Things On This Earth Mankind Was Never Supposed To See

Things On This Earth Mankind Was Never Supposed To See

1. The Red Beach, China: They’re Not Kidding, Either

There’s no false advertising here, friends. If it’s a red beach you’re looking for, you’re in the right darn place. Our next stop is Panjin, China, where another stunning-yet-super-uncomfortable sight awaits.

This is not your conventional beach. For one thing, it’s located within the world’s biggest wetland marsh. For another, much of it is bright red, due to the great proliferation of sueda seaweed. This seaweed is a dull green during the summer, but turns a vivid red during the fall.

What with this, and the fact that the Red Beach is home to some endangered species of cranes, it’s a popular spot for tourists. Much of the Red Beach is off-limits, sadly, but parts are available for visitors to check out.

2. Elizabeth II’s Bedroom, United Kingdom:

If you’ve ever visited Britain, you’ll know that the English take two things very seriously: tea (it’s not my thing, personally, but holy heckola my parents can drink the stuff by the gallon) and their enthusiastic support for Elizabeth II.

As all those guards with the super-sweet furry hats demonstrate, her security is not taken lightly either. The chambers are jealously guarded, and intruders are unlikely to ever get near the place.

Well, that’s the idea. There was that famous case in 1982, in which Michael Fagan managed to breach security and enter the Royal bedroom. He sat on her bed for some twelve minutes, as the pair had a dignified conversation until security arrived.

3. Goblin Valley State Park, United States:

I’m not talking literally. After all, as we know from the movies, there is life on Mars. Matt Damon’s over there, growing crops using his fellow astronauts’ poop.

Instead, we’re talking about a truly unique valley in Utah, which boasts a landscape that’s often likened to what we’ve seen of the surface of Mars.

The Goblin Valley State Park is a truly intimidating place, the environment dotted with unnerving sandstorm formations. These spindly spires of rock are known as hoodoos, and the hoodoos of Goblin Valley are referred to by the locals as… well, goblins. What a sight this barren place is.

4. The Super-Colony Of Ants That Covers Three Continents

Now, ants can be a pain. If you’re an avid picnicker like Yogi Bear, you’ll know this only too well. It just takes a couple of the little guys to ruin your whole afternoon.

One colony of Argentine ants is on a whole new level, though. As BBC reports, a single mega-colony has taken over much of the world. Distinct populations in the United States, Europe and Japan are believed to be one related community (some will not fight each other, unusually for this aggressive species).

They sport “a strikingly similar chemical profile of hydrocarbons on their cuticles,” suggesting that… well, as The Simpsons news reporter Kent Brockman once said, “I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.”

5. Blood Falls, Antarctica: Get Out Of That Water, Dracula

As we’ve seen so far, then, there are still plenty of mysteries to go around. Smartypants scientists don’t have everything solved just yet, however many fancy books they’ve published.

With that said, though, there are some mysteries that we have been able to solve. One of these would be the case of Blood Falls in Antarctica, the alarming ruby-red waters that flow from the Taylor Glacier.

What’s happening here? It’s quite simple. “The deep red coloring is due to oxidized iron in brine saltwater,”Forbes reports, “the same process that gives iron a dark red color when it rusts. When the iron bearing saltwater comes into contact with oxygen the iron oxidizes and takes on a red coloring, in effect dying the water to a deep red color.”

6. The Crooked Forest, Poland: The Strangest Trees You Ever Saw

For our next stop, we’re going to cross over to Poland. There, in an otherwise entirely ordinary forest near Gryfino, stand a grove of peculiar pines that defies every attempt at explanation.

What’s odd about the trees? Well, look at the darn trunks, that’s what. IFLScience explains that the Crooked Forest, as it’s come to be known, consists of around 400 pine trees, all growing with that odd 90-degree bend in their trunks.

There are various theories as to how this happened (ranging from gravitational pull to a period of heavy snow bending the trees while they were still saplings, affecting their growth permanently), but nobody can say for sure.

7. The Humongous Fungus

So, yes. As we’ve seen, there are 10 million leathery, wrinkled cats flying through the sky every year in a great grouping. The world is full of surprises, that’s for darn certain.

Here’s another one: the largest living thing on the planet isn’t the blue whale, but… a dang mushroom.

The famous ‘Humungous Fungus’ (as its friends call it) covers a ludicrous area of 2,385 acres. It’s found in the Malheur National Park, Oregon, and is also probably the oldest living thing on the planet. Estimates place it anywhere from 2,400 to 8,650 years old.

Granted, this isn’t one enormous mushroom cap above the ground (rather a whole interconnected crowd of them), but still. This is seriously impressive.

8. The Depth Of The Oceans: Here There Be Monsters!

We’ve already touched on the areas of the planet that humanity is still a little clueless about, so let’s run with that. it’s often said that we understand more about the further reaches of the solar system than we do about the depths of our own oceans, and when you check out some statistics, it’s quite clear just how true that is.

Chew on this factoid, for instance: according to The National Ocean Service, “more than eighty percent of our ocean is unmapped, unobserved and unexplored.” Considering the fact that almost three quarters of the planet is covered in said ocean, this is all kinds of alarming. What kind of species dwell down there in the murky depths, still undiscovered? What else could be down there besides?

9. Snake Island, Brazil: Definitely Not The Place For A Tropical Vacation

Back in my school days, I often felt that certain rules were completely unfair. As an adult, I remain a little uncomfortable with authority and conforming to rules and restrictions. Some of them, though, are imposed on us for a darn good reason.

When the Brazilian government tells us that visiting the Ilha da Queimada Grande (Snake Island) is forbidden, they’re not kidding around. The infamous island is home to the world’s only golden lancehead pit vipers, a species that boasts venom strong enough to melt through flesh.

The snake population here is estimated to be around one per square foot of island. Funnily enough, Brazilian government, restrictions or no restrictions, I think I’ll give it a miss.

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