The rarest natural phenomenon in the world. Secrets of the most unusual natural phenomena
Our world seems familiar to us, studied up and down, open and explained long ago. A person is torn into distant space, but sometimes nature picks up curious riddles for the “jaded”. Miracles of heaven and earth, phenomena that we have heard about many times, but even with the whole mighty arsenal available modern science, some of the mysteries of nature, humanity is unable to explain. Here are 23 Natural Phenomena You Might Have Heard Of, But Never Experienced.
Lightning Catatumbo
Lightning Catatumbo (Catatumbo) is a natural phenomenon that constantly produces a glow without any sound. Lightning occurs at an altitude of about five kilometers. It happens 140-160 nights a year, at night for 10 hours a day, almost 280 times an hour. This almost constant phenomenon occurs at the mouth of the Catatumbo River, where it flows into Lake Maracaibo, a large brackish lake in Venezuela.
Maracaibo - largest lake in South America, its area is 13210 km ?, it is also one of the oldest lakes on Earth (according to some estimates - the second in antiquity). Almost a quarter of the population of Venezuela lives on the shores of the lake. The basin of Lake Maracaibo has large oil reserves, as a result of which the lake serves as a source of wealth for Venezuela. The Catatumbo lightning phenomenon is believed to be one of the major ozone generators on Earth. Approximately 1,176,000 lightning strikes are visible annually at distances up to 400 km. Winds blowing from the Andes mountains cause thunderstorms and lightning strikes in the atmosphere in these wetlands rich in methane, which is much lighter than air. local defenders environment believe that this area of the country should be under the protection of UNESCO, since these lightnings are unique phenomenon and the largest source of recovery of the planet's ozone layer.
Fish rain in Honduras
Rain of animals is a relatively rare meteorological phenomenon, although such cases have been recorded in many countries throughout human history. But for Honduran Folklore, this is a regular phenomenon. Every year between May and July, a dark cloud appears in the sky, lightning flashes, thunder rumbles, a strong wind blows and heavy rain pours for 2-3 hours. As soon as it stops, hundreds of live fish remain on the ground.
People pick it up like mushrooms and take it home to roast it. Since 1998, the festival "Festival de la Lluvia de Peces" (Fish Rain Festival) has been held here. It is celebrated in the city of Yoro, department de Yoro, Honduras. One hypothesis for the occurrence of the phenomenon is that strong winds lift fish several kilometers into the air from the water, as the waters of the Caribbean Sea off the northern coast of Honduras abound in fish and other seafood. However, no one has yet witnessed how this happens exactly.
Moroccan goats grazing in the trees
Morocco is the only country in the world where, due to the lack of grass, goats climb trees and graze there in herds, feasting on the fruits of argan, a tree whose nuts are used to make fragrant oil. Such an amazing picture can only be seen on the High and Middle Atlas, as well as in the Sousse valley and on Atlantic coast between Essaouira and Agadir. In fact, shepherds herd goats, moving from tree to tree. And when the goats leave the tree, they collect nuts under it, which are not digested by the stomach of the goats. However, with such a global consumption of argans, every year they, and, accordingly, less and less oil from nuts are collected. At the same time, this oil is believed to contain anti-aging trace elements. But people don't want to use nut oil that has been in goat feces for rejuvenation. Therefore, a company is now underway to declare the place where argan grows as a reserve.
Red Rains of Kerala
From June 25 to September 23 over the territory of Kerala, India, there were occasional red rains. Initially, it was believed that the color of the rain is the result of a hypothetical meteorite explosion.
Later, when history repeated itself on March 4, 2006, and rainwater samples were collected, scientists concluded that it was colored with "Rhodophyceae" - red seaweed, the inhabitants of the source of Godfrey Louis in Kerala.
The longest wave in the world is in Brazil
Twice a year - between February and March in Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon, an incoming tide of salty, heavier water Atlantic Ocean meets with the own course of the river and pushes it back, rapidly rolling up the river bed, resulting in the formation of powerful oncoming waves, reaching a height of up to six meters.
This phenomenon can last for half an hour, and it is called a vice. The boiling wall of water rushes with a terrible roar at a speed of 25 km / h upstream, rising 3000 km from the mouth. At the same time, water floods and erodes the coast, and its noise spreads for several kilometers. In one of the local Indian dialects, "amazuni" means "stormy onslaught of water clouds." Perhaps this is where the name of the Amazon River comes from.
Such a wave is a surfer's dream. Since 1999, relevant competitions have been held in San Domingo, although such “swims” can be dangerous, since both pieces of coastal soil and trees are found in the water. Nevertheless, the record - 37 minutes on a pororok (12.5 km) was set by the Brazilian Picuruta Salazar.
Black Sun of Denmark
In the spring in Denmark, an amazing phenomenon occurs: more than a million European starlings (sturnus vulgaris) flock from all around in huge flocks about an hour before sunset.
The Danes call it the Black Sun and can be seen in early spring throughout the swamps of western Denmark, between March and mid-April.
Starlings migrate from the south and spend the day in the meadows gathering food, and in the evening, after collective pirouettes in the sky, they rest in the reeds for the night.
Fire rainbow in Idaho
Such an unusual rainbow is one of the rarest atmospheric phenomena. Scientifically, it is called the "circumhorizontal arc" (circumhorizontal arc). This rainbow appears as a result of light passing through light, high-lying cirrus clouds and only when the sun is very high in the sky - at least 20,000 feet and more than 58 degrees above the horizon. In addition, the hexagonal ice crystals that make up the cirrus clouds must be thick sheets with their faces parallel to the ground. Light enters the vertical face of the crystal and exits the bottom side, being refracted in the same way as when light passes through a prism.
crawling stones
This mysterious phenomenon, taking place in Death Valley (California, USA), has been disturbing the minds of scientists for more than a decade. Huge boulders themselves crawl along the bottom of the dry Lake Racetrack Playa. No one touches them, but they crawl and crawl. Nobody saw them move. And yet they stubbornly crawl, as if alive, occasionally turning over from side to side, leaving behind traces stretching for tens of meters. Sometimes stones write out such unusual and complex lines that they often turn over, making “somersaults” in the process of movement.
annular eclipse
With this phenomenon, the Moon is too far from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. It looks like this: the Moon passes over the disk of the Sun, but it turns out to be smaller than it in diameter, and cannot completely hide it. Such eclipses are of almost no interest to scientists.
edited news VENDETTA - 20-04-2011, 11:38
In nature, there are a huge number of interesting and beautiful natural phenomena, some of them can be dangerous for humans, but this does not prevent them from being beautiful.
Perhaps one of the most unusual and spectacular phenomena on our planet is the aurora borealis. This phenomenon occurs due to the fact that the Earth has a magnetosphere. When the solar wind meets the planet's upper atmosphere, the northern and south poles you can watch bright dancing lights of different colors.
- Auroras are also found on other planets that have a magnetosphere, planets such as Saturn and Jupiter can also boast of this phenomenon.
Volcanic lightning
This phenomenon occurs during the strongest volcanic eruptions. Until today, the origin of volcanic lightning remains a mystery to scientists. There are only two types of volcanic lightning. In the first case, these are small lightnings that occur near the crater, in the second, huge and powerful lightnings that can be observed high in the ash cloud. Scientists believe that the two types of lightning have different origins.
It is believed that the nature of small lightning is electrical processes in magma. When it comes to large lightning high in the sky, it is generally accepted that their nature is similar to ordinary lightning during a thunderstorm.
- There are two terms that characterize rocks and pieces of lava flying from a volcano during an eruption.
1. Lapilli(from lat. lapillus - pebble)- this is the name of small pebbles and pieces of lava thrown out during the eruption and then frozen in the air.
2. Volcanic bomb- in fact, the same as lapilli, only much larger.
unusual clouds
In nature, there are clouds that are very reminiscent of sea waves, they are called "Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds".
It is impossible not to talk about the beautiful clouds of Glory.
These clouds are formed in several pieces one after another and have many kilometers in length. Until now, scientists have not been able to explain the origin of this type of clouds.
In addition to undulating and roll-shaped clouds, there are Jacques Cousteau's lenticular or lenticular clouds.
Perhaps the most unusual and interesting clouds are those of Asperatus.
- Asperatus clouds are so rare that they were only classified in 2009.
Red crab migrations in Australia
This phenomenon can be observed on Christmas Island - 120 million crabs migrate to Indian Ocean for reproduction.
The whole process has its own specific cycle. At the very beginning, the males dig special holes for mating, after mating, the males leave the females and start their way back. Two weeks later, the females begin spawning, after which they also begin to move in the opposite direction.
In order not to have a bad effect on the red crab population, Australia has adopted a special program to block roads during the necessary period.
natural geysers
By themselves, geysers are a rather rare phenomenon, there are about 1000 of them in total. Eruption hot water with hot steam is difficult to describe, as it is a very exciting natural phenomenon.
This is how a geyser erupts
Monarch butterfly migration
No need to argue to say that the monarch butterfly migration is one of the most beautiful phenomena on the planet.
To achieve the goal, the butterfly needs to overcome 3200 km, but none of these butterflies can do this, therefore, butterflies overcome this distance in several generations.
20. Lunar rainbow.
We are almost used to the usual rainbow. A lunar rainbow is much rarer than a rainbow seen in daylight. A lunar rainbow can only appear in places with high humidity and only when the moon is almost full. Pictured is a moonlit rainbow at Cumberland Falls in Kentucky.
19. Mirages
Despite their prevalence, mirages always evoke an almost mystical sense of wonder. We all know the reason for the appearance of most mirages - superheated air changes its optical properties, causing light inhomogeneities called mirages.
Usually halos occur at high humidity or severe frost- Previously, the halo was considered a phenomenon from above, and people expected something unusual.
17. Belt of Venus
An interesting optical phenomenon that occurs when the atmosphere is dusty is an unusual "belt" between the sky and the horizon.
16. Pearl clouds
Unusually high clouds (about 10-12 km), becoming visible at sunset.
15. Northern lights.
Appears when high-energy collisions elementary particles upon impact with the Earth's ionosphere.
14. Colored Moon
When the atmosphere is dusty, high humidity, or for other reasons, the Moon sometimes looks colored. The red moon is especially unusual.
13. Biconvex clouds
An extremely rare phenomenon that appears mainly before a hurricane. Opened just 30 years ago. Also called Mammatus clouds.
12. The fires of St. Elmo.
A fairly common phenomenon caused by increased electric field strength before a thunderstorm, during a thunderstorm, and immediately after. The first witnesses of this phenomenon were sailors who observed the fires of St. Elmo on masts and other vertical pointed objects.
11. Fire whirlwinds.
Often formed during fires - they can also occur over burning haystacks.
10. Mushroom clouds.
They also form over places with elevated temperatures - over forest fires, for example.
9. Light pillars.
The nature of these phenomena is similar to the conditions causing the appearance halo.
8. Diamond dust.
Frozen water droplets that scatter the light of the sun.
7. Fish, frog and other rains.
One of the hypotheses explaining the appearance of such rains is a tornado that sucks out nearby water bodies and carries their contents over long distances.
A phenomenon that occurs when ice crystals fall out of clouds that do not reach the surface of the earth, evaporating along the road.
Hurricane winds with many names. Occurs when moving air masses from the top layers to the bottom.
4. Fire rainbow.
Occurs when the sun's rays pass through high clouds.
3. Green beam.
An extremely rare phenomenon that occurs at sunset or sunrise.
2. Ball lightning.
There are many hypotheses explaining the origin of these phenomena, but none has yet been proven.
1. Optical flares and jets
Discovered only recently due to their short existence (less than a second). Occurs when hurricanes appear.
"My Planet" has collected the most beautiful, rare, unusual phenomena nature: atmospheric, optical, meteorological, to see which is a great success.
Halo: solar circle, pillar and false sun
When a luminous ring appears in the sky around the Sun, the Moon, or even a lantern, many people think of a UFO. In fact, this optical phenomenon is called a "halo". There are several varieties of it: a ring, a light column stretching from the rising or setting sun, or a false sun (parhelion) - the appearance of light spots, usually on both sides of the real sun. The reason for the phenomenon is the refraction of light in ice crystals contained in the atmosphere.
If you see two suns in the sky at once on opposite sides of the horizon, do not be alarmed: this is a rare phenomenon of antihelium, caused by the same refraction of light in ice particles contained in clouds. Last February, residents of Lipetsk observed such a miracle of nature, some mistook it for a meteorite.
Gloria
If you fly in an airplane or stand on top of a mountain above the clouds, when the sun is shining in your back, you can see beautiful rainbow circles, scientifically this phenomenon is called "gloria", but the Chinese gave it a second name: the light of the Buddha. The reason is the diffraction of light reflected in the cloud droplets.
Once on a hill or on a mountain with your back to the setting or rising sun, you can see not only the gloria, but also the ghost of Brocken - your own shadow, which has grown to the size of a giant. The optical effect is explained by the refraction of light in particles of clouds, fog or flying snowflakes. The perfect place for experiments - Mount Brocken in Germany, where fogs often occur.
Saint Elmo's fire
During a thunderstorm, storm or snowstorm, at the ends of building spiers, ship masts, or on treetops, electrical discharge in the form of luminous beams or brushes. It is called the fires of St. Elmo, since the sailors who encountered this phenomenon at sea perceived the glow as a signal of salvation from the patron saint of sailors - St. Elmo.
Sky hole and ice dust
People rarely see a round hole in the sky with precipitation streaming from it and usually meet with unprecedented excitement, as if we are talking about a UFO or a meteorite fall. Meanwhile, a phenomenon called fallstreak hole, or a hole-like strip of falling precipitation, has scientific explanation: above a dense layer of clouds at a height of 5-6 km above the ground, water drops are formed that do not freeze even at -40 ° C. When, for some reason, the cloud layer is disturbed (for example, an airplane flies), a chain reaction occurs: water droplets crystallize and fly down in the form of ice dust, but they do not reach the Earth, turning into gas in warmer layers of the atmosphere.
ice needles
Sometimes in frosty weather, not snow or hail may fall from the sky, but ice needles - the smallest ice crystals, so sharp that they can even injure the skin. They are formed from instantly frozen drops of water and freeze on tree branches and lanterns in the form of picturesque decorations. Found in Siberia Far North, and in 2011, surprisingly local residents, fell out in Vladivostok.
lenticular clouds
Above the mountain peaks and near the ridges, one can sometimes observe frozen clouds that look like UFOs. They form on the crests of air waves or between two layers of air and do not move even when strong wind. Due to the optical effect, iridescence can be painted in bright colours: from red to green.
Vymoid clouds
IN tropical countries extremely rarely, usually before a hurricane, in the sky one can observe vyme-shaped or tubular clouds of a cellular structure: they create an unusual wavy pattern in the sky and make one think of their supernatural origin. This phenomenon was called Mammatus clouds and was discovered only 30 years ago.
morning glory
Another rare type of clouds is the morning glory: a long, elongated stripe resembles a trace from a giant aircraft and can reach 1000 km in length. Scientists have been studying this natural phenomenon since the 1970s, but still have not found an explanation for the complex movements of air masses that form such storm collars. An ideal place for observations is the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia.
As children, we are all amazed at the blue sky, white clouds and bright stars. With age, this goes away for many, and we stop noticing nature. Check out this list of unusual natural phenomena, it will surely make you again marvel at the complex organization of our world, and natural phenomena in particular.
20. Lunar rainbow.
A moonbow (also known as a nightbow) is a rainbow spawned by the moon. The lunar rainbow is comparatively paler than the usual one. The lunar rainbow is best seen when full moon, or in the phase of the moon close to the full, since at this time the moon is at its brightest. For a lunar rainbow to appear, other than those caused by a waterfall, the moon must be low in the sky (less than 42 degrees and preferably even lower) and the sky must be dark. And of course it must rain against the moon. A lunar rainbow is much rarer than a rainbow seen in daylight. The lunar rainbow phenomenon is observed in only a few places in the world. Waterfalls in Cumberland Falls, near Williamsburg, Kentucky, USA; Waimea, Hawaii; Zailiysky Alatau in the foothills of Almaty; The Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe are well-known for their frequent sightings of lunar rainbows. Within Yosemite National Park in the United States is a large number of waterfalls. As a result, lunar rainbows are also observed in the park, especially when the water level rises in spring from melting snow. Lunar rainbows are also observed on the Yamal Peninsula in conditions of heavy fog. Probably, with sufficiently strong fog and sufficiently clear weather, a lunar rainbow can be observed at any latitude.
19. Mirages
Despite their prevalence, mirages always evoke an almost mystical sense of wonder. An optical phenomenon in the atmosphere: the reflection of light by the boundary between layers of air that are sharply different in density. For an observer, such a reflection consists in the fact that, together with a distant object (or a section of the sky), its imaginary image, displaced relative to the object, is visible. Mirages are divided into lower ones, visible under the object, upper ones, above the object, and side ones.
18. Halo
Usually halos occur at high humidity or severe frost - before the halo was considered a phenomenon from above, and people expected something unusual. This is an optical phenomenon, a luminous ring around an object - a light source. The halo usually appears around the Sun or Moon, sometimes around other powerful light sources. There are many types of halo, but they are mainly caused by ice crystals in cirrus clouds at an altitude of 5-10 km in the upper troposphere. Sometimes in frosty weather, the halo is formed by crystals very close to earth's surface. In this case, the crystals resemble shining gems.
17. Belt of Venus
An interesting optical phenomenon that occurs when the atmosphere is dusty is an unusual "belt" between the sky and the horizon. Looks like a stripe from pink to orange color between the dark night sky below and the blue sky above, appearing before sunrise or after sunset, parallel at an altitude of 10 ° -20 ° to the horizon in a place opposite the Sun. In the belt of Venus, the atmosphere scatters the light of the setting (or rising) Sun, which looks redder, and therefore pink color and not blue.
16. Pearl clouds
Unusually high clouds (about 10-12 km), becoming visible at sunset.
15. Northern lights
The northern or polar lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are truly an amazing sight. This natural phenomenon can most often be observed in late autumn, winter or early spring.
14. Colored Moon
When the atmosphere is dusty, high humidity, or for other reasons, the Moon sometimes looks colored. The red moon is especially unusual.
13. Biconvex clouds
An extremely rare phenomenon that appears mainly before a hurricane. Opened just 30 years ago. Also called Mammatus clouds. clouds that are round and shaped like a biconvex lens - in the past they were sometimes confused with UFOs.
12. The fires of St. Elmo.
A fairly common phenomenon caused by increased electric field strength before a thunderstorm, during a thunderstorm, and immediately after. A discharge in the form of luminous beams or tassels (or corona discharge) that occurs at the sharp ends of tall objects (towers, masts, lonely standing trees, sharp peaks of rocks, etc.) The first witnesses of this phenomenon were sailors who observed the fires of St. Elmo on masts and other vertical pointed objects.
11. Fire whirlwinds
The fire whirl is also known as the fire devil or fire tornado. This is a rare phenomenon in which fire, under certain conditions, depending on temperature and air currents, acquires a vertical vorticity. Fire whirlwinds often appear when bushes are burning. Vertically rotating pillars can reach 10 to 65 meters in height, but only for the last few minutes of their existence. And with a certain wind, they can be even higher.
10. Mushroom clouds.
Mushroom clouds are clouds of smoke in the shape of a mushroom, formed as a result of the combination of the smallest particles of water and earth, or as a result of a powerful explosion.
9. Light pillars.
One of the most common types of halo, a visual phenomenon, an optical effect that is a vertical strip of light stretching from the sun during sunset or sunrise.
8. Diamond dust.
Frozen water droplets that scatter the light of the sun.
7. Fish, frog and other rains.
One of the hypotheses explaining the appearance of such rains is a tornado that sucks out nearby water bodies and carries their contents over long distances.
6. Virga.
Rain that evaporates before reaching the ground. It is observed as a noticeable band of precipitation emerging from the cloud. IN North America commonly seen in the southern United States and Canadian prairies.
5. Bora.
Hurricane winds with many names. Strong (up to 40-60 m/s) cold wind in some coastal areas where low mountain ranges border the warm sea (for example, on the Adriatic coast of Croatia, on the Black Sea coast near Novorossiysk). Directed down slopes, usually observed in winter.
4. Fire rainbow.
Occurs when the sun's rays pass through high clouds. Unlike an ordinary rainbow, which can be observed almost anywhere the globe, the "fiery rainbow" is visible only in certain latitudes. In Russia, the visibility belt runs along the extreme south.
3. Green beam.
An extremely rare optical phenomenon, a flash of green light at the moment the solar disk disappears behind the horizon (usually sea) or appears from behind the horizon.
2. Ball lightning.
A rare natural phenomenon, a unified physical theory of the occurrence and course of which has not been presented to date. There are about 200 theories explaining the phenomenon, but none of them has received absolute recognition in the academic environment. It is widely believed that ball lightning- a phenomenon of electrical origin, natural nature, that is, representing special kind lightning that exists for a long time in the form of a ball that can move along an unpredictable, sometimes very surprising trajectory for eyewitnesses.
In South America, in the Amazon River basin, the largest water lily in the world lives - the giant Victoria Amazonian. The diameter of its leaves reaches two me...