9 Weirdest places on earth

Kroze

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2001
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2. The Bermuda Triangle


The question about the triangle that swallows ships, planes and all the people with them still waits for its answer. So many ships and planes have disappeared and so many disasters have happened in the area between Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Miami, and many theories have appeared as well. From compass variations, gulf streams, rogue waves to human errors and conspiracy theories – anything is possible, but none of them is proved yet. However, it’s still one of the most traveled routes in the world.
3. Socotra


Socotra is archipelago the Horn of Africa and Arabic Peninsula, but the main island of Socotra is 95% of the whole landmass, while the rest is just small islands. This place is probably the most alien-looking on Earth. One third of the flora and fauna on this island, administered by Yemen government, can be found only here. The umbrella-shaped “blood tree,” the cucumber tree, giant succulent tree, different kinds of birds, spiders, bats and cats have the only habitat on Socotra.
4. Mount Roraima


Mount Roraima is located on the triple border point between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. It is weird because of its shape, but is also mysterious because of the clouds that are always near the peak and the endemic fauna. The tabletop of the mountain, which is the peak actually, is considered as one of the world’s oldest geological formations. It is believed that the plateau was formed by water and winds, but the reason why some species can’t be found anywhere else remain mystery.
5. Rio Tinto


Rio Tinto is located in south-western Spainand originates from Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia. The area around the river has been mined since ancient times, so a lot of minerals can be found into the water, especially iron, which makes the water red. Even some bacteria enjoy its life there, “exploiting” the iron. However, the weirdness of this river comes from its high acidity, which made some scientists say that it is very similar to the underground waters of Mars.
6. Fly Geyser


The Fly Geyser, near Gerlach, Nevada, is strange because it somehow grows up. It is three meters high at the moment. It is interesting that this geyser is located on private area, so nobody can enjoy it from close. The owner is Bill Spoo, a man who rejects the opportunity to make a fortune from the tourists, and keeps the beautiful view just for himself and the few researchers and photographers who have to schedule a visit weeks before arriving.
7. McMurdo Dry Valleys


McMurdo Dry Valleys are located on Antarctica but, believe it or not, they lack snow. That makes the area to be a desert, of course the coldest one in the world. However, that’s not the only strange things here. The valleys are “bleeding” from the many geysers, because of the high concentration of iron, making picture of world different than Earth.
8. Easter Island


The well known statues on the Easter Island, the rapa nui, still remain mystery for the researchers. The statues are over 50 feet tall, but no one has a clue who built them, why they built them, how they were brought there, and so on. One of the theories is that a civilization has lived here long time ago, but the people ate everything on the island and either moved somewhere else or were exterminated.
9. Lake Vostok


Lake Vostok is the most recent mystery coming from Antarctica, and the whole world probably, as there is possibility for some revolutionary revelations. Scientists believe that in the lake under the ice surface there are some species that have survived 15 billions years. However, these species would be something that the world has never seen before, as they would have developed under complete darkness. The researchers are close to obtaining a water sample, so we should wait for the results.
10. Racetrack Playa


Racetrack Playa in California is well known due to its sailing stones. No one knows how, but the stones there somehow manage to move from their original position, leaving a track behind them. The reasons are still unknown and are subject of research. It is supposed that the winds in the valley are “responsible” for this.
Source: urbantitan
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
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4. Mount Roraima


Mount Roraima is located on the triple border point between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. It is weird because of its shape, but is also mysterious because of the clouds that are always near the peak and the endemic fauna. The tabletop of the mountain, which is the peak actually, is considered as one of the world’s oldest geological formations. It is believed that the plateau was formed by water and winds, but the reason why some species can’t be found anywhere else remain mystery.
The Tepui plateaus are not only old but geologic evidence suggests that they have been exposed (never re-buried) since Pre-Cambrian times. This, and the elevation (therefore temperature and precip) separation helps explain some of their biological weirdness. In North America, only the Baraboo bluffs in Wisconsin and a few other hills of Baraboo quartzite scattered across the midwest have a similar length of exposure, though they lack the elevation separation from their surroundings to delevop separate biotas.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
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I remember a book on the sailing stones. it had a odd idea that they were from a different plant that blew up and landed here. the magnetic range on them was different so they vibrated.

lol it was a fucked up idea.
 

Gibsons

Lifer
Aug 14, 2001
12,530
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No Bryce Canyon?
bryce_canyon_hoodoo_row.jpg
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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Yet, oddly enough, ATOT didn't make the list. It's far "weirder" than any of those other places...
 

corwin

Diamond Member
Jan 13, 2006
8,644
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Is there a reason the list starts at 2 and goes to 10:confused:

Cool thread though
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
What kind of crap is that?
Bermuda triangle - make a triangle around any area in the ocean with a similar amount of shipping and you'll have very similar rates of ships disappearing, etc. There's nothing at all special about the Bermuda triangle

Those stones that move - I'm pretty sure that they solved that - a layer of water that freezes, then as the ice on the surface moves, it shifts the rocks that are partially protruding through the ice.
 

Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,067
9,858
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Interesting...

Fly Geyser is not a real geyser, rather it’s the accidental result of a well drill in the last century. Siliceous sinter and travertine has built up over time and water now spouts from several locations throughout the formation.

History

1916 – Apparently, in 1916, a shaft was drilled in hopes of striking water for farming. A geothermal pocket of water was struck, which resulted in a geyser of boiling water, turning the area into a desert wetland. A number of warm-water wells are also present in the area. A new well was drilled sometime in the 1960’s when a geothermal company came to test the potential for energy. The water was not hot enough for their purposes so the well was capped. Apparently the seal did not hold, and Fly Geyser was born. The original cone has since gone dry.

Now, some 50 years later the cones stand over 5′ tall with water cascading down a series of terraces, draining into one main pool and into the surrounding wetlands. These terraces are fragile and easily damaged. The springs are the largest in northwestern Nevada, discharging into 30 to 40 pools over an area of 30 hectares.
http://flygeyser.org/
 

TheShiz

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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"Lake Vostok is the most recent mystery coming from Antarctica, and the whole world probably, as there is possibility for some revolutionary revelations. Scientists believe that in the lake under the ice surface there are some species that have survived 15 billions years. However, these species would be something that the world has never seen before, as they would have developed under complete darkness. The researchers are close to obtaining a water sample, so we should wait for the results."


15 billions years eh? so about as old as the universe. maybe they meant millions. quite a difference.