Buzz
Nature occasionally exhibits peculiar anomalies, ranging from vertically aligned trees to geometrically shaped waves, resulting in fascinating oddities. These unique traits often develop as evolutionary responses to environmental challenges.
This explains phenomena like the goldfish overpopulation in America and the unexpected return of an extinct bird species. Some mysteries persist, such as marine organisms preserved in amber and the unexplained disappearance of a massive entity tracked by meteorologists.
SEE ALSO: 10 Recent Stories That Prove Mother Nature Is Screwing With Us
10. Beluga-Narwhal Hybrids
In the 1980s, an Inuit hunter in Greenland shot three whales. One sank, another's remains were abandoned on the shore and later carried away by the tide, while the hunter kept the skull of the third.
The hunter was puzzled by the whales. They had gray bodies, oddly positioned teeth, beluga-like fins, and narwhal-like tails. This mystery extended to scientists when a researcher took the skull to a Danish museum. No one had encountered such a creature before, and while a beluga-narwhal hybrid was theorized, it couldn't be confirmed.
Years later, scientists used advanced techniques to solve the mystery. DNA extracted from the teeth confirmed earlier suspicions. The creature was a male with a narwhal mother and a beluga father.
It lacked the iconic narwhal tusk, had a larger head than either parent, and its diet, revealed through chemical analysis, was distinct. Its unique teeth likely allowed it to feed on seabed resources, unlike belugas and narwhals, which never do.
9. Blue-Eyed Coyotes
Coyotes typically have golden brown eyes, so it was astonishing when five coyotes in California were discovered with striking blue eyes. Wildlife experts, upon seeing photographic proof, were baffled as they had never encountered such a phenomenon. Two of these coyotes were spotted in Point Reyes, while the others resided in Santa Cruz and Sacramento.
Eye color in wild animals is usually consistent, making this anomaly puzzling. Researchers have dismissed the possibility of interbreeding with dogs, as domestic dogs with blue eyes produce hybrid offspring with coyotes that have distinct facial features and coat colors but never blue eyes.
A genetic mutation is the leading theory. Scientists speculate that a blue-eyed coyote was born several generations ago, and the five California coyotes could be its descendants.
8. Goldfish Invasion
In 2019, a massive goldfish measuring 36 centimeters (14 inches) was caught in New York's Niagara River. Likely a discarded pet, it wasn't the largest goldfish ever found in U.S. waters.
In 2013, a 61-centimeter-long (24 inches), 2-kilogram (4-pound) goldfish was discovered in California’s Lake Tahoe. How this Asian carp species ended up in American waterways remains unclear.
The issue likely stems from goldfish being flushed down toilets, illegally released, or escaping from bait buckets. Their resilience, rapid reproduction, and ability to outcompete native species have exacerbated the problem.
This widely kept aquarium fish has become a significant invasive species, first observed in New York's waters in 1842. The orange invaders have since multiplied, with tens of millions now inhabiting the Great Lakes.
7. Three-Eyed Snake
Rangers initially thought Monty had two fused heads, but X-rays revealed a single skull with three eye sockets. Surprisingly, the third eye appeared functional, suggesting the development of an additional optic nerve and significant brain changes during its embryonic stage.
Monty lived for two months, longer than most snakes with bone deformities, which typically die within days. His unusual skull structure made feeding challenging, likely contributing to his early death.
6. The Bug Blob
In 2019, a meteorologist in California detected an unusual blip on the radar. The anomaly, spanning 130 kilometers (80 miles) by 130 kilometers (80 miles), appeared over San Bernardino County. This was puzzling, as the skies were expected to be clear, with no signs of rain or storms.
Ground teams were sent to investigate visually. Despite the radar suggesting raindrop-sized objects, they discovered no rain. Instead, they encountered a massive swarm of ladybugs.
While the ladybug cloud was in the correct location, its size didn't match the radar blob. The swarm covered only 16 kilometers (10 miles), but ground observers confirmed the insects were the cause of the radar anomaly.
Several ecologists and insect experts were skeptical but amazed by the sheer number of ladybugs, especially since their populations were thought to be declining. The cause of this massive gathering remains a mystery. The radar anomaly disappeared, leaving no clues behind.
SEE ALSO: 10 Weird And Wonderful Oddities Of Nature
5. A Blonde Zebra
In 2019, wildlife photographer Sergio Pitamitz was stationed near a watering hole in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, hoping to capture images of migrating zebras. When a pale zebra appeared with its herd, Pitamitz initially assumed it was covered in dust. However, after the zebra entered the water and the pale coloration remained, he realized he was witnessing something extraordinary.
The existence of “blonde” zebras remains a mystery. While they are known in captivity, sightings in the wild were unconfirmed until Pitamitz’s photographs. This rare condition, believed to be partial albinism, gives them pale yellow stripes and manes.
Studying captive blonde zebras is challenging due to their skittish nature. However, they exhibit normal behavior, integrating seamlessly into herds, forming bonds, and even reproducing like their black-and-white counterparts.
The Tanzanian sighting confirmed that blonde zebras can thrive in the wild. While scientists debate the purpose of zebra stripes, it’s unclear whether their unique coloration poses any survival challenges.
4. A Tree On A Tree
In Italy’s Piemonte region, between Casorzo and Grana, lies a natural oddity known as the Bialbero de Casorzo. It features a cherry tree growing atop a mulberry tree. The mulberry, old and gnarled, has a flattened crown due to the cherry tree’s growth.
This phenomenon classifies the cherry tree as an “epiphyte.” Unlike parasites, epiphytes don’t draw nutrients from their host. Instead, they derive energy from sunlight, rainwater, and organic debris around their roots.
What makes this cherry tree remarkable is its robust appearance. Typically, epiphytes are small and short-lived due to nutrient scarcity, but this cherry tree defies the norm.
The cherry tree is fully grown and healthy, resembling those rooted in the ground. Its roots likely traveled down the mulberry’s hollow trunk to reach the soil. The origin of this two-tree union remains unknown, though the leading theory suggests a bird dropped a cherry seed onto the mulberry.
3. Square Waves
A “cross sea” is a mesmerizing and rare phenomenon that defies typical wave behavior. Instead of moving uniformly toward the shore, the waves form a grid-like pattern, as if someone sketched squares on the water’s surface. This occurs when waves collide from different directions.
For example, one wave set moves toward the shore while strong winds generate another set of waves moving perpendicularly, creating the striking square effect.
Despite its beauty, a cross sea is extremely dangerous. The collision of opposing swells can destabilize swimmers or boats, and these waves can emerge suddenly without warning.
Adding to the danger, cross seas often coincide with rip tides—powerful currents that are difficult to escape. These conditions are particularly perilous near shallow coastal areas, where swimmers, surfers, and boaters are most active.
2. A Bird That Evolved Twice
The reason behind the birds’ departure from Madagascar remains unknown. This ancient migration concluded when white-throated rails (Dryolimnas cuvieri) settled in the Seychelle Islands, specifically on the Aldabra atoll—a predator-free, circular reef.
Over time, the absence of threats led the birds to lose their ability to fly. Approximately 136,000 years ago, rising floods submerged the atoll, wiping out the flightless rails. The reef remained underwater for 36,000 years until an ice age caused water levels to recede, allowing the atoll to reemerge.
Remarkably, history repeated itself. White-throated rails again migrated from Madagascar to Aldabra, evolving into flightless birds thousands of years after the first group. This rare occurrence, where a species evolves identically twice independently, is called “iterative evolution.” The fossil record from Aldabra remains unparalleled.
1. Sea Life In Amber
Myanmar amber is renowned for its exceptional quality, often preserving 100-million-year-old fossils in pristine condition. In 2019, a piece of Myanmar amber surpassed all expectations with its extraordinary contents.
Previously, all fossils found in amber were terrestrial. However, this specimen contained marine life. The small amber piece, no larger than a thumb, housed 36 land species, including mites, spiders, and insects. Additionally, it preserved four snails, a marine ammonite, up to seven tidal isopods, and grains of beach sand.
Amber forms from tree resin, which cannot solidify underwater. Yet, these sea creatures were somehow trapped alongside land species. The eroded shells and absence of soft tissues indicated the marine organisms were long dead before being encased.
While a tsunami could have transported them inland, it’s more likely the trees grew near the beach, allowing resin to drip onto the sand and capture both land creatures and ancient shells.
