Truth really is stranger than fiction. Especially when you check out the incredible things that have popped up on social media lately. You won’t believe the incredible and wild things that exist in the real world, even after you check out this list. We hope you’re seated and ready for 45 real things you’d never expect to see.

1. A see-through egg

Can you guess what this underwater marvel is? It’s a shark’s egg that can be seen through when held up to the light. It almost looks like the amber fossils from Jurassic Park doesn’t it? We just hope the mother shark is nowhere around while this brave photographer films this discovery.

2. Seeing the storms from the sea

We’ve all seen nasty storms, but ahve you ever seen them from above the clouds? This photo shows you the incredible power and size of a massive storm as it sweeps across the ocean. It makes you wonder if the “eye of the storm” is really as safe as old wisdom says. Even if you live nowhere near the coast, it’s hard not to be impressed by this sight.

3. More like a pinfish

Look real carefully at this next picture. It’s not just a tiny piece of plastic, it’s an actual sword fish that’s barely wider than a finger. This absolutely adorable little thing might never have been seen if this photographer hadn’t taken the shot. But we have to wonder, how do you even catch or find something this small?

4. Like a bolt across a starry night

This photo was taken when a rocket was launched later in the day. You can see how the flash ignites the sky giving it a strange shape that you would expect to see followin Superman. Comments suggest that this may have been an ICBM test. You can’t deny that this is a stunning image to see.

5. Stand tall, stand proud

You are now looking at the tallest palm tree in the world. It’s hard to imagine that they can grow this tall, but here’s proof right in front of you. Can you imagine flying a helicopter and being able to reach out and touch it’s tallest leaves?

6. It keeps the White Walkers out

This massive iceberg forms a wall that is both impressive in its scale and design. It’s almost as if a sculptor created a unique design just to show the world what nature could do. It brings to mind all sorts of cool images of what might be on the otherside of the wall. We don’t know how this ice wall came to be, but we’re glad that the photographer managed to snap a shot.

7. Is that a sandshrew?

This isn’t a pokemon or a baby monster from the Monster Hunter series. It’s just a cool armadillo lizard curled up into a ball. When you see its face you can’t help but think about how cute the little creature is. But we think it might be a little too rough for snuggles or hugs.

8. Blood red moon, won’t you swoon

You might have heard about a blood red moon from movies, but did you ever think you’d see one quite like this? The photographer captured an incredible shot that has that feel of mystery and darkness that keeps everyone looking to the sky. Don’t you wish you could wake up one day and see this in the horizon? We certainly would.

9. The star of the next natural disaster movie

What’s more impressive than an erupting volcano? How about one that has lightning striking through the billowing clouds? This double attack of natural phenomena is an impressive display of why planet Earth is marvelous. Would you ever want to see this outside your house?

10. Probably not the fire mushrooms Mario wants

See those orange-red objects? Those are mushrooms that naturally grow to resemble tiny flames. Some people who’ve seen these for the first time call them fire-shrooms and it’s easy to see why. Just don’t eat them expecting to shoot fireballs like a certain video game mascot.

11. Bite-sized baby nautilus

This baby Paper Nautilus is exactly as it looks; an octopus coming out of a shell. We can imagine this creature showing up on a Sy-fy original movie any day now. But until then, you can enjoy how small and cute this wild sea creature looks. It’s not even large enough to cover a single finger.

12. Cloud city’s solar eclipse

This stunning shot was taken from a plane during an eclipse. You can see just how this rare solar event looks from high above the clouds. Do you think the photographer went out of their way to schedule this trip? Maybe it was just a lucky coincidence.

13. That’s no island. That’s a…

If you just glanced at this photo, you might think that it’s a view of an island from up high. But then you notice the feet and legs. This turtle is so chilled and relaxed that it has moss growing all over its shell. Is this natural camouflage or just the sign of a turtle with plenty of time on its side.

14. Maybe it was hiding during Mardi Gras

This chameleon has the most vibrant colors from head to tail. It honestly looks like it was hiding inside of a tye-dye shirt or on a colorful mural on some beachside town wall. Certainly glad this coloration isn’t easy to miss because this is an incredible lizard.

15. It’s the end. Right over there.

If you’ve ever seen The Great Wall of China, it’s easy to forget that it has two ends. This photo shows one end of the world wonder so you can see that it’s not as endless as you might think. But don’t bother turning around if you ever get there yourself, because the other end is too far away to see.

16. It’s just a cat in a tree, what’s wrong?

Don’t blink more than once or you might miss this mountain lion hiding in a snowy tree. It might be avoiding the snowy ground or stalking prey from above. It’s definitely noticed the cameraman and might just be deciding what to do about them. Would you be worried if you saw this while camping?

17. It’s all a matter of scale

This shot of the sun doesn’t look too impressive until you notice the tiny dot off to the side. That isn’t a solar flare or some sort of film mistake. That’s Mercury orbiting the sun. How about that for a size-scale comparison?

18. Spider eyes. Spier eyes. Seeing things that are spider sized.

This shot might look like a strange monster at first glance. But it’s a spider’s eye as seen under a microscope. The definition might be a bit creepy and we wouldn’t blame you. Just imagine that those are looking around from the webs in a garden.

19. Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’

Is this an album cover from the 60s? As it turns out, it’s a thick fog that billows out and looks like rolling hills. If you were driving home after a long day and saw this shot, you might end up pulling over to just chill and enjoy the scene. The color from the sunset certainly adds a lot to the scene as well.

20. A shining obelisk for fans of color

Before today, we didn’t know obelisks came in tye-dye. But check out this multi-colored obelisk to prove that they exist. Maybe this is used by someone who believes in the power of crystals or it’s just a decoration. Just imagine having this around your home.

21. A plant fit for Cthulhu’s garden

This strange plant is real and really strange. It naturally grows with spaghetti thin stems that twirl and whip to resemble tentacles. It’s called a Traychyandra and commentors have said you can only get seeds from exotic plant dealers. Do you think it’s worth it?

22. The scene behind the stage

We all know what a stage looks like from the front. Have you ever considered what it looks like behind the curtains? Props, machines, and lighting equipment has to be kept somewhere, after all. But it just looks so stark and colorless compared to where the audience sits.

23. They grow bigger under the sea

This isn’t a photo trick. This jellyfish is actually as big as a human. It must have been around a long time to get to that size and we hope it keeps on living. But it makes you wonder if they can get even bigger?

24. A bat of any other color…

Quick, what color do you think of when you imagine a bat? We bet you didn’t think white like this bat here. This bat is ready to hide for food while hanging around a snow bank. Wonder where they come from?

25. A mountain built to scale

This shot of an ice deposit looks like a seperate photo placed ontop another. But it’s actually an ice sheet that looks like an actual mountain range. If you added a few tiny action figures you might even be able to make a stop motion arctic survival film. Who’s up for dogsledding?

26. I like big butterflies…

This butterfly is huge. You might not believe it until you notice the arm in shot for a size comparison. You’ll have no trouble noticing this colorful insect approaching. Wonder if it grew from a worm that was just about the same size.

27. Poe’s The Telltale Potato

It may not be October yet, but it’s never too early for creepy vegetables. This small red potato somehow grew into a shape that resembles a human heart. Let’s hope the owner didn’t hide it anywhere to scare their housemates because this would be a freaky friday find.

28. My dog ran over my homework

Dogs running over your work was a problem for thousands of years. Here’s proof with this Sumerian inscription that has paw prints all over it. With how hard inscriptions were to make, the original inscriber likely decided to forget about doing it all over again and just put it to publish. At least this dog has been immortalized in some form.

29. A quartz runs through it

Sometimes nature is really weird. Like how this line of quartz splits down the middle of this rock separating it into two parts. A geologist might be able to explain how this happens, but it’s certainly an attractive natural feature that you might not have expected.

30. Rainbow jet squad, engage!

This jet plane streaks across the sky surrounded by rainbows. Maybe the pilot was trying to get to the pot of gold before anyone else could. But most likely it’s just a lucky photo opportunity. Still, it’d be neat to see this streaking across the sky.

31. Oh dear, it’s a deer?

Deer antlers are some of the most interesting natural objects in the world. Especially when they can grow to resemble small deer on their own. You can see why this owner keeps it placed upto be noticed in their home.

32. One man’s trash is another man’s planter

This dirty sponge was left out and forgotten. The owner didn’t go back to it until he found that it had sprouted new growth and plant life. We don’t recommend doing this at home, but it’s cool to think that nature finds a way. Maybe the owner will be better about replacing their sponges.

33. A fish that smooches?

This strange fish, known as the Galapagos Batfish, and is usually found at 30 meters or more below the surface of the water. It’s strange features look like an overdone smearing of lipstick giving it a comical smooching look. It certainly puts the idea of a trout pout to shame.

34. Now you can play real life Frogger

Things grow bigger down in the Amazon, including these lilypads. Not only are they large enough to cover large swaths of the river from view, but they are sturdy and buoyant enough to hold up small children. It makes a trip down to the Amazon worth it for the chance at filming children sitting on these strange plants.

35. A stunning rock show

This rock formation, located only in China, is made of sandstone and other conglomerates. Besides the stunning colorful view they offer there’s one other facet that makes this an incredible place to visit. The stone formations date all the way back to the Cretaceous Age, making this one of the oldest undisturbed landmarks in the world.

36. The crabby trail

The circle of life isn’t just there to make a great Disney film. It also prevents this insane crab crossing from happening. But because Christmas Island has no predators for crabs, an estimated 43 million crab babies are traveling for their annual breeding migration. That’s a whole lotta seafood!

37. A hairy situation

Meet the Yeti Crab. This hairy crab was discovered in 2005 and is also known as the Hoff Crab. That’s right! It was named in honor of David Hasselhoff. Both names really seem to fit this newly discovered marvel.

38. An aquatic lights show

Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives boasts an incredible sight for its inhabitants and visitors. The water has a high concentration of special playtoplankton that converge and light up the night with a spooky blue glow. It certainly makes watching the waves a visual treat whenever the tides are just right.

39. The best friend at fish rave parties

This japanese squid is filled with light producing organisms that give it a cool spectral blue glow. These photophores, as the organs are called, are a visual delight to see and a necessary evolutionary adaption. But it’s hard not to look at htese creatures and not think that they’d be great guests at your next rave party.

40. This tree got your goat

The Argan trees in Morocco have been the favorite roosting places for local goats for hundreds of years. It seems strange especially when you think about how much these goats weigh, but it’s a real common sight. So don’t worry about it and just enjoy seeing these goats balance on trees like champs.

41. When you’re the only one…

This species of Eucalyptus trees is the only one known to exist in the northern hemisphere. So of course it has to show off by being flashy. That’s why this tree has a lot of wild colors all over it that stands out even among its neighboring plants. It’s not so bad being a special tree snowflake, is it?

42. We’re not so different

Babies suck their thumbs for comfort. Did you know that elephants do the same? The next time you see a baby elephant putting its trunk in its mouth remember that it might be nervous.

43. When you just need a little bee-nap

Humans aren’t the only ones who like naps in the middle of their work. Apparently bees collecting pollen will sometimes take small naps inside of flowers. It’s hard work helping the hive, so who can blame them?

44. One way to get away from a creep

Forget about giving wrong phone numbers. Dragonflies straight up pretend to die when an unwanted suitor bothers them. We don’t know if this is such a great idea to try as humans, but if it works, who can blame them.

45. All-natural lawn mowers

Ever wonder why Alpacas are such beloved animals? Besides their cute and fluffy exterior, they’re also great for farmers who don’t want to mess up their land. Not only do they undestand how to keep valuable grass from being uprooted, but they don’t mess up the earth as they roam. What an incredible animal!

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