As the fourth-largest country in the world, the United States has a vast assortment of picture-perfect natural scenery to flaunt. From the Alaskan Tundra to the Gulf of Mexico, Niagara Falls to the Hawaiian Islands, the contrasts between the 50 American states and five territories are fascinating and sometimes enigmatic.

Geological, physical, chemical, and biological phenomena have rational explanations, but some are so rare they seem to be a figment of a science fiction screenwriter’s imagination. Nonetheless, understandable or not, they do—unmistakably—indulge the senses.

From features in national parks to regional quirks, Stacker compiled a list of 20 of the strangest natural phenomena in the U.S. Anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of these phenomena must remain mindful of the risks they face in the wilderness and also of the damage they could inflict on the environment. Government and community organizations manage the grounds where many of these natural happenings occur—and are often available to guide visitors through their journey.

So, revel in that which only nature can offer, buckle up for a jaw-dropping adventure, and enjoy the ride.

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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

Death Valley’s sailing stones

Death Valley National Park was established as a natural monument in 1933. Although its name could be more inviting, its beauty is undeniably unique. Its main attraction is the geological phenomenon known as the sailing stones—a mystery that kept scientists and explorers in awe for decades.

In the early 2010s, time-lapse photographs and rigorous investigations uncovered the enigma. The rocks, ranging from weighing a few ounces to over 700 pounds, move every winter without human or animal intervention when the wind blows strong enough to slide them over thin sheets of melting ice. The ice melts and moves when exposed to warm morning sunlight, a process known as ice shove.

Kate Scott // Shutterstock

Florida’s colorful swamp

When oils released by decaying vegetation drift into the pooled water of the Sunshine State’s wetlands, a rainbow-colored phenomenon decorates the scenery: Florida’s colorful swamp. The spots of oil slick reflect sunlight into trees and bushes, making them look multihued and vibrant. The natural spectacle can appear in any swamp and any time of the year, but it is rather notorious under a cloudless sunny sky and when humidity is at its highest.

akphotography00 // Shutterstock

Lunar rainbows

Much rarer than rainbows but just as marvelous, moonbows or lunar rainbows can appear when the moon is in or near its full phase and positioned low in the sky, most likely an hour before sunrise or after sunset. As with rainbows, water droplets must be in the air—from waterfalls, rain, or breaking waves—on the opposite side of the light-reflecting celestial body for the iridescent visual phenomenon to happen.

SIHASAKPRACHUM // Shutterstock

Great Smoky Mountains’ lightning bugs

Sometime between the third week of May and the third week of June, the beetle species, officially known as Photinus carolinus, will enter its mating season in the Great Smoky Mountains. Male fireflies synchronize their flashing lights so females can recognize them. The spectacle put on by millions of lightning bugs blinking simultaneously in the dark forest nights attracts hundreds of tourists who plan their visit several months in advance.

Sopotnicki // Shutterstock

Taos hum

To this day, there is no agreement among the scientific community about why 2% of people hear a low-frequency hum in the small town of Taos, New Mexico, and its surroundings since the 1990s. The explanations for the mystery range from plain boring—such as tinnitus—to amusingly creative, like secret government mind control experiments. Real or not, it seems like the only way to find out if there is a humming sound in the historic Taos area is to pay a visit and formulate your own hypothesis.

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Susanne Pommer // Shutterstock

Yellowstone’s geysers

The attractions of Yellowstone Park have been in the making for over half a million years. Geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots result from the interaction between underground volcanic activity and groundwater. The superheated water of hot springs—trapped in channels leading to the surface—erupts when the steam in the inner layers of the volcanic caldera (where Yellowstone lays) lifts the cooler water in the upper layers causing the flashy phenomenon called geysers. The most famous performer of the geothermal show is Old Faithful, a highly predictable geyser that erupts every 45 to 100 minutes.

Gregory B Cuvelier // Shutterstock

Horsetail Fall in Yosemite

Every summer night for almost a century, burning hot embers were poured from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park down the cliff to the valley below. The 3,000-foot drop of incandescent coal put on a magnificent show that attracted growing crowds from 1872 to 1968. Nowadays, a natural spectacle evocative of the man-made fire has taken center stage: Horsetail Fall in Yosemite, an evanescent waterfall that sometimes—during the two last weeks of February—turns bright orange when backlit by the sunset gleam.

lu_sea // Shutterstock

Thor’s Well

An hour before high tide, the Oregon Coast near Cape Perpetua seems peaceful and innocuous. As the minutes go by and the Pacific Ocean climbs closer to the shore, a 20-foot-deep sinkhole, known as Thor’s Well, begins to swallow the seawater. Not long after, the water overflows and starts erupting to heights of 25 feet. The water flowing and ejecting through the slippery basalt rock cavity during winter storms is a natural performance worthy of bearing the name of the mighty god of thunder. However, keep your distance: The phenomenon can be as dangerous as it is sensational.

SCStock // Shutterstock

Mendenhall Glacier

Alaska’s scenery is unparalleled. Many of nature’s finest exhibits call the northernmost state home. One is Mendenhall Glacier, an enormous glacier that flows from the Juneau Icefield, a 1,500-square-mile stretch of rock, snow, and ice. The frozen giant started retreating three centuries ago when its annual melting began exceeding its annual accumulation of ice. Nevertheless, it would take hundreds of years for the glacier to disappear completely, so there is more than enough time to visit it and admire its greatness.

WeichengHan // Shutterstock

San Diego bioluminescent shore

Neon blue, glowing sparkles light up San Diego’s beaches during the nights of the last weeks of summer. The eye-opening event occurs when microorganisms named Dinoflagellates travel back and forth on the ocean waves. Images of surfers, boaters, and even dolphins splashing through the glimmering water are all over the internet. Still, nothing beats the experience of seeing the bioluminescent shores with your own eyes. The occurrence is not exclusive to San Diego; it can be seen on several beaches along California’s coastline.

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Yernar Almabek // Shutterstock

New York’s ice volcano

Letchworth State Park in western New York hosts a yearly natural event known as the ice volcano. In the middle of winter, constant frosty temperatures allow the water of a fountain (fed by a natural pond uphill) to freeze until it reaches heights of 20 to 50 feet. The cone-shaped structure forms next to the Glen Iris Inn, once the mansion of an iron magnate and philanthropist after whom the scenic park was named.

Eric Brinley // Shutterstock

Singing sands at Great Sand Dunes National Park

The air pushing through the sand grains of an avalanche at the Great Sand Dunes National Park creates sounds similar to those made by certain birds or insects. The singing or booming sands usually occur during sandstorms or when people push the sand down the dunes. Due to the various applications of this sound in song and ritual, it is a natural phenomenon that has attracted adventurers, artists, and mystics to the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado for decades.

Patrick Myers // National Park Service

Petrified lightning at Great Sand Dunes National Park

The sculptures made when dry sand is struck by lightning are called fulgurites. Even though they look like rocks—which gives them the nickname of petrified lightning—they truly are glass tubes covered by burnt sand. The largest dunes in the U.S. found in the Great Sand Dunes National Park are the ideal place to find these whimsical pieces of natural art. However, if you ever find yourself in the desert during a thunderstorm, get away from the dunes immediately.

Joseph // Shutterstock

Sounds of Coqui frogs in Puerto Rico

Mother Nature was quite generous when creating the paradisiacal island of Puerto Rico. Breathtaking beaches and luscious tropical forests are the main attractions of the Caribbean nation, yet the top prize of Puerto Rican pride goes to a tiny and noisy little frog: the coquí. Tourism advertisements and pop culture have made the coquí famous for its “singing.” The name of these tiny amphibians is an onomatopoeia, resembling their cheerful song pretty accurately.

Anatoliy Lukich // Shutterstock

Overwintering monarchs in California

As autumn settles in, thousands of monarch butterflies leave the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains to spend the cooler months in the central coast region of California. The bright-colored insects gather mostly at Pismo State Beach in San Luis Obispo County, roughly midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, but can also be found in several other locations down the Pacific coast. The amalgam of a massive number of overwintering monarchs and the green foliage is a delightful sight that impresses spectators, especially the younger ones.

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Jim Bogosian // Shutterstock

Pennsylvania’s ringing rocks

In a 123-acre park on the eastern border of Pennsylvania—where the Delaware River separates it from New Jersey—a field of boulder rocks ring like bells when hit with a hammer. Although the main course of Ringing Rocks Park is the attraction to which it owes its name, the riverside forest is also an ideal destination for hiking, biking, and picnicking. To round up a trip on a different note, Bucks County—where the park is located—is home to several long-standing breweries, wineries, and distilleries.

Anne Powell // Shutterstock

Bioluminescent fungi in Appalachia

Most of us are familiar with pixie dust, but have you heard about fairy fire? Deep in the woods of the Appalachian Mountains, a rare phenomenon takes place in the dark: bioluminescent fungi illuminate the forest bed and decaying tree logs with a bright green glow. This state of brightness is caused by an oxidative enzyme called luciferase, which can be so potent that the radiance might remain visible even when the fungi are taken out of the forest. Conditions for the mushrooms to light up are very particular, so you might only sometimes find foxfire, as it is also known. Nonetheless, there are better chances if you explore the southern Appalachians.

Uwe Michael Neumann // Shutterstock

Mother-of-pearl clouds in Alaska

Officially named polar stratospheric clouds, this natural event only happens when the temperature above the Arctic Circle falls below minus 114 degrees F, causing widely spaced water molecules to blend and form ice crystals in the otherwise dry stratosphere. High-altitude sun rays beam into the ice, reflecting rainbow-hued light into the clouds. Since the only U.S. state that is part of the Arctic Circle is Alaska, it’s the only one where you might be able to catch a glimpse of this mesmerizing color display.

yeoojk // Shutterstock

Pittsburgh’s Gravity Hill

Many claim that cars roll uphill when put on neutral at an apparently ordinary intersection in the Pittsburgh area. Though no scientific research has been conducted to confirm or deny the assertions, plenty of videos of the incident exist on the internet. The location is known as Gravity Hill, since the most agreed-upon explanation of the phenomenon is a glitch in the planet’s gravitational field.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

Nebraska’s Chimney Rock

The monumental natural tower known as Chimney Rock is a prehistoric formation embellishing Nebraska’s North Platte River Valley. Towering at 480 feet, it is a symbolic point of the Oregon Trail. Many pioneers and migrants mentioned Chimney Rock in the written and oral recollections of their journeys to the West, making it an unassuming protagonist of an emblematic portion of American history. (It is not to be confused with the scenic viewpoint in North Carolina that goes by the same name.)

You may also like: Must-drive roads in every state

This story was written by Stacker and has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.

This post was originally published on this site

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The post 20 of the strangest pure phenomena in America appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Half a house in San Francisco could be yours for $13.9 million.

The idiosyncratic 1969 California Street mansion listed this week is unique for its seemingly incomplete form and turbulent history. The 9,000-square-foot, five-bedroom home features four levels, diamond-pattern lead windows, and a soaring 11.5-foot ceiling, which the blurb describes as “a Gravitas rarely seen in today’s market.”

Built by one of the most important men in San Francisco at the time, Michael Henry de Young, the historic Tobin House is one of the few surviving houses on this block from a century ago.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Andrew Chamings

As a young journalist from St. Louis, de Young and his brother Charles moved to San Francisco and in 1865 founded the San Francisco Chronicle. In the 1910s, Michael acquired two lots adjacent to his ornate Victorian mansion on California Street.

Originally planned as one of two twin houses for his daughters Constance and Helen, de Young commissioned the famous architect Willis Polk to design what was a very modern apartment complex for the time.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Jacob Elliott for Sotheby’s International Realty

Polk’s ambitious idea for the Tobin House (named after Constance’s husband Joseph Tobin) and its neighbors was that they mirror each other and share an archway that would form a tunnel leading to Michael’s enormous mansion. But that plan would never fully materialize after Helen decided not to move to San Francisco near her sister and father, and instead to stay at their peninsular estate. Some old newspaper stories tell of a “serious quarrel” between the sisters, and this story has become part of the half-arch lore, although it is difficult to confirm.

The left side of the tall arch failed to find its twin, leaving the striking architectural incongruity, with the semi-arch crashing into the red brick wall of its modern neighbor, rendering it useless.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Jacob Elliott for Sotheby’s International Realty

From the street, the high archway and roof rise tall, with an almost medieval appearance. Its design was considered very modern at the time – the steep Tudor-style slate-clad roof and stark gray facade replaced the ornate Victorian intricacies of the era. A single gargoyle (technically grotesque as no water flows through it) of a lion graces the facade, and the building somehow never got painted.

The semi-arch continues deep into the block, with several semi-arches abutting against the neighbor’s house in the narrow alley that should have been a tunnel.

Michael died in 1925, and his mansion was leveled in 1941, leaving half the house (now San Francisco Historic Landmark 260) as the only remnant of a time when the de Youngs owned the entire block.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Jacob Elliott for Sotheby’s International Realty

The Tobin House was bought in the 1940s by an eccentric opera singer named Gualtiero Bartalini, who reportedly threw lavish parties there. More recently it housed the Anthony Meier Fine Arts Gallery.

1969 California listed by Joe Lucier and Stacey Caen of Sotheby’s International Realty. Read our full story of the building and block here.

The post Certainly one of San Francisco’s strangest houses simply hit the market appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

For $13.9 million, a house in San Francisco could be yours.

Listed this week, the peculiar mansion at 1969 California Street is unique due to its seemingly incomplete shape and storied history. The 9,000 square-foot, five-bedroom home features four levels, diamond-patterned lead windows, and a lofty 11.5′ ceiling the blurb describes as delivering “a gravitas rarely seen in today’s market.”

The historic Tobin House was built by one of the most important men in San Francisco at the time, Michael Henry de Young, and is one of the few surviving homes on the block from a century ago.

1969 California St, San Francisco.

Andrew Chamings

As a young journalist from St. Louis, de Young and his brother Charles moved to San Francisco and founded what would become the San Francisco Chronicle in 1865. In the 1910s Michael purchased two lots next to each other adjacent to his ornate Victorian mansion on California Street.

Initially planned as one of two twin homes for his daughters, Constance and Helen, de Young employed famed architect Willis Polk to design what would have then been a very modern housing complex for the time.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Jacob Elliott for Sotheby’s International Realty

Polk’s ambitious idea for the Tobin House (named after Constance’s husband, Joseph Tobin) and its neighbor was that they mirror each other and share an archway, which would form a tunnel leading to the giant mansion owned by Michael. But this plan would never be fully realized after Helen decided not to move to San Francisco near her sister and father, and instead remain on her estate on the Peninsula. Some old newspaper stories report on a “serious falling out” between the sisters, and this story has become part of the half-arch lore, though it’s hard to confirm.

The left side of the tall arch didn’t find its twin, leaving the striking architectural incongruity, with the half-arch slamming into the red brick wall of its modern neighbor, rendering it useless.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Jacob Elliott for Sotheby’s International Realty

From the street, the tall archway and roof loom large, with an almost medieval look. Its design was considered very modern at the time — the steep slate-clad Tudor style roof and a stark gray facade replacing the ornate Victorian intricacies of the era. A single gargoyle (technically a grotesque as no water runs through it) of a lion adorns the front, and the building has somehow never been painted.

The half-arch continues deep into the block with several repeated half-arches butting up against the neighbor’s home down the narrow alley that should have been a tunnel.

Michael died in 1925, and his mansion was razed in 1941, leaving the half house (now San Francisco Historic Landmark 260) as the only vestige of a time when the de Youngs’ owned the entire block.

1969 California Street, San Francisco.

Jacob Elliott for Sotheby’s International Realty

The Tobin House was purchased in the 1940s by an eccentric opera singer named Gualtiero Bartalini who reportedly hosted lavish parties there. More recently it was home to the Anthony Meier Fine Arts Gallery.

1969 California is being listed by Joe Lucier and Stacey Caen of Sotheby’s International Realty. Read our full history of the building and the block here.

The post Certainly one of San Francisco’s strangest houses simply hit the market appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Christmas in San Francisco is known for ice skating in Union Square, drunk Santas crawling down Polk Street and a very weird Christmas tree. Historically the day has brought with it some even stranger news. We dug into the archives to find the Christmas Day stories that could maybe only happen here.

By the time Christmas rolled around in 1967, hippies were a thing, nowhere more so than in San Francisco. Headline writers took aim at the longhairs and used “hippie” liberally and usually pejoratively. When Berkeley student Orville Jeffers was found to have stolen a tiger from San Francisco Zoo, he was deemed a hippie tiger kidnapper, despite Jeffers not looking particularly groovy in his mug shot.

Jeffers’ motive for breaking into the zoo with three friends and a hacksaw one night to steal Jimmie the cat? “I went to the zoo, and saw Jimmie and fell in love with him. I had to have him.” Sadly, the story did not end in the spirit of free love. After running out of money in LA a few weeks later, Jeffers sold the hot cat to a pet store, which turned it in to authorities. Jeffers was charged with catnapping and Jimmie returned to San Francisco Zoo, only to die a week later from choking on a piece of meat.

The San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 26, 1967.

San Francisco Examiner / Archival

‘Television Ghosts Blamed On Reflections From Fog’

On Christmas Day 1955, San Franciscans apparently had some concerns about ghosts living in their television sets. The Examiner was happy to put folks’ fears to rest with news that the specters were in fact caused by San Francisco’s fog bouncing beams around the city and into people’s homes. While it’s easy to mock the worried viewers, at the time, TVs were still relatively new technology in homes, and the concern doesn’t seem much more irrational than the fear that microwaves cause cancer (they don’t) or that 5G technology is giving you COVID (it’s not).

The San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 26, 1955.

San Francisco Examiner / Archival

‘Slow Old Man’s Scooter Has Fast Cops Reeling’

Bay Bridge highway patrol had to contend with a “little old man” attempting to cross from San Francisco to Oakland on a tiny green scooter that trundled at under 10 mph on Christmas Day 1956.

Three police cars, sirens blaring, chased down the unnamed scofflaw (vehicles with under 5 horsepower are forbidden on the bridge), leading to the man falling off his scooter on the eastern span of the bridge.

He told the police he had bought the scooter as a Christmas gift to himself and was making his way to Oakland for a family Christmas dinner. After giving him the fright of his life, the cops eventually showed some Christmas cheer in not citing the man and helped him get to his destination. But there was no word on how he got the vehicle back to San Francisco.

The San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 26, 1956.

San Francisco Examiner / Archival

‘Beer, Whole Pitcher of It, Saves Flaming Car’

This one isn’t in San Francisco, but made the front page of the Examiner on Boxing Day 1933.

The story, with its Yoda-like headline construction, reveals the heroism of a drunk in LA saving a cop car from a fiery end. Only one quote is attributed to the man who swilled a pitcher of beer on the flames: “Whe’sha fire?

The story calls to mind the Vacaville man caught in the 2020 wildfires who extinguished a fire in his home with Bud Light.

The San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 26, 1933.

San Francisco Examiner / Archival

‘Bomb Slays, And Wrecks Hindu Temple’

One of the most tragic, and mysterious, stories from the Christmas archives concerns the 1914 bombing of Vedanta Temple in Cow Hollow. There are conflicting reports exactly how the bombing occurred, but Hindu leader Swami Trigunatita was left dead after a former student walked into the temple during a service with a bomb in a hat box. We dug into the story earlier in the year, and made the argument for why the old temple at 2963 Webster St. may be the most beautiful building in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Examiner front page, Dec. 28, 1914.

San Francisco Examiner

‘Wonderful Town’

We’ll end on this small and delightful Herb Caen column published the day after Christmas in 1956 about nothing in particular, which makes it all the more wonderful. Dated gender stereotypes aside, Caen’s summary of Christmas Day in the city has a proud and poignant heart. It’s not hard to see why Caen’s love letters to the city made him a household name and earned him a Pulitzer Prize. “In the crowded bars, there were no strangers whatever,” the famed columnist wrote. “A cool and joyful day, fading into a warm and wonderful night – starry eyed and aglow with a million lights. May they always burn as brightly, all over the world.”

The San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 26, 1956.

San Francisco Examiner / Archival

The post The strangest San Francisco Christmas Day tales appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.