Even though science has discovered more in the past century than all of human history prior to it, there are still mysteries that have left many scientists completely clueless.
6 bizarre mysteries and unexplained phenomena
1. The Taos hum
In Taos, New Mexico, visitors and residents alike have complained for several years about hearing a faint low-frequency hum. Just about 2 percent of the residents have reported hearing the sound. What is unique about the claims is that people do not hear the same noise but different ones, indicating that their experience of the sound is subjective and that they are probably not hearing the objectively same noise.
“Some believe it is caused by unusual acoustics; others suspect mass hysteria or some secret, sinister purpose. Whether described as a whir, hum, or buzz and whether psychological, natural, or supernatural no one has yet been able to locate the sound’s origin,” according to Live Science.
People report hearing a strange hum in Taos. (Image: GNU FDL via Wikimedia Commons)
2. Dancing forest
In the Kaliningrad region of Russia, there is a place called the “Dancing Forest.” It is filled with pine trees that are twisted and turned into rings, spirals, and other shapes. Planted in the 1960s, these are the only tree species to twist in such a way. Theories suggest interference from caterpillars, extreme winds, or unstable soil is behind the twists. The locals call the place by a curious name — “Drunken Forest.”
3. Great attractor
About 220 million light-years away from Earth, there is something called the “Great Attractor.” It is a gravitational anomaly that is dragging our whole galaxy toward it. “Ever since the Big Bang, the entire universe has been expanding, so it makes sense that our galaxy would be moving. But not in the direction it’s headed,” according to Business Insider. Some argue that dark matter could be the cause of this. However, some theorize that we are unable to see what is pulling us toward the “Great Attractor” since our galaxy is blocking the view.
4. Purring cats
Ever found the purring of cats cute? Interestingly, there is no scientific explanation as to why cats make that sound. One proposition is that the vibrational frequency of the purring causes the bones to harden as a response to the pressure. Many healing frequencies in therapeutic medicine for humans correspond with the cat’s purr frequency of 25 to 100 Hz.
No one actually has an explanation as to why a cat purrs. (Image: via Maxpixel)
5. Oakville blobs
On August 7, 1994, the town of Oakville was witness to an inexplicable weather phenomenon. A rainstorm of gelatinous, translucent blobs fell over the region. Upon inspection, the scientists were shocked to discover that the blobs contained human blood cells. Though several theories were proposed to explain the situation, the most popular one was called the “Jellyfish theory,” which links it to military bombing activity.
It said that “the blobs could be the result of swarms of jellyfish being blown to bits by the ocean bombing runs, which were then distributed into a rain cloud… several residents of Oakville became violently ill after the unusual rainstorm and a large number of cats and dogs who came in direct touch with the substance became ill and passed away,” according to News Booklet.
6. Patom crater
In Siberia, there is a crater called “Patom.” It is a 139-foot tall, 520-foot-long mound made of broken limestone. Animals do not go near it. The locals feel that the crater is somehow associated with death. Discovered in 1949, the crater is just 500 years old. Some hypothesize that the crater was caused by a meteorite, others suggest volcanic actions, while a few point to a gaseous origin.
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