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Nature is full of surprises that most people will not even believe are true or that they can happen. From the largest organism in the world to an exploding lake, let us share with you some of the most interesting facts about nature.
1. The Largest Organism on Earth Isn’t a Whale or a Tree
Most people would think that the largest organism on earth would be something like the blue whale or an elephant descendant of a mammoth. Actually, the answer is a fungus.
The Armillaria ostoyae, also called the Humongous Fungus, because of just how gigantic this organism is.
This is an underground network of fungi that has been growing for thousands of years in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest. Since they are all technically considered part of one whole organism, they are considered the largest on the planet.
Did you expect that it was going to be a fungus?
2. The Exploding Lake
Usually, we can only see lakes that are on fire, on the ones that are on top of a volcano. However, one occurrence back in 1986, at Lake Nyos in Cameroon, an explosion happened that took the lives of almost 1800 people.
Since it sits on top of volcanic gas that can release clouds of carbon dioxide, an explosion could happen at any moment. Up to this day, it is considered one of the most dangerous places on the planet.
3. The Animal That Sees With Its Skin
Only a handful of animals don’t need their eyes, and the Mexican tetra, a species of cavefish, is one of them.
It evolved to detect and find light using specialized cells in the body and skin. Since they live most of their lifetimes in the dark, they have adapted to this situation by evolving.
One of the countless scenarios where life proved to us that nature can find a way if it wants to survive.
4. The Island of Eternal Fire
In Java, Indonesia, there is a place where fire seemingly continues to burn for decades. The Kawah Ijen volcano is home to the blue fires, where the sulfuric gases from beneath the earth escape and come into contact with air.
Upon this connection, the gases ignite and create a blue fire that can reach up to 16 feet high.
Most of the time, it can only be seen at night, making it one of the deadliest and at the same time prettiest scenery on Earth.
5. The Fish That Can Blink With Both Eyes
Did you already know that most fishes in the ocean do not blink? It is a defensive mechanism, especially because of how dangerous it is for them to blink in there.
However, sharks are one the kings of the ocean. They have their own built-in goggles that allow them to blink both eyes at the same time to protect their eyes while hunting.
Author's Final Thoughts
Which of these facts actually surprised you? Or do you already know that they happened or are happening in nature? Share your thoughts with us, and stay tuned for a bunch more interesting facts that we will publish here.
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