In 1876, a mysterious rain of meat fell on a field in Kentucky, which later became known as The Kentucky Meat Shower.
You’d be surprised to know about some of the weirdest things that have dropped from the skies across the world!
Getting soaked in a heavy rain shower might be one thing, but imagine being bombarded by thousands of flapping fish!
If that’s not enough, how about an entire army of spiders raining down on you?
These are the stuff of nightmares.
Prepare to take cover as we delve into ten of the strangest things that have fallen from the sky!
Raining Fish
For most people across the world, the idea of fish raining from the sky is quite bizarre.
However, in some countries, it’s actually quite common.
So much so that in Mexico, there’s a specific name for it – “lluvia de peces,” which translates to “rain of fish.”
The most likely explanation for this bizarre phenomenon is a waterspout.
A waterspout is similar to a tornado, but it occurs over water, and it sucks up fish from bodies of water. The wind then carries these aquatic creatures inland, where they eventually rain down.
In some places, like Honduras, communities celebrate these occurrences and welcome the gift of free food. They even have a big fish fry-off with their bounty from the clouds!
Falling Frogs
Just like fish, frogs can also be caught in waterspouts, and there are several reports – both ancient and recent – of frogs raining from the sky.
Besides the well-known biblical example, ancient Greek philosopher Heraclides Lembus wrote about a situation where “the houses and the roads have been full of them”!
More recently, in 2005, thousands of tiny froglets fell from the skies in Serbia during a passing thunderstorm.
Surprisingly, the Serbian froglets survived their lengthy fall and reportedly jumped up and hopped away upon landing!
Blood… or not?
In 2014, residents of Zamora in northwestern Spain woke up to a startling sight.
Overnight, blood had rained down onto their sleepy town, coating it in a grisly red hue.
The residents of Zamora quickly tried to figure out what had happened.
To their surprise, they found that it was not the son of Satan who had risen, bringing with him apocalyptic rain made from the blood of the damned – it was just algae.
That’s right – plain old algae!
The microalgae in question were not native to Spain and had become trapped in a stormcloud. The distressed cloud caused the microalgae to turn red, and it then dumped its faux-bloody contents all over Zamora as the city slept – giving the illusion of a town covered in blood!
Candy Rain
In 1987, people in Lake County, California, got a taste of what it’s like to live at Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory when it rained candy twice.
Lyman L. Palmer, the author, once witnessed an unusual event where large chunks of crystallized sugar almost a quarter inch in size fell from the sky to the Earth. The residents of Lake County were delighted by the sugary rain and made syrup from it, just like the Hondurans with their fishy rain. In Bath County, Kentucky, a steady rain of mystery meat fell on a field in 1876, leaving everyone puzzled. The two men who witnessed it couldn’t agree on whether the mystery meat was mutton, venison, or bear meat. Later analysts suggested that it might be a type of cyanobacteria or regurgitated meat from a buzzard. In Australia and Brazil, baby spiders have been known to rain down from the sky, as they spin themselves a little silk parachute to travel great distances. In Punta Gorda, Florida, dozens of golf balls rained down from the sky in 1969, and it was believed that they were sucked up by a waterspout over the golf course pond. Lastly, compared to the rain of mystery meat, spiders, fish, and frogs, money rain is the best type of rain that has fallen on multiple occasions.
In 2015, a large sum of money ranging from 2-3 million dirhams (equivalent to $544k – $817k) fell from the sky in Kuwait City, causing people to scramble and pick up the cash like it was a game show. Similarly, in Indianapolis in 2017, an electrician observed $200 flying off the roof of a building where he was working. However, in both cases, the origin of the money remains unknown. Despite this, the finders of the money kept it.
Moving on to Australia, in January 2018, the residents of Campbelltown experienced boiled bat rain due to a heatwave that caused the local bat species to overheat and die, leading to more than 200 boiled bats found on the ground.
Another bizarre occurrence that happens on a larger scale is space junk falling from outer space to Earth, which is mostly small fragments that pose no threat to people. However, in March 2018, China’s Tiangong-1 prototype space station caused a splash when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean during its controlled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Despite this, the likelihood of being killed by falling space junk is still lower than winning the lottery.
In conclusion, these are the ten weirdest things that fell from the sky, with mystery meat being the most concerning for the author. However, what do you think is the weirdest or most frightening thing to fall from the sky? Let us know in the comments.
FAQ
1. What is the weirdest thing that has ever fallen from the sky?
The weirdest thing that has ever fallen from the sky is probably raining frogs. This phenomenon is called “animal rain” and has been reported all around the world. Scientists believe that it can occur when strong winds or waterspouts lift the animals from their natural habitat and carry them for miles before dropping them back down to the ground.
2. Has it ever rained blood?
Yes, it has. Known as “blood rain,” this phenomenon has been reported in various parts of the world. The red coloration is caused by the presence of algae, spores, or dust particles in the water droplets. While the rain is not actually blood, it can be a creepy sight to behold.
3. Can it really rain fish?
Yes, it can. Fish rain, also known as “fish fall,” has been reported in several countries. It usually happens when waterspouts or tornadoes over water lift the fish from the water and carry them for miles before dropping them on land. The fish are usually small and can be found alive or dead.
4. Has anything ever fallen from the sky and caused damage?
Yes, several things have fallen from the sky and caused damage. In 2013, a meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, causing widespread damage and injuring over a thousand people. In 1979, a piece of NASA’s Skylab space station fell on a small town in Australia, damaging several buildings and causing a media frenzy.
5. Can it snow in the middle of summer?
Yes, it can. Known as “summer snow,” this phenomenon occurs when cold air from the upper atmosphere mixes with warm, moist air near the ground. The resulting snow can be a few flakes or a full-blown blizzard, depending on the conditions.
6. Has it ever rained diamonds?
Yes, it has. Scientists believe that diamonds can form in the upper atmosphere when carbon-rich meteorites burn up upon entry. The resulting diamonds can then be carried by the wind and fall to the ground as a type of “diamond rain.”
7. Can it rain fire?
No, it cannot. While it may seem like a scene from a disaster movie, rain made of fire is not possible. However, there have been reports of “fire whirls” or “firenadoes” that can occur during wildfires. These are essentially tornadoes made of fire and can be very dangerous.
8. Has it ever rained money?
Yes, it has. In 1969, a bank in London accidentally dropped thousands of pounds from a plane while trying to transport the money to a branch. The money was scattered across the city and caused chaos as people scrambled to pick it up. While it wasn’t technically raining money, it certainly seemed like it to those who witnessed it.
9. Can it rain frogs, fish, and other animals at the same time?
While it is unlikely, it is not impossible for multiple animal rains to occur at the same time. For example, in 2005, a village in Serbia experienced a rain of fish and frogs at the same time, causing locals to believe that the end of the world was near.
Zayn Anderson is a prolific writer with a passion for uncovering the world’s intriguing facts. Armed with an insatiable curiosity, he delves into various subjects, from history and science to nature and technology.