Amazing places that remain mysteries for scientists (15 photos)

Our planet is a huge world that hides many strange places that hide their secrets even from the most experienced scientists. Here is a selection of such places from around the globe: from an incredible depression in Yakutia to a crystal clear lake in Austria, the water of which disappears in an unknown direction.





"Door to the Underworld"

I suggest first going to Siberia, which is a very unusual place where you can meet tigers or polar bears, walruses or even leopards.

But if you delve deeper into the endless taiga, you may stumble upon a huge crater in the ground. Moreover, it is so large and deep that it can be seen from space.







This huge gap or depression is called by locals the “gate to the underworld” or “gate to hell,” although its official name sounds less impressive - the Batagaika crater. It is located in the Verkhoyansk region of Yakutia.

The size of this depression is truly impressive, as it stretches over a distance of more than a kilometer and reaches a depth of one hundred meters. Therefore, it is deservedly the largest permafrost crater in the world.



People in the Batagai crater

At first glance, it may seem that this crater was formed after the fall of an asteroid, but in fact this is not the case. It is believed to have been formed as a result of erosion and a natural climate phenomenon called thermoclasticity.

This process does not start on its own; in this case, scientists suggest that the reason for the thawing of permafrost was deforestation in the area in the 1960s, although the exact cause is unknown.

The most amazing thing is that the Batagaika crater continues to grow, expanding by 10-20 meters every year. Nobody knows what exactly was the catalyst for the appearance of this depression, maybe under its permafrost, which is 650,000 years old, someone is waking up?...

Granite tablets

Any tourist who finds himself in the state of Georgia should definitely look into Elbert County, where the famous “American Stonehenge” is located. This granite monument is relatively young; it began to be built in 1980, but its customer and true purpose are unknown.

The Georgia Tablets, consisting of six huge granite blocks weighing a total of 119 tons, are assembled into a strange structure and represent a stone monument erected in the middle of a field in the depths of America.



Georgia Tablets

But people are struck not by its architecture (although it also makes an impression), but by the mysterious and sometimes gloomy inscriptions that are engraved there. They are somewhat similar to the 10 Commandments.

His customer, a certain “gray-haired gentleman,” refused to give his real name, but provided detailed instructions (on 10 sheets) for its construction. He didn't even argue about the price when he approached Elberton Granite Finishing to build this strange 20-foot structure.

As you can see, there are inscriptions on the tablets made in eight modern languages and four ancient ones. Here's what it says:

1. Let the earth's population never exceed 500,000,000, being in constant balance with nature.

2. Regulate fertility wisely, enhancing the value of life preparation and the diversity of humanity.

3. Let's find a new living language that can unite humanity.

4. Show tolerance in matters of feelings, faith, traditions and the like.

5. Let fair laws and an impartial court stand up for the protection of peoples and nations.

6. Let each nation decide its own internal affairs, bringing national problems to the world court.

7. Avoid petty litigation and useless officials.

8. Maintain a balance between personal rights and public responsibilities.

9. Above all, value truth, beauty, love, striving for harmony with infinity.

10. Don’t be a cancer for the Earth, leave room for nature too!



As you can see, the customer, who, according to him, represented a certain group, recommends reducing the Earth's population by about 15 times, that is, to 500 million people. His other requests are not so radical and talk about reasonable consumption, equality and justice.

Many perceived these dark admonitions as a mysterious prophecy from a group of people who secretly rule the world. But no matter how they try to find out who was at the origins of this granite monument, its customer remains unknown to this day.

Volcano with blue flame

A volcanic eruption or a flow of molten lava is one of the most impressive sights that nature has to offer. But there is nothing more surprising and unusual than the blue flames and strange magma of the Kawah Ijen volcano, located on the island of Java.





This unusual natural phenomenon is explained by the fact that for some reason there is a lot of sulfur in the Kawah Ijen volcanic gas. What’s even more mysterious is that it is part of a whole complex of volcanoes, but this blue flame (sulfur burns blue) can only be seen in this place.

Moreover, this glow can only be noticed in the dark, since it is too weak, although this gas burns at a temperature of 600 °C.



Burning volcanic gases at Kawah Ijen volcano

It turns out that when sulfur comes out of the ground in a gaseous state, it ignites very quickly and forms these incredibly beautiful bluish flames.

Mysterious "albino forest"

Scientists unanimously declare that albino redwoods cannot exist in nature, but... they exist. These strange trees with incredible white needles can be found in the coastal forests of California. In total there were 406 of them in 2018.

As we all know, a plant needs chlorophyll, a green pigment that allows plants to obtain energy from light, to start the photosynthesis reaction. But how then do these trees with snow-white needles exist? This question has baffled all researchers who have been trying to unravel their mystery for more than 100 years.



From a distance, these Californian redwoods are stunning - as if they were transported here from some science fiction movie. Their needles shine with impeccable whiteness, as if covered with snow.

Some people are frightened by these ghostly trees because they believe they are messengers from another world, appearing here for a mysterious purpose. It is worth recognizing that the white color in combination with the giant size of the sequoia produces a hypnotic effect.



Scientists suggest that the forest floor of these places is saturated with heavy metals, which are absorbed by trees, preventing the production of chlorophyll.

So these white-tipped redwoods are probably living filters of sorts. Because, absorbing a “deadly cocktail” of cadmium, copper and nickel (which was what was found during the chemical analysis of white needles), they continue to grow and at the same time cleanse the earth.

A magical lake that disappears in winter

If you like beautiful bodies of water located in the middle of magnificent valleys surrounded by forest, you will definitely fall in love with the Grüner See, also known as the Green Lake.

Located in the municipality of Tragoss St. Katharine in Austria, this majestic lake is surrounded by the Hochschwab Mountains and beautiful forests on the slopes.





"Gruner See" or "Green Lake"

But in addition to the magnificent beauty of the landscape, what first catches your eye is the exceptional transparency of the emerald green water, which arouses the admiration of tourists who come here.

It seems incredible, but all this water collects here as a result of melting snow on the tops of the surrounding mountains. At the same time, the lake remains so full for a very short period of time and scientists do not fully understand where the water disappears to.





The rest of the time, Green Lake turns into a nature park for walking. And no one will even guess by looking at it that these benches, paths and bridges were once hidden under 3 meters of water.