We define reality the way we usually see things. A green sky would be ‘unreal’ since the sky is not usually green (although on occasional sunrises it has a few shades). But how many times have we often wondered how would it be to find yourself in a world of fantasy? And some of us may still have this inquisitiveness to see new things, that we might have imagined as kids, but which our minds have now restricted believing that it can’t possibly happen. Well, you don’t have to go too far. There are several instances of very seemingly unrealistic things that are present at our very planet, but which look like they have come straight from the world of dreams, or in some cases, the world of nightmares
Aurora:
An Aurora, sometimes also known as a polar light, is a spectacular display of lights, predominantly seen in arctic and Antarctic regions. They are produced when the trajectories of charges particles, mainly electrons, and protons, in the solar wind and magnetospheric plasma, precipitate them into the upper atmosphere, where their energy is lost. It is one of the most breathtaking sights we can see, and it seems like it is the world where the souls would depart after death.
The Blood Lake:
Ever seen a lake drenched in crimson? Well, there is. OC Fisher, a reservoir in West Texas, turned red in 2011, and many apocalypse believers suggested that it was the end of the world, freaking out many Texans. However, the actual cause was because of the drought that left the reservoir almost dry. The remaining water was stagnant and full of dead fish, and the red color appeared because of the Chromatiaceae bacteria, which thrive in oxygen-deprived water. Although not the end of the world, it sure was the end for recreation and fishing there.
The Pink Lake:
Lakes seemed to have developed a thing for fantasy. Travel the western islands of Australia to witness this phenomenon, seeing Lake Hillier, a pink colored lake. It is a salt lake and is pink due to the presence of high salinity levels which attracts the salt-loving micro algae, Dunaliella Salina. These algae produce pigment compounds called beta carotene, when the temperature is high enough and adequate light conditions are provided. Although they aren’t always pink, one might have a glimpse of it if seen at the right time, to boast about. Although skepticism would follow soon enough.
The Everlasting Storm:
How long does a lightning last? At the most three hours, and for mostly a week. Well, not in the case of Venezuela. A phenomenon called the “Catatumbo Lightning” occurs over and around Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, and is one of a unique phenomena. Originating from a mass of clouds at a height of more than 5 km, the storm beast begins its lair. It occurs during 140 to 160 nights a year, 10 hours per day and up to 280 times per hour. It produces a most wonderful and breathtaking spectacle of a natural light show on earth. It is also considered to the world’s largest generator of Troposphere Ozone.
Tardigrades:
Although these tiny little creatures are not from a world of dreams or nightmares, they do not fail to amaze us. They are about 0.5 mm long, and can survive just about anything. From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, we can find them. They can even survive outer space for 10 days. Keep them dehydrated for a year, or at a place where radiation is 1000 times stronger than normal surroundings, and they will survive. Just imagine, a tiny organism that would probably outlive all other living species.
Where oceans meet but do not mix:
If we mix water with water, the natural thing is that they will be mixed, forming more water. Same would be if two water bodies mix, as in the case of the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. But at the Gulf of Alaska, this observation is not true. Here, two water bodies, one fresh and one saline, meet. Due to the difference in water density, temperature, and salinity, they do not mix initially. Although they do mix eventually, the sight presented by them is quite spectacular.
