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Nature is nothing short of magical. From glowing blue waves to thunder that rolls like a war drum, every corner of our planet hides something unexpected and spectacular.
That’s exactly why we at Bored Panda put on our explorer hats and dug up some of the most dazzling, dangerous, and bizarre natural phenomena from around the world. Think of this as your all-access pass to Earth’s coolest secrets; no hiking boots are required.
Whether you’re into icy caves that sparkle like a fairytale or beaches with jet-black, there’s something here to make you gasp, smile, or Google, “How do I see this in real life?” Scroll on to explore these marvels, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that made your jaw drop or made you shout “NO WAY” out loud.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Extremely Rare "White Auroras" Spotted Over Finland Last Night
RELATED:
#2
Milky Way With Zodiacal Light, Aurora And A Shooting Star In New Zealand
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 6 months ago
The zodiacal light (also called false dawn when seen before sunrise) is a faint glow of diffuse sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiacal_light I can't be the only one who didn't know that
#3
This Happens Every Year In Fall As Leaves Begin To Decompose In The Water
The decomposing leaves release tannic acid and when the sunlight hits it you see this gorgeous rainbow effect over the water.
The grandeur of nature is truly beyond words. From snowstorms that blanket mountains in eerie silence to fog domes that roll in like scenes from a fantasy film, the planet never fails to surprise us. But capturing that magic? That’s a whole different challenge. Nature doesn’t perform on command, and it takes a rare blend of timing, patience, and maybe a little luck to click that once-in-a-lifetime shot.
To understand more about what goes into photographing such marvels, we spoke with Lokesh Tardalkar, a wildlife photographer and assistant professor at UPG College of Arts, Science & Commerce. With years of experience both in classrooms and out in the wild, Lokesh offered us a peek behind the lens. His journey is filled with adrenaline, adventure, and admiration for Mother Earth.
#4
Salt Rocks In Iran
Mahiera Etsuhae 6 months ago
One of those must be Lot's wife. She was always kind of a salty b*tch.
#5
Missed The Aurora, But Got To See An Iridescent Cloud
#6
Caño Cristales, Colombia. It's A 5-Color River
“Some phenomena,” he told us, “like the Northern Lights or meteor showers, can be predicted to some extent. You can look up the best viewing times, monitor solar activity, and research ideal locations.” He recalled a colleague who, while on a trip to Europe, chanced upon an aurora sighting and ended up capturing it beautifully, purely by being informed and ready.
#7
I Took A Photo Of Rare Bioluminescence In Jervis Bay
#8
Marble Caves In Patagonia, Chile
#9
Lava Flow Skylight In Hawaii Looks Like An Entrance To Hell
But, of course, not everything comes with a schedule. “Then there are those unexpected moments,” Lokesh added. “A fogbow forming suddenly, or an animal doing something incredibly rare. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.” These are the stories that become legends among photographers, nature offering a gift to the lucky few.
#10
Snow Roller Phenomenon At Keystone, Colorado. Also Known As Snownuts
#11
Total Solar Eclipse
#12
Unbelievable Sight At Glowworms In Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
Mel in Georgia 6 months ago
I've been there, and it's really difficult to get a good picture using your phone. It's an amazing experience!
What’s the secret sauce, then? “Patience,” Lokesh said. “And a keen eye. You have to observe quietly, respect your surroundings, and wait. Sometimes you might sit for hours and return empty-handed, and sometimes you get gold in 30 seconds.” That’s the unpredictable beauty of it all: nothing is guaranteed, but everything is possible.
#13
The Colorful Hydrothermal Pools And Terraces Of Dallol, Ethiopia
#14
This Beach In Canada Is Filled With Crystal Blue Tide Pools And It's So Magical
#15
Mammatus Clouds
StrangeOne 6 months ago
Mammatus clouds. Another sign of atmospheric instability. Not really a sign there will be a tornado, but there's a risk.
He also stressed the importance of research. “You can’t just walk into a forest or a glacier and expect magic. It takes planning, studying wildlife patterns, knowing weather trends, and yes, checking which lens you might need for what.” He smiled as he shared tales of spending days tracking a single rare bird through dense forest.
#16
Fourth Night In A Row, Finally Got My Moonbow! Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California
Moonbows, like the name implies, are lunar rainbows. When light is reflected off the moon, then refracted through mist from a dissipating rain — much like a regular rainbow — a moonbow is the (very faint) result.
Moonbows are a rare phenomenon, but can best be seen through the spray of a waterfall. There are certain times of year when moonbows can be seen, and Yosemite National Park is entering its moonbow season, which takes place in the spring after the snowmelt.
#17
This Geyser Right Before It Blows
#18
Sometimes Lightning Occurs Out Near Space. One Such Lightning Type Is Red Sprite Lightning
Naturally, the tools of the trade matter, too. “If you’re photographing meteors, you need specific settings, gear, and minimal light pollution. For capturing a kangaroo close-up? Different story, different equipment.” It’s about knowing your subject and having the right tech at hand to do it justice.
#19
Light Pillars
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 6 months ago
A light pillar or ice pillar is an atmospheric optical phenomenon in which a vertical beam of light appears to extend above and/or below a light source. The effect is created by the reflection of light from tiny ice crystals that are suspended in the atmosphere or that compose high-altitude clouds (e.g. cirrostratus or cirrus clouds). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_pillar
#20
Ice Caves Of The Argentinean Patagonia
#21
The Grand Prismatic Spring At Yellowstone National Park
Sometimes, that journey takes you off the beaten path. “There are places we go that most people wouldn’t even think of,” he said. “Steep cliffs, thick jungles, remote deserts because often, that’s where the magic hides. That’s where nature reveals herself without filters or fences.”
#22
The Rainbow Mountains Of China With In The Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park Are A Geological Wonder Of The World
#23
Eternal Flame. This Natural Methane Vent Creates A Flame Under A Waterfall
#24
Ice Eggs, A Rare Phenomenon Occurs When Ice Is Rolled Over By Wind And Water (Northern Finland)
Capturing the essence of our planet is no easy task. As Lokesh reflected, it’s a lifelong quest filled with missed shots, new learnings, and moments that make every ounce of effort worth it. “We try our best,” he said. “Even if we fail sometimes, we know we’re chasing something meaningful.”
#25
A "Fog Dome" Is A Very Unusual And Rare Weather Phenomenon
The most likely explanation is that it's caused by a source of heat close to the ground, possibly an agricultural building or a relatively warm pool of water.
#26
Aurora Borealis Over The Jökulsárlón Ice Lagoon In Iceland
#27
Underwater Waterfall Illusion In South-West Mauritius
cerinamroth 6 months ago
I have stood at the edge of a coral reef in ankle-deep water in Japan and seen this kind of drop into blackness. It absolutely gives me the w*****s!
And honestly? He’s right. Mother Earth is phenomenal. Her beauty, unpredictability, and raw power can leave you breathless and maybe even clicking “save” on a photograph you’ll never forget. So, which of these natural wonders mesmerized you the most? Let us know!
#28
Reynisfjara Black-Sand Beach In Iceland
#29
Sioux Falls, SD Turned Green (No Filter) During A Huge Storm
Multa Nocte 6 months ago
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this type of weather, you do NOT want to be seeing a green sky.
Upstaged75 6 months ago
That's the scariest color for a sky to be! Some sort of horrible weather is coming.
geezeronthehill 6 months ago
Red sky at morning, cowboy take warning. Green sky any time, start digging!
Riley Quinn 6 months ago
Spent several years in Wisconsin. Was fortunate enough never to experience a tornado, but I learned living there that green sky means a horrific storm/tornado. Funny thing, but when I was in theater, green lighting was used to emphasize grave sickness or malevolence. I guess this is why I don't like green auroras as much as other colors.
#30
These Altocumulus Clouds At 30,000 Feet During Sunset Over Hawaiian Waters
#31
Horsetail Falls In Yosemite National Park
#32
Red Sand Dunes Hidden In The Tabuk Region Of Northern Saudi Arabia
#33
A Rare Snow Storm In The Sonoran Desert Of Tucson, Az
The Majestic Opossum 6 months ago
I grew up in this area of AZ and that is indeed a rare sight! Beautiful ❤️
#34
The Fairy Chimneys Of Goreme
#35
Wave Rock In Western Australia
#36
I Took A Picture While Ice Climbing. It Is Off To The Side Of A Frozen Waterfall Near Colorado Springs
The ice blocks off the river in places so it just flows all over the place and accumulates ice.
#37
Milky Way Core Rising Above A Sailing Stone In Death Valley National Park
A geological phenomenon moved this rock and inscribed the tracks you can see ahead of it on the dried lake bed. For years scientist have been unable to explain what force could have moved it across the valley, until in 2014 a pair of scientists was able to record a timelapse of the rocks moving.
It turns that the rocks drift when thin ice panels that formed underneath them during a cold winter night, started melting during windy conditions. There are many such stones and tracks in this part of Death Valley National Park, which is why it's called Racetrack Playa.
#38
Darvaza Gas Crater Or Also Known The Door To Hell. It´s Actually Bigger Than It Looks
#39
The Blood Coloured Water Of The Devil's Pulpit, Scotland
#40
Mammoth Cave National Park
Today we had a large and unexpected storm come through the park which caused a quick drop in the temperature. This pressure change caused the airflow to reverse, pulling into the cave, resulting in a dense fog filling the Rotunda room!
#41
Meteor Falls On The Peak Of Mount Merapi, Kali Adem, Cangkringan, Yogyakarta
#42
Insanely Well-Timed Picture Of Volcanic Lightning
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 6 months ago
Imagine ruining a picture with such a legendary background by having your eyes closed
#43
Brinicle (Ice Finger Of Death)
#44
I Left My Camera Running For An Entire Night And Captured Hundreds Of Meteors
#45
Great Blue Hole, Coast Of Belize
#46
Kummakivi Is A 500,000 Kg Rock In Finland That Has Been Balancing On Another Rock For 11.000 Years
Pittsburgh rare 6 months ago
It even comes with its own witch to cast your custom spell. Nice.
#47
Photo Taken Atop Mountain Showing The Phenomenon Known As Brocken Spectre
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 6 months ago
A Brocken spectre (British English; American spelling: Brocken specter; German: Brockengespenst), also called Brocken bow, mountain spectre, or spectre of the Brocken is the magnified (and apparently enormous) shadow of an observer cast in mid air upon any type of cloud opposite a strong light source. The figure's head can be surrounded by a bright area called Heiligenschein, or halo-like rings of rainbow-coloured light forming a glory, which appear opposite the Sun's direction when uniformly sized water droplets in clouds refract and backscatter sunlight. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocken_spectre
#48
Flying Cruise Ships Illusion (Fata Morgana) Spotted On The South East Shores Of Cyprus
#49
Mountains And Reflections Surrounding The Uyuni Salt Flat During Sunrise
#50
A Mysterious Spherical Cloud In The Sky Above Asaka, Koriyama City
Ellen Samberg 6 months ago
Cloud? No. That's either a malfunctioning bat signal, or something generated by the aliens to hide the UFO.
#51
Phenomena Known As Sun Dogs, And A 22° Partial Halo
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 6 months ago (edited)
A sun dog (or sundog) or mock sun, also called a parhelion (plural parhelia) in atmospheric science, is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot to one or both sides of the Sun. Two sun dogs often flank the Sun within a 22° halo. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog
#52
Painted Dunes And Fantastic Lava Beds, Lassen Volcanic National Park
#53
Noctilucent Clouds Over Warsaw. They Glow In Darkness Of The Night
#55
We Outran This Massive Dust Storm Over Phoenix In A Helicopter To Get These Photos
#56
Blood Falls
Blood Falls seeps from the end of the Taylor Glacier into Lake Bonney. The tent at left provides a sense of scale for just how big the phenomenon is. Scientists believe a buried saltwater reservoir is partly responsible for the discoloration, which is a form of reduced iron.
#57
Rare Horseshoe Vortex Cloud Formed Over A Bts Concert. Pretty Awesome That It Was Captured By The Group
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What do you think ?
Lyone Fein 6 months ago
Wonderful list! We live on a planet that is truly beautiful, even after everything. More like this please.
Apatheist Account2 6 months ago
So much beauty and amazement on this planet, it's so sad that some people focus on rolling over it in tanks and dropping bombs on it.
Lyone Fein 6 months ago
Wonderful list! We live on a planet that is truly beautiful, even after everything. More like this please.
Apatheist Account2 6 months ago
So much beauty and amazement on this planet, it's so sad that some people focus on rolling over it in tanks and dropping bombs on it.
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