Wild nature

Are fire tornadoes a real thing? Yes! And so are these other phenomena!

Image: NOAA

You know the rain and the snow. You even know tornadoes, hurricanes, and the green lights in the North. But the weather can be crazier, much crazier than that! Would you believe us if we told you fire can become a tornado or that dust can make cities disappear? When combining the four elements, anything can happen, and we’ve gathered some of the craziest weather phenomena for you here!

Image: Mark Fletcher-Brown

Imagine a tornado picking up flames instead of debris. That’s a fire whirl, a spinning column of fire that can reach hundreds of feet high during wildfires. It forms when intense heat pulls air upward and the wind twists it into a vortex. Two of the worst and most destructive things together, we don’t need to explain the kind of consequences this unusual phenomenon leaves behind!

Image: Irham Setyaki

If you’ve ever seen photos of a giant wall of dust swallowing a city, that’s a haboob. You can double-check, but indeed it says "swallow a city"! These massive dust storms often appear in desert regions like Southern America or northern Africa. They happen when cool air from a thunderstorm rushes down and pushes up dirt and sand, creating a thick rolling curtain of dust. The best way to handle one? Head inside and let it pass, but never try running away from it. There’s no outrunning a haboob.

Image: Declan Sun

You feel the tiny drops of water falling from the sky, but you look at the floor and it’s completely dry. What’s going on? That’s virga, a ghostly phenomenon where the raindrops evaporate before they land. It looks like silky streaks hanging from the clouds, a bit like the sky is trying to rain but changes its mind halfway down. This disappearing act happens when the air below the cloud is too dry. Don’t worry, it’s innocent, just a little bit annoying.

Image: Susan Wilkinson

Tornadoes aren’t just a land thing (or a fire thing for that matter!), they can show up over water too. Waterspouts look like watery funnels rising from the sea, and while they can be dramatic, most are harmless and short-lived. Warm, humid air rising from the surface spins into a twisting column, pulling a bit of water mist with it. Sailors used to think they were sea monsters, but today we know better. Still, it’s not something you’d want to see from your fishing boat.

Image: Marc Szeglat

An erupting volcano is already scary enough, but when lightning starts flashing inside the ash cloud, it’s a spectacle. The bursts of electricity come from bits of rock and ash rubbing together and building up charge. Since volcanoes are hard to study up close, scientists are still learning exactly how this works.

Image: 泽浩 梁

If you’ve ever looked up on a cold night and seen glowing columns stretching toward the sky, you’ve spotted light pillars. They’re not UFOs; they’re ice crystals catching and reflecting light from the ground or the sun. Each tiny crystal acts like a little mirror, turning reflections into tall shimmering towers of color. They’re most common in freezing weather. Have you ever seen this?

Image: Meg

Every so often, the wind gets artistic and rolls snow into little white doughnuts. These rare creations, called snow rollers, need just the right mix of conditions: Sticky snow, a smooth surface, and a steady breeze. The wind pushes bits of snow along the ground until they curl up into round, hollow shapes.

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

Deep in the woods on a cold, damp night, you might find what looks like fine white hair growing on dead branches. That’s hair ice, and it forms thanks to a fungus that lives in rotting wood. The fungus releases chemicals that shape ice into thin, silky strands. They are so delicate, they melt at the first touch of sunlight. It’s one of nature’s quietest and most beautiful tricks.

Image: Stijn te Strake

At sunrise or sunset, look opposite the sun and you might spot a dark blue band climbing or sinking along the horizon. That’s Earth’s own shadow. Above it, a pinkish glow called the Belt of Venus often appears, reflecting the last bit of sunlight. Together, they make one of the simplest yet most breathtaking sky shows.

Image: Jakob Owens

If you’ve ever seen a rainbow-like halo around your shadow while standing above the clouds, you’ve witnessed a glory. It happens when sunlight bounces around inside tiny water droplets, splitting into soft rings of color. When that halo surrounds your shadow on mist or fog, it’s called a Brocken spectre, and it can make you look enormous. Early mountaineers used to think they were seeing spirits. Turns out, it was just their own reflection in nature’s mirror.

Decoding

Being a "treasured guest" is not a compliment. This is the hidden meaning

Have you ever heard "Code Adam" while shopping for groceries at Walmart? Or maybe you’ve heard how "Dr. Firestone" was being paged during a routine hospital visit. They sound like harmless announcements. But behind these ordinary words are secret codes staff use to signal emergencies without causing panic. From hospitals and supermarkets to airports and Disney Parks, these phrases quietly warn employees that something is happening. You hope you never hear them, but if you do, it helps to know exactly what they mean.

We all love getting special attention at airports or hotel desks, but if you hear the clerk call you a "treasured guest," don’t feel so flattered. You may not be as VIP as one could think.

In the hospitality industry, "treasured guest" has become a humorous bit of industry folklore to describe someone causing trouble. Maybe a customer yelling at staff over expired coupons, demanding impossible accommodations, or throwing a full-blown tantrum at the front desk. Whatever it is, the phrase has become the staff’s secret way to warn co-workers without escalating the situation in front of the customers. Most guests don’t realize the meaning, but once you know it, you may start hearing it more often. We just hope it’s not about you.

Imagine you’re pushing a shopping cart through Walmart when suddenly the overhead speaker announces, "Code Adam." You can easily assume it’s some kind of employee meeting or cleanup request. But when you see them start locking the exits and moving around, you know something’s wrong.

This code was created in 1994 by Walmart in collaboration with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), in memory of the tragic case of 6-year-old Adam Walsh. Adam was abducted from a Sears department store in 1981 while shopping with his mother. His father, John Walsh, later became famous for hosting the TV program America’s Most Wanted and advocating for missing children. Even if Adam’s story ended in tragedy, Walmart created the emergency system in Adam’s memory, and other retailers soon adopted it nationwide, intending to have a quick response to missing or abducted children.

You’re sitting in a hospital waiting room during a routine check-up when you suddenly hear "Code Blue, Room 214." Most people immediately know it sounds serious, even if they are not entirely sure why.

The phrase "Code Blue" is used at hospitals to draw the necessary staff and equipment to perform a resuscitation. It was created in the early 1960s at Beathany Medical Center by Dr. Hughes Day. Before then, hospital resuscitations were often chaotic and poorly coordinated. In 1961, Dr. Day received a grant to build one of America’s first cardiac care centers, and he developed both the Code Blue alert system and the modern crash cart to improve survival rates during cardiac emergencies. Today, the system is used in hospitals across the country, sometimes with specialized versions like "Code Blue Pediatric" or "Code Blue Neonate."

Imagine visiting a loved one in the hospital when the intercom calmly announces, "Paging Dr. Firectone to the third floor." Your head surely goes, "Dr. Firestone’s probably having a busy day up there." He is, but it’s not what you think.

The phrase is actually a discreet fire alert used to warn staff about smoke, flames, or overheating equipment without frightening patients and visitors. Hospitals adopted these coded announcements after realizing that openly yelling "fire" over loudspeakers could create panic, especially among patients who aren’t able to move quickly. "Code Red" is an alternative used by many health centers today, but it also hints at the situation while keeping hallways calm.

You’re standing at a checkout counter when the cashier picks up the phone and quietly says, "I need a Code 10 authorization." If you think that’s just another way to get a supervisor’s approval or technical issue, think again. In reality, the cashier may suspect the credit card is stolen or fraudulent.

Code 10 was developed through a cooperative effort between major credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard, along with international standard organizations. As credit cards became more common in the 1960s and 1970s, stores needed a discreet way to alert banks about suspicious activity without directly accusing customers and potentially putting employees at danger. When a cashier requests a Code 10, the bank’s operator begins asking yes-or-no questions to assess the situation and guide the employee on what to do next.

You’ve probably experienced those long airport security lines. The wait is usually uneventful. But sometimes, you can hear "Code Bravo" over the speakers. Maybe it’s a delay, or maybe it’s an issue with luggage. Within seconds, people stop moving, the security line freezes, and exits may even close. It’s something bigger.

Code Bravo is the emergency phrase used by airport security and the Transportation Security Administration to signal a serious security threat, such as an unattended bag, a breach at a checkpoint, or someone slipping into a restricted area. The term comes from the international phonetic alphabet used in aviation and military communications, where "Bravo" represents the letter B. When this is called, security staff immediately lock down affected areas, stop screening lines, and search for the source of the threat. To passengers, it’s sudden and confusing, but to security, it’s a carefully rehearsed response.

You are heading back to your cabin on a cruise ship when the speakers announce, "Code Alpha, Deck 7." You may think Alpha is related to the captain, but that’s not the case. It means someone on board is suffering a medical emergency.

The phrase comes from the NATO phonetic alphabet, where "Alpha" represents the letter A. In maritime emergency jargon, it became shorthand for a Priority A medical situation requiring immediate response. Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line commonly use the term, though some ships use variations like repeating "Alpha" three times. Once the code is announced, onboard medical teams rush toward the specified deck or cabin. If necessary, stretcher crews are mobilized, and in severe cases, the ship may even divert course toward the nearest port for emergency evacuation. Passengers are enjoying the views, but the staff is running to save a life.

Anyone who remembers the CB radio craze of the 1970s probably smiles when they hear "10-4." Movies, truckers, and radio fans turned those number codes into a part of American culture. So if you overhear "10-33" on a police scanner, you might assume it’s just another routine message. But it’s not as simple as it sounds.

The 10-code system was first created in 1937 by Illinois State Police communications director Charles Hopper and later standardized by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, better known as APCO. Officers needed short phrases they could understand clearly over crackling radio signals. The 10-33 code commonly means an officer needs emergency assistance. In some departments, it also signals radio silence so dispatchers can focus on the crisis unfolding in real time.

Disney World is amazing, the parks offer something for everyone, and there are things to see wherever you look. But that’s exactly the kind of place where a child can easily disappear into a sea of strollers, balloons, characters, and crowds. For that reason, Disney has developed the "Signal 70," which alerts cast members and security that a child has become separated from their family.

The number comes from older police and emergency radio systems, where "70" was commonly associated with missing persons. Disney adopted the phrase because it allows employees to communicate discreetly without frightening or alarming nearby guests. If a member finds the child, they gently -and magically- escort them to Baby Care Center, where they coordinate the reunion.

Cruises are great to relax, enjoying a good book under the sun with a nice drink by the side. Until you hear "Echo, echo, echo" on the speakers. If you do, something is happening somewhere else on the ship.

The code is used among cruise employees to signal that dangerous winds or a navigational hazard are affecting the ship. It comes from the international maritime phonetic alphabet, where "Echo" stands for the letter E. In maritime signalling, the letter traditionally means "I am altering my course to starboard." And, in time, the phrase became associated with urgent ship maneuvers and weather-related warnings. However urgent, the repetition of the word by three doesn’t represent life-threatening situations. It alerts the crew of a certain hazard to prepare while avoiding panic among passengers.