00:11In urban environments, air pollution can make sunset colors duller than everywhere.
02:00:16The clean air in deserts allow the vivid colors coming from the sun to shine through a twilight.
02:00:22Also, the moisture, water vapor, and rain-engorged clouds can mute the sunset's hues. Since there's
02:00:28no rain, clouds are thin and wispy, so they filter and reflect sunlight instead of blocking it.
02:00:35Bamboo grows really fast. It's actually the fastest-growing plant on Earth,
02:00:40sometimes growing about 3 feet in just one day. You can find it in dense forests,
02:00:45where only a little light gets to the ground. Which means bamboo is under strong pressure to
02:00:50reach the sunlight as quickly as it can. There's an underground stem that connects bamboo shoots
02:00:55to their parent plant, so the shoot doesn't really need leaves of its own until it gets
02:01:00to its full height. Also, bamboo grows faster than other plants because it doesn't waste its time and
02:01:06energy on growing rings that thicken the stalk. It's just a thin hollow stick that grows straight
02:01:12up. You'll notice some of the big trees have shallow root systems, sometimes even 10 inches
02:01:18deep in the ground. The roots generally need access to oxygen and water, and they can mostly
02:01:24find it in special underground pockets called soil pores. When a tree has ideal moisture and
02:01:30soil conditions, it can send roots deeper down under the surface and get what it needs. But most
02:01:36of the time, conditions are not perfect, considering bedrock, stones, and compact soil that physically
02:01:42prevents the roots from going down. Such obstacles also prevent the roots from getting the needed
02:01:47oxygen. So, when life gets tough, the tree will take an easier option. Its roots will stay close
02:01:53to the surface and spread out in different directions. Drought conditions are another
02:01:58reason trees can have shallow root systems. By staying closer to the surface, they can take
02:02:03most of the rainfall collection. Plants are exposed to the sunlight most of the time,
02:02:08but they still don't get sunburn. They appeared on land about 700 million years ago. And one of
02:02:14the key things they needed to survive was something that would protect them against
02:02:18the ultraviolet rays coming from the sun. Those in the sea had seawater as protection.
02:02:24UV radiation is mostly responsible for sunburn, so land plants developed a special protein that
02:02:30detects it. This protein sends signals to the cells to protect the plant from the damage and
02:02:36effects of UV radiation. Basically, it's like they produce their own natural sunscreen. But
02:02:42this still doesn't mean they're 100% protected. You know that common belief that if you water
02:02:47plants in the midday sunshine, this can cause their sunburn? Some think droplets of water
02:02:53act as tiny lenses and then focus the sunlight onto the leaf surface. But they're not strong
02:02:59enough to actually focus sunlight from a water droplet onto the surface of a leaf. It's just
02:03:04that their natural sunscreen doesn't mean total protection. Too much exposure to UV radiation
02:03:10damages cells in the leaves and bark of the majority of plants. Earth's core is as hot as
02:03:17the surface of the sun. You'd think it could easily melt our entire planet, especially since
02:03:22the core is only 1,800 miles away from the surface. If the sun were so close, we'd be like
02:03:27french fries. But we're alive because the center of the sun is surrounded by a mantle of rock
02:03:33that's mostly solid. The crust we walk on actually floats on that mantle and protects us. If the sun
02:03:40was close, we'd only have empty space to protect us, and you and I wouldn't be talking. Also,
02:03:46to melt the entire planet, you'd need way more energy than the heat in its core. So there.
02:03:53That's it for today! So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and
02:03:58share it with your friends. Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright
02:04:02Side.

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