Glitches in science

Forget conspiracy theories—these 10 weird facts are real and unexplained

Image: Artur Voznenko

Despite centuries of scientific progress, the universe can still throw us some curveballs that seem to defy all logic and understanding. From bizarre sounds deep in the ocean to strange behavior of stellar objects, these unexplained phenomena continue to stump researchers. Here's a breakdown of 10 strange, real-world mysteries that seem like glitches in reality—and so far remain unsolved.

Image: NASA Hubble Space Telescope

Discovered in 2017, ‘Oumuamua had an unusual shape and trajectory. As it exited the Sun’s influence, it accelerated slightly—an unexpected behavior that left many scientists puzzled.

Some proposed it was an alien probe or, more likely, that outgassing caused the motion, but no definitive explanation fits all the observed data. For now, the mystery of ʻOumuamua remains unsolved.

Image: Hunter So

Ball lightning has been reported for centuries, often lasting longer than normal lightning and moving erratically indoors or out. Witnesses describe orbs ranging from pea-sized to several feet in diameter.

Even now, there is rare photographic evidence, and the phenomenon has defied controlled reproduction. A 2014 study in China captured spectral data, but scientists still can't agree on how or why it forms.

Image: Raychel Sanner

The 72-second radio burst, detected by Ohio State’s Big Ear radio telescope in 1977, was so unusual that astronomer Jerry Ehman circled it and wrote "Wow!" in the margin.

No known natural or terrestrial source matched its signature. Despite repeated searches in the same spot, the signal has never been heard again.

Image: Bradley Singleton

Captured in 1997 by underwater sensors thousands of kilometers apart, the "Bloop" was an ultra-low-frequency sound louder than any known sea creature. It matched no whale or geological activity profile.

NOAA later suggested icequakes as a possible source, but the exact characteristics didn’t match typical ice calving.

Image: Michael Krahn

Observed in areas like Japan and Italy, these luminous events precede seismic activity by seconds or minutes. They range from white-blue glows to flame-like columns.

No single mechanism explains them. Theories involve piezoelectric effects in rocks, but reproducible lab evidence is sparse and inconsistent.

Image: Denise Jans

Strangely, some organ recipients report new preferences and even memories post-surgery. These aren’t rare coincidences—dozens of documented cases involve patients suddenly acquiring traits of their donors.

A woman who received a heart from a biker craved beer and fast food, which she never had before. A form of cellular memory or nervous system signaling beyond current knowledge has been proposed as a possible explanation, but too little is still known about the phenomenon.

Image: aly

Apparently, hot water can sometimes freeze faster than cold water. Observed since Aristotle and confirmed in many experiments, this phenomenon—known as the Mpemba effect—defies our current understanding of thermodynamics.

While evaporation and convection may play a role, they don’t explain all scenarios. No consistent model accurately predicts when the effect will occur, despite decades of research.

Image: Ryan Hutton

An invisible force is accelerating the universe’s expansion—and we still barely understand it. First inferred from supernova data in 1998, dark energy appears to make up about 68% of the universe’s mass-energy content.

Yet no direct measurement or particle-based theory explains its nature. It’s known only through its large-scale gravitational effects.

Image: NASA Hubble Space Telescope

Also known as KIC 8462852, Tabby’s Star is a binary star system in the constellation Cygnus, approximately 1,470 light-years from Earth. The star dims erratically—yet in ways that don’t match common explanations like planetary transits.

Its strange behavior has led some astronomers to speculate about exotic causes, including an alien megastructure. However, current data largely rules out that possibility.

Image: Dylan Shaw

Weird as it sounds, a region in East Antarctica has less gravity than expected. While gravity varies slightly across the Earth, the cause of this particular anomaly remains unknown.

Known as the Wilkes Land Mass Anomaly, it covers an area approximately 200 miles wide and causes a noticeable local drop in gravity. First detected via satellite data, it may be the remnant of a massive asteroid impact—or maybe even something deeper.

ANCHORED IN SUPERSTITION

10 Strange Nautical Beliefs That Put Old-Timey Sailors On Edge

Image: Clément Falize

Ahoy, landlubbers! Sailors of yore were a superstitious bunch, believing in omens and all sorts of rituals to keep them safe on the treacherous seas. But who can blame them? It was a dangerous profession to be a sailor in their times.

From bananas to anchor tattoos, here are 10 eerie maritime superstitions that were once part of the unwritten laws of the sea.

Image: Giorgio Trovato

"Why forbid a good source of fiber and vitamins during a long journey at sea?" you might rightly wonder. While at first glance the taboo doesn’t seem to make much sense, it has been argued that the main reasons were the fruit’s tendency to rot quickly and bring with it all sorts of bugs and critters, particularly the lethal Brazilian wandering spider. Eventually, the real reason got buried beneath the superstition, and the fruit became synonymous with calamity.

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen

Whistling was forbidden on board as it was believed to summon fierce winds. The superstition likely stemmed from the sound mimicking the howling of a gale, striking fear into sailors' hearts. So, should you ever find yourself at sea, resist the temptation to whistle - lest you be blamed for inviting misfortune onboard!

Image: Terry Vlisidis

Spilling wine on the deck was seen as a good omen, believed to appease the sea gods and ensure a safe voyage. Similarly, when a ship is launched for the very first time, a bottle of champagne is smashed on the bow to bring her good fortune. Nevertheless, unless you are the captain, refrain from pouring wine on the deck without asking first - or you might end up scrubbing it!

Image: udit saptarshi

Tossing a coin overboard before setting sail was thought to appease the gods and guarantee a prosperous journey. This tradition persisted across cultures, from ancient Greece to Viking Scandinavia. On the contrary, dropping a stone from a departing vessel was considered a bad omen, as it seemingly had the opposite effect, ensuring the ship would never return.

Image: Chris Barbalis

"Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."

This age-old adage served as an ancient way of predicting the weather, with a red sky at night signaling fair weather on the horizon, and a red dawn announcing stormy or treacherous weather. Sailors trusted this rhyme to heart, and according to modern meteorologists, there is an inkling of truth in it. A red sky often means that there is a lot of water vapor in the atmosphere, and since in mid-latitude regions storms tend to move from west to east, the rhyme was an easy mnemotechnic device to broadly estimate weather patterns.

Image: 2H Media

Although Fridays actually seem like one of the best days of the week to go sailing, this is surprisingly an enduring nautical superstition. Old sailors believed that Fridays were unlucky for embarking on a seafaring journey (especially on the 13th). This superstition likely originated from the Christian belief that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, instilling fear in sailors.

Image: benjamin lehman

Sailors adorned themselves with tattoos not only for personal expression but also for protection at sea. Designs like anchors and nautical stars were believed to ward off evil spirits and ensure a safe return home. These two designs actually served very specific purposes, as an anchor was said to ensure a sailor would not get lost at sea should he fall overboard, and a nautical star allegedly helped sailors find their way home.

Image: Fer Nando

The sight of an albatross trailing a ship was seen as a symbol of good fortune. Believed to be the souls of dead sailors, the birds were revered among seafaring adventurers, and killing one was said to bring great misfortune upon a ship. This superstition was likely popularized by Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," which warned sailors against harming these majestic birds.

Image: Kalen Emsley

Historically, women were considered bad luck on ships, believed to anger the sea gods and stir up tempests. During the Age of Sail, women who wanted to heed the call of the sea were forced to disguise themselves as men, but in spite of the difficulties some even became feared pirates, like Mary Read and Anne Bonny, who sailed under the command of the infamous Captain Jack Rackham. This misogynistic superstition persisted for centuries, despite the invaluable contributions of female sailors to the art of sailing.

Image: Kevin Keith

To this day, when passing the equator, sailors often engage in all sorts of rituals and celebrations in the name of King Neptune. This quirky tradition actually goes back almost 400 years, beginning in the British Navy, and becoming popular even in civilian or scientific crews. The ancient ritual is said to ensure safe passage into the Southern Hemisphere, and even Charles Darwin witnessed it during his voyages!