Weird Natural Phenomena

[Checkmite]

Not sure where else a topic like this belongs, as it deals with "weird" stuff, so I would say it may not be a candidate for the regular science forum.

Okay, so I'm interested in weird natural phenomena. I'm not talking about weird the way quantum mechanics is weird; I'm talking about relatively rare natural phenomena, typically of a temporally localized and transient nature, for which an explanation may or may not readily exist.

To offer an example: take the phenomena of freak waves - also called rogue waves by some. They are a natural and fully-explainable and expected, if unpredictable, phenomena. They're something that must've been occurring on Earth for as long as there have been oceans, and yet documented scientific evidence of their existence was not obtained until 1995. There were plenty of alleged encounters before that time, but they were generally taken to be exaggerated or fabricated, or merely "unconfirmed" until 1995. After that year, interestingly enough, evidence for their existence was encountered left and right.

Other examples:

- The ubiquitous "ball lightning", a term which seems to be used to describe a couple of different things.

- Earthquake lights - the USGS seems to be of the opinion they exist, but are unable to elaborate meaningfully at the moment.

- Carolina Bays have always intrigued me - has anyone found out yet how exactly they were formed and why they all tend to be "oriented" the same way?

- I think I remember reading or hearing that sometime in the 90's, the NOAA's underwater listening devices picked up some very strange and unexplained sounds in the South Pacific Ocean, off the coast of South America. Cthulhu jokes aside - did I just imagine this?

- Corpusants. Their existence isn't really "controversial" the same way the above-mentioned examples may be...but, they're weird.

Any opinions on any of these? Anything similar that you are interested in, or merely are aware of/know about?

To clarify further - we'll leave biological oddities out of this discussion (i.e., cryptids, genetic mutations, etc). Also, aliens, UFOs, psychic phenomena, etc, do not count either. I'm looking for geological, oceanographic, meteorological, or astronomical oddities.

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

Indiana, as you have been told but have chosen to ignore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eerie,_Indiana), is the center for all the weirdness in the world. We have one particular mystery, however, that is apparently a natural phenomenon.

Big a$$ rocks and boulders resting high up in some trees.

Seriously.

I'm not making this up: When I make stuff up, it at least has to sound believable!

In the Yellowwood State Forest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowwood_State_Forest), in scenic and just-oh-so-slightly weird Brown County, Indiana (http://www.browncounty.com/), some large trees have rocks and boulders up in their branches.

This isn't like the old Elephant Joke about how does an elephant get up into an oak tree*! These rocks are BIG, and just about had to get into the trees once the crotches in which they sit were pretty well formed, or the crotch (or the tree itself) would have collapsed.

Alas, the first one found, "Gobbler's Rock," a particular favorite because of the size of the boulder, height of its nest, and overall hike-in-only inaccessibility, is no longer among the living... errr... elevated. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5574004)

The end of Gobbler Rock (http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/sports/local_story_207212547.html)

Several 200 pound and larger rocks, just slightly too small to be called boulders, still remain in trees, however, so the inquisitive can still go verify the fact, and the unwary hiker can still be freaked right straight the Hell out.




* It sits on an acorn and waits.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Red Sprites and Blue Jets (http://elf.gi.alaska.edu/)

[learner]

Hi

Here in Indiana, we have a mystery that is, apparently, a natural phenomenon.

Big a$$ rocks and boulders resting high up in some trees.

Seriously.

I'm not making this up: When I make stuff up, it has to at least sound believable!

In the Yellowwood State Forest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowwood_State_Forest), in scenic and just-oh-so-slightly weird Brown County, Indiana (http://www.browncounty.com/), some large trees have rocks and boulders up in their branches.

This isn't like the old Elephant Joke about how does an elephant get up into an oak tree*! These rocks are BIG, and just about had to get into the trees once the crotches in which they sit were pretty well formed, or the crotch (or the tree itself) would have collapsed.

Alas, the first one found, "Gobbler's Rock," a particular favorite because of the size of the boulder, height of its nest, and overall hike-in-only inaccessibility, is no longer among the living... errr... elevated. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5574004)

The end of Gobbler Rock (http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/sports/local_story_207212547.html)

Several 200 pound and larger rocks, just slightly too small to be called boulders, still remain in trees, however, so the inquisitive can still go verify the fact, and the unwary hiker can still be freaked right straight the Hell out.




* It sits on an acorn and waits.


Its just bigfoots chucking rocks around. They do that. And pigs. 200 pounders apparently.

[JcR]

Sliding Rocks of Racetrack Playa. I find them amusing
I don't know why, but I laugh when I see pictures of them.
Maybe they are trying to bail out of Death Valley.

[Checkmite]

Yes - those are exactly the kinds of things I'm talking about! Excellent!

Any others?

[Ron_Tomkins]

Yes - those are exactly the kinds of things I'm talking about! Excellent!

Any others?

My alarm clock decided this morning to change the music-type of alarm to the horrible and disturbing shrieking beep after I hit the snooze button; for no apparent reason at all.

[idoubtit]

I am also very interested in this. Do you subscribe to William Corliss' newsletter Science Frontiers? Are you familiar with his catalogs? They are awesome and I have many. Here is his web site that has a lot of examples as well. He goes through scientific publications to find anomalous phenomena. I have 4 catalogs of geologic/geophysical anomalies, one big one of strange life, 2 of mammals, and 3 of meteorological type - luminous phenomena stuff. He has done astronomical and anthropological catalogs as well.
http://www.science-frontiers.com/

Much of this falls in the realm of "fortean phenomena". Corliss is far less annoying than Fort but is still sometimes dismissing of the majority view. He is by far the best catalogger of this information. I used to watch the Anomalist (http://www.anomalist.com/) daily but it's lately become a bastion of UFO nonsense and links to blogs of very poor quality. Occasionally, they link to newspaper reports of anomalous phenomena.

[quarky]

I've seen some weird nature stuff.
A sparrow riding on a hawk's back, and pecking at his head.

Weirder yet, eight shrews chasing each other in a figure eight around a log.

[MG1962]

The UFO that never was

As a lad of 12 one evening I saw a huge bow shaped object blitz across the sky. It was cloudy and the object seemed very diffused, almost ghostly...took maybe three seconds to cross 90 degrees

Next morning I rang the local observatory wishing to report a UFO - thats were you did things like that back then

The astronomer on duty said he had seen it as well. What I actually saw was a meteor entering the cloud layer and the bow wave caused by the rock moving through the atmosphere was pushing the clouds apart.

I have to say that was a way cooler explanation, and potentially rarer observation than a UFO

[madurobob]

Brown Mountain Lights (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=135760)?

Its unclear if they are of "natural" origin or not

ETA - Here, too: Brown_Mountain_Lights

[GT/CS]

I grew up spending the summers at Omak Lake, which is home to this strange rock. (http://www.colvilletribes.com/interest.htm) Probably another joke played on us by bigfoot!

[Checkmite]

Balancing Rock weighing approximately 30-40 tons is located near Omak Lake. Left by glaciers from the North the rock is a symbol of nature’s perfection. A short 1/4 mile hike will get you right underneath this natural wonder.

Oh yes, I want to get right underneath that thing.

[Checkmite]

I am also very interested in this. Do you subscribe to William Corliss' newsletter Science Frontiers? Are you familiar with his catalogs? They are awesome and I have many. Here is his web site that has a lot of examples as well. He goes through scientific publications to find anomalous phenomena. I have 4 catalogs of geologic/geophysical anomalies, one big one of strange life, 2 of mammals, and 3 of meteorological type - luminous phenomena stuff. He has done astronomical and anthropological catalogs as well.
http://www.science-frontiers.com/

Now that's some interesting stuff. I'll have to take a closer look at it - seems to be right up my alley.

[Jeff Corey]

Here's one from near where I grew up - the Moodus Noises. http://www.curbstone.org/index.cfm?webpage=96
This article explains what produces them. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_n3_v134/ai_6542304

[idoubtit]

Definitely subscribe to the newsletter or order a book directly from him, you get the newsletters free for a year. I started with "Handbook of Unusual Natural Phenomena" which was a trade book. The rest are self-published. I also have Clark's Unnatural Phenomena. It's arranged by location instead of phenomena so I don't like it as much.

You will be astounded at how many incidents of unexplained sounds, different kinds of weird lightning, mysterious objects and bizarre rain that falls from the sky have been reported.

Earthquake lights are one of my favorites. Their existence of EQ lights was always discounted. However, the sheer number of incidents captured on film especially in Japan led scientists to be a bit overwhelmed. EQ lights are real, they just aren't well explained yet. Same for ball lightning. At this point, it is ridiculous to deny either. If you are interested, send me a private message and I can give you an article I wrote on anomalies surrounding earthquake precursors.

[Delvo]

Red Sprites and Blue Jets (http://elf.gi.alaska.edu/)And green flashes!

[Travis]

Does anyone have any idea on how those boulders are ending up in trees? If it is truly a natural thing then it most certainly is weird.

[HawaiiBigSis]

Does anyone have any idea on how those boulders are ending up in trees? If it is truly a natural thing then it most certainly is weird.

Bigfoot throws them.

[Travis]

Bigfoot throws them.

:rolleyes:

Anyone have any serious ideas?:)

[plumjam]

When my auntie goes into the garden and ignites her farts, the next morning there are always four molehills on the lawn area; no matter whose garden it is.

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

:rolleyes:

Anyone have any serious ideas?:)


Nobody in Indiana.

Some think it might be a tornado effect, although it must have been one heck of a tornado.

I'm of the, "things just happen... what the hell," opinion.

[quarky]

phosphorescent algae in Puerto-Rico

[HawaiiBigSis]

Hi




Nobody in Indiana.

Some think it might be a tornado effect, although it must have been one heck of a tornado.

I'm of the, "things just happen... what the hell," opinion.

Have they been studied? They'd have to have been... Did they suddenly appear one night, or does the literature refer to them in the past?

The tornado effect is as likely an explanation as any (serious) ones I can think of.

(And thank you Travis, for noting that my tongue was firmly in my cheek. Long after I posted that, it occurred to me that somebody would think I was serious.)

[HawaiiBigSis]

phosphorescent algae in Puerto-Rico

That actually occurs lots of places. In Southern California in the 70s, sometimes there would be a phosphorescent glow to the waves. (Don't know if it still does; I haven't been to a SoCal beach at night in 30 years. It might.)

[EHocking]

Have they been studied? They'd have to have been... Did they suddenly appear one night, or does the literature refer to them in the past?

The tornado effect is as likely an explanation as any (serious) ones I can think of.For my money, pranksters is a much more believable explanation than tornados. This rock is variously claimed to be 400 to 1000lbs in weight (given it's dimensions ~4cuft, I'd have estimated less than 200lbs). A tornado that could lift that surely would have stripped the trees or knocked them over?

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

For my money, pranksters is a much more believable explanation than tornados. This rock is variously claimed to be 400 to 1000lbs in weight (given it's dimensions ~4cuft, I'd have estimated less than 200lbs). A tornado that could lift that surely would have stripped the trees or knocked them over?


Solid limestone, the most common rock in the southern Indiana area, and granite both weigh about 160 Lbs. per cubic foot. 4 cubic feet would be 640 Lbs. or so. Basalt checks in at about 180 Lbs. per cubic foot, making it about 720 Lbs.

[HawaiiBigSis]

And I'm guessing there are several of them? One, two, okay a prank. More than that becomes weird...

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

It's weird.

A friend of mine said he geocached (http://www.geocaching.com/) about 10. I may have misunderstood, though. After all, I am... well... ME!

[EHocking]

Hi

Solid limestone, the most common rock in the southern Indiana area, and granite both weigh about 160 Lbs. per cubic foot. 4 cubic feet would be 640 Lbs. or so. Basalt checks in at about 180 Lbs. per cubic foot, making it about 720 Lbs.Ah yes, greater than 135lbs/ft3. I can see that now. That sort of figure lends more weight to the "non-natural" explanation such as a prank (rather than a tornado), I would have thought.

[dlorde]

I remember seeing a TV documentary about Yellowstone Park (no relation), that described similar oddities involving large rocks containing fossils of aquatic creatures, found way out of place, high up in the mountains. The conclusion was that only a tsunami could have done this, and they did find other signs of such an event. However, this was an ancient event, and finding rocks in trees in Yellowwood State Forest indicates a relatively recent event, and from the map there doesn't seem to be any significant bodies of water nearby... a mystery indeed.

[EHocking]

And I'm guessing there are several of them? One, two, okay a prank. More than that becomes weird...Why? Could merely be evidence of copycat pranks.

I seem to be the only one on this thread that thinks the phenomenon and explanation is mundane...

[ugot2bekidding]

I thought this was interesting...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070919-sunken-city.html

[JoeTheJuggler]

For my money, pranksters is a much more believable explanation than tornados. This rock is variously claimed to be 400 to 1000lbs in weight (given it's dimensions ~4cuft, I'd have estimated less than 200lbs). A tornado that could lift that surely would have stripped the trees or knocked them over?

Not necessarily. Many tornadoes are relatively small and can cause great damage in one spot and hardly anything just a matter of a hundred feet or so away. The lifting of the rock could happen in one spot, and the dropping of it could happen outside the area of intense winds. It could also be separated by time--that is, lift a big rock, carry it near a tree, then weaken enough not to strip the tree as it drops the rock.

ETA: I've never seen or heard of these rocks in trees before, and I'm not saying I'm behind the tornado as the best explanation for them.

[JoeTheJuggler]

What about reports of strange stuff raining down from the sky--like fish, or red water or such?

I know Charles Fort came up with some amazingly parsimonious ideas to explain those anecdotes! ;)

Is there even any verification that these kinds of events have happened?

[theMark]

http://cbs4denver.com/video/?id=54786@kcnc.dayport.com

Seems this happens when nature decides carbonated water is for sissies ;)

Oh, and re: "why would someone put stones in trees?" - see the whole crop circle scene for an answer to that :D

[dasmiller]

Not necessarily. Many tornadoes are relatively small and can cause great damage in one spot and hardly anything just a matter of a hundred feet or so away. The lifting of the rock could happen in one spot, and the dropping of it could happen outside the area of intense winds. It could also be separated by time--that is, lift a big rock, carry it near a tree, then weaken enough not to strip the tree as it drops the rock.

ETA: I've never seen or heard of these rocks in trees before, and I'm not saying I'm behind the tornado as the best explanation for them.

I did some back-of-the envelope calculations and, for a smooth spherical rock (Cd=0.47), 2' in diameter (#&*^$ english units) and 670 lb, I need a wind speed of ~420 mph to get force=weight. That would get it skipping across the ground pretty well, but to loft it into the sky, you'd either need a vertical 420 mph or quite a bit more horizontal wind. Tornadoes are intense, but I doubt that they're *that* intense.

Even a 1' diameter rock with a much more irregular shape (Cd=0.8) still needs 325 mph. I'm getting about 170 mph for a car.

Unless I messed up my math, which is entirely possible.

This may be why quarry equipment doesn't include giant vacuum cleaners to pull the rocks out.

So, although I'm totally unfamiliar with this rocks-in-trees thing and probably shouldn't express an opinion, I'm voting for pranks. As for there being 10 or more rocks-in-trees - how many crop circles are there? And how many of those do we think are pranks?

ETA - Honest, I typed that crop circle thing before I saw the previous post!

[Ixion]

A collection of phenomena, linked to Wikipedia for ease of reference.

The weird ocean sound, referred to as "The Bloop":

Bloop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloop)

The Taos hum:

Hum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum)

The Marfa Lights, somewhat related to the Brown Mountain Lights:

Marfa Lights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marfa_lights)

Ringing rocks, which make bell-like sounds when struck:

Ringing Rocks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_rocks)

Rare meterological phenomena, some explained, some not:
Sun pillars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_pillar)

Fire rainbows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumhorizontal_arc)

Upper atmospheric discharges (such as elves, sprites, and jets) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper-atmospheric_lightning)

Earthquake Lights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_lights)

Astronomical phenomena:

Transient Moon Lights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_lunar_phenomenon)

Hexagonal cloud on Saturn (scroll down towards Orbit and Rotation) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn)

Dwarf planets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_Planets) and plutoids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plutoid_candidates) (many people are not aware of the number of them or that the closest dwarf planet is Ceres, which was classified as an asteroid in the asteroid belt for years).

And finally, for completion, Russell's Teapot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_teapot)(prove it isn't there! ;) )

[JoeTheJuggler]

I did some back-of-the envelope calculations and, for a smooth spherical rock (Cd=0.47), 2' in diameter (#&*^$ english units) and 670 lb, I need a wind speed of ~420 mph to get force=weight. That would get it skipping across the ground pretty well, but to loft it into the sky, you'd either need a vertical 420 mph or quite a bit more horizontal wind. Tornadoes are intense, but I doubt that they're *that* intense.
Yup--that's beyond the most powerful tornadoes.

OK, I officially vote for prank.

(Or are these trees by any chance beneath rock outcrops or cliffs?)

[Dragoonster]

This is probably a stupid attempt at explanation, but is it possible the tree "grew" the boulder up to it's current level, from under it or after it rolled onto it? I guess that would take a very unusual tree though.

My favorite weird thing (ever since I found one in my backyard) is the tektite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tektite

whose origin is still not completely understood, but apparent formation is in giant awesome explosions and subsequent flying around the atmosphere.

[HawaiiBigSis]

Why? Could merely be evidence of copycat pranks.

I seem to be the only one on this thread that thinks the phenomenon and explanation is mundane...

I don't doubt that the explanation is mundane, and the phenomenon might be as well.

Crop circles popped up in lots of places; as far as I know this forest in Indiana is the only place with large rocks in trees. I'd be curious to know when they were first noticed, etc. Maybe next holiday I'll have time to research a little bit...

And Ixion, that's a very interesting list.

I think tektites are cool too. I'd love to find one. I also think obsidian is one of the coolest rocks around.

[EHocking]

I don't doubt that the explanation is mundane, and the phenomenon might be as well.

Crop circles popped up in lots of places; as far as I know this forest in Indiana is the only place with large rocks in trees. I'd be curious to know when they were first noticed, etc. Maybe next holiday I'll have time to research a little bit...From a quick Google, I can only pull up references to the URBs (yes, an acronym has been coined - Unexplained Resting Boulders) in this particular NP in Indiana. To be frank, I had never heard of these things until reading this thread, so I'm not surprised by the lack of copycats at other sites, whereas crop circles have received huge publicity and so 'enjoyed' more widespread creation.

And Ixion, that's a very interesting list.

I think tektites are cool too. I'd love to find one. I also think obsidian is one of the coolest rocks around.

[EHocking]

This is probably a stupid attempt at explanation, but is it possible the tree "grew" the boulder up to it's current level, from under it or after it rolled onto it? I guess that would take a very unusual tree though.A tree grows from the tips of it's branches, so, if the rock was placed in a fork at 6ft even 20 years ago, it wouldn't move much from that height (given branch widening and ground erosion etc). Trimming back a tree for Bonsai wouldn't work otherwise.

The rock, to be at 40ft above the ground would have had to be placed there. Personal anecdote - I carved my name in a eucalypt in our back yard when I was a kid - it was still there 30yrs later at about 1.5m from the ground when the old tree was cut down.

My favorite weird thing (ever since I found one in my backyard) is the tektite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tektite
whose origin is still not completely understood, but apparent formation is in giant awesome explosions and subsequent flying around the atmosphere.Ayup, gimme the natural world to confound and awe anytime.

[quarky]

I found a live snapping turtle on a high tree branch one time.
Struck me as very odd, until i realized that a flood had occurred recently. The turtle swam to the branch and remained after the water receded.

[Delvo]

Saint Elmo's Fire

[JcR]

I'm finding a few pictures (http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3081/2826797616_eb48bba13f.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/daveemerson/2826797616/&usg=__-ooZLGssABDbKOkl20QiJfVs6Qg=&h=375&w=500&sz=217&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=9EUMZI-2bvoYfM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgobblers%2Brock%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%2 6client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG) of Gobblers rock. He has another picture with what he thinks may be old healed holes above, where the rock was once resting. I get the feeling this rock has been there for some time looking at some of the pictures, don't know what to think at this point.
What I've read in Gagglenash's http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/sports/local_story_207212547.html link is that they were first noticed in 1998.
Well Gobblers rock was, then more were soon discovered later.
I was trying to find out (since that tree has fell down) if anyone bothered to age the tree?

On another note...Found an interesting picture of a tree growing around a rock. This is something I have seen around my place with some of the ceder trees down at the Gorge Park.
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_2839649d240eaadc54.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=15850)

[bonavada]

Of the eight Bores in Britain, this is one of the biggest bores in the world (Simon Cowell tops the list I think) See HERE (http://www.severn-bore.co.uk/)

The Severn Bore:


http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/874849d25199a5bd4.jpg


Comes under the "Freak Wave" category, well maybe.

I live on the coast of the Severn Channel. I'll have to drive the few miles one day to watch this.

BV

[Ixion]

And Ixion, that's a very interesting list.

I think tektites are cool too. I'd love to find one. I also think obsidian is one of the coolest rocks around.

I am glad you like my list. There are other phenomena, of course, that I have since forgotten about or didn't mention. I will keep my eye out for other phenomena that I didn't list yet, so Checkmite and everyone else interested can take a gander. For the record, I like mysteries, and I think these phenomena all have reasonable explanations for why they occur, but it still is fun for me to ponder them. Some have even been reasonably explained, but the explanations just make them cooler to me!

I have never seen a tektite, but I think that would be cool. My grandmother had a rock garden for a long time that included several large pieces of blue and green volcanic glass. It was fun looking at them and thinking about how they were formed.