Bizarre and Amazing Facts from Around the World That You Simply Must Know!
The world is vast and diverse, holding some of the most fascinating and unbelievable facts that can leave us in awe and wonder. Let’s delve into some of these bizarre and amazing facts from different corners of the globe that are bound to make you go "Wow!"
Fact 1: The Sauna Cloud of Helsinki
Did you know that there is a ‘sauna cloud’ hanging above Helsinki, the hometown of sauna? Over 2 million saunas in Finland account for a significant amount of water vapor, resulting in this peculiar cloud of warmth that hovers above the city.
Fact 2: A Sulfur Ocean in Russia
In the depths of Siberia’s Lake Kara-Balta, there lies an ocean-like body of water filled with sulfur. This phenomenon was discovered by scientists in 2017 and is caused by a pocket of Earth’s interior liquids being brought to the surface.
Fact 3: Singing Sand Dunes
Sand dunes are not just for climbing and sliding, but in select parts of the world, there are sand dunes that ‘sing’! Locations like the Singing Dunes in Nevada, Los Medanos in California, and a few other places around the globe have areas where you can hear a low humming noise when walking on or climbing the dunes. The low-frequency sounds are probably caused by the grains of sand vibrating against each other.
Fact 4: Magnetic Mountain
There’s a mountain in Sweden, the Åre Mountains, where compasses and metal items go haywire. This mountain is known as ‘Magnetic Mount Maria’ and releases a natural magnetic field strong enough to affect compasses, mobile phones, and other devices, causing them to act extremely strange.
Fact 5: The Underground City of Derinkuyu
Below the Cappadocia hills near Göreme Valley in Turkey lies the mysterious underground city of Derinkuyu. An ancient city built in the beginning of the 7th century, it had its own wine press, school, food storage, and secret escape routes. A feat of medieval engineering – it could hold up to 20,000 people, an entire city underground.
Fact 6: Arrow-straight rivers in Zambia
Zambezi River locals don’t hunt for fish with spears, because the river has such a strong current that hunters would be swept along, never to return! The river flows constantly and relentlessly, with nearly 900 million cubic meters of water flowing through every minute.
Fact 7: The only tree on a deserted island
Nosy Be, an island off the coast of Madagascar, is home to a single baobab tree, the Ylang Ylang tree, which was planted by a Dutch man in 1917 who made the island his home.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Why is there a ‘sauna cloud’ above Helsinki?
The ‘sauna cloud’ hangs over Helsinki due to the region’s unique combination of cold air and warmth from the city’s prolific number of saunas. This creates a ring of tropical humidity around Helsinki. -
Why do sand dunes ‘sing’?
Sand dunes ‘sing’ due to the unique wind and sand conditions in the area, causing the sand grains to vibrate and produce a low humming noise. -
What caused the ‘ Magnetic Erd Mountains’ phenomenon?
The magnetic mountain, known as Mountain Maria, is a geologic phenomenon, producing a strong magnetic field, which interferes with compasses and metal items. -
Is there a city underground somewhere in the world?
Derinkuyu is not the only one. Turkey, China, and India also have several underground cities, often built and used for military or religious purposes. -
What makes the Zambesi River so refined in fish hunting?
The Zambesi River’s strong current makes it dangerous for any attempt to catch fish using spears or some other method, as hunters risk being swept off the shore. - Why is there only one tree on Nosy Be Island?
The lone baobab tree, also called Nosy Be Ylang-Ylang, was planted by a Dutch man who settled on the island and grew intensely fond of it.
Curiosities and wonders of the world like these make our Earth a fascinating planet to discover and explore. So next time when you’re feeling adventurous, why not plan a trip around the world and be mindblown by these amazing facts and facts like those!
