14 Stunning Natural Phenomena You Have to See to Believe
These jaw-dropping wonders from around the world will make you question if nature has its own special effects team.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
These few occurrences demonstrate how spectacular Mother Nature can be. The earth is full with amazing views, from blood-red waterfalls to dazzling oceans. These occurrences are worth adding on your bucket list, regardless of whether you’re a travel enthusiast or simply enjoy the fantastical.
1. Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) – Arctic Regions
stein egil liland on Pexels
This mesmerizing light show dances across the night sky in shades of green, purple, and pink. Caused by charged solar particles colliding with Earth’s atmosphere, it’s a spectacle best seen in Alaska, Norway, or Iceland.
2. Bioluminescent Bays – Puerto Rico
Alexis Magnone on Unsplash
At night, these waters glow blue when disturbed, thanks to tiny microorganisms called dinoflagellates. Mosquito Bay on Vieques Island is the brightest in the world.
3. Blood Falls – Antarctica
Jill Mikucki on Flickr
A glacier in Antarctica oozes red water, making it look like the ice is bleeding. The eerie color comes from iron-rich brine oxidizing as it hits the air.
4. Sailing Stones – Death Valley, California
Daniel Mayer on Wikimedia Commons
Massive rocks mysteriously move across the desert floor, leaving long trails behind. Scientists discovered that thin layers of ice and wind cause the phenomenon, but it still looks like magic.
5. Fire Rainbows – Various Locations
LanceNickel on Wikimedia Commons
These rainbow-colored arcs appear high in the sky, not after rain, but during specific cloud and sun conditions. Technically called circumhorizontal arcs, they’re rare and fleeting.
6. Lake Hillier – Australia
Aussie Oc on Wikimedia Commons
This bubblegum-pink lake sits next to the deep blue Southern Ocean. Its unusual color is due to algae and salt-loving microbes.
7. Catatumbo Lightning – Venezuela
Fernando Flores on Wikimedia Commons
Over Lake Maracaibo, lightning storms rage for over 200 nights a year. It’s the most electric place on Earth, with nearly constant flashes.
8. Ice Circles – Cold Rivers
Ann Zzz on Pexels
Perfectly round, slow-spinning ice discs sometimes form in frigid rivers. They rotate like vinyl records, often undisturbed by quiet currents.
9. Moonbows – Hawaii and Yosemite
Rowen Atkinson on Flickr
Like rainbows but created by moonlight, these pale arcs appear on clear nights near waterfalls. They’re rare and usually colorless or faintly tinted.
10. Living Rocks (Pyura chilensis) – Chile
sergio.majluf on Wikimedia commosn
These bizarre sea creatures look like stones but are alive and filter-feeding. Found along the coast, they’re immobile, red inside, and even edible.
11. Frost Flowers – Arctic Tundra
Tanya Impeartrice on Flickr
Delicate ribbons of ice “bloom” on the surface of thin sea ice under very specific conditions. They look like tiny crystal bouquets growing across frozen expanses.
12. Spotted Lake – British Columbia, Canada
AndrewEnns on Wikimedia Commons
In summer, minerals in this lake evaporate, leaving behind colorful pools and dots. The effect is otherworldly and resembles a giant artist’s palette.
13. Brinicles – Antarctic Ocean
Wikimedia Commons
These underwater icicles of death form as salty brine sinks and freezes everything it touches. It’s a slow-motion ice finger that kills sea life in its path.
14. Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees – Philippines and Indonesia
amelia on Wikimedia Commons
Their bark peels away in strips to reveal vibrant hues of green, purple, orange, and blue. The result looks like a painted forest, as if it were a fantasy film.