109. Briefcase, Money, and a Creepy Note Found in Hidden Crawl Space
Location: U.S.
Year Discovered: Unknown
Est. Value: $1,000*
One homeowner on Reddit found something extremely strange in his home. Located in a previously-hidden crawlspace, the homeowner discovered an old briefcase. Inside were watches, money, videotapes, and a weird letter that read, ominously, “Save Yourself” in dripping black ink.
Briefcase, Money, and a Creepy Note Found in Hidden Crawl Space @Facts Box/Youtube
What could this mean? Perhaps the former homeowner was playing a prank on whoever moved in. But, that wouldn’t explain the (real) money. More than likely, this former homeowner was a survivalist or conspiracy theorist, who hid these valuables as a potential “emergency kit” in the event of the apocalypse. Regardless of the reason, this find is very, very creepy.
110. Mysterious Cone Spiral in the Egyptian Desert
Location: Near Hurghada, Egypt
Year Discovered: 1997
Est. Value: Unknown
The Egyptian Desert is vast, and there are likely many things out there that we know nothing about. In 1997, aerial images of a mysterious cone spiral leaked, convincing everyone, once again, that aliens could be real.
Mysterious Cone Spirial in the Egyptian Desert @Adventure Story/Youtube
Alas, it would later turn out that this mysterious spiral was human-made. A trio of Greek artists created this mural, which is a double-spiral piece of land art. Called the Desert Breath, you can find it near Hurghada along the Red Sea Coast. Though these cones might seem like gigantic, alien ant hills, they are merely a clever, beautiful art installation.
111. Orange Snow Falls Over Eastern Europe
Location: Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia
Year Discovered: 2018
Est. Value: N/A (Weather Event)
It’s safe to say that, whenever a strange weather event occurs, people are quite nervous until an explanation is found. That occurred in Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine in 2018 when orange snow fell from the sky. People documented this radioactive-looking snow, which blanketed towns and resorts.
Orange Snow Falls Over Eastern Europeb @thetimessunday/Pinterest
Apparently, the cause was sand storms that took place in the Sahara Desert. These clouds of sand made their way to Eastern Europe, mixing with the snow falling in the region. Pictures of the event look strangely unreal, as though they were taken on the surface of Mars during a snowstorm.
112. Alien Creature Found In The Ocean
Location: Gulf of Mexico
Year Discovered: 2022
Est. Value: N/A
The ocean is full of odd creatures and, even after centuries upon centuries of study, only a tiny fraction of sea creatures are known to us land-dwellers. Every few years, humans uncover new (and sometimes monstrous) species of fish.
Alien Creature Found In The Ocean @eqqshells/Pinterest
In 2022, scientists found a weird, insectile creature that is so odd-looking, that they named it “Darth Vader,” after the Star Wars supervillain. It does look a lot like Vader’s helmet, with its body segments, multiple jaws, and compound eyes. Technically, the scientific name for this light-yellow isopod is Bathynomus Yucatanensis, but we prefer Darth Vader, as that seems more accurate for this creepy crawler.
113. A Keith Haring Mural Hidden for 30 Years is Revealed in Amsterdam
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Year Discovered: 2018
Est. Value: $3-$4 million*
Visual artist Keith Haring used animated imagery, and his works have become universally recognized over the centuries. Haring’s pop art emerged as part of the NYC graffiti subculture of the eighties, but it quickly became a worldwide phenomenon.
A Keith Haring Mural Hidden for 30 Years is Revealed in Amsterdam @julio_lario/Pinterest
Haring gifted Amsterdam a 40-foot-tall mural in 1986. He painted it while in town for an art exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum. The giant mural was, for whatever reason, hidden behind metal plates for thirty years, but it was unveiled in 2018 to Amsterdam, much to the delight of art aficionados. The mural is, judging from its design, a truly classic Haring.
114. Perplexing Radio Signals Discovered Coming From a Star
Location: Ross 128
Year Discovered: 2018
Est. Value: N/A
What is your opinion on aliens? Do you believe or do you not believe? If you believe, do you hope to make contact, or do you think it’s better that Earth and aliens leave each other alone? If you’re in that latter category, this find will unsettle you. In the 1970s, scientists sent radio waves into space to try and contact aliens.
Perplexing Radio Signals Discovered Coming From a Star ©Triff/Shutterstock
Years later in 2018, a red dwarf star named Ross 128 began sending back radio signals that were too low to have come from solar flares. Scientists are confused about the signals, and the origin of them has yet to be determined.
115. 1,100-Year-Old Treasure Is Unearthed by Teenagers in Israel
Location: Yavne, Israel
Year Discovered: 2020
Est. Value: $52,600* (Base Value)
Two teenagers in Israel were volunteering at an archaeological dig in Yavne when they discovered gold—literally. The two eighteen-year-olds unearthed 425 gold coins from a clay vessel buried in the earth. When dated, the coins were 1,100 years old.
1,100-Year-Old Treasure Is Unearthed by Teenagers in Israel @miningdotcom/Pinterest
Based on gold’s price per gram, the coins’ estimated value is $52,600. But, considering their age and historical significance, their actual value is likely far higher. All of the coins are composed of pure, 24-karat gold, and the cache was one of the oldest found from this period (the late ninth century) in Israel. Sadly, the two teens do not get to keep their gold mine.
116. Discovery of Rare Mushroom in Canada is a Biology Mystery
Location: Nechako River, British Columbia, Canada
Year Discovered: 2021
Est. Value: Unknown
Witches’ Cauldron Fungi, so-named because of its distinctive, cauldron-like appearance, is native to Northern Europe. So, when Cynthia Andal stumbled upon two dozen of these fungi in the underbrush in British Columbia, she was shocked.
Discovery of Rare Mushroom in Canada a Biology Mystery @CBC/Pinterest
Found near the Nechako River, this incredibly rare fungus wowed the biological community. Michael Preston, an ecologist specializing in microbes, said that there was no “reported documentation” in British Columbia until this find. How this witchy, Halloween-ish fungus ended up in B.C. is unknown for now. Even in Northern Europe, Witches’ Cauldron is declining, as its natural habitat is threatened. Perhaps it will get a revival in Canada.
117. Body Found Under Parking Lot is King Richard III
Location: Leicester, England
Year Discovered: 2013
Est. Value: N/A (Human Remains)
For many years, King Richard III’s body was lost. No one knew where this infamous, long-vilified English king was buried. That is, until 2013 when his body was found beneath a parking lot. After DNA tests, the bones, which were discovered in Leicester, England, were undisputedly King Richard III’s.
Body Found Under Parking Lot is King Richard III @dailymail/Pinterest
After the Plantagenet’s death in battle, his body was thrown onto the back of a horse, transported to Leicester, and buried in a very humble grave that, centuries later, was paved over and made into a parking lot. Now, the area where this villainous ruler was found is protected by law as the former king’s final resting place.
118. Sunken, 600-Year-Old Buddha Emerges from Water in China
Location: Jiangxi, China
Year Discovered: 2017
Est. Value: $5-$10 million*
Renovation work can uncover some expected things, such as this 600-year-old Buddha statue found in a Jiangxi, China reservoir after water levels fell during renovations. The water dropped dozens of feet while crews were working on a hydropower gate.
Sunken, 600-year-old Buddha Emerges from Water in China @SankofaStageOnline/Pinterest
A local spotted Buddha’s head, and, later, the entire statue was unveiled. The Buddha statue, which locals are viewing as a great omen, as well as a popular tourist attraction, dates back to the Ming Dynasty, if not the Yuan Dynasty. Additionally, a temple hall, as well as other ruins, was also found within the excavated reservoir, hinting that more exciting discoveries could emerge.
119. Lost $136 Million Caravaggio ‘Found in a Leaky French Attic’
Location: Toulouse, France
Year Discovered: 2016
Est. Value: $136 million*
Michelangelo Caravaggio, known just as Caravaggio, was a famous Italian painter who lived in Rome and was influential to artists like Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, and more. Caravaggio’s works sell for millions on the market, even when they’re discovered in less-than-glamorous places.
Lost $136 Million Caravaggio ‘Found in a Leaky French Attic ©Leon Neal /Getty Images
This $136 million Caravaggio was discovered in Toulouse, France in a leaky attic. Titled “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” the painting was lost sometime in the 1600s. The authentication process has proven tricky, but the lighting, energy, and execution have led art experts like Eric Turquin to infer that “Judith” could have only been executed by the Italian master-painter himself.
120. The Mysterious Marree Man of Outback Australia
Location: Marree, South Australia
Year Discovered: 1998
Est. Value: N/A
Also known as Stuart’s Giant, the Marree Man is a geoglyph that was discovered in the late 1990s. It shows an indigenous man hunting with some type of stick or boomerang, and this work of art is located atop a plateau near Marree in South Australia.
The Mysterious Marree Man of Outback Australia @postonfamily5/Pinterest
The figure is 1.7 miles tall and has a permit of 17 miles, which means it takes up a total of 260 acres. Though one of the largest geoglyphs on Earth, the origin of the Marree Man remains a mystery. Legally, it is owned by the South Australian Government, despite legal title action that native claimants took to attempt to assume ownership.
121. A 3400-year-old City Emerges From the Tigris River
Location: Northern Iraq
Year Discovered: 2022
Est. Value: N/A
Drought in Northern Iraq, a Kurdish region, led to a reservoir’s water-dropping rapidly. When the levels sank, an ancient settlement emerged from the Tigris River waters. A team of Kurdish and German researchers excavated the ruins and named them Kemune.
A 3400-year-old City Emerges From the Tigris River @jetztgestalten/Pinterest
Kemune is Zakihu, a Bronze Age city that was a huge hub for the Mittani Empire (1550-1530 B.C.). The excavation was a race against time, as no one on the archaeological team knew when the waters would rise and rebury this city. Five ceramic vessels with over 100 cuneiform clay tablets were unearthed, among other valuable, historically-significant artifacts.
122. Treasure Trove of Inuit Art Found in Rundown Detroit House
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Year Discovered: 2020
Est. Value: $10,000-$30,000*
Before it was colonists, the Michigan region holding the city of Detroit was inhabited by Native Americans, including the Inuit people. Somehow, art from this community found its way into an abandoned, dilapidated house in the city. When new owners bought the run-down home, they discovered a treasure trove of Inuit works of art.
Treasure Trove of Inuit art Found in Rundown Detroit House @CBC/Pinterest
The trove included forty original, signed prints from Kinngait Nunavut artists, including Kenojuak Ashevak, a renowned creator. These pieces are worth thousands, even though some of the prints have wrinkles and tears. Though Detroit is one of the most dangerous, decaying cities in America, this diamond-in-the-rough still emerged in 2020.
123. Buried 17th Century Treasure Found in the Bahamas
Location: Little Bahama Bank
Year Discovered: 2020
Est. Value: $250,000*
The Bahamas isn’t just a place with sandy beaches and turquoise waters—it is also a historically significant location, as the region spent centuries as a hub for traders and sea voyagers. Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas, a Spanish galleon, sank in 1656 off the coast of Little Bahama Bank.
Buried 17th Century Treasure Found in the Bahamas @ElusiveLight22/Pinterest
It hit its fleet flagship, then a coral reef, and then it sank, scattering its remains throughout the seafloor. For centuries, people tried to locate the Maravillas with no luck. That is, until 2020. An exploration finally found this wreck, uncovering 3,000 silver coins, anchors, amethysts, emeralds, gold coins, and more from the galleon’s wreckage.
124. Europe’s Dry Rivers Reveal Creepy “Hunger Stones”
Location: Central Europe
Year Discovered: 2022
Est. Value: N/A
Throughout the summer of 2022, Central Europe has been rocked by droughts. As the rivers have dried up, “hunger stones,” also known as hungersteine, have been revealed. These rocks are covered in ominous inscriptions that read, “Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine.” In English, that means, “If you see me, then weep.”
Europe’s Dry Rivers Reveal Creepy “Hunger Stones” @bigthinkdotcom/Pinterest
The hungersteine mark low levels of water during droughts, warning people of famine and hardship that inevitably followed after such weather events. These hungersteine, along with artifacts like WWII shipwrecks, ghost villages, and Roman encampments, have been some of the many strange finds that this historic drought has revealed to the world.