Hidden below

What’s lurking beneath your backyard? 10 insane finds you won’t believe!

Image: Evgeniy Kozlov

If you have a backyard, chances are you've wondered what might be lurking beneath its surface. While most of us will only find little more than rocks—or perhaps the remains of a long-lost pet—incredible discoveries aren’t as rare as you might think. From priceless treasures and ancient artifacts to entire forgotten graveyards, here are 10 astonishing stories of people who unearthed remarkable finds right on their own property!

Image: Rick Lobs

In Virginia, a homeowner unearthed a 150-year-old Civil War cannonball while digging. The artillery shell, found near the site of a historical battle, was over 150 years old. Such relics are not uncommon in Virginia, a state that saw more action than any other during the war. Despite their age, unexploded ordnance like this remains risky, as even after centuries these artifacts can still be active and ready to blow up.

Image: Steve Wrzeszczynski

In 2017, a man in Pombal, Portugal, uncovered the fossilized remains of a sauropod dinosaur while doing construction work on his property. Sauropods are a species of plant-eating herbivores. They are among the largest land animals ever to exist, and this particular specimen was even thought to be the largest ever found in Europe.

Image: Roman Kraft

In Massachusetts, construction work at a schoolyard uncovered a 124-year-old time capsule—a copper box about the size of a shoebox. Inside were newspapers from 1894, fragments of Civil War military uniforms, and lists of local residents who served in the war. The remarkable find was donated to a local historical society for evaluation and preservation.

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In the UK, a man discovered an urn containing thousands of ancient Roman coins while digging a fishpond in his backyard, just four feet below the surface. Talk about striking gold! The coins were estimated to be around 1,700 years old. Roman coin hoards have been found across Britain, often dating back to the decline of the Roman Empire.

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In Tampa, Florida, a family had their own "Goonies" moment while cleaning out their grandfather's attic. During spring cleaning, they discovered a box containing a tattered map of the Hillsborough River, 18th-century Spanish and Portuguese coins, a family photo—and a mysterious hand wearing an antique ring. To make it even crazier, some suggest the hand might belong to the infamous Tampa Bay pirate José Gaspar.

Image: Jerry Wei

In 1978, two Los Angeles children reportedly discovered a buried Ferrari in their backyard, thought to have been stolen years earlier. The wild story made national news, with the most surprising detail being that the car was in shockingly good condition despite its time underground. However, it was later revealed that the story was a cover-up: an informant had tipped off the police about the car's location, and the story was a plan to shield the snitch's identity.

Image: Library of Congress

In Plymouth, England, an unexploded World War II bomb was found in a garden, forcing the evacuation of 10,000 people. Bomb disposal experts took the device away and, after considering all options, decided to detonate it at sea. Unsurprisingly, the event brought the community together during the massive evacuation, with some likening the sense of unity to the "wartime spirit" of old.

Image: Jingming Pan

In a strange case from Roanne, France, a couple who had recently purchased a house found 28 gold bars buried in the garden, with an estimated value of 800,000 euros (roughly equivalent to 822,000 US dollars). However, when they attempted to sell the bars, their sudden riches drew the attention of the French anti-money laundering agency. This led to claims from the previous owners of the house, quickly turning the discovery into a legal headache.

Image: Dylan de Jonge

While renovating their home in Ames, New York, a couple uncovered a stash of Prohibition-era whiskey hidden inside the walls and floorboards. Bundles wrapped in tattered paper contained six bottles each of "Old Smuggler" Gaelic Whiskey, dating back to 1923. The house had once been owned by a German bootlegger named Adolph Humpfner, who undoubtedly left behind the secret stash for the future. A true treasure for whiskey lovers!

Image: Ashutosh Gupta

A family in Norway got more than they bargained for when searching their yard for a lost earring with a metal detector. Instead of jewelry, they uncovered relics from a Viking burial beneath a large tree. The finds included two bronze ornaments once covered in gold, possibly marking the first Viking Age (A.D. 793–1066) discovery on the island of Jomfruland. Experts even said this amazing find confirmed suspicions that the island was inhabited during the Viking period.

Spell it if you can

10 words you are probably spelling wrong—and why

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English is far from easy—even native speakers stumble over it! With roots in multiple languages, countless borrowed words, and a wealth of silent letters, English spelling is rarely straightforward. So, don’t feel bad if you often slip up on one of these 10 common spelling mistakes—it’s not entirely your fault. Check to see if you’ve been misspelling any of these words, or just brush up on what you already know!

Image: Viktor Talashuk

Common misspellings: Beauracracy, burocracy

With double vowels, a silent "e," and an unconventional ending, "bureaucracy" has tripped up spellers for centuries. It originates from the French word bureau, which means "desk," and was later adopted into English with the suffix -cracy, from the Greek kratos, meaning power or authority.

The main issue with this word is that, unlike similar terms like democracy, it retains the French "eau" instead of the more common linking of an "o." With such complicated spelling, we can confidently say that it fits its meaning.

Image: jules a.

Common misspelling: Mispell

Ah, the irony! Not even "misspell" is safe from its own definition. The origin of this word lies in combining the prefix "mis-," meaning "wrong," with "spell," thus resulting in a letter repetition in the middle. Many miss the double "s" simply because they’re unfamiliar with the rule or feel that one "s" is enough (let’s be frank, maybe it should!).

This common error highlights a key spelling challenge in English: we often use prefixes like "mis-" or "dis-" that create doubled letters when combined with words starting with "s-," but the rules can sometimes be confusing, leading to embarrassing typos—especially for a word about spelling!

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Common misspelling: Pharoah

With silent letters and an unusual "ph" sound, "Pharaoh" is a notorious spelling challenge that many struggle to get right. Originating from the Egyptian word pr-’o, meaning "great house," it underwent several transformations through Greek and Latin before being incorporated into English.

However, unless you're familiar with Ancient Egypt’s monarchy, you can probably be excused for getting this one wrong.

Image: Steve Harvey

Common misspelling: Acomodate

Double letters are one of the usual suspects in English spelling—if you're not paying attention, you can easily miss a letter or add one where it isn’t necessary. In this case, the double "c" and "m" in "accommodate" trip up spellers constantly.

The word comes from the Latin accommodare, meaning "to make fit," and it retained its doubling when it entered English. To help remember the correct spelling, think of it as if the extra Cs and Ms need "accommodating" inside the word.

Image: Billy Albert

Common misspelling: Questionair

The term "questionnaire" comes from the French questionnaire and means any type of survey or form that collects responses—just like in English.

Again, the tricky double "n" in "questionnaire" is what throws many off, and to make matters worse, the "e" ending is also quite unusual. Borrowed unchanged from French, this word retained its original structure, which explains its peculiar spelling.

Image: Aleksi Partanen

Common misspellings: Miscellanious, micellaneous

This word’s many vowels and the hard-to-place "s" make it inherently difficult to spell. Derived from Latin miscere, meaning "to mix," "miscellaneous" actually follows Latin word-building conventions, resulting in a challenging combination of letters.

Due to its unconventional vowel usage, length, and Latin phonetics, "miscellaneous" often catches people off guard.

Image: Philippe Oursel

Common misspelling: Consciencious

"Conscientious" describes someone who’s meticulous or morally aware—a fittingly difficult word for a complex concept. This word blends the Latin roots conscire (to know) and scientia (knowledge), leading to an uncommon combination of "sci" and "tious" in the same word, which often makes it tough to spell.

As with many words that follow non-English spelling norms, it’s surprisingly easy to misspell!

Image: Amina Atar

Common misspelling: Aceptable

"Acceptable" is often misspelled with only one "c," becoming "aceptable" (unacceptable, isn’t it?). Meaning "agreeable" or "satisfactory," "acceptable" follows a Latin-inspired spelling convention that doubles consonants.

The correct spelling comes from the Latin acceptabilis, meaning "worthy of acceptance." It’s the tricky double "c" that most frequently trips people up.

Image: Jamie Davies

Common misspelling: Rendevous

A French import, "rendezvous" retains its original spelling, which—naturally—doesn’t follow English phonetics. That would be too easy, wouldn’t it?

Originally a military term for a designated meeting point, this challenging word has a sneaky "z" right in the middle, and a silent "s" at the end, challenging spellers with its unexpected letter arrangement.

Image: Scott Rodgerson

Common misspelling: Cemetary

"Cemetery" is deceptively simple, yet often misspelled with an "a" as "cemetary." The confusion stems from other English words like "elementary" and "commentary" that follow a similar sound pattern but use the "-ary" suffix instead of "-ery."

This term comes from the Greek koimeterion, meaning "sleeping place," via Latin. Despite its somber meaning, it’s one of the most commonly misspelled words.