The world is full of magic and mystery. Thanks to the power of the internet, a long list of strange and unknown facts are available to make us question everything we have always known about the world. The unknown is out there, but sometimes, it’s just lurking around the corner.
Missing Russian Heiress Is Found
It was in 1918 when the Russian royal family was executed. However, rumors persisted that some members remained alive. Specifically, the Tsar’s youngest daughter, Anastasia, was believed to have escaped. The basis of this speculation was the discovery of the family’s grave after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Only three skeletons of the four Romanov sisters were found. Then in 2007, a second grave was unearthed. They were the remains of a female whose age was similar to Anastasia. Thorough DNA testing revealed it was indeed her.
Natural Columnar Basalt
There are giant basalt columns located in various places of the world. These are usually shaped in octagonal form, though they can be seen in different geometric figures. They protrude out of the ground as though they were cut by hand.
Though these large columns appear to be a product of mother nature, many mistakenly think these were artificial. However, there is no question that these geological columns have a natural origin. Their unusual shapes are the result of the stones’ molecular structures.
Death Valley’s Sailing Stones
Anyone passing by Death Valley’s Racetrack Playa is sure to see huge rocks with long tracks behind them. They may have also wondered why no footprints or paw prints are found alongside them. Well, just how on Earth did the rocks move?
No one really knew what caused the tracks until 2013, when winter observers noticed that the cold weather caused ground moisture to freeze over, thereby creating a thin layer of ice that decreased the friction resistance of the ground. The stones are then easily pushed by the wind, making them eerily sail on their own across the dry lake.
Kraken On The Shore
New Zealand siblings Daniel, Jack, and Matthew Aplin were casually going for an early morning dive near Wellington’s Red Rocks track when they saw something unexpected on the shore. There was a 13’9” long Giant Squid—or architeuthis—lying on the beach.
The sight of such a creature is very rare. Some have even thought these giants to be the stuff of myth. However, specimens found intact and washed up during the 19th century on various shores confirmed the existence of these sea monsters.
The Noise Of The Taos Hum
Located in New Mexico is Taos, a small town situated in Taos County. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years. But very few know about—or understand—a phenomenon heard in the area referred to as the Taos Hum.
The noise is a low-frequency, continuous hum heard by only a few people, but it has been consistently talked about for years. No one knows the source of the hum—which baffles experts to this day. The phenomenon was even featured in the popular science fiction series, The X-Files.
Footprint Of The Yeti?
It was in 1951 when a man took a picture of a large footprint on the peak of Mount Everest. Many believed the print belonged to a yeti—a mythical creature known colloquially in the United States as “Bigfoot.”
However, analysis proved that the print did not belong to Bigfoot but a bear species that has long been extinct. So, alas, perhaps Bigfoot is indeed still out there but has been too shy to show himself to the world.
The Mystery Of The Voynich Manuscript
Created during the early 15th century, the Voynich Manuscript was discovered in 1912, but its contents and meaning have largely remained a mystery. No historian or language expert has managed to decipher the contents of this enigmatic manuscript.
The book was written in an unknown language. Yet language experts agree that its content is real. It also contained human anatomical sketches as well as celestial constellations. A few researchers believe the manuscript was a medicinal document, but no one really knows for sure.
Panic In Los Angeles
Air raid sirens were heard all over Los Angeles in February 1942. Apparently, US forces saw an aircraft flying over the city. In retaliation, the military launched a heavy artillery bombardment against the aircraft. However, the military saw that they did not attack an aircraft but a mere weather balloon.
Still, pictures of anti-aircraft artillery aimed at the object were released, prompting numerous conspiracy theorists to think that the attack was actually against an alien and subsequently covered up.
The Puzzling Book of Soyga
John Dee was an esteemed scholar in Elizabethan England. He collected books, one of which is the Book of Soyga – a mysterious book that was believed lost for more than 500 years. Two other versions of the book can be seen in the British Library archives.
The book consists of letters about spellcasting, astrology, alchemy, and chemistry. It was also made up of encoded Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic letters that have not yet been deciphered. John Dee was a fascinating figure interested in all things magic, so this book must have some magical significance.
The Lost World Of Mount Roraima
Mount Roraima is situated between Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana’s borders. It is a steep plateau circled by 400-meter cliffs referred to as a tepui. It almost looks as though the land itself has risen out of the world, floating above all the rest of the land.
The plateau is almost inaccessible, but those who manage to reach it report having strange experiences—and not just because of the incredible scenery. The area was said to inspire Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel, The Lost World.
UFO Clouds
Notice anything strange about this picture? Something in the sky, perhaps? These clouds resemble a UFO—or perhaps a UFO hiding inside a cloud—but it’s just a regular old cloud formation.
Specifically, these are lenticular clouds. Their scientific name is Altocumulus lenticularis. They develop in the troposphere and hover like flying saucers over homes, planes, and rivers. As strange as they are, there’s nothing supernatural about them.
The Fascinating Prodigiorum ac Ostentorum Chronicon
In 1557, Conrad Lycosthenes published his Prodigiorum ac Ostentorum Chronicon. This book consists of general knowledge and chronologically arranged encyclopedic events of Europe. It begins in Genesis, moves through to Greek times and Roman empires, and finally, to Lycosthenes’ time.
A mysterious part of the book depicts a comet flying over Arabia with a rocket beside it, including monstrous creatures. The meaning behind this entry is currently unknown.
Beached Sea Creature
Ceredigion’s beach, located in Wales in the United Kingdom, was the site of a mysterious event in October 2017. More than 25 octopuses swam out of the ocean and were later seen lying dead across the sand.
The reason for the mass beaching remains unclear. Some believe that the cephalopods were trying to flee from something in the ocean. No one has an idea what they were specifically trying to get away from or why.
Nan Madol’s Floating City
Nan Madol is one of the most amazing archaeological sites in the world. Located in the Pacific Ocean’s Micronesian island of Pohnpei, the ancient city consists of towering stone structures and canals. Even to this day, the origin of the ancient city is unclear.
Nan Madol, which is said to predate the area’s other settlements, is said to be the original source of the legendary city of Atlantis. Besides this, the stones of this place have the power to fill anyone’s heart with wonder.
The Fresno Nightcrawlers
The date when this grainy video was shot is unknown. However, the footage is credited to an anonymous person from Fresno, California, who apparently captured a set of strange figures walking across a lawn on film.
Some believe that the figures belonged to a child and a large bird. But upon closer inspection, that explanation seems unlikely. Do you have an idea of what these figures really are?
Costa Rica’s Diquís Stone Spheres
When the United Fruit Company was busy destroying lives, communities, and jungles during the late 1930s in Costa Rica to create banana plantations, they found 300 stone sculptures all over the jungle floor. The spheres measured 6.6 feet in diameter and weighed 15 tons. The stones were later discovered to be part of the Diquis culture.
Many people believed that the stones were made by aliens or originated from Atlantis. However, experts are united in agreement that the techniques used to make them were quite advanced and reflected the unique design of the Diquis people.
Lightning From Volcano
Besides the usual noise, heat, and explosions of stone, ash, and molten lava, volcanic eruptions can sometimes produce lightning. All these factors are more than enough to make anyone shake in fear and believe that the world is coming to an end.
The volcanic phenomenon is actually called a “dirty thunderstorm” and is the product of static electricity released from the mixture of ashen clouds and other volcano activities. As if an erupting volcano couldn’t get any more terrifying!
The Mystery Of Nessie
One of the most popular and puzzling theories in the world of sightings is that of the Loch Ness Monster, known locally as Nessie. The mystery began in 1933, at the same time when scientists, researchers, and photographers, captivated by the theory, swarmed the gorgeous Scottish area to learn more.
Though some experts have dismissed the pictures as fakes, many still believe that the Loch Ness monster is real and out there—somewhere in the great Scottish lake.
