It’s a fact that nature is a force to be reckoned with. Unpredictable and dangerous, it has clearly shown us how powerful it is. Take for instance the hurricanes, fierce animals, and breathtaking landscapes, they all leave a mark on humanity. And thanks to technology, those exact moments got captured on camera and the images are incredible! Entire places are frozen by the harsh winter, strange lakes that look like they’ve been spotted on Mars, lightning coming out of a volcano, and many other stunning views were captured by some lucky photographers! Let’s check them out and learn more about those moments.
Volcano Erupts During WWII
The Alkali Lake from Canada
This is not a lake from Mars! It’s actually called the Spotted Lake and it is northwest of Osoyoos. Why does it look like that?
It is a saline endorheic alkali lake, and all those minerals and salts form spots that look as if the lake has holes in it!
The Tornado
Young Audra was posing for a photo back in 1989 while the F-1 tornado was ravaging everything in its way! Thankfully, nobody was harmed during that event.
Audra’s mother Marilee Thomas took that photo and then they left that area. The tornado had only destroyed a barn that day…
Blue Ice
No, this is not a frozen wave! Although it looks as if he is just about to be hit by a wave, this phenomenon is known as blue ice.
When snowfall gets very big on a glacier, it becomes a part of a glacier and this is how it looks! Isn’t it incredible? We’re just getting started, so let’s see other stunning moments caught on camera!
The French Lighthouse
Imagine being there as the waves hit the lighthouse! Photographer Jean Guichard perfectly captured the immensity of the waves that hit the lighthouse from Brittany Coast, France.
There’s a man at the entrance, looking so small and helpless against the force of nature. It’s so humbling and scary to see him there.
A Frozen Tower
This is not a scene from a fantasy movie or from a video game. This is an actual tower! In fact, it’s a cell tower that was filled with snow and ice.
The man climbing the icy tower was performing maintenance work. To think that some people have the guts to do their job even in this extreme weather! And talking about extreme weather phenomena…
The Tree From Hell!
This could have been easily mistaken with a photoshopped image if the photographer didn’t reveal that he actually took that image with long exposure.
He was able to capture the moment when the lightning struck the tree, creating this amazing image! Here’s another lightning caught on camera…
Volcano and a Lightning
How is that even possible? Lightning and a volcano eruption at the same time? It’s not the end of the world, don’t worry! This phenomenon has been recorded since 79 AD!
Pliny the Younger wrote about a “transient blaze of lightning” when Mount Vesuvius erupted! Let’s see more stunning images.
One Single Photo
You are not looking at two photos! This is one single image, with the water that separates the land from the mountains. A photographer immortalized this moment at the Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.
A lot of people have mistaken the lake for the sky, and we also had to take a double take and realize this was one single image! Here’s an interesting African lake in the next photo…
A Different Kind of Lake
This lake can be found in Africa! It’s called Natron and it looks like it’s from a different planet! That’s because during the day, the water evaporates because of the extreme heat.
However, at the bottom of the lake, microorganism are still alive in the remaining water and they form a red color together with the salts. Isn’t it amazing? Here’s another curious phenomenon that not everyone can be this lucky to see it.
A Very Rare Event
According to scientists, only 5% of the Earth’s population was able to see this phenomenon. This is called a ball of lightning and it was caught on camera only a few times!
Before it showed up in photos, nobody thought this event was actually more than a myth. And talking about lightning…
Struck By Lightning
It’s never a good idea to be outside during a storm, especially not in the open! Sometimes, summers do come with breathtaking storms that bring rain and lightning.
However, to capture the exact moment when a lightning strikes the sea is more than impressive! Imagine the look on the photographer’s face when he realized how lucky he was to capture that shot!
Fighting Against Nature
As we mentioned before, nature is a force to be reckoned with. When Sir Ernest Shackleton went to explore the Antarctic in 1914, he took the Endurance ship and unfortunately got stuck in the ice…
Although it tried to live up to its name, the ice pressed so much against the ship that the crew had to abandon it. Its hull was cracked and it eventually sunk.
Looking at a Tornado from 1898
This is one of those rare photos that you only see once in your life! Imagine the photographers of that time risking their lives to capture a photo, especially during that moment!
Taking a photo in 1898 meant a lot of preparation. Now, we all just take out our phones and record everything…
A Very Rare Animal
By 1982, the rare thylacine best known under the name Tasmanian Tigers were thought to be extinct. However, some people may have spotted them out there in the wild!
Tasmanian Tigers are the largest carnivorous marsupials on Earth! Here are some other special animals…
Caribbean White Tent-making Bats
Yes, that’s what these cute white bats are called! They only live in Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Paraguay. That’s because they need a special kind of plant.
These albino bats only eat a type of fig and they make their own homes from leaves. These little houses resemble a tent, which is how the bats got their name.
Looking at the Sky
Taking a break from special animals, here’s an incredible skyline above Moscow! It’s not a renaissance painting, but it may very well become one.
Clouds are sometimes the creators of breathtaking scenery. Take for instance these clouds in the next photo...
Mammatus Clouds
They look like cotton, right? Or they could be marshmallows! These clouds are called Mammatus clouds, and here’s why it’s never a good sign, even though they look so puffy…
They may be very beautiful, but they are a sign of huge storms or tornado incoming!
The Great White Shark Is Tiny
Compared to the jaws of an ancient shark called Megalodon, the Great White Shark is a tiny fish! Look at the size of those teeth…
According to paleontologists, the Megalodon was the largest predator on Earth. Here’s another strange animal that has stunned the entire world!
A Huge Manta Ray
Weighing around 20 feet wide and 5,000 lb, this manta ray was found on a boat’s anchor! It must have been these giant creatures that led to those old sailor stories.
The kraken may have been just a very large squid! And talking about sailor’s stories, here’s a mermaid.
This Could Have Been a "Mermaid"
Back in the old times, sailors and pirates would spot strange creatures in the murky waters. And from different angles, they surely looked like those mythological creatures!
No, this is not a siren or a mermaid, it’s a beluga whale and that thing is a muscle, not the mermaid’s knees…
Ancient Times
Since we were talking about old times, did you know that the Pyramids at Giza were built so that they align with the Orion’s Belt constellation?
A photographer spent a night there, capturing this incredible photo!
The Catatumbo River
Another unique moment was in Venezuela, captured by a lucky photographer that has spotted this phenomenon.
The strange event only takes place at the mouth of the Catatumbo River. It appears to be a very rare atmospheric phenomenon.
A Black Jaguar… With Spots?
Not just powerful, but also beautiful, this animal is proof nature is mysterious and we cannot always control it.
This jaguar is black because it has a dominant melanistic allele that turns his fur into a very dark shade.
Changing His Clothes
Onto smaller animals, mother nature shows us how relentless it is in the face of change. Animals find ways to adapt to new situations, or else face extinction.
This hermit crab chose to be a bit edgy and found new clothes… He’s rocking the goth look, apparently!
Aliens On Earth?
The lightning storm over Michingan really makes you think that photo was from an apocalyptic movie.
It’s a stunning sight, we have to admit it. But here’s one thing you may have never seen…
Goat Tree
Yep, nothing to see here. This is just a regular goat tree. The goats are part of it… Actually, there’s an explanation for this photo.
The tree in this photo is an argan tree. Goats love it since its oils and fruits are very nutritious, so they climb the trees and take their lunch.
Not Welcomed!
Sometimes, adventuring into nature isn’t the right choice, especially when you stumble upon a very angry and territorial bear.
Not this cyclist must have had quite the speed as soon as he realized he was being followed by a bear!