Blood Falls: brine inside a cold glacier
Red stains mark the discharge of iron-rich salty water; radar helped trace its hidden route.
An explanation existsMcMurdo Dry Valleys, Taylor Glacier
Atlas of mysteries
Items: 143Unusual nature
Volcanoes, atmospheric phenomena and natural disasters.
Tunguska: an explosion above the Siberian taiga
A historical event studied through physical effects, witness accounts and modelling.
An explanation existsPodkamennaya Tunguska region
Krakatau: an explosion, waves and extraordinary sunsets
The August 1883 eruption left records in the ocean, atmosphere and observers’ accounts around the world.
An explanation existsSunda Strait, Krakatau area
Laki: the dry haze over Europe
The 1783–1784 eruption linked Icelandic lava fields with an unusual haze thousands of kilometres away.
An explanation existsLaki fissures, southern Iceland
Dallol: colored brines at the limits of life
Acidic saline springs became a testing ground for deciding which shapes and genetic signals genuinely indicate life.
An explanation existsDanakil Depression, Afar Region
Morning Glory: the wave that gliders ride
Long roll clouds reveal atmospheric waves studied by meteorologists and used by glider pilots.
An explanation existsBurketown and the Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland
Catatumbo lightning: Maracaibo’s night rhythm
Recurrent nocturnal storms make Maracaibo a principal global lightning hotspot; this is a climatic pattern rather than a single encounter.
An explanation existsSouthwestern Lake Maracaibo