Weird nature

10 animals that shouldn’t exist (but do anyway)

Image: Rachael Mbaika

Nature doesn’t always play by the rules. Some animals seem like evolutionary jokes, while others look like science experiments gone rogue. Whether it's their appearance, behavior, or biology, these 10 creatures will have you questioning reality—but every single one is real. Let’s meet them together!

Image: Michael Jerrard

The platypus looks like someone smashed together a duck, beaver, and otter—and then added venom, for good measure. Native to Australia, it's one of only five monotremes, mammals that lay eggs.

Males have venomous spurs on their hind legs, capable of delivering excruciating pain. And when it hunts underwater, it closes its eyes, ears, and nostrils, relying entirely on electroreception to sense the tiny electric fields of its prey.

Image: Mattias Banguese

These weird-looking guys never grow up—literally. Unlike other types of salamanders, the axolotl retains its larval features throughout life, a trait known as neoteny.

They can regrow limbs, spinal cords, parts of their heart, and even sections of their brain. Found only in lakes near Mexico City, it's critically endangered in the wild but common in labs due to its regenerative abilities.

Image: Claus Giering

These tiny crustaceans pack a punch so fast it boils the water around them, creating shockwaves and cavitation bubbles. Their strikes can hit speeds of about 50 mph, with accelerations rivaling a speeding bullet.

They also have some of the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom, capable of seeing polarized light and 12 color channels (for comparison, humans only have 3).

Image: Dasha Urvachova

Native to the Eurasian steppes, the saiga’s oversized, drooping nose looks cartoonish but serves real functions: it filters dust and regulates temperature.

Once widespread, the species is now critically endangered due to poaching and disease outbreaks that can wipe out huge populations in weeks.

Image: Lara Lone

These hairless rodents—close cousins of more familiar, fur-covered mole species (pictured)—live in underground colonies with a social structure similar to bees. They're nearly immune to cancer, insensitive to pain, and can survive 18 minutes without oxygen.

Their cells have unique mechanisms for DNA repair and protein stability, making them a valuable subject in medical research, especially for aging and disease resistance.

Image: Clement Meers

This lemur species from Madagascar uses its grotesquely long middle finger to tap on wood and fish out insects—like a skeletal woodpecker.

Locals have traditionally feared them as omens of death. Sadly, this superstition contributes to its declining population, alongside habitat loss.

Image: Albert Canite

This jellyfish can revert its cells to an earlier stage of life, effectively resetting its aging process. It doesn’t die of old age—it just starts over.

It's not truly immortal—injuries and predation can still kill it—but its ability to cheat aging is unique in the animal kingdom.

Image: Joe Lemm

This six-inch-long, velvety creature looks like it was designed by a plush toy company. Found mainly in Argentina, it burrows underground and is rarely spotted in the wild.

Its pink armor acts as both protection and a way to regulate body temperature. Despite its cuteness, very little is known due to its elusive, nocturnal behavior.

Image: Wai Siew

This deep-sea shark can shoot its jaw forward at about 10 feet per second, snatching prey with lightning speed. Its long, flat snout houses special sensors to detect electric fields.

With translucent skin and a prehistoric look, it’s sometimes called a "living fossil." It’s rarely seen alive due to its deep-sea habitat.

Image: Tim Morgan

With its comically large nose, the male proboscis monkey looks absurd—but females apparently find it attractive. The nose also amplifies vocalizations to assert dominance.

Native to Borneo, it’s a strong swimmer with webbed feet but is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

Something wicked this way comes

Are you sure you're not spellbound? The 10 most iconic witches in fiction

Image: Cristina Hernández

Broomsticks, cauldrons, potions, black cats, crystal balls, magic wands! What do all these bring to your mind? Some good, some not so good, witches have been recurring characters in the human imagination, appearing in ancient myths, folklore, fairy tales, and even on TV and in films. Among them, some witches stood out, becoming memorable characters for all of us. If you want to remember 10 iconic witches from literature, movies, and TV, this article is for you!

Image: Neal E. Johnson

L. Frank Baum is the creator of the legendary Wicked Witch of the West, who first appears in the famous novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900.

One of the main antagonists of Dorothy and her friends, the Wicked Witch of the West is the archetypal witch with all the bells and whistles: she is a malevolent old lady who wears a black dress and a pointy hat, often holding her broomstick.

What many people don't know is that the familiar image of the witch we know today is largely thanks to Margaret Hamilton, who portrayed the green-skinned Wicked Witch in the 1939 film adaptation of the story.

Image: Becca Tapert

Another witch inhabits the world of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but this one is quite different from the previous one.

Known as "The Good Witch," Glinda is exactly that: a witch with good intentions. Unlike the Wicked Witch, Glinda helps Dorothy on her journey, using her powers for good. These opposing differences are also reflected in their appearances: Glinda is a beautiful woman who wears a pink dress and carries not a broom but a wand, almost like a fairy godmother.

It was actress Billie Burke who brought Glinda to the big screen in the 1939 adaptation.

Image: Jeremy Bishop

Every hero needs a villain, just as every princess needs an evil witch. And the story of Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989) is no exception.

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, the Disney movie has made Ariel the world's most famous mermaid. But her life under the sea isn't so peaceful, and this is due, in large part, to the evil Ursula.

With her purple skin, white hair, garish makeup, and especially her large tentacles, Ursula is one of Disney's most emblematic villains. In the story, Ursula offers to use her powers to fulfill Ariel's wish to become human. However, her intentions are anything but kind.

Image: Elena Mozhvilo

Moving beyond the stereotypical hats, brooms, and wrinkled skin, the classic American TV sitcom Bewitched (1964-1972) introduced us to Samantha Stephens, a modern-day witch.

Samantha is portrayed by Elizabeth Montgomery, who, over the course of 8 seasons, turned the character into one of TV's most beloved witches.

Unlike other witch characters, Samantha is a kind woman who chooses to live a quiet life in the suburbs with her husband. Although she tries to avoid using magic in her day-to-day life, she often encounters weird and comical situations that leave her with no choice. When she turns to her powers, she always does so with good intentions through an iconic and recognizable gesture: her nose twitches.

Image: Kristin O Karlsen

What memories do you have from your teenage years? Now, imagine having magical powers—how different would that have been? What would the life of a teenage witch be like?

Fortunately, the answer to that last question exists: Sabrina Spellman, the teenage witch. This iconic character first appeared in 1962 as part of Archie's Madhouse #22, a spinoff of the main Archie comics. Sabrina is a teenager like any other, living a normal life—with the small detail that she has magical abilities. Like other witches on this list, Sabrina has a good heart and often tries to help others. She is often accompanied by her pet, which, as it couldn’t be otherwise, is a black cat named Salem.

One of the most famous adaptations was the 1996 live-action series called Sabrina the Teenage Witch, starring Melissa Joan Hart as the main character.

Image: Rosie Sun

While Sabrina and Samantha are kind witches often involved in comical situations, not all the characters in this article are like that. In fact, some are quite the opposite.

Such is the case with the mysterious Blair Witch, first introduced in the 1999 film The Blair Witch Project. In the story, a group of students decide to spend the night in the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland, to investigate the local tale of the Blair Witch. They never return.

All that is found of them is the footage they made during their time in the hills, which turns out to be absolutely terrifying, showing eerie events blamed on the presence of the evil witch. But there's something about the Blair Witch that makes her even more disturbing: you never get to see her.

Image: Sixteen Miles Out

In Act 1, Scene 1 of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, we're introduced to three iconic characters who embody dark forces. They are the Three Witches, also known as the Weird Sisters.

Representing fate and conflict, the Three Witches are responsible for making prophecies that guide the plot of Macbeth. With their eerie appearance and cryptic prophecies, they play a crucial role in Macbeth's destiny by understanding his weaknesses and manipulating the ambition within him.

Shakespeare made The Three Witches speak in rhyming couplets, with one of their most famous lines being, "Double, double, toil and trouble, / Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

Image: Geoffrey Moffett

Winifred, Sarah, and Mary are the Sanderson Sisters, the antagonistic trio of witches in Hocus Pocus, the classic 1993 Disney movie. Spectacularly blending horror and humor, each of the sisters has her own unique quirks.

Winifred, played by Bette Midler in the movie, is characterized by her iconic red hair and green dress. She's also the leader and the most skilled sister. In fact, she's the one who casts the spell that brings the three witches back to life.

Played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah's greatest strength is her charm, especially her melodious voice, through which she sings songs that hypnotize children.

Finally, Mary, played by Kathy Najimy, is very loyal and possesses the spooky ability to sense the smell of children to catch them.

Image: Tikkho Maciel

When it comes to scary witches, we can't fail to mention Maleficent, a full-fledged Disney villain.

Based on the evil fairy from Charles Perrault's classic tale The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, Maleficent first appeared in Disney's 1959 adaptation. She is a powerful and elegant witch, noted for her spiteful and vengeful personality. She casts a spell on Princess Aurora because the king and queen don't invite her to the christening. She condemns the princess to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep on her 16th birthday until the kiss of true love awakens her.

In 2014, the evil Maleficent had her own movie, with the wonderful Angelina Jolie in the title role.

Image: Artem Maltsev

Since the publication of J.K. Rowling's first book about the iconic young wizard in 1997, and especially since the release of the first movie in 2001, Harry Potter has become a worldwide phenomenon, with thousands upon thousands of fans.

In this story, there's a trio of magical students who stand out for their good intentions and strong friendship: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

Hermione is one of the most popular witches of the 20th century. Her intelligence, skills, loyalty, high morals, and bravery set her apart from other characters of the same age. She shows enormous dedication and commitment to her education, and thanks to her, we all know that "It's Leviosa, not Leviosar!"