Don't forget to FOLLOW US on NEW Digg - Become Weird Worm Fan and follow us on Facebook
 x 
   

10 Bizarre Phenomena

Editor: euphoria / December 24, 2009 / Category : Science

1. Ball Lightning

This bizarre electrical phenomenon usually occurs during thunderstorms and lasts for up to thirty seconds. Balls of lightening are said to behave in strange ways, hovering, rolling, hissing and sometimes passing through walls, in a way that seems completely unnatural. As a result, ball lightening has long been associated with aliens and ghosts, and the kind of pseudo-psychic head-cases who believe they can communicate with the other side. Thousands of people throughout history have reported seeing ball lightening, including Benjamin Franklin and my grandmother, but until recently their claims were largely ignored. However, with an increasing amount of photographic and video evidence available, scientists have now begun to take ball lightening seriously and are now attempting to recreate this entirely natural phenomenon within the confines of a laboratory.

ball lightning

Link

 
icon for podpress  Weird Worm Podcast - Ep02 - 10 Bizarre Phenomena [9:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (3879)

2. Saint Elmo’s Fire

Described by scientists as a plasma phenomenon, St Elmo’s fire is caused by ionization in the atmosphere. Named for the patron saint of sailors, the phenomenon was historically witnessed emanating from the lightning conductors atop tall ships, however it can occur almost anywhere, particularly during thunderstorms. Whilst the phenomenon may appear to be flame-like when a lightening rod is it’s source, it has been more accurately described as a blue-green glow.

saint elmos fire

Link

3. The Goat Suckers

Goat suckers, or Chupacabras, are the hypothetical creatures blamed for a recent series of cattle mutilations in South America. In the past decade hundreds of cattle have been found mutilated across Brazil alone. Often the cattle are found to have had huge amounts of blood drained from their bodies but other signs include the removal of the jaw, tongue or anus in startling similarity to cattle mutilations in the US.

The goat sucker myth began in Puerto Rico where a series of sightings during the 1970s first made headlines. At first it seemed that goats and sheep were the only item on the menu but this soon changed when the creatures were reported in Mexico two decades later and began attacking cattle. There are a number of theories explaining the sudden appearance of this critter in South America. Perhaps the most logical explanation is that their species is native to the Amazon and that deforestation has forced them to leave the rain-forest for the first time in search of food. Another popular, if somewhat unlikely explanation is that the goatsuckers are of extraterrestrial origin, owing to the fact that goat sucker attacks often coincide with UFO sightings.

Descriptions of goat suckers vary hugely and whether they actually exist is a matter of huge debate. Many say that predatory animals could be behind the rise of livestock mutilations or blame covert government experimentation, but the truth remains a mystery.

the goat suckers

Link

4. Spontaneous Human Combustion

This phenomenon is extremely rare and no plausible, scientific theory has yet been offered to explain how a person can suddenly burst into flames, but it would appear that some few unfortunate people have done exactly that.

Most deaths thought to be caused by spontaneous human combustion can be attributed to the “wick effect”, whereby a person’s body fat acts like candle wax, causing a person to burn in an intensely hot but extremely well contained fireball. Strangely, all that is left in most cases is the lower part of the victims legs, which contain little fat, and their feet, which are usually found to be still wearing slippers. This would seem to explain how homes are sometimes left undamaged after a victim’s body has been burned to cinders along with their favorite armchair. However, whilst the “wick effect” explains the way in which a human body might burn it offers no explanation for the cause of the fire.

spontaneous human combustion

Link

5. Abduction

Whilst UFO sightings vary so widely in description that would seem to defy logic entirely, the amazing commonality between individual alien abduction stories would seem to suggest that more is at work here than a few over active imaginations. Psychologists have linked abduction stories to a deep routed fear of pregnancy in both men and women, explaining why so many self-proclaimed abductees claim to have been implanted with alien fetuses. Another well established theory behind alien abduction is that strong electromagnetic fields, perhaps occurring naturally, could cause a person to suffer an epileptic fit whilst simultaneously causing nearby electrical equipment (such as car radios) to malfunction. The person would subsequently see flashing lights before blacking out. Waking up from such an experience, the word “aliens”, would surely be the first on your lips.

abduction

Link

Now, let’s take a look at alien abduction story (documentary) below.

Video: The Fourth Kind

This video is based on a true story about alien abductions. It’s set in Nome, Alaska, where a disproportionate number of the population is reported missing each year, and uses actual footage that has never been seen before. You HAVE to see it!

6. Geo-luminescence

It would seem rattling filing cabinets, burst gas pipelines and a five-star performance from Charlton Heston and Lorne Green are not the only signs that your home has been hit by an earthquake. Survivors of epic earthquakes have often reported strange flashing lights and even upward streaking bolts of lightening in the area around the epicenter of the quake. The earliest recorded example of this phenomenon was in ancient China and even a recent mini-quake in Lincolnshire, England has people talking about strange lights and the appearance of ball lightening. Scientists have theorized that these lights are the result of geo-luminescence, a phenomenon in which rocks actually produce light when exposed to extreme pressure, and that the lightening is the result of geological friction.

geo luminescence

Link

7. The Blood Monsoon

Between July 25 and September 23, 2001, it was reported that unusually discolored rain was falling in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The blood-red rain fell sporadically throughout the region and scientists rushed to the scene to analyze its composition. Upon further inspection it was discovered that microscopic particles present in the water, similar in appearance to human blood cells, were responsible for the discoloration.

Several explanations for the blood-rain were circulated, including the theory that a meteorite, which had struck the atmosphere shortly before the monsoon began, had collided with a flock of bats and sprayed their blood into the atmosphere. Perhaps the most ambitious theory was that of scientists Godfrey Louis and Santhosh Kumar of the Muhatma Gandhi University in Karela. They speculated that the contaminating cells were extraterrestrial in origin and that they had been carried to Earth by a meteorite, confirming panspermia theory. The currently accepted, however, is that the contaminating particles are a type of marine algae but Louis and Kumar maintain that the cells have “unusual properties”.

the blood monsoon

Link

8. The Taos Hum

The town of Taos, New Mexico, is the site of much scientific pondering. Residents in the town have long been perplexed by a distant hum, similar to that of a distantly idling diesel engine, the source of which has never been found. Strangely the sound has only ever been heard by around half of the people in the town and visiting scientists have failed to detect the sound with even the most sophisticated audio equipment. A similar hum in Hawaii has led some to speculate that it may be indicative of volcanic activity.

the taos hum

Link

9. Foo Fighters

Before the flying saucer craze of the 1950s another strange phenomenon was the subject of huge debate for the US air force pilots of WWII. Strange balls of light were spotted flying over German airspace and the Pacific Ocean at high speed, causing frustration for both Allied and Axis pilots. Both became convinced that these “fire balls” were a type of experimental enemy aircraft. The US air force became increasingly concerned at how easily the foo fighters could outmaneuver their own aircraft. Despite never engaging in combat with aircraft the foo fighters were seen as a nuisance for the way they would ‘dance’ around and fly in close formation with US aircraft. Many pilots felt that the foo fighters were teasing them in some way. The name foo fighter came from the belief that the Japanese were responsible for this high speed taunting, although sightings continued after the conflict had ended. Cylindrical and disc shaped craft were also reported in the skies over Europe.

foo fighters

Link

10. The Time Travelers

Ancient artifacts from as early as 10,000 BC have been found to show images of strange men wearing what would appear to be space suits. Sometimes alien, sometimes human, these figures are always depicted as wearing transparent helmets and can sometimes be seen to hold strange artifacts, perhaps guns or tools. Whoever these people were, are or will be, they seem to have woven their way into the cultures of ancient people across the world, appearing in cave drawings, Egyptian hieroglyphs and religious idles. Images of flying saucers, airplanes and helicopters have also been spotted on Egyptian artifacts, causing much head scratching amongst archaeologists. Was this prophecy, alien contact or will we one day develop the ability to travel through time?

the time travellers

Link1 Link2

Written by Mark Ball – Copyrighted © www.weirdworm.com

SUBSCRIBE to Weird Worm Podcast at iTunes. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. If you are creative and talented writer you should apply for job.


You like this article? Then send it to your friends by email.

Cool stuff at other blogs
You might also enjoy in
  • Pat5477
    It is sad more people have not read one of the greatest books in literature;
    'Demon haunted World' (Science as a candle in the dark)
    by Carl Sagan.
    The world and universe have mysteries far beyond what we can imagine, and we
    should explore those. They are real.
    Yet we still make money by selling people on stories like these.
  • Serge
    9.Foo fighters = 1.Ball lightnings
    2. Saint-Elms fire: I have seen this at the top of my tent poles in the Himalaya. It has the colors of the Windows 'Aurora' screensaver!
    7.Blood monsoon = desert dust clouds captured in rain
    8. The hum could also originate from running water in caves, the sound going through cracks in the ground (eventually covered with vegetation = hard to find). I don't know the geology in that region though.
    10.= a hoax
  • Oz Barry
    I'm just going to throw this out there, but the movie "Fourth Kind" is completely fictional, but it is filmed in a way that it is presented as truth.
  • ace114
    scarry i hate the Chupacabra part it gve me chills and a Chupacabra i also a crptid
  • Itemleath
    WTF! - How can animals like Bernie Bicoy - who is a twice convicted child molestor get bail?

    This guy impersonated himself as a lawyer and Venture Capital - VC Research Expert with a slippery tongue to win trust of kids. Out of all people, the gov released him home?

    Damn neighborhoods of Lake Forest are hazardous. Is it possible to appeal?
  • this is stupid
    This article isn't backed by anything. Also The fourth kind was fake, you need better sources.
  • Chris
    @ Ken,
    Foo Fighters and time travellers give you the shivers??? I would be more worried about bursting into flames than those 2 but that's probably just me.
  • Ken Win K.
    Wow nice I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight after reading 9 & 10 gosh gives me the shivers every time I think of it GREAT LIST! I WANT MORE!!!
  • miss le
    very interesting!!!!!
  • annex
    The so called "actual footage" in the forth kind is not authentic, they lied to get people to see the movie, apparently it worked because people didn't care to look it up.

    http://io9.com/5397359/the-fourth-kind-is-a-hoax
  • Conrado
    I just have a correction: The correct name for the saint of the fires is Telmo, no Elmo. Is "St. Telmo Fires" -> "Fuegos de San Telmo" in spanish.
  • Skye_hook
    In English, it's St. Elmo. I actually question whether it's Telmo in Spanish even. But if you say so.
  • Skye_hook
    Me again. Ok, I looked it up in Google. It is San Telmo in Spain, & the man was actually from Castille, Spain, so by rights I guess we should be calling him St. Telmo! SORRY! You are right & I was wrong. :)
  • euphoria
    As I may see, there are a lot of articles referring to St. Elmo's fire for name.

    Example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo%27s_fire

    And there are few St. Telmo, so I guess it is right both in English transcription.
  • wow cool pics.
  • While I thoroughly enjoyed this article, I feel that the phenomena mentioned are somewhat weak and well known. Very great and I'm definitely stumbling it but I do feel this could have more.
  • Terran
    Religious idles? Really? Sure you didn't mean idols? Further proof that you can't expect spellchecker to be infallible. Someone needs to fire their proofreader.
  • rogeridoo
    Are you sure you didn't mean Spellchecker?
  • Skye_hook
    Wrong. A spellchecker is not capitolized unless it is the 1st word in a sentence. When a webpage says "Spellchecker", it's because it is the 1st & only word in that sentence, a label. And 3 other people actually liked what you wrote. Incredible. Bunch of typo Nazis anyway.
  • Freaky pictures and phenomenons.
blog comments powered by Disqus






10 Bizarre Tattoos


Tattoos have always been a tradition method of self expression. But sometimes that self expression expresses just a little too much and many times you just have to wonder what people were thinking when they decided to get these tattoos...


5 Insane Marriage Rituals


A marriage can be a wonderful and joyous occasion full of happiness, laughter and unicorn farts for two very lucky people. In other cases, it can be an exercise in full-blown insanity, as evidenced by these bizarre marriage traditions...


Twins of Auschwitz


Josef Mengele was a Nazi scientist involved in their famous genetics program that had the task of creating a master race of Aryan people. The job for Mengele, or the 'Angel of Death' as he was affectionately know, was to find ways to increase...


6 Bizarre Mysteries


There are thousands of UFO, Big Foot or other cryptozoological sightings recorded around the world every year, and most of them can easily be proven as fakes or the ramblings of some mad-man...


10 Bizarre Pairs of Underwear


Everyone likes a comfortable pair of underwear, but there are some designs that are just bizarre. Now, whether or not you choose to show off your bizarre choice in undergarments is completely up to you...


Fun Facts About Dictators


Dictators get a bad rap these days. People think that being a dictator is all about crushing your enemies, oppressing the masses and carrying out ethnically targeted genocide campaigns, but it isn't...


Difficult Languages To Learn


So you want to learn another language. Maybe you want to travel, to expand your knowledge, or just prepare yourself for the day when the Feds track you down and you have to flee the country. Learning a new language can be a fun...


Most Bizarre Amusement Parks


Everyone enjoys a good amusement park. Whether you are the type of person to just walk around and observe the people having fun or you like to ride all the attractions, amusement parks can be fun for everyone. If you have kids...


People Who Eat Other People


Have you ever been so hungry you'd eat just about anything? You look in the fridge and search through your kitchen cupboards for something to fill that groaning hole in your stomach. Gathering together all the edible items...


Subscribe to Weird Worm by Email
Audio Podcast / Listen and Download!

Hollywood lives and dies on creating a sense of realism in its films. That includes brands …

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a technique used to save people whose heart and lungs have …

Advertisement
More of "Podcast"

Hollywood lives and dies on creating a sense of realism in its films. That includes brands …

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a technique used to save people whose heart and lungs have …

Advertisement / Some Fun
Our Friends
Cool At Other Blogs / Advertisement
Developed by MilosBlog