10 Rare Natural Phenomena That Will Leave You Baffled

We often get into discussions with our friends about how vast our universe is and what amazing life forms could be out there.

 But we seldom realize how little we know about our planet where we have been living for thousands of years.

Through this article, we seek to tell you about many rare natural phenomena that occur on our mother earth. Here’s the list:

#1. Dirty Thunderstorms 

When a volcano erupts, tons of matter from the earth explodes into the atmosphere. On rare occasions, lightning is produced as a result of turbulent ash-laden air. Though the scientific community is still debating on the cause of this lightning, a popular theory is that these thunderstorms are formed by ash or ice particles in the plume.

(Image Courtesy: Daily Awesomeness)

#2. Flammable Ice Bubbles

When methane released by plants decaying at the bottom of a freezing lake gets trapped, you get what is referred to as ice bubbles. At times, you can even see bubbles at different heights, as they get trapped while rising to the top.

(Image Courtesy: DesignRulz)

#3. Fairy Circles, Namibia

The grasslands of Namibia can be found adorned by dry circular patches of 2 to 15 meters in diameter. While some say that these are caused due to the radioactivity of the soil which prevents grass from growing, others have blamed extra-terrestrial beings for the phenomenon. 

(Image Courtesy: The New York Times)

#4. Lenticular Clouds

Have you ever come across stationary lens-shaped clouds that sometimes resemble a saucer? Don’t get disheartened if you haven’t since these are extremely rare. Under rarer circumstances, these clouds can even form long strings, appearing like a wave.

(Image Courtesy: Fubiz)

#5. Morning Glory Clouds

Among the fascinating meteorological phenomenon is Morning Glory clouds that stretch across Gulf for Carpentaria. These roll clouds are typically 100 yards wide and can stretch for up to 600 miles. Northern Australia is the only place where this spectacle is known to occur on a regular basis.

(Image Courtesy: Amusing Planet)

#6. Sailing Rocks, USA

In the Death Valley National Park of California, some rocks are often observed to be moving without any help. No one sees these rocks move, but they leave a trail that suggests that these rocks meander through the dry lake bed. This mystery has tricked scientist for many years, but a popular theory is that a rare combination of wind, ice, rain, and sun is responsible for it.

(Image Courtesy: ABC News - Go.com)

#7. Blood Rain, Kerala

The Indian state of Kerala became the center of attention for the scientist community when back in 2001 it witnessed, what people call Blood Rain. It was a regular day, but when it started raining, the locals were left baffled. While the rain wasn’t surprising, but the color of the water, red, which poured down cast a ghastly aura over the state. Scientists, to this day, haven’t been able to give a satisfactory explanation for it.

(Image Courtesy: Mental Floss)

#8. Aurora

Sometimes referred to as Northern Lights or Polar Lights is a luminescent display which occurs near the polar regions. The enchanting phenomenon is the result of a battle between charged particles from the sun and earth’s magnetic field, as the latter resists the former from entering into earth’s surface.

(Image Courtesy: Wallpapers)

#9. Rainbow Mountains of China

Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park in China is famed for its rainbow painted mountains. Every year, hordes of tourists flock to this UNESCO World Heritage Site to capture this incredible marvel formed by densely packed layers of striated rocks and minerals.

(Image Courtesy: Huffington Post)

#10. Penitentes

In high-altitude glaciers like in Andes Mountains, dry air can at times create stunning ice blades of several meters of height. Some ice towers, as much as 5 meters tall have been observed.

(Image Courtesy: Toplish)

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