Wild Discoveries

It is known that Africa is on a great hill of incredible discoveries that still amaze scientists to this day. These discoveries are breathtaking and if not mentioned would not be believed. During this essay, you will find out about 20 amazing discoveries that scientists have made in Africa that shocked the world.In 2013, a group of cave explorers discovered a new human species named homo nalidi that could change the world of mankind. In a remote cave system known as Chamber Of The Rising Star, South Africa, a treasure trove of human bones was found belonging to a previously unknown species of human. The excavation of the chamber proved to be a challenging task due to the narrow passageways and jagged rocks, which made it hard for a fully grown adult to manoeuvre. alongside our own ancestors the homo sapiens and may have played a role in shaping human evolution what makes homo nalidi unique is its small brain size believed to be one-third the size of our own its hands and feet however suggest a greater ability to manipulate objects this has led scientists to believe that homona lady was capable of complex behaviors and may have had a social structure similar to our own despite these exciting discoveries the exact age of homonality remains a mystery radiometric dating techniques have placed the bones to be between 236 thousand and 335 000 years old however further research is needed to determine its exact place in the timeline of human evolution to this day scientists remain baffled as to how the multiple skeletons of homo naledi found their final resting place in the cave where they were found some experts suggest that the chamber may have served as a burial ground others however speculate that the cave may have been a deadly trap leading to the demise of an entire group of early humans number 19. diving Blue Hole of death to have nestled along the coast of the Red Sea in Egypt lies a natural wonder that has captivated the hearts of divers and adventurers for Generations known as the Blue Hole this underwater sinkhole in dahab boasts a depth of over 100 meters and is surrounded by sheer Cliffs that drop off into the crystal clear waters below the Blue Hole is not for the faint of heart divers must be certified and experienced in deep diving to explore its depths safely but for those who dare to take the plunge the rewards are immense schools of colorful fish and vibrant Coral can be spotted in the Deep Blue Waters but the blue hole's beauty is also laced with tragedy it has claimed the lives of many inexperienced divers earning it a reputation as one of the most dangerous diving spots in the world while there is no official record some estimate the diving casualties to be as high as 200 in recent years among them was Yuri lipsky a russian-israeli diving instructor whose tragic demise became the talk of the diving World in April 2000. lipsky donned an air tank and a helmet camera loaded his belt with weights and plunged Into the Blue Hole he never returned you see at over 300 feet under water divers are susceptible to nitrogen Narcosis this condition can cause hallucinations overconfidence confusion and impaired judgment which can lead to fatal mistakes despite the risks the Blue Hole continues to draw Thrill Seekers from all over the world eager to test their limits and explore the unknown it is like a siren's call that proves too irresistible to ignore number 18. creepy dead trees in dead Flay deep in the Namib Desert lies a place that looks like something straight out of a surrealistic painting here in a Barren white clay pan called Dead Flay stands a haunting landscape of ancient dead tree that have been scorched Black by the Relentless African sun it's hard to imagine now but just 900 years ago Dead Fly which translates to dead Marsh was a thriving Oasis teeming with life and vitality however as the climate dried up and the desert expanded the valley became cut off from its water source by towering sand dunes the once Lush Forest died leaving behind only the skeletons of the trees that still stand today as Stark Silhouettes against the sky their Twisted branches reaching up like bony fingers the dry climate is so harsh that the trees have not been able to decompose properly leaving them preserved as eerie and haunting reminders of the past it is a site that has drawn photographers filmmakers and adventurers from around the world to witness its Eerie Beauty the contrast between the white clay Pan and the blackened trees creates a dramatic and otherworldly atmosphere and the lack of any vegetation in the area gives you the feeling of being in a desk isolate forgotten place number 17 discovery of a new continent and ocean in the heart of East Africa in the afar region Ethiopia lies a geological phenomenon that has captivated the attention of scientists and adventurers alike the splitting of Africa for millions of years the African continent has been slowly tearing apart and the afar region is Ground Zero for this incredible event the afar region is located at the junction of three tectonic plates the Nubian plate the Arabian plate and the Somalian plate these plates are in constant motion pushing and pulling against each other as a result the Earth's crust in the region is extremely thin and magma from the mantle is able to rise to the surface creating a landscape of volcanoes hot springs and geysers it is in this volatile environment that the splitting of Africa is occurring the only sign of this slow but steady process is a 35 mile long split which formed in 2005. the split is located in a region known as the East African Rift Valley and measures more than 50 feet in depth and 65 feet across scientists predict that millions of years from now the rift will expand and break Africa into two continents the smaller continent will include present-day Somalia and parts of Kenya Ethiopia and Tanzania while the bigger one will include everything else as a result a new ocean will eventually form between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula this creates the possibility that countries such as Kenya and Uganda could develop a coastline due to the formation of the new ocean number 16. dinosaur Unearthed in Zimbabwe in the remote Wilderness of Zimbabwe a team of scientists who embarked on two Expeditions in 2017 and 2019 uncovered the remains of Africa's oldest dinosaur the amberosaurus rothi this fascinating Discovery was a significant breakthrough in the field of paleontology the name emberosaurus comes from the local Shona language where the the fossils were found the species named rothy honors the paleontologist Michael wrath who first reported fossils in the region the empirosaurus rathi is believed to have roamed the Earth over 230 million years ago during the Jurassic period it was a small herbivorous dinosaur measuring about six feet in length and weighing around 60 pounds its slender body and long neck allowed it to reach for vegetation in hard to reach places while the discovery of the umberasaurus rothy is undoubtedly exciting researchers are thrilled at the possibilities it presents for uncovering more information about Africa's prehistoric past the finding suggests that Zimbabwe was once home to a diverse range of dinosaurs and further exploration could yield even more fascinating discoveries number 15 eye of the Sahara and lost city of Atlantis the richat structure or the blue eye of the Sahara is a geological Marvel found in the vast expanse of the Sahara desert in Mauritania this stunning landmark is a natural wonder that has puzzled scientists and intrigued adventurers for decades the circular formation measures approximately 50 kilometers in diameter making it one of the largest and most striking structures visible from space the center of the reshot structure is a raised Plateau that stands at more than 600 feet above the desert floor surrounding the plateau are concentric rings of rock that form a series of ridges and valleys giving the structure the appearance of a giant Bullseye The Rock layers themselves are made up of ancient sedimentary rocks including sandstone and Limestone scientists believe that the structure was formed by a combination of volcanic activity and erosion which gradually exposed the different layers of rock and created the unique circular pattern however some people have different theories about the origin of this enigmatic structure some speculate that it could be the remains of the lost city of Atlantis mentioned in ancient texts by the Greek philosopher Plato while there is no concrete create evidence to support this Theory the possibility remains intriguing to many the concentric rings and circular shape of the Reach Out structure have also LED some to believe that it was a man-made construction well whether it is a natural formation or the remains of A Lost Civilization the richat structure continues to capture the imagination of people around the world number 14. alien sky blue stones imagine holding in your hand a stone that is said to have come from the heavens this is the story of the strange blue stones that Italian geologists and archaeologist Angelo pittoni obtained from a Fula Chief in Sierra Leone in West Africa in 1990. according to the tribe the stones were given to them by extraterrestrial visitors from the sky the mysterious Stones were like nothing like patoni had seen before and when he got to Europe and sent them to Research Laboratories for testing it was discovered that they were unique and did not match any known mineral despite extensive testing researchers could not explain the blue color of the stones when a piece of it was reduced into fine particles and viewed under a microscope the blue color was invisible even extreme heat or acid could not alter or break apart the stones pittoni believed that the blue stone looked more like a pure turquoise found on the chest of Egyptian priests he even called it the stone of Heaven A phrase to mean that it is different from any other gemstone known to man so where did they come from were they truly a gift from extraterrestrial visitors or do they hold secrets from ancient civilizations that have long been forgotten number 13. unidentified heads discovered lydenburg heads in lydenburg South Africa a young boy stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery that would rock the archaeological World Carl Ludwig von bezing was innocently playing on his father's Farm in 1957 when he noticed peculiar pieces of pottery in the soil little did he know he had just uncovered the lydenburg heads a series of fascinating artifacts that would go down in history as some of the earliest examples of Iron Age art in the southern hemisphere the heads were initially fragmented and Scattered but through careful excavation they were pieced back together at the University of Cape Town in total seven heads were reconstructed two large and five small six of these heads depict human characteristics while the seventh has striking animalistic features interestingly four of the smaller heads share similarities in both scale and design leading many to believe they were created as a group after extensive carbon dating the heads have been dated to approximately 490 A.D experts have suggested that they were used for ceremonial purposes by early Iron Age inhabitants due to the small holes found in the sides of the smaller heads these holes were likely used to connect the heads to poles or costumes during performances today these remarkable heads can be seen on display at the South African Museum in Cape Town number 12 12. Sahara Desert Africa close your eyes and imagine the Sahara Desert what do you see a vast expanse of sand the sun shining overhead and no water source in sight you're right that's exactly what the Sahara desert is in fact it is the largest hot desert in the world and third largest overall after Antarctica and the Arctic covering an incredible 9.2 million square kilometers which is almost the same size as China it is not only vast but also mysterious believe it or not some 11 000 years ago the desert wasn't always hot dry and unforgiving the area was once green packed with lakes rivers and grasslands that Drew in animals such as hippos antelopes elephants and a host of other animals this green Sahara occurred due to the Earth's constantly changing orbital rotation around its axis a pattern that repeats itself every 23 000 years you see when the earth tilts at different angles it changes how solar radiation is able to penetrate the Earth Earth's atmosphere this meant that during the green Savannah the tropics receive more radiation from the Sun and summer and winter rains reached the heart of the now Barren desert this increased rainfall in turn allowed the growth of a stunning diversity of Flora and Fauna but from about 5 000 years ago the Sahara began to dry out again and it's believed to have been due to geographical reasons that had little to do with humans so while the Sahara may be dry and desolate now there is hope on the horizon experts believe that in about 15 000 years from now the region could once again transform into a green and fertile Paradise number 11. child of Tong in 1924 Quarrymen in Tong South Africa made an astonishing discovery that would change the course of human history while working on Limestone deposits on the Buxton lime Works they uncovered a small skull of a child the skull was brought to the attention of Raymond Dart an anatomist and Anthropologist who immediately recognized its significance Dart theorized that the fossilized remains belonged to a hominin species or early human ancestor that lived approximately 2.8 million years ago Dart named the new species Australopithecus Africanus or Southern ape of Africa at the time the taongchild was discovered most believed that early human ancestors originated in Europe but the taong child challenged this Theory since it was the first early human fossil found in Africa this provided clear evidence that Africa was the birthplace of humankind and supported the Out of Africa Theory this theory states that modern humans evolved in Africa before migrating to other parts of the world not only did the town child confirm this Theory but it also presented significant anatomical features it had a brain size and teeth similar to those of Apes yet its skull and dental Arch were similar to those of humans representing an intermediate form between the two between 1936 and 1947 several more Australopithecus fossils were Unearthed in South Africa this time belonging to adult specimens these discoveries lent further support to dart's initial claim that the town child was indeed an early human ancestor today the tong child is revered as a vital piece of human history and its Discovery revolutionized the field of paleoanthropology forever changing our understanding of where we came from and how we got here number 10. Mauritius the stunning island of Mauritius which lies Southeast of the coast of Africa is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna and spectacular coral reefs among these natural wonders is an incredible sight that has fascinated visitors for years and this is an underwater waterfall seen from the shores it may not appear like much but once you take to the skies on a helicopter tour of the island you'll notice something truly fascinating the shoreline appears to give way to a magnificent waterfall flowing beneath the waves the site is nothing short of breathtaking however the truth is that the so-called waterfall is actually an optical illusion caused by sand and silt deposits sliding down the slope and dropping Into the Depths below as the sand and silt run off the ocean floor they create the illusion of a waterfall or the island being sucked into a vast drain despite not being a real waterfall this phenomenon still captivates visitors to Mauritius who Marvel at the incredible natural beauty of this unique island in the Indian Ocean number 9. Stonehenge of Africa located around 700 miles south of the Great Pyramid of Giza and about 60 miles west of the Nile lies a stone complex that Rivals even the famous Stonehenge of England it is known as the nabta Playa the knob to Playa was first discovered in the 1970s by a team of archaeologists they found a series of stone structures that appeared to be aligned with the Stars leading some to refer to the site as the Stonehenge of Africa but unlike its more famous counterpart in England the knob to Playa is much older dating back over seven thousand years the site includes a series of stone circles megaliths and other structures which are thought to have been used for astronomical observations and as a calendar to track the changing seasons the ancient people who built these structures were likely nomadic herders who traveled through the region with their animals the most significant structure of the knob to Playa is the calendar Stone Circle which is made up of four pairs of large stones and an assortment of smaller ones archaeoastronomers and archaeologists confirmed in a study published in 2007 that the stones were possibly aligned with the Stars Sirius and Arcturus the star system Alpha Centauri and the belt of Orion you should also know that the site's historic importance was threatened after tourists and visitors began defacing the stones and moving them around eventually changing the alignment in response the stones were relocated to the Nubian Museum in Aswan Egypt where visitors can now view the monument in its original formation from a safe distance number eight Burkina Faso humans and crocodiles in the Lakeside Village of bazul Burkina Faso lies an unusual phenomenon that defies the norm of what we know about crocodiles while crocodiles are known for their deadly nature and ruthless reputation in bazul they have a different reputation one that involves being friendly and even playful with humans according to local Legend the unexpected relationship with these Predators goes back to at least the 15th century at that time a drought hit the small village of basul leaving its inhabitants thirsty and desperate that was when guardian crocodiles emerged and led the Thirsty villagers to a Hidden Pond where they could quench their thirst to show their gratitude the villagers threw a party to thank these crocodiles and this marked the beginning of a special bond between the two every year the locals celebrate a grand ceremony called laqra where they make sacrifice devices and ask the crocodiles to grant their wishes for health prosperity and a good harvest in bazool it is common to find crocodiles in the compounds of local families during the dry season at other times crocodiles wander into the village seeking safe places to lay their eggs and the locals protect the nests from predators the locals even believe that these harmless creatures represent the souls of their ancestors they hold funerals for the crocodiles when they die burying them in coffins similar to those used for humans number seven bird of Sakara in 1898 archaeologists discovered an artifact that would spark the imaginations of researchers and lay people alike this artifact known as the Sakara bird was excavated from a tomb in Sakara Egypt it is estimated to be 2200 years old and is shaped like a modern day airplane with the head of a bird its wingspan measures 180 mm and it weighs 39.12 G despite its age the Sakara Bird's purpose remains a mystery the lack of documentation from the period when it was made only adds to the mystery and its enigmatic Nature has fueled speculation that the ancient Egyptians may have understood the principles of aerodynamics some believe that the sakhara bird could have been a working model of an aircraft or glider but not everyone is convinced mainstream researchers suggest that the Sakara bird is nothing more than a child's toy a carving of an actual bird or an early Weather Vein however the controversy surrounding the sakhara bird continues to this day what do you think could the ancient Egyptians have possessed knowledge of aerodynamics that we've yet to uncover or is the sakhara bird simply a fascinating But ultimately mundane artifact number six desert fairy circles in the vast and seemingly Barren desert of Namibia lies a mystery that has stumped scientists for decades the namibian fairy circles these puzzling circles each about 39 feet in diameter appear as perfectly round patches of barren Earth surrounded by Lush vegetation what's more millions of them spread across 1 100 miles of the Arid grasslands of southern Africa numerous theories have been proposed over the years to explain the origins of these circles but none have been able to provide a definitive answer one theory was that the presence of the fairy circles is the work of termites eating away at the grass from its roots others on the other hand suggest that the plants Were Somehow being prompted to grow in this unusual pattern on their own some even speculate that they may hold the key to understanding how life can thrive in such a harsh environment visitors to the region can explore the fairy circles on foot or by air marveling at their unusual Beauty and pondering the mystery that surrounds them whether the circles are the work of mystical fairies or simply a natural phenomenon they remain one of the most fascinating Mysteries of the natural world now it's time for today's subscriber pick in this image lies some mystical human-like objects arranged side by side in a site that messes with your mind to wonder what exactly they could be are these alien beings from another planet or maybe just statues placed in the desert to scare people away from the very dry and inhospitable climate do you know what these are or what they stand for let us hear your thoughts in the comments section number 5. Voodoo in Africa in West Africa Voodoo is a widely practiced religion which has also spread to other parts of the world due to Abundant slave trades however the small country of Benin is considered as the birthplace of voodoo in fact over 40 percent of the population follows Voodoo as an official religion in Benin the country even celebrates Voodoo day as a public holiday and there is a national Voodoo Museum dedicated to this unique religion despite its reputation as evil or black magic for the people of Benin Voodoo is a complete way of life encompassing culture philosophy language art dance music and Medicine the voodoo spiritual World consists of mahu the Supreme Being and about 100 divinities who represent different phenomena such as War Illness healing Earth storms and many other things Voodoo priests invoke these Gods to intervene on behalf of ordinary people they may also use herbs to cure the sick or possibly to poison enemies in some cases offerings such as a chicken sheep or alcohol are given to the Divinity either as a request for help or as gratitude for wishes granted people seek help from Voodoo priests on a variety of issues including curing diseases finding a job completing a business deal finding a spouse or having a child number four African Goliath frogs when we think of frogs we usually imagine small solitary amphibians let us introduce you to the largest frog in the world the konrawa Goliath also known as the African Goliath frog this enormous amphibian can grow up to 12.5 inches long and weigh up to 7.2 pounds making it as big as some house cats these giant frogs reside in small ranges in the rainforests of Western Africa close to Swift moving rivers and waterfalls just like other frogs they require to be close to water and at night they sit on River Rocks to search for food they feed on insects Crustaceans fish and other amphibians you would think that such a large frog would make a loud croak but Goliath frogs are mute as they don't have a vocal sack breeding for Goliath frogs is different from most other frogs the male constructs a nest of rocks and gravel near the riverbank and engages in wrestling matches with other males to breed with females wrestling and moving rocks may explain why males are larger than females which is unusual for frogs the female lays thousands of eggs in the nest and after that the parenting ends they don't even wait for the eggs to hatch sadly these incredible creatures are endangered human activities such as farming logging and human settlements are encroaching on their forest habitat furthermore they are hunted for their meat which puts them at risk number three fantasy coffins of Ghana in the southern coast of Ghana death is not a gloomy Affair but a fashionable one the gaw people of Ghana have taken the art of coffin making to a whole new level with their remarkable fantasy coffins these coffins are not the typical caskets you might have in mind instead they come in different shapes and designs that represent the deceased person's profession passion or status for instance a microphone-shaped coffin is used for a musician or a public speaker while a car-shaped coffin is made for a driver an airplane-shaped coffin is designed to honor a pilot and a lion-shaped coffin is used for a chief the craftsmanship involved in designing these coffins is awe-inspiring with intricate details that leave many amazed these coffins have become so popular that they are now being exported to other countries including the United States and Europe while these coffins might be quirky and even bizarre to some they are an important aspect of Gea culture and tradition they serve as a celebration of the deceased person's life and achievements and they also help families and communities to bid farewell in a unique and memorable way number two new widow spider of Africa in 2014 a spider with a unique appearance was discovered in South Africa's tembe elephant park it had an eye-catching exclamation mark-shaped blotch on its back and a unique squiggly white pattern that resembled a human face and mouth open in horror scientists have since identified it as a new species called the finda button spider this spider is closely related to the Black Widow redback and katipo spiders and is potentially the largest widow spider in the world Barbara Wright the explorer who originally discovered this stunning spider at the tembe elephant par says that the find a button spider's venom is neurotoxic which means a bite from this spider requires immediate medical attention and if that wasn't enough female find a button spiders also sport bright red spots on their underbelly and their egg sacks are a mesmerizing shade of purple with each sack containing about 600 hatchlings this is one spider you won't want to cross paths with number one untouched rainforest of Mozambique atop mount liko in Northern Mozambique some 700 meters above sea level lies a hidden rainforest that very few have had the pleasure of seeing it's a secret ecosystem protected by a steep circle of rock that has remained Untouched by humans for centuries making it a remarkable Discovery for scientists interestingly the locals knew about the mountain but the forest itself was only discovered in 2012 by a biologist named Julian Bayless who spotted it on satellite imagery however it wasn't until 2017 that he revealed his groundbreaking discovery to the world what makes this rainforest so unique is that it has experienced only natural disturbances such as droughts over the centuries rather than human interference as a result it is home to a vast array of plants and animals that have adapted to this pristine environment providing scientists with valuable insights into the past and future of our natural world the discovery of this hidden rainforest is an incredible find and it shows that there are still so many Secrets waiting to be uncovered in the natural world we hope you enjoyed this video we'll see you in 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