You have this ability to find beauty in weird places.
Every year, 9th September is celebrated as Wonderful Weirdo Day. We bring to you the 10 most mysterious and wonderfully weird places across the world that will leave you in wonder!
1. Sailing Stones of Racetrack Playa - California, USA
This feature gives a different meaning to the phrase ‘rolling stones gather no moss'. We’ve heard of sailing ships, but stones? Situated in Death Valley National Park, the Racetrack Playa is an arid dry lake. These mysterious stones inscribe a trail on the playa making it a unique geographical phenomenon. They move once in 2 or 3 years leaving their impressions for 3 to 4 years.
2. Richat Structure- Ouadane, Mauritania
Located in the Sahara Desert, a spiral elliptical structure was spotted by some astronauts. The satellite preview looks like an eye. Hence, it is also called the Eye of Sahara. The entire formation has a diameter of about 48 km. It was earlier thought to be an impact created by a meteorite but recent studies have speculated that it is a result of symmetrical uplift of the land.
3. Door to Hell, Derweze, Turkmenistan
One has to really see this to believe it. ACDC fans are familiar with Highway to hell, but a door? It’s a Turkmenistanian wonder. In the heart of Karakum Desert, an eternally burning crater attracts a bunch of tourists every year. In 1971, Soviet geologists were drilling at the site and were marvelled by the bountiful availability of natural gas. Accidentally, the drilling rig collapsed creating a crater of 70 meters deep. In the anxiety of a hazardous gaseous emission, the geologists set it on fire. Since then, the fire is perpetual.
4. Pamukkale , Denizli Province, Turkey
Centuries ago fractures were created by earthquakes in Turkey. The hot water springs shot out water rich in calcium carbonate from these cracks. Water evaporated but the precipitation of carbon carbonate led to the formation of travertine. The entire city is white as cotton and has carbonate mineral terraces, travertines and hot springs. Hence, it is translated as ‘Cotton Castle’ (pamuk= cotton, kale= castle). It is accredited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Hierapolis, an ancient Greek city located on top of these hot springs.
5. Lake Hillier, Middle Island, Australia
Lake Hillier is a bubble-gum coloured pink lake on the edge of Recherché Archipelago’s largest island, Middle Island in Australia. This lake is wonderfully pink in colour and it remains pink even when the water is taken in a container. Research spells out the possibility that the flamboyant pink colour is due to a combination of low nutrient concentrations and bacteria.
6. Underwater Biorock Structures, Pemuteran, Bali
Coral restoration has been of prime importance because factors like coastal erosion, bombing, cyanide fishing, chemical pollution and much more have deteriorated the coral reefs. Prof. Wolf H. Hilbertz developed a technology wherein photovoltaic generators are used to create a self-sustainable system using green energy to stimulate coral recovery.
In Pemuteran, they have created arty structures to regenerate corals. There are Biorock structures of cycles, crabs, statues of Buddha in various positions, cubes, globes, and much more.
7. Mendenhall Ice Caves, Alaska, USA
Located in Mendenhall Valley, this 19 km long glacier has a naturally formed ice cave. One has to hike over the frozen Mendenhall River to reach this glacier. You will be absolutely stunned by frozen river, the blue and sculpted arch. Be sure to go in the winters to catch the wonder!
8. Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Otorohanga, New Zealand
In North Island, Waitomo caves inhibit glowworms inside it. They shine like million diamonds in the sky. One has to take a boat ride in the glowing caverns of Waitomo to experience this natural wonder.
9. Living Root Bridges, Cherrapunji, India
Cherrapunji in Northeastern India famous as the wettest place on the earth has a unique feature of living root bridges. These living root bridges are handmade by the locals from the aerial roots of banyan and rubber trees. Spanning over 100 years, these roots have been trained to grow weaving sticks and stones by the locals. They have developed a naturally self-renewing and self-strengthening technique.
10. Blood Falls, Victoria Land, Antarctica
Call it the tongue of Taylor Glacier! The Blood Falls get its red colour due to the abundance of iron-oxide flowing from saltwater. It is one weird occurrence of nature that will make you wonder!