Times When Nature Made Us Wonder ‘How’ Or ‘Why?’

Nature is amazing in how adaptive its plants can be in just about any situation.

Every now and then, you come across something in nature that makes you wonder, "How is that possible?" This is an article where we asked that very question.

Overtaken Bulldozer

Old bulldozer with a tree growing around it.
Photo Credit: mattcal25 / Reddit
Photo Credit: mattcal25 / Reddit

This bulldozer was abandoned in the forest long before the trees were this close to it.

Over time, the trees grew up through the bulldozer and are now growing overtop of it.

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Decaying Rock

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Rock that looks like it is decaying.
Photo Credit: Educational-Soup2654 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Educational-Soup2654 / Reddit
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Rocks are extremely solid and are a pain to bump into.

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This hiker came across this large rock that looks like it is melting away to nothing. A very cool look, but we wonder what caused it?

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Hot Spring In Lake

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Hot spring in lake.
Photo Credit: shell_raiser / Reddit
Photo Credit: shell_raiser / Reddit
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Lake Yellowstone has a small hot spring, Fishing Cone, that has sprouted up out of the cold lake.

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We wouldn't want to get too close as apparently it gets hot enough to cook a fish!

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Perfect Ring Of Mushrooms

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Mushrooms growing in a perfect circle on the grass
Photo Credit: _iron_butterfly_ / Reddit
Photo Credit: _iron_butterfly_ / Reddit
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This person's front lawn is perfectly green with one exception—a perfect circle of mushrooms.

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We have no idea how they would grow in a perfect circle, but we would not get rid of them!

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Eaten Fence Post

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Fence post with a tree growing around it.
Photo Credit: pharmsert / Reddit
Photo Credit: pharmsert / Reddit
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This tree was not concerned that the fence post was put there before it was planted.

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The tree quickly both overgrew and overtook the post, as it nearly swallowed it whole.

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Skull Rock

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Rock on a cliff and one of them looks like a skull
Photo Credit: StoleYourRubberToes / Reddit
Photo Credit: StoleYourRubberToes / Reddit
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This rock formation has one very glaring attribute to it, what looks like a skull on the side of one of them.

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This hiker just had to take a picture to document it!

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Everyone In Line

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Leaves lined up in the water behind a rock.
Photo Credit: xxCannonBallxx / Reddit
Photo Credit: xxCannonBallxx / Reddit
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We have seen plenty of leaves floating down the river, but we have not come across this before.

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These leaves were all bunched up in a single file behind one rock.

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Yin-Yang Grass

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Circle of grass in a yin-yang symbol.
Photo Credit: TheQueenIsDown / Reddit
Photo Credit: TheQueenIsDown / Reddit
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This person had quite the surprise when they took down their above-ground pool.

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They found that the grass had formed a perfect yin-yang shape underneath the pool over the years.

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A Holy Rock

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Rock with the word
Photo Credit: Aromatic-Objective22 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Aromatic-Objective22 / Reddit
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A person came across this rock that appears to have the word "god" in it naturally.

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This is quite the find for there to be any letters in a rock, let alone a full word.

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Eaten Handrail

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Handrail that has a tree growing around it.
Photo Credit: The80sDude / Reddit
Photo Credit: The80sDude / Reddit
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Tress overtaking other objects will always be both fascinating and amusing to us.

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This handrail was no match for the tree trunk, which branched out and swallowed the handrail whole.

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Long-Haired Cactus

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Cactus that looks like it has hair
Photo Credit: cjoybjoy / Reddit
Photo Credit: cjoybjoy / Reddit
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Practically every cactus has a rounded-off top like the three in this picture.

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What has caught our eye is the one that looks to have some long flowing hair.

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Camouflaged Snake

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Snake blending in with the log.
Photo Credit: feistybean / Reddit
Photo Credit: feistybean / Reddit
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It took us way too long to find the snake in the picture, but when we did, we were amazed at how well it camouflaged itself.

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The snake would use this as a way to survive if a predator was nearby.

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Lone Apple Branch

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Tree with one branch of apples growing on it.
Photo Credit: Olyverr1014 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Olyverr1014 / Reddit
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This is a new one for us, a two-in-one tree.

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The majority of the tree is one type, but then there is just one lone branch that is an apple tree.

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The Mushroom Skirt

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Mushroom with a yellow skirt on it.
Photo Credit: Spudnut / Reddit
Photo Credit: Spudnut / Reddit
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Mushrooms are a fascinating plant with so many different varieties.

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This mushroom looks like it is wearing a yellow ballgown and ready to head off to a fancy ceremony of some kind.

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Wrapped Pine Tree

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Pine tree growing around another tree.
Photo Credit: dtg109 / Reddit
Photo Credit: dtg109 / Reddit
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This pine tree looks like it is slow dancing with the tropical tree.

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It has completely wrapped around the trunk and then shot out to try to get some more sunlight.

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Skull Driftwood

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Driftwood that looks like a skull
Photo Credit: breadticket / Reddit
Photo Credit: breadticket / Reddit
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This person was collecting driftwood on the shore when they came across one that has formed what looks like a skull.

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This is super cool and a piece that we would definitely pick up.

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Super Strong Mushrooms

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Mushrooms growing out of pavement.
Photo Credit: SluggishPrey / Reddit
Photo Credit: SluggishPrey / Reddit
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Mushrooms are one of the superfoods in the world.

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While we do not know if this is one that you could eat, we do know that it is full of strength as it has broken through the pavement.

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Circular Branch

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Circular tree branch
Photo Credit: FishayyMtg / Reddit
Photo Credit: FishayyMtg / Reddit
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This branch has formed a perfect circle by growing right back into itself.

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It is almost like the little branch tried to make it out in the big world but then decided it wanted to come back home.

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Flowering Sidewalk

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Flowers growing out of the sidewalk.
Photo Credit: wintersenchantment / Reddi
Photo Credit: wintersenchantment / Reddi
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This flower bush has sprouted up and is thriving after only growing out of a small crack in the sidewalk.

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This goes to show that it only takes a small bit of soil for a beautiful flower to blossom.

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Only Where The Sun Shines

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Ivy growing only where the sun shines.
Photo Credit: ohmesrv / Reddit
Photo Credit: ohmesrv / Reddit
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This alleyway only gets a small sliver of sunlight between two buildings.

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That was all that this ivy plant needed to grow up and down the wall in the sun.

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A Child's Shoe Returns To Nature

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nature-has-reclaimed-this-childs-shoe-i-found-in-the-woods-v0-CAB7wvzY8ryNS-Ui3nc5ZgPkaeHeoTSTvqwJrGGAho4 (1)
Reddit/mpa92643
Reddit/mpa92643
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One person discovered this shoe covered in moss on a trail. It's so fascinating how a mundane object can be reclaimed by nature. Who knows what it will look like in a few years?

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Birds Will Build Nests Anywhere

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reddit/AllClear_
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If you're a homeowner, chances are good that you've found a bird's nest somewhere unexpected on your property. While this spot is unusual, maybe the birds decided it would be the safest place for their eggs.

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How Long Has This Bike Been Here?

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Reddit/yikesalex
Reddit/yikesalex
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According to the person who took this photo, this bike has been in the same spot for months, long enough for the greenery around it to take over. In a few more months, it'll be completely covered. Hopefully, its owner comes back for it soon.

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Remember The Pandemic?

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due-to-the-quarantine-nature-is-starting-to-reclaim-the-v0-w3oaQzlwzIDwGhLZPl8kywLV5h3LMsOrks10ZpGydEQ
Reddit/NotVerySmarts
Reddit/NotVerySmarts
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When the world went into lockdown, some areas became completely neglected, encouraging nature to take over. This stairwell at a university wasn't maintained for months, allowing this plant to keep growing undisturbed.

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A Clever Way To Use Nature

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Reddit/benjam33
Reddit/benjam33
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This sign was intentionally created with the letters upside down. That way, it's message shows up in the pond's reflection clearly. What a cool way to incorporate nature into a design.

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This Tree Has A Natural Camouflage Pattern

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Reddit/Murtamatt
Reddit/Murtamatt
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Usually, people wear camouflage to blend in with their surroundings, but in this case a tree decided to create some of its own. Whether it was intentional or not, there's no denying how unique this tree looks.

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Have You Ever Seen A Tree Like This?

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Reddit/EvangelionIce
Reddit/EvangelionIce
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Your eyes aren't tricking you – this tree has rainbow bark. Known as eucalyptus deglupta, or rainbow eucalyptus, these trees are recognizable by their vibrant and colorful trunks. It would be so cool to see an entire forest filled with these trees.

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A Unique Geode

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this-natural-heptagram-in-an-amethyst-geode-found-in-mexico-v0-5bdl1mnr21821
Reddit/watersigns
Reddit/watersigns
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Any geode is a cool find for a rock collector, but this one is especially rare. Besides containing amethyst crystals, this person was stunned to see they made a perfect star shape when it was split open. Nature can be so beautiful (and surprising!).

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One Lone Painted Leaf

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Reddit/NotoriousCarrots
Reddit/NotoriousCarrots
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While it looks like someone took a paintbrush to this plant, everything about it is 100% natural. Sometimes, new leaves can sport unique color combinations and patterns, even when the rest of the plant is uniform. What a stunning sight!

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It's Oddly Mesmerizing

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Reddit/Still_Functional
Reddit/Still_Functional
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These naturally occurring water droplets formed in the bottom of a bucket. It's hard to believe that they are just water – it almost looks like a bucket of rare crystals. Photos like this prove that even simple things can be beautiful in nature.