From Dormouse Snails to Killer Diamonds: A Guide to the Strangest Phenomena on the Planet (11 photos)

Did you know that some snails can sleep for years, and trees can shoot seeds?





The world is full of amazing phenomena that sound like fiction, but are confirmed by science and history.

1. The Air Wanderer



The common swift may spend its first two or three years in the air, flying continuously, before it begins to breed and lands for the first time.

2. A unique region





The Republic of Kalmykia, the only region in Europe where Buddhism is the most widespread religion, the majority of the population are Kalmyks, a people of Mongolian origin, and the Kalmyk language is related to Mongolian.

3. Living Bridges



In India, there are 500-year-old bridges woven from living roots that withstand monsoon floods without rotting, and only become stronger over time.

4. Sleeping for Years



Some desert snails can survive for years without water and food. In 1846, a shell that was thought to be dead was glued to an exhibit at the British Museum, but after 4 years the snail woke up from a drop of water. And in one experiment, 10 out of 40 snails survived 8 years in complete isolation. Their secret is anabiosis: an almost complete halt in metabolism, allowing them to survive even a long drought. Modern research confirms that some species (for example, Sphincterochila) can survive in hibernation for up to 5-10 years.

5. The Everlasting Product



Honey never spoils – 3,000-year-old jars of honey were found in Egyptian tombs and were still edible. Due to its low humidity and natural preservatives, honey can last forever if properly sealed.

6. Record holders for the ability to do without air



Seals can hold their breath for up to 2 hours. The record holder is the elephant seal, which dives to a depth of 1.5 kilometers and slows its heart rate from 80 to 5 beats per minute, saving oxygen.

7. The "Cursed" Diamond



The Hope Diamond (45.5 carats) is considered one of the most cursed in history: its owners died under mysterious circumstances - from being torn apart by a crowd to financial collapse and suicide. Even Marie Antoinette, who allegedly owned the stone, was executed by guillotine. Now it is stored in the Smithsonian Museum (USA), and employees claim that they feel a "chilling cold" from it.

8. Unique language



In the Nigerian village of Ubang (10,000 residents), there is a language with a divided vocabulary: the same objects are called differently depending on the gender of the speaker.

Boys up to 10 years old use female words, but then must switch to male ones - this is a sign of growing up. The problem is that the language is disappearing: it has no written language, and young people prefer English.

9. Dynamite Tree



Hura crepitans - exploding hura - an evergreen shrub that grows in tropical regions of South America, scatters seeds at a speed of 70 m/ s (250 km/ h). Its ripe fruits explode with a loud bang, flying 100 meters. The Indians of the Amazon used the juice of this tree for poisonous arrows, and botanists call it "the most dangerous projectile plant."

10. History of the word



Before the mass production of steel pens (mid-19th century), people wrote with goose quills, which needed to be sharpened regularly. This process was called sharpening. A special compact knife for this procedure was nicknamed a penknife.

Over time, steel pens replaced goose pens, but the word remained. Now any pocket knife is called a penknife, even if it has never been used to sharpen pens.