Fifteen-year-old Melanie had taken up a new job at a restaurant. After all, it was her summer vacation, and she wanted to save some money. One day, Melanie was unusually late at the restaurant. As it was well past her usual time, she found it difficult to get a cab or bus. The only way […]
Canada’s Spotted Lake located at Osoyoos in British Columbia is noted for possessing numerous minerals such as the sulphates of magnesium, calcium and sodium. When the water evaporates in summer, large ‘spots’ of minerals are found hardened forming natural walkways, in the hues of white, pale yellow, green or blue. The waters have a therapeutic
This story goes way back to the 18th century. The Pickinsons were famous in the small town they lived. The family had 12 children of all sizes and ages. Though huge yet the family had limited means, as the father worked in a coal mine, while the mother was a housewife. One fine evening, the
Perfectly Spherical Boulders or Moeraki Boulders are found on Koekohe Beach, on the south island of New Zealand. These formations were created by hardening sea sediments that have been exposed through erosion. The boulders measure up to 3 metres in diameter, and were formed around 60 million years ago. Studies show their composition as magnesium
South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), known as the Bermuda Triangle of Space, is the point where the Van Allen radiation belts that surround the Earth come closest to the planet’s surface. It is between 1,000 and 6,000 km above the Earth’s surface and one of the most dangerous areas of radiation ever encountered. Astronauts on space
Finally, the summer vacation had started. Bright, warm days of fun-filled activities were here and Peter had his best friend Sally to share them. The children were neighbours and went to school together. The first day of the holidays dawned white and bright. Peter was up early, finished his breakfast, and rushed off to find
In 1964, a Carlisle fireman took a photo of his daughter on Burgh Marsh. The chemist who processed the pictures pointed out that the shot had been spoiled by a figure in the background. Mr Jim Templeton, the photographer, was shocked to see a mysterious figure wearing something like a spacesuit in the frame looked
Laura was troubled by strange phone calls shortly after she had moved into a new house. A man always threatened from the other end, “I’ll tell you how I kill you!” Tired of these threatening calls, Laura talked to her sister. She asked Laura to seek the help of the police. “We are helpless at
These tyre-shaped Snow Donuts are entirely natural. They are found mostly in the open Prairies of North America. The weather conditions that are needed for these to form include wind, temperature, snow, ice and moisture. A Snow Doughnut can range in size from a tennis ball to more than half a metre tall. They start
The Snow Chimneys, also known as Fumaroles, are vents that let steam to escape into the open from volcanoes. In extremely cold temperatures like in the Arctic, the steam freezes as soon as it escapes from the vent. It forms a layer around the vent. Subsequently formed frozen vents heap on one another making massive
Laura was troubled by strange phone calls shortly after she had moved into a new house. A man always threatened from the other end, “I’ll tell you how I kill you!” Tired of these threatening calls, Laura talked to her sister. She asked Laura to seek the help of the police. “We are helpless at
Heavy Sliding Stones appear to move across a dried lake bed known as Racetrack Playa, in California’s Death Valley National Park, leaving a trail behind them in the cracked mud. This apparent movement has been attributed to space aliens or magnetic fields. Nobody had actually seen the movement. Some researchers believed that strong winds could
Skeleton Lake or Roopkund is situated at an altitude of 5,029 metres, in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. Hundreds of skeletons used to be sighted here when slow melts. The bodies dated to around 850 AD. On research, it was found that the cause of death was due to a fatal blow on the back of
A carpet of beautiful green forest, that was perforated by two enormous and apparently very deep holes (Sima Humboldt and Sima Martel), was discovered by a pilot in 1961. Sima Humboldt has a depth of 314 metres and Sima Martel is 248 metres deep. Sima Menor contains the stalactites of exotic black mineral called litiophorite,
The giant Siberian Sinkhole is an 80-metre hole that has been gradually filling up with water and is turning into a lake. It was discovered in 2014, and located in Russia’s northern Yamal Peninsula. It currently has a depth of 10 metres, but researchers say it will continue to rise and it is a natural