Hidden Wonders of Nature: Amazing Scientific Phenomena You Never Notice

Many of the things happening around us each day go completely unnoticed, because our senses aren’t equipped to detect them. As science advances however, hidden processes and surprising natural phenomena are being revealed.

The Ground Beneath Us Is Always Moving

Did you know that the Earth beneath your feet is constantly shifting? What feels like stable, solid ground is actually in motion. The outermost layer of the Earth is made up of tectonic plates. These plates rest on a softer, viscous layer and are always moving.

For example, the African Plate, on which Israel sits, is continuously shifting southward. Because the movement is smooth and steady, we don’t feel it. When that flow is interrupted, pressure builds and an earthquake occurs — suddenly exposing the instability of what we thought was solid ground.

Winter Sun Can Burn Too

Everyone knows the sun emits UV radiation and that sunscreen is a must, but many people assume the danger is only in summer. The truth is, the sun burns the skin even in winter, and even when we don’t feel it.

Once the sun comes out on a snowy day, the radiation is actually more dangerous than in summer, because the UV rays hit us twice — once directly from the sun, and once again when they are reflected upward from the bright white snow.

Fruits and Vegetables Release Invisible Gases

As fruits and vegetables sit in a bowl on your table, they release ethylene gas — the only naturally occurring plant hormone in gaseous form, and one that is even flammable.

Ethylene triggers biological changes: in fruits, it speeds ripening; in flowers, it causes blooming; in leaves, it encourages growth or shedding; and in seeds, it stimulates germination. We witness its effects all the time without realizing it, such as green tomatoes turning red, bananas and avocados darkening, and potatoes and onions sprouting.

Some fruits, like apples and bananas, emit large amounts of ethylene and it's therefore best not to store them next to produce you want to last longer, as the gas they release will cause everything around them to ripen more quickly.

Plants Can Generate Electricity

If you thought electricity only comes from the power company, think again. During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to create the energy they need to survive. In fact, photosynthesis is the only natural process that produces an actual electric current.

Inside plant cells are organelles called chloroplasts, where photosynthesis takes place. When light hits the chloroplast, it “excites” certain atoms. This causes electrons to jump from one atom to another in a chain reaction, which is essentially, electricity flowing inside the plant.

As long as a plant is exposed to light, a current of electricity is running through it.

The more science reveals, the more we realize that the natural world is full of hidden wonders happening all around us, every moment, even when we aren't paying attention.