In April 2010, a teenager in Croatia experienced something truly bizarre. After waking up from a 24-hour coma, she could no longer speak her native Croatian. Instead, she spoke fluent German, a language she had only just started learning in school. Her family needed a translator to communicate with her, leaving doctors scratching their heads. This isn’t the only case of strange language changes after brain injuries. In 2013, an Australian man woke up from a car crash speaking perfect Mandarin. Similarly, in 2016, a teenager from Atlanta woke up speaking fluent Spanish and struggled with English, even having seizures when he tried. Scientists are still trying to understand how language works in our brains, and these cases remain a mystery.
On June 30, 1908, a massive explosion rocked a forest in Siberia near the Tunguska River. A fireball, possibly up to 100 meters wide, exploded in the sky, flattening about 80 million trees and killing hundreds of reindeer. The explosion was so powerful that people 35 miles away felt the heat. It released about 185 times more energy than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Despite its size, scientists still don’t know exactly what caused it. Some think it was a meteoroid, but there’s no impact crater. Others suggest it was a comet. Theories about UFOs or nuclear explosions also exist, but no one knows for sure.
Siberia is home to another mystery: the Patom Crater, also known as Fire Eagle Nest. Discovered in 1949, this large rock formation is about 520 feet in diameter and 150 feet high. Local legends say it’s an evil place. Initially, scientists thought it was caused by an extraterrestrial impact, but now many believe it might be due to natural gas bursting through the Earth’s surface. The true cause remains unknown.
When scientists test new drugs, they often compare them to a placebo, like a sugar pill. Surprisingly, placebos can cause real changes in people, even though there’s no active ingredient. This is called the placebo effect. Researchers at Harvard are studying it, seeing it as a holistic experience influenced by many factors. However, they still don’t fully understand why it works or why it affects people differently.
Morning glory clouds are a weather phenomenon that puzzles scientists. These stunning roll clouds are mostly seen near Burketown, Australia, under specific conditions. While scientists understand some of the conditions that lead to these clouds, why they are so unique to this area remains a mystery.
On July 2, 1951, Mary Reiser’s landlord found a shocking scene in her apartment: her charred remains, with only part of one foot left. The FBI concluded that she had taken sleeping pills and accidentally set her clothes on fire while smoking. However, many people found it hard to believe that such a hot fire could cause so little damage to her apartment. This led to theories of spontaneous human combustion or foul play.
There are mysterious sounds that baffle scientists, some from space, some from remote areas, and some from the ocean’s depths. One such sound is the “upsweep,” recorded since at least 1991. It’s located about halfway between Australia and South America and changes with the seasons, being loudest in spring and autumn. The leading theory is that volcanic activity causes this mysterious sound.
Thanks for exploring these strange scientific mysteries! Science is always evolving, and who knows, maybe one day we’ll have answers to these puzzling questions. Until then, keep wondering and exploring the world around you!
Imagine you wake up speaking a different language. Pair up with a classmate and choose a language you both know a little of. Create a short skit where one of you has to communicate in this new language while the other tries to understand. Discuss how it felt to be in this situation and what strategies helped you communicate.
Research different theories about the Tunguska Event. Divide into groups, with each group representing a different theory. Prepare arguments supporting your theory and participate in a class debate. After the debate, vote on which theory you find most convincing and discuss why.
Conduct a mock scientific investigation into the Patom Crater. Form teams and assign roles such as geologists, historians, and local folklore experts. Each team presents their findings and theories about the crater’s origin. Conclude with a class discussion on which theory seems most plausible.
Design a simple experiment to explore the placebo effect. For example, test whether a “special” drink improves concentration. Use a real drink and a placebo, and measure the results. Discuss the outcomes and what they reveal about the placebo effect.
Create an art project inspired by morning glory clouds. Use different materials to represent the unique shapes and colors of these clouds. Display your artwork in class and explain the science behind these clouds and why they are a mystery.
In April 2010, a teenager in Croatia woke up from a mysterious 24-hour coma to her family’s relief. However, an unusual thing happened: the 13-year-old girl couldn’t speak to her parents in her native Croatian. While she could still understand the language, she could only respond in fluent German, a language she had just begun learning in school. She required a translator to communicate with her family, leaving doctors puzzled.
Hi, I’m Erin McCarthy, editor-in-chief of Mental Floss, and this is the List Show from my living room. The case of this mysterious language swap is not the only example of brain injuries leading to unexplainable language phenomena. In 2013, an Australian man woke up from a car crash speaking perfect Mandarin. In 2016, a teenager from Atlanta woke up from a coma speaking fluent Spanish and had such trouble speaking his native English that he would have a seizure every time he tried. Doctors and scientists cannot fully explain these events. The role of language development in the brain is a dynamic field, and our understanding continues to evolve.
Waking from a coma speaking a foreign language is just one of many unexplainable phenomena I’m going to share with you today.
On June 30, 1908, a massive explosion decimated a forest in Siberia near the Tunguska River. A fireball, believed to have been up to 100 meters wide, erupted in the sky, flattening about 80 million trees and killing hundreds of reindeer. The explosion was so intense that residents in the nearest town, about 35 miles away, felt the heat. One eyewitness recounted that “the sky was split in two,” and the explosion produced about 185 times more energy than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Despite the size and intensity of the event, scientists still haven’t definitively figured out what caused it. The most common explanation at the time was some sort of meteoroid, but there was no impact crater and little evidence of any extraterrestrial object in the surrounding area. Some scientists later concluded it was a comet that had entered our atmosphere, but a truly definitive conclusion has yet to be found. Theories of UFO crashes or nuclear explosions still persist.
The Tunguska event isn’t the only mysterious occurrence in Siberia. There’s another unexplainable phenomenon known as Pat Tom Crater, or Fire Eagle Nest, a large rock formation in southeastern Siberia. Discovered in 1949, the crater is about 520 feet in diameter and 150 feet in height. According to local legends, the crater is considered an evil place. Initially, scientists tried to explain the crater as the result of some sort of extraterrestrial impact, but many now believe it might be the result of natural gas bursting through the surface of the Earth.
When scientists want to study a new drug, they often test it against a placebo, such as a sugar pill. Strangely, placebos can produce changes in test subjects, even though there’s no physiological mechanism to account for the changes. This measurable impact from what is essentially a fake treatment is known as the placebo effect. Researchers at Harvard have been studying the effects of the placebo effect, considering it a holistic experience influenced by various factors, but they still don’t fully understand why it works or why it varies among individuals.
One weather phenomenon that has eluded our understanding is the morning glory clouds. These mesmerizing roll clouds are almost solely spotted near Burketown, Australia, under very specific circumstances. Scientists have a basic understanding of the conditions that precede morning glory clouds, but why they are so distinct and nearly unique to this one Australian peninsula remains a mystery.
On July 2, 1951, Mary Reiser’s landlord discovered a horrifying scene in her apartment: her charred remains, with only part of one foot intact. The FBI concluded that Mary had taken sleeping pills and accidentally ignited her clothes while smoking a cigarette. However, many skeptics found it hard to believe that such a hot fire could cause minimal damage to her apartment, leading to theories of spontaneous human combustion or even foul play.
In the realm of unexplainable phenomena, there are mysterious sounds, some from outer space, some from remote wilderness, and some from the depths of the ocean. One such sound is the “upsweep” sound, recorded since at least 1991. The source of the sound is located about halfway between Australia and South America, and it changes with the seasons, being loudest in spring and autumn. The leading theory behind this mysterious sound is volcanic activity.
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Language – A system of communication used by a particular community or country. – Scientists study the language of dolphins to understand how they communicate with each other.
Mystery – Something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. – The mystery of how the human brain processes emotions continues to intrigue psychologists.
Explosion – A violent and destructive shattering or blowing apart of something. – The explosion of a supernova releases a tremendous amount of energy into space.
Placebo – A harmless pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the psychological benefit to the patient than for any physiological effect. – In the experiment, one group received the actual drug, while the other group received a placebo to test the drug’s effectiveness.
Phenomenon – A fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question. – The aurora borealis is a natural phenomenon that occurs near the polar regions.
Scientists – People who study or have expert knowledge of one or more of the natural or physical sciences. – Scientists are working tirelessly to develop new vaccines to combat infectious diseases.
Research – The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – The research conducted by the team provided new insights into the effects of climate change.
Clouds – Visible masses of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the ground. – Meteorologists study clouds to predict weather patterns and changes in the atmosphere.
Effects – A change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause. – The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function are well-documented in psychological studies.
Theories – Suppositions or systems of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained. – Theories about the origin of the universe continue to evolve as new astronomical data is collected.
