10 Little-Known Facts About the World’s Famous Sights That Sound Unreal but Are Actually True

Our planet has many weird places that are just waiting for us to discover their secrets, from a puzzling forest with bent trees to a desert where snow can be seen from time to time. Earth is a vast place with many wonders, and we are happy to show you some of our planet’s top secrets.

1. It snows in the Sahara Desert.

Most of us think that deserts are the hottest places on earth and that snow is something impossible to see anywhere near them. Well, apparently, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The snowfall that happens in this desert is not very common, but it has happened before. The white spectacle could even be seen from outer space.

2. Underwater lakes exist.

When we were kids we probably didn’t notice an interesting detail from our favorite cartoon. In SpongeBob SquarePants, they had beaches underwater. Now, as adults, we might think this is absurd, but the next fact might surprise you. We don’t really know if the creator of the series knew this, but underwater lakes do exist in real life.

These lakes are called brine pools, and their salinity levels can be very high. Combined with other elements, these concentrations of water are toxic to most animals, including humans. Only certain organisms that are able to withstand extreme conditions can live in or near them.

3. Danakil depression a real place on earth

Although the surface of the Danakil depression may look like another planet, it is certainly not. This salt desert is located in Ethiopia, and it is often referred to as the hottest place on earth. It is an alien-like landscape that is formed by the drift of tectonic plates, and it contains volcanoes, salt lakes, and lava lakes.

4. Breathtaking blue flames from volcanoes in Kawah Ijen

This volcanic complex is located in Indonesia. At night is normal to see blue flames streaming down the island of Java’s volcano. This intense blue color is formed thanks to the combustion of sulfuric gases. Some people even get confused and think that what is flowing through the volcano is blue lava.

5. The Sahara desert used to be a rainforest.

It can be really hard to picture the Great Sphinx of Giza in a green paradise. But if the environment of the Sahara Desert hadn’t changed, that might have been the reality. According to scientists, this enormous desert used to be a rainforest that was home to incredible animals like hippos.

The abrupt switch in the ecosystem was caused by the Earth’s changing orbital rotation. Research has stated that having a very green Sahara Desert could happen again in the future.

6. The El Castillo pyramid in Chichén Itzá makes sounds when people clap.

When you visit Chichén Itzá, in Mexico, you can stand at the bottom of the stairs of the El Castillo pyramid and clap your hands to discover a beautiful chirping sound. It is the sound of a Quetzal bird that echoes through the place. It’s not clear whether the pyramid’s architects knew exactly how the pyramid was going to sound or not, but it is still an incredible spectacle.

7. Due to strong earthquakes in Machu Picchu, the construction method changed.

Because of damage to the structure of the city, it is believed that while Machu Picchu was under construction, it was hit by a couple of earthquakes. That’s why we can see a shift in the construction method — from carved interlocked rocks to stacked (not carved) rocks, like the ones in the picture.

8. In Iceland people bake bread in volcano soil.

Some people are so lucky that they can enjoy an oven that’s been given to them by Mother Nature. This incredible tradition has been part of Icelanders’ lives for generations. To prepare the bread, you have to dig a hole in the ground, and once the hole is filled with boiling water, it’s time to bury the pot. Minutes later, a loaf of delicious traditional bread will be ready to eat.

9. The mystery of the crooked forest

This forest is located in Poland, and it’s comprised of normal pine trees, but also some trees that form a pronounced J-shape. No one really knows how these trees came to have this form, but there are some theories that try to explain the anomaly.

Some people believe that the trees were buried by heavy snowfall when they first started to grow, causing the trunk to bend. Nevertheless, this theory is probably false since there are pine trees surrounding the area that have a normal shape. That’s why other people think that they were manipulated by people in order to make furniture with them.

At the end of the day, the reason these trees are bent like this is not important, it’s thanks to them that we can visit and enjoy a delicious picnic with an out-of-this-world but beautiful view.

10. Tutankhamun’s beard was knocked off but someone poorly glued it back on.

Not long ago, Tutankhamun’s mask was damaged by employees from a museum. It’s not clear what happened exactly, but the beard in the mask was completely knocked off. In the image above, we created a representation of what the mask would look like without its beard.

In an attempt to fix it, someone glued the beard back on, but as they tried to remove the excess glue, the piece was scratched. In some pictures, you can even see the unfortunate harm done to the sculpture.

The valuable object has been perfectly restored to its former glory by professionals, and we can no longer even notice the damage it suffered.

Do you know of any other impressive things in your own country? Let us know in the comments.