40+ Times Mother Nature’s Artistic Talents Left Us ‘With A Moss Of Words’
Mother Nature’s beauty is all around us, from the peaks of mountains to the bottom of the ocean. Just take a look at how majestic a tiger can be when it just stands in the wild. And, we’ve all sat in awe staring at a sunset. Sometimes, what makes nature so remarkable is its stunning perfection. However, there are times when nature shows off its inevitable imperfections. We are talking about the times when we may notice “mistakes.” Even when she does, the results still end up looking like a work of art. We have gathered 45 examples of rare natural events or creatures that are as gorgeous as they are unique. Hopefully, this article will remind you that there is beauty to be found everywhere. Imperfections are also beautiful, and every mistake is intentional.
Angel the Albino
Albinism is something that affects people as well as animals. We all have a strong desire to feel part of a group. Often this inclusion relies on our appearance. So, having albinism can feel like you’re made to stand out.
Not for Angel the dolphin, though! She doesn’t let it make her feel any different from her fellows. Just look at how she’s swimming so happily with her family. Her current home is at the Taiji Whaling Museum in Japan.
Hole in the sky
If you looked up in Leongatha, Australia, on November 3rd, 2014, you might have spotted this strange cloud formation. It looks like a hole in the sky, but you could also mistake it for a UFO. Luckily, it’s a completely natural occurrence!
This weird cloud formation is just further proof of how beautiful Mother Nature can be. It is called a “Fallstreak Hole” and is caused by water droplets freezing into ice crystals below the cloud layer. What a truly stunning sight.
Give you a hand
Yes, your eyes are working correctly! This green hand is actually a special type of citrus fruit similar to limes that grows in Asia. It is known as “Buddha’s Hand,” and it’s not hard to see why. People offer it at Buddhist temples.
It’s not just the appearance that is appealing. It states great and is used for flavoring many dishes. The smell is so delightful that people across Asia use it as an air freshener. Some even say that the strong citrus odor is better than potpourri.
Lightning only strikes…6 times?
The chance of you being struck by lightning is 300,000 to one, and the chances of it happening twice to you are 9,000,000 to one. But the chances of capturing six lightning strikes at the same time are even lower.
We applaud the photographer of this picture, who managed to capture six bolts of lightning striking Lake Michigan at once. Fun fact: you have a higher chance of being struck twice by lightning than you do of winning the Powerball lottery.
Snowball snowflakes
We’re continuing with the weather theme. Everybody knows that fresh snow is an amazing sight to see. But this snow? We are not too sure what to make of it. These snowflakes look more like tiny balls of cotton wool than snow!
What’s crazier is that it’s not even the weirdest type of snow on this list! Snow can fall in a variety of different and bizarre ways. This super dry snow powder, captured in Montreal, Canada, is just one of these odd occurrences.
One of a kind
For some, being the only one of our kind would make us feel like a standout – and not in a good way. Not for Qizai, the panda! He is the only brown panda known to exist in the entire world.
This fact makes him truly unique. He lives in China and is only seven years old. He lives separately from the other pandas because they bullied him when he was younger. Now, his caretakers plan to find him a mate.
Smiling salamanders
Sometimes, you have a fantastic day and can’t help but smile about it. For this creature, it seems that every day is a day to celebrate! This species of salamander is known as axolotls, and they’re scarce creatures. There are only 1,000 in the world.
They’re usually found in tropical places and are adorable. Unfortunately, this is one of the reasons why they are endangered. Many people buy them as pets and cannot look after them properly, so they die. They need to be protected.
Half-and-half apple
Who doesn’t love the juicy crunch of an apple? Some people prefer the sourness of the green ones, while others enjoy sweet red apples, or tart pink ladies. But the user who posted this photo managed to get the best of all worlds!
The strange colors of this apple are caused by a mutation in the apple’s cells when it first develops. It’s crazy to see how perfectly the apple is split between the two colors. Just another example of Mother Nature’s magnificence!
Squarefish
You would think that all starfish are designed to be in the shape of a star – but apparently not! The starfish on the left has a birth defect, so it developed into a square shape instead of the usual star.
Perhaps it should be called a squarefish instead? Either way, it is a beautiful creature and quite impressive at the same time. Although, we can’t deny that it looks an awful lot like a Christmas cookie to us… maybe we need a snack.
Super strawberry
As most strawberries are pretty small, they’re a popular snack food. They’re healthy and delicious. But this strawberry could be a whole meal – just look at the size of it! A user found it at a hospital fruit stand.
The user said that this strawberry was organic, which is impressive. By looking at the background, it seems that they were planning to make a smoothie with it. Adding this big guy would probably make enough smoothie to share with a friend or two.
A different dandelion
Here is another gigantic plant. This time, it’s a dandelion from Hyampom, California. The puffs on this one look big enough for us to fly away on! It probably takes a lot of deep breaths to blow them away to make a wish.
This species of plant is called “wild salsify” is part of the Tragopogon species of plant. They are quite common, and you can easily grow them during the summer months. They even make some delicious drinkable juice in their roots!
Glimpse of gold
Another super rare animal – this time, it’s the majestic golden tiger. This tiger species is so rare that there are only about 30 of them left in the world. They are like normal tigers, but their fur is like that of an orange tabby cat.
If a golden tiger has a child with another golden tiger, there is a high chance that they will have a white tiger baby. This species is fascinating! Unfortunately, all golden tigers are in captivity, with none left in the wild.
A sudden guest
The user who posted this photo must have been pretty terrified. They were sailing on the river when this flying fish suddenly landed on their boat! Luckily, they had the sense to snap a quick picture before they re-released it.
It’s no wonder that these are called flying fish. Just take a look at those gigantic wings! It seems like it could be half fish and half-bird. They can fly up to 4 feet above the water’s surface. What a cool creature!
UF-No
Mother Nature seems to be sending some kind of signal with these clouds. They look like your stereotypical UFO sighting, but they’re just a rare cloud formation. We can imagine there were lots of people claiming it was an otherworldly visitor!
These clouds are called lenticular clouds and are usually formed near mountains and valleys. They can come in lots of different shapes, including pyramids and huge circles. This UFO shape has to be the strangest one. Maybe that’s because it’s a shape we associate with something fearsome.
Blast from the past
This picture will make you feel old for sure! Twenty years ago, everyone had a Nokia phone. But today? They’ve become a thing of the past – so much so that this phone was fossilized! We can’t be that old, surely?!
Of course, it hasn’t been fossilized. Fossilization is a process that takes millions of years, not a mere 20. Even so, there are many people today who wouldn’t recognize this if they found it. Now that makes us feel like dinosaurs.
Pretty in pink
Have you ever seen a pink grasshopper? Neither have we! They’re extremely rare, as only 1% of all grasshoppers in the world are pink. But they exist, and they’re a gorgeous sight. This user even got it on their hand!
Usually, insects like this give us creeps. But there’s something more stunning than unsettling about the bright pink color of this grasshopper. The gene mutation that causes this intense color is similar to one that causes albinism in other animals.
Have a s-s-s-nack
If you look at this picture, it might make you feel a little hungry. After all, it’s a photo of a bunch of frosted doughnuts, right? Well, if you take a bite of these, you’ll probably get bitten right back!
This photo is actually of a bunch of strange snakes that look like our favorite snack. Unfortunately, they probably don’t taste anywhere near as good as old Krispy Kreme. We reckon you won’t find this on a menu anytime soon.
Glorious grapes
Eating a bunch of grapes has numerous health benefits. They’re full of nutrients, helpful for your heart, and can also protect you against diabetes. But eating a bunch of grapes this big? We’ll have to get back to you on that.
This massive bunch of grapes is just many different bunches that have grown together to form one colossal bunch. It might look like something from a farming game like Stardew Valley, but we can assure you that it’s 100% authentic.
Bendy Wendy
If you take a trip to the forest of Gryfino in Poland, you might stumble upon these weird-looking trees. Nobody knows what has caused their trunks to bend this way, but that doesn’t stop them from being fascinating. They have the power to inspire our imaginations.
As you can see, not all of the trunks have bent in this way. Some of them are normal! If you want to take a visit, it’s called the “Crooked Forest,” and there you will find 400 trees that look like this.
Pretty perfect pool
Now for a visit to another forest, this time as part of a swamp in Virginia Beach, Virginia. If you visit in November, you might feel like you have slipped into a fairy forest. But nope – this is Mother Nature’s magic.
The leaves cause this gorgeous illusion in the water, which releases certain chemicals. These chemicals reflect different light colors, including the sun’s rays. The result? This fantastic light show. We are beginning to feel that Mother Nature loves to entertain us. Just be careful you don’t fall in!
Rasp-banana
Here’s another picture that might have you checking your vision. These are red bananas, a common type of banana that you can find in Africa, South America, and Asia. They can even sometimes be found (for a price!) in America.
This red variety also has a different taste than your usual yellow bananas. They have a taste a little like raspberries, with a sweet and creamy flavor. They can be pretty challenging to harvest, so keep a lookout for these dark magenta bananas.
Jabuti-what?!
We have got a strange one for you here, called the Jabuticaba Tree. While most fruit-bearing trees grow their fruit from the branches, this tree grows fruit from its trunk instead. It seems pretty logical when you think about it.
This tree evolved this way because it is easier for animals and people to eat the fruit. Honestly, this makes a lot of sense, and we’re surprised that there are not more plants like this. This fruit must be delicious.
When you’re out of toner…
Anyone who does a lot of printing will be familiar with this image. It looks like Mother Nature forgot to buy some toner for her printer! This zebra doesn’t seem to have albinism, but it doesn’t have full color either.
This kind of “half-and-half” look is called chimerism and is a genetic mutation. This zebra has unique DNA, meaning that this is probably the only one of its kind to look like this. It looks to us to be half-unicorn and half-zebra.
March of the Crabs
Australia is known as a place full of terrifying animals for many of us, including giant spiders and huge snakes. However, looking at this picture of migrating crabs, it seems that life on Christmas Island is much more beautiful than scary.
Each year, the crabs migrate from their homes in the forest and end up by the coast. They do this so that they can breed. And every year, the citizens of Christmas Island experience this chaos! What a gorgeous sight.
Snow-weeds
Tumbleweeds are usually used in TV programs to show that a place is deserted, or maybe that a joke has not landed. They’re a common occurrence in desert parts of the United States. Snow-weeds, however? These are much rarer and were named “snow rollers” instead.
Unsurprisingly, this type of weather phenomenon is only created in cold weather and is caused by the wind. They are also called “snow doughnuts!” We can’t help but feel that snow rollers are much prettier than the average desert tumbleweed.
Cool cow
How tall do you think that a cow can get? 4 feet? 5 feet max? Well, say hello to Blossom! She is the tallest cow ever, according to the Guinness World Records. Blossom stood at an impressive 6.2 feet!
Unfortunately, Blossom died in 2015 after suffering a leg injury that could not be fixed. Still, her size means that she will undoubtedly be remembered forever. Fun fact: her owner said that Blossom loved to eat bananas instead of grass!
Lovely leopon
The leopon is a scarce hybrid species. It is born when a male leopard mates with a lioness, resulting in this gorgeous rare animal. The last leopon died in India in 1985, and the species is unlikely to live again.
The head of this stunning beast looks like a lion. But, its body has the patches of a leopard to it. We’re unlikely to see a leopon in the flesh, but you can see its body at the British Museum.
Vulcan volcano
You might think that this picture is from the next Hollywood blockbuster, but we can assure you this photo was taken on this very Earth. This user snapped this pic in Hverir in Iceland, a country known for its beautiful landscape.
There are frequently geomagnetic storms in the area of Hverir, which create this strange sight. The green lights and gas towers might look scary, but they’re pretty harmless to people. Just make sure that you stand well back from them!
A bug in the system
There’s absolutely no way that you’d ever see us catching a ride in this wagon. If this were our car, we would sell it immediately. All those bugs make our skin crawl! We will take the mostly bug-free bus, thank you.
It’s not too clear what caused these insects to swarm all over the car like this. Perhaps they found a stash of food, or maybe their queen was stuck inside. Either way, we’ll stay a safe one hundred miles away!
Fantastic fish
Anything that is rainbow-colored is an automatic winner – and that includes fish! This gorgeous animal was caught off the Hawaiian coast. Not only is it a beautiful sight, but it’s also a whopper. Its size is almost as impressive as its coloring.
This fish could also be proof that Pokemon exist. You can just imagine finding this somewhere on the game. The strangest thing is that the user just found it lying around. Where did it come from – and where did it go?!
Brilliant Butterfly
Anyone with a lucky number should take a look at this butterfly. If you look at its wings, it seems to have the number 88 written on it! Is it a subtle message from Mother Nature or a delightful coincidence?
However, this is not a tiny butterfly like the ones in your garden. You can find the Zebra Longwing Butterfly in Brazil and Argentina. Its wings are the size of a person’s hand! Luckily, these butterflies feed on insects and small bugs, and not anything else.
Static Sky
Every year, a considerable number of birds migrate across the skies of Rome in Italy. Their journey across the country results in this crazy view. It looks more like an old TV on static than starling birds going to nest!
With this many birds flying across the sky, this can sadly only mean one thing – lots and lots of bird droppings! Hopefully, nobody got too rained on by these animals. This photo is from 2018, but it’s an annual occurrence.
Blue Nope
It’s official – tarantulas can come in many different shades of terrifying. They are not only black, but can also be pink, orange, and even blue! This species is called the Cyriopagopus lividus or Poecilotheira metallica and is naturally blue.
We imagine that spider enthusiasts out there are in awe of the brilliant shade of this creature. We’re not sure how big it is because we’re not major spider fans, but we have a feeling they grow to be pretty huge.
Blue bees
Continuing with the blue theme, this group of bees from France created blue honey. How did they do this? The insects decided to eat out of the trash can at the M&M factory nearby, which made their honey turn blue.
They didn’t stop at blue – they made green and brown honey, too! Unfortunately, this meant it was not up to company standards. As a result, beekeepers had to dispose of the honey as they found M&M shells inside of it.
Frightening Flower
The Rafflesia arnoldii is known as the largest flower in the world. It is found in Indonesia, but this isn’t its only claim to fame. The flower has no stems and attaches itself in a parasitic way to a host for food. This doesn’t surprise us since it looks like an alien.
The giant flower feeds off the host for food. Yuck! We wouldn’t recommend picking out these flowers as a bouquet for anyone. What’s even worse, they have an awful stench when they are in bloom – they smell like rotting meat!
An abnormal pregnancy
It seems that rocks are undergoing a process of evolution, too, judging by this picture. This rock looks like it is nine months pregnant! It’s not too clear how the rock ended up inside another one, but it’s pretty fascinating.
The process is known as ‘concretion’ and is a curiosity of the geological world. In the past, rocks like these were thought to be dinosaur eggs, human artifacts, and even proof of extra-terrestrials! Luckily, it is completely natural, and that makes them all the weirder.
Tomato Inception
Tomatoes are like Marmite – some people love them, and some people hate them. But I think we can all agree that this picture is pretty cute! This tomato is growing new tomatoes on it, which is a natural process called vivipary.
Vivipary is relatively common with fruits like tomatoes and some other vegetables. Pulling the seeds out will help them to grow into a set of entirely new tomatoes. It just goes to prove how incredible Mother Nature can be.
Hey there, little lady
Here is another albino animal for you. This time, it is one of the smaller kinds – a ladybug. Ladybugs – or ladybirds as they’re also known – can come in a variety of colors. This includes red, yellow, and even blue.
This is also possibly not a case of albinism, but instead, a species is known as the “Ashy Grey Lady Beetle.” Do not worry, though – no ladybug species are poisonous to humans but can be toxic to other animals.
Chimera Turtle
It is time for another case of chimerism, which is an exciting part of Mother Nature’s design. Just imagine finding a turtle like this in your yard. Its shell is half dark green and half light green. It looks like it’s been half bleached.
Animals like this are often referred to as “glitches in the matrix.” This is because their strange half-and-half colors make them seem like a computer error. But we can assure you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this cute turtle.
Exciting elephant
All elephants are beautiful creatures, mainly because of their size and clever nature. However, this baby elephant takes the cake for being one of the prettiest we’ve ever seen. This albino elephant can be found at a national park in South Africa.
We would love to take a visit to this park to see this wonderful creature. We can imagine that it’s the most popular animal at the park! Albino elephants have to stay in conservation as they suffer many problems in the wild.
Bulky Bull
This muscly bull would put any gymgoer to shame. Check out that muscly bod! This species of bull, called the “Belgian Blue,” often suffers from a genetic mutation called double muscle. This creates twice as many muscles on its body as in a regular cow.
We can imagine many people being pretty jealous of having muscles this big. Sadly, the double muscle gene mutation causes a lot of issues for animals. For female cows, this mutation makes it difficult for them to feed their young.
Ice, ice, everywhere
You might think that this might be a field of flowers, but you’d be surprised to learn this is a series of ice crystals that formed on the Arctic Sea. Believe it or not, it’s a pretty common occurrence! The view is breathtaking.
This phenomenon occurs only in calm and cool waters. When the air becomes colder than the water that the crystals are sitting on, they create this field of icy flowers. We’d love to take a trip to see it for real!
Crazy Colorado
Here’s another strange snow pattern for you. In Colorado, this user snapped a pic of the water frozen on a slide in the local park. Usually, ice sticks to the ground, but instead, this ice flowed down and molded to the slide’s shape.
This is just one of many strange things to happen in Colorado! The snow in May supposedly brings about a lot of odd happenings. Even so, we can’t imagine that it can get any more beautiful than this ice sculpture.
Another rare formation
This cloud formation, called Mammatus clouds, is a warning sign. They usually form before extreme weather like tornadoes, so be warned if you see these strange cloud balls in the sky. They are created by separate cloud lobes lumping together.
This cloud formation can cover hundreds of miles but only last for around ten to fifteen minutes. If you ever see them, make sure to check the news and take cover from the upcoming terrible weather. Seek shelter as soon as possible.