Usually when traveling, flyers try to rush through airports as quickly as possible in an effort to reach their final destinations, the spots where they really want to spend some time. This is especially true for vacationers who just want to get away from it all.

But what if you’ve been missing one of the best stops along the way? What if the airport itself has amenities that should make it one of your more interesting destinations? If you’re looking for a fascinating place to spend some free time, each of the top 10 airports listed below just might fit the bill.

10 Singapore Changi Airport

According to the annual World Airport Award by Skytrax, Singapore’s Changi Airport has been the best airport in the world for a record six consecutive years as of 2018. The airport prides itself on its inclusion of nature. Each terminal has its own set of botanical gardens, including the sunflower and butterfly gardens. The airport also has a number of Asian-style ponds to revitalize stressed travelers with a sense of peace.

If you aren’t interested in all that nature has to offer, you can go to the free movie theater, rooftop swimming pool, or 24-hour spas. Of course, Changi has the standard recharge stations and free Wi-Fi as well.

In terms of food, Changi is still the airport leader with its 1960s-themed food court where “street vendors” offer local dishes for cheap prices. The fourth and newest terminal was designed by taking the most efficient elements of the previous three terminals to produce a blazing fast facility in terms of time from security check-in to arrival at the boarding gate.

At least one person reported a time of only 15 minutes to get to the gate. That’s nothing short of amazing for one of the world’s busiest airports.^[1]

Despite all that, the “crown jewel” of Changi Airport is an addition scheduled to open in 2019. The glittering Jewel Changi Airport will raise the bar for futuristic airport design with its centerpiece Rain Vortex, a 40-meter-tall (130 ft) waterfall that cascades from the roof of the glass dome.

This new central hub, which links three terminals, is a lifestyle destination with all types of leisure activities, including a five-story garden, entertainment and shopping outlets, and play areas for children.

9 Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport is conveniently placed just five hours’ flight time away from more than half the world’s population, making it one of the busiest international airports. Naturally, this has led to huge upgrades which ensure passengers are well accommodated during their layovers.

The airport embraces Hong Kong’s strong cultural tendencies in food by offering more than 80 restaurants with cuisine from all over the globe. The restaurants range in price and experience, with some offering live music and others quick take-out food for those in a hurry.

Hong Kong International Airport also provides exclusive shopping ranging from a licensed Disney store to boutique clothing joints such as Giordano and G2000. For families, there is an interactive educational park for children as well as an IMAX in the terminal.^[2]

Got a few hours to spare? Sit in on the latest movies or head on down to the Lan Kwai Fong Bar where guests receive their first cocktail free.

8 Incheon International Airport

South Korea’s massive international airport in Incheon has just about everything a traveler could dream of. Most airports are designed to prevent travelers from sleeping with their uncomfortable chairs and fixed armrests. But Incheon has acknowledged that travelers need to sleep by offering free reclining lounges in darkened corners that are perfect for that much-needed nap.

After you’ve caught up on your beauty sleep, you can refresh and revive in the airport’s free showers. There, you are given a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, a hairdryer, and a towel. All you need to bring is your thongs (unless you’re a daredevil and don’t mind taking your chances with a public shower floor).

There are also endless offerings for entertainment within the airport. Check out the craft areas where you can attempt to make traditional Korean-style bags and fans, or head over to the in-terminal ice skating rink. You can also visit a cultural museum or explore a number of traditional gardens. There will never be a dull moment during your layover at Incheon.^[3]

7 Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is all about keeping you entertained on your layover. Throughout the facility, you can watch TV with channels specially selected to keep travelers entertained. If that doesn’t interest you, locate the Satellite Building where you can use the Internet kiosks to access free Wi-Fi.

Not interested in lounging around on your layover? Then head to Gateway@KLIA2, a shopping mall attached directly to the airport. Although you need to clear customs to get to and from the mall, you can find anything from jewelry and clothing to toys and electronics. While exploring the shops, take time to go to the food court and try some traditional Malaysian food at inexpensive prices.

Feeling a little tired? Catch up on some sleep in the airport’s Capsule Transit Airport Hotel which offers capsule-style beds for up to 12 hours at a time. This includes luggage lockers, showers, and free Wi-Fi, so it’s definitely worth it for those slightly longer airport stays.^[4]

6 London Heathrow Airport

Heathrow has been labeled No. 1 for both airport shopping and dining experiences. Additionally, the Sofitel London Heathrow inside the facility was awarded the title of fifth-best airport hotel. Although there aren’t endless options for food like other great international airports, the selection of restaurants is well chosen, including European cafes, British pubs, and sophisticated full-service dine-in restaurants.

Heathrow offers a range of shops in every terminal.^[5] No matter where you fly in or out, you will have access to everything you need—from books to basic clothing and international fashion boutiques. For those looking for a more cultural experience, check out the airport’s art gallery in Terminal 5. It holds a permanent exhibit of sculpture and other art.

5 Munich Airport

Munich has been ranked fourth overall in terms of the world’s best airports. It has also been labeled Europe’s best airport for the last 10 years and been given a rare five-star rating by Skytrax.

So what sets Munich Airport apart from the rest?

Its on-site brewery. We all like to have a drink while we’re waiting for our next flight, and where better to do it than at a brewery. If you’re looking for entertainment, head over to the world’s biggest man-made standing wave where you might be lucky enough to catch the pro contest hosted by airport staff.

If that doesn’t spark your interest, an in-terminal park has a mini golf course, aviation models including an interactive historic aircraft experience, and a giant slide. Or you may want to take a nap in one of the airport’s private sleeping cabins.^[6]

4 McCarran International Airport

McCarran International Airport (aka LAS) is Las Vegas’s primary airport and lives up to the expectations of its Paradise location in Nevada. As the world’s eighth-busiest airport, it is the host of an aviation museum that celebrates the history of air travel in Las Vegas.

LAS also offers its own brewery as well as a number of pubs and local restaurants with 24-hour slot machines to really give you that taste of the Vegas lifestyle.^[7] If a nap is what you’re after, then head into any of the lounges, which are free to all travelers. If you have a lot of energy, then you can use the airport’s gym where your full access includes shower and sauna facilities for only $25.

3 Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport is great for those tech-savvy travelers looking for fast Internet and speedy check-ins. Its “Wow-fi” has won awards for being the fastest Wi-Fi in the world with speeds up to 39.50 mbps. Secondly, its smart gates allow passengers to skip the usually lengthy queues and simply walk through, immensely speeding up the check-in process.

For those wanting a little bit of entertainment, the airport’s partnership with ICFlix means travelers can stream unlimited movies and TV shows for free. In terms of rest and relaxation, the airport has its very own in-terminal Zen garden which offers a bit of culture as well as some peace and quiet. You can also get a massage.

As for food, there are some great offerings. You can eat at Wolfgang Puck’s The Kitchen, one of the only two Pret a Mangers in the nation, some local restaurants, or a Heineken lounge.^[8]

2 Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport

If you’re going to plan a trip that takes you to one of the world’s best airports, you should probably know how to pronounce the name. It sounds like “sue-wahn-ah-poom.” Note the silent “i” on the end.^[9]

Now let’s move on to why it is a world-class facility. Although it doesn’t have any amenities like museums or pools, it is exceptional at providing traditional airport shopping and food. It is also one of the largest passenger airports in the world, offering more flights and smoother flight transitions to help passengers remain calm.

It has an airport hotel for overnight stays. If you’re on a budget, cheaper lounges and chairs around the airport are designed to accommodate sleeping passengers. The airport cuisine ranges from fast food to cultural Thai and Asian restaurants.

If you have a long wait and you aren’t keen on getting some sleep or food, board the in-airport train on the lower level and head into the city. No matter what time it is, Bangkok is always alive.

1 Samui International Airport

Samui International Airport has one of the world’s coolest designs for an airport. Privately owned by Bangkok Airways, the facility is conveniently located on one of the nation’s major island hot spots, offering ease of access for international tourists.

The buildings are made from primarily bamboo and thatch. Tropical flowers in the terminals give the airport an exotic holiday feel. The facility’s lack of air conditioning and use of natural air flow to cool the terminals has won it international awards for environmental conservation and just adds to the mystique of this incredible resort-style airport.

Although it is one of the best airports in the world, check-in and baggage collection still takes time because the operation is small and privately run. However, it is definitely worth the extra wait times to experience flying in or out of this spectacular place.

For food and shopping, there are a few boutique stores and cafes as well as a culture-based food court called Samui Park Avenue. If you’re looking for something a little different, the airport also hosts the Samui Robot Group shop which sells Alien-like monsters made from recycled auto parts.^[10]

Hey! I am an aspiring travel blogger and dedicated law student. Follow my adventures on Instagram to get exclusive offers on my upcoming blog! Find me on @lifeinwonderlandd.

Eighty percent of the world’s animal species are insects, which is to say there are likely more than one million species of bugs, and some experts estimate as many as 10 million. They are under the ground, on the ground, and above the ground. In the bush, in the city, in the desert, in and on the trees, and on and under rocks. In our homes, our businesses, all the places we visit. On our skin, in our hair. In our nightmares. They run, crawl, creep, climb, jump, swim, and fly. If they ever decided to take us on, we would lose, and the earth would be ruled by bugs. Thankfully, they seem content with having invaded and conquered every environment on earth, excluding extreme high-altitude environments, arctic regions, and active volcanoes.

We are unlikely to have face-to-face encounters with many of the insects on this list, and even if we did, they do not represent any real threat to us. They can be viewed and appreciated, or not, from the safety of our living rooms. Although there is an impossible number of candidates for the title of coolest bug on earth, here are ten worthy contenders that, between them, offer some disturbing behaviors, outrageous appearances, wicked party tricks, and a few surprises.

Related: 10 Worldwide Insect Delicacies

10 Dog Flea

These wingless parasites have nothing to their credit apart from their insatiable appetite for blood and their phenomenal jumping ability. Although people often say they have been bitten by a flea, fleas don’t bite. Instead, they saw through the skin using their jagged-edged mandibles, then dribble their saliva, which contains an anti-coagulant, on the wound to keep the blood flowing. The saliva is also what causes the skin irritation from the flea’s feeding session.

Cat fleas are more common than dog, human, or rat fleas, even though feline hosts are fewer in number. However, dog fleas are the most impressive leapers. How far can they jump? Try 200 times their own body length from a standing start. How long are their bodies? Adults typically grow up to anywhere from 2mm to 8mm (between 1/4″ and 1/3″), and they have disproportionately big heads, perhaps because they are so good at jumping. Although their large hind legs enable the mighty leaps, they actually push off from their toes. Who knew fleas had toes?^[1]

9 Madagascan Sunset Moth

To set the record straight at the beginning, moths are not simply nocturnal butterflies; there are distinct differences between the two. The Madagascan Sunset Moth is a day-flying moth and arguably the most beautiful of the lepidopterans (moths and butterflies), making them highly sought after by collectors.

The iridescent parts of its wings do not have any pigment. Although nicely framed in white, the intense and magical red, blue, and green seen in this moth’s wings arise from optical interference. Its wings are covered by ribbon-like scales, which diffuse and interfere with light beams. As a final nod to its coolness, this moth has six tails, and like all moths and butterflies, has taste sensors in its feet. That’s not the only way they taste. Still, it is an unusual one unless you consider the convenience of being able to sample flowers simply by landing on them as you flutter around on your pollination mission. In which case, you must admit that it is very cool.^[2]

8 Black Bulldog Ant

Australia lays claim to a large number of unique and dangerous animals. The Black Bulldog Ant, which is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the deadliest ant in the world, bites and stings simultaneously. It has been known to cause human deaths, although to be fair, the cause of death was anaphylactic shock. In the three recorded fatalities in Australia, death occurred within fifteen minutes of the onset of the attack.

The Bulldog Ant bites rapidly and repeatedly and is not afraid of people or anything else. These large ants are essentially wasps without wings, so they behave differently from other ant species. Bulldog ants, also known as bull ants, are aggressive, don’t lay scent trails or travel in lines, and live in comparatively small colonies. Incidentally, bulldog ants used to be found worldwide but are now extant only in Australia, presumably because Australians treasure such deadliness in their creatures.^[3]

7 Hercules Beetle

Pound for pound, as the saying goes, the Hercules Beetle is not only one of the strongest insects on earth, but it is also one of the strongest creatures on earth. How often have you heard someone strong being compared to an ox? Oxen have nothing on this beetle. Dynastes hercules can lift and carry 850 times its own body weight, equivalent to a human carrying seven elephants.

Males of this large beetle species also have a very distinctive appearance courtesy of massive horns on their heads that look like a set of pliers and are used to fight other males to impress lady Hercules beetles. The battle ends when one of the combatants ends up on his back, unable to flip himself over. Laying to rest a persistent rumor—the truth is the females hook up with the survivor of these fights irrespective of the size of his horns.^[4]

6 Common Green Darner

With independent wing control giving them the ability to fly forward, backward, and sideways and hover and turn ninety degrees in a couple of wingbeats, dragonflies make the most advanced modern aircraft look primitive. They are also very fast. The world speed title goes to a North American dragonfly, the Common Green Darner, which given its name, is unsurprisingly ubiquitous throughout North America.

This insect rocks some cool contrasting blues and greens on its body, as well as a black spot inside a yellow and blue ring on its forehead, which is called a “bulls-eye” mark. In colder weather, they change the color of their body to darker hues in order to absorb more sunlight. This species also is one of the only darner species to oviposit in tandem. With a 76 mm (3 inches) body and an 80 mm wingspan, this dragonfly has been clocked at 85 kilometers an hour (52 mph). However, its ability to mend socks has not been tested yet.^[5]

5 Brazilian Treehopper

The Brazilian Treehopper has a weird crown of balls on its head and is apparently lazy. The purpose of this regal anatomical feature is something of a mystery to scientists who have at least ruled out any sexual function, given that both males and females of the species have the balls. Their best guess is that it is a defensive weapon designed to discourage predators. If not functioning as a decoy head like some other creatures have, then perhaps it’s there because it is similar in appearance to the results from having a parasitic fungus invade your body.

Although such headwear is unusual in the general insect population, it is very fashionable among the Treehoppers. The crown of hairy balls is, in fact, a “pronotum,” an insect body segment located just behind the head. As for their alleged laziness, individual specimens have been observed to sit and feed in one place for twenty-four hours, which I think qualifies them as gluttons as well.^[6]

4 Junk Bug

The junk bug, also known as an aphid lion, is a common voracious predator around the world. The bug is actually the larval stage of the green lacewing, a delicate and lovely flying insect with vibrant and limey green bodies, large eyes, and big, diaphanous wings sporting an intricate filigree of veins that call to mind fairies more than bugs.

But the larval stage, the junk bug stage, is decidedly uglier. Scientists say junk bugs heap their kills on their back as part of an intricate camouflage designed to fool birds and predatory ants alike. Sometimes, the bugs add other bits of debris they find, such as bits of lichen or leaves. Teasing apart the pieces, the insect carcasses are unmistakable. Most are a ghostly white. Heads and legs are easy to discern.

Junk bugs feed by stabbing soft-bodied prey with a pair of sharp, horn-like mouthparts that are hollow. Once stabbed into a victim, the junk bug simply slurps out the soft innards of its prey. Mmm, milkshake, anyone? Then the empty and lifeless husk is added to the gruesome pile, and the junk bug scurries on, looking for his next victim.^[7]

3 Ladybug

Lady beetles, or ladybugs, may look pretty, and they are certainly relatively harmless, but they are disease-infested cannibals that may eat up to 5,000 insects during their lifetime, including their siblings. Harlequin ladybugs, also call Harlequin ladybirds, are the chief offenders, with many other species only resorting to eating their own family members when food supplies are low.

A Rice University article adds the descriptors “invasive” and “sex-crazed,” with the author noting that these bugs also give off an unpleasant smell when you bother them. Oh, and they can bite. Now that your glowing opinion of ladybirds has been shattered, you might be wondering why they are on this list of cool bugs. What’s so cool about them? They make the cut because there is probably no better example in the animal kingdom of a wolf in sheep’s clothing than a ladybug.^[8]

2 Dracula Ant

The agile and possibly psychotic Dracula ant, motoring at 90 meters per second, is the fastest animal in the world. Not only do they move super quickly over the ground, but according to National Geographic, their bite is the fastest animal movement on record. The biting action is similar to the way we snap our fingers, with stored energy producing sound in the case of our fingers and a devastatingly fast bite in the case of these ants.

It is both the speed and the power of the bite which stuns the Dracula ant’s prey. Queens also suck the blood of their own young because Dracula ants, apparently not keen on being in Her Majesty’s Service, don’t share regurgitated food in the colony.^[9]

1 Twisted Wing Parasite

There are many examples of parasitic behavior in the animal and plant kingdoms. It doesn’t bother us at all when we hear examples of plants living off other plants because plants don’t have feelings, but when the talk turns to animals, it starts to become uncomfortable. When humans describe other humans as parasites, it is a high-level insult. We don’t see “bloodsucking” behavior as good even though we accept it among animal species because it is natural. We may not necessarily understand it, but everything in nature serves a purpose. All that is by way of an introduction to the “sickly cool”’ Twisted Wing Parasite.

This extremely unpleasant, almost vomit-inducing insect is the bee’s knees of disgustingly cool bugs. Finding its hosts among grasshoppers, leafhoppers, bees, and wasps, the larval form of this fly waits around for a host then climbs on board, burrowing into the insect. Once settled, it morphs into a second-stage larva, either male or female. If male, he will burst out of the host to go and find a mate. If female, she will find her own host, burrowing in and only poking out her genitals (which is about all she has since she possesses no eyes, antennae, legs, or mouthparts). Once impregnated, she produces her eggs, which grow and consume their mother before hatching, continuing the cycle.

Ladybugs have been previously described as sex-crazed, but twisted wing parasites spend most of their three-hour lifespans looking for a mate. For them, sex is the meaning of life. Talk about twisted.^[10]

Those of us who spend far too much time glued to a screen (yes, you, gentle reader) will often forget that the world we inhabit is pretty old. It is easy to feel as though we exist in a brave new world—a digitalized space that is constantly reinventing itself. But take a walk, have a look around, speak to some older people. Relics of ages passed will soon emerge.

If you live in a place where humans have built civilizations for at least a few hundred or thousand years, you’ll notice carvings on buildings, see peculiar costumes at festivals, and hear and read stories that feature curious motifs and characters. These artifacts of our cultures are all around us. Here’s a list of some of the coolest folk motifs from around the globe.

Related: 10 Creepy Tales From English Folklore

10 The Green Man, Britain

The Medieval era in Europe was a time of great transition. At the beginning, the Western Roman Empire was falling, and Christianity was on the up and up. By the end, we welcomed the Renaissance, and the seeds of the Enlightenment were beginning to sprout. However, some older traditions—elements of a pre-Christian time—stubbornly hung around. In Britain, people still danced around maypoles, continued to use ancient languages, and told tales from before the coming of the gospels. They clung to superstitions, habits, and imagery from this by-gone age. Still do.

The Green Man, the ever-present foliate head that gurns at worshippers from carved wooden elements and stone pillars in many churches, is the foremost example of this.

The figure is a remnant of the nature-focused religious practices that pre-date the Roman occupation of Britain, an omen that brings good fortune for harvests and warns man that to fully leave nature is to invite it as an enemy.

It may seem strange to the modern devoted Protestant Christian to see such blatantly paganistic iconography adorn the architecture of churches. But one must keep in mind that to convince large numbers of people of the value of the “new,” one must bring along the positive aspect of the “old”—the inhabitants of pagan Britannia needed a bit of nostalgia. Found all over Great Britain, this ancient symbol proves that even on a building as ancient as a medieval-era cathedral, older elements come along too.^[1]

9 Potnia Theron, the Mediterranean and Near East

The Eastern kissing cousin to the Green Man is the image of the “Master of Beasts,” a cross-cultural depiction of a man holding wild animals aloft as though their master. Unlike its Brythonic cousin, the Master of Beasts shows mastery, or an interwoven relationship, with animals instead of nature in general (or plant-life, more specifically). But this image is rarely as cool as depictions of the “Potnia Theron”—the Mistress of Beasts.

The earliest example of this motif dates from 6,000 BC, a clay figurine depicting a seated female figure flanked by two lionesses uncovered in the Neolithic city of Çatalhöyük in modern-day Turkey. This image spread all over the Mediterranean and Near East. It symbolizes mankind’s dominance over animals—defense from husbandry and hunting…possibly.

Truth be told, we don’t know the true meaning. Depictions of this figure are found in Mycenaean Greek religion—the image used to signify the Goddesses Artemis (goddess of the hunt and the wilderness) and Cybele. She is the fascinating goddess that found her way into the Greek pantheon from Asia Minor, near Çatalhöyük. She was viewed as a “foreign” mother goddess and, rather uniquely in ancient Greece, had a sect of castrated priests who followed her.^[2]

8 Nain Rouge, Detroit, Michigan

Now to a more modern form of folk culture. In the city of Detroit, Michigan, there is a symbol that pops up all over the famed “Motor City,” one that evokes dread in little kids who hear stories of his exploits and joy for partygoers during the springtime Marche du Nain Rouge parade.

And (unfortunately) a hipsterish delight for frequenters of the city’s trendier businesses that sport the image as a “keeeewl retro mascot, bruh.” Who can blame them? A tradition that began to fall out of favor: check. Partially derived from indigenous culture: BIG check. Looks like the devil, thus allowing for them to show antipathy to Abrahamic religions: GET THEE ALONGSIDE ME, BABY SATAN!

Love from annoying, mustachioed skinny-jean sporting losers aside, this devilish little imp is a mainstay in Detroit culture, part of the area’s consciousness since way back when it was a French settlement. Popular folk history suggests the Nain Rouge is probably derived from the Norman-French hobgoblin known as a “lutin” merged with local Native American mythical beings—the type of syncretic figure found all over the Americas. Both sets of traditions describe small, demonic beings that seek to cause mischief and bring bad luck. The aforementioned springtime parade is designed to drive this portent of bad luck from the city for the rest of the year.^[3]

7 Onryō, Japan

Sometimes ancient traditions get an unexpected, and often very welcome, reimagining in contemporary culture. The belief in ghosts and spirits, especially malevolent ones, has a long and storied history in Japan. A will for vengeance against those who have wronged you is a deep and abiding part of traditional Japanese culture—to dishonor is unforgivable. The unfortunate thing about humans is we are weak, squishy meat sacks that can easily be dispatched with a well-aimed chop from a katana. How could such a bifurcated individual get their deserved vengeance?

They become a ghost. And, if long-established Japanese tales are anything to go by, they do it a lot.

The coolest thing about this folk motif is how it has moved into modern culture. One of the strongest traditions of contemporary horror is found in the Land of the Rising Sun. Nowhere is this more apparent than in J-Horror movies—blockbusters like Ringu and Ju-On especially. Both these franchises have something in common: they spawned questionable Hollywood re-makes and feature an Onryō as the primary antagonist—creepy female ghosts with long, black hair and white funerary attire, inspired by the costumes worn by such characters in Edo-era Kabuki performances.

The influence of these ancient Japanese monstrosities can be seen in almost any post-2005 supernatural horror flick, arguably spurring the move away from the slasher movie genre’s dominance at the box office. And all that from a clutch of spooky stories from feudal Japan…^[4]

6 El Hombre Caiman, Colombia

Most of these folk motifs have a cool story that goes along with them, even if many of them have been lost in the mists of time. One of the best examples of this comes from the Caribbean-facing coast of Colombia: the legend of the “Alligator Man.”

The story tells of a young man who lived near the Magdalena River. All this horny little brute loved to do was spy on the women as they came to the river to bathe. He found a good spot in the thick undergrowth to conceal himself and watch the ladies in the river. One day, he was spotted. He fled deep into the forest, where he came upon a witch. He begged the witch to help him conceal himself more effectively so he could continue to stare at naked women. The witch agreed and brewed up two potions for the young horn-dog—one that’d turn him into an alligator (so he could lie down on the riverbed and look up at all the bathing beauties) and one to turn him back into a man.

The pair went down to the river to test out the potions. When the witch saw that the first one had worked—the man was sloshing around in a reptilian form—she got very excited, dropping the other potion into the water. Unfortunately, the potion only turned the man’s upper half back, leaving his nether regions scaly and green. When the man angrily demanded the witch solve this problem, she denied him, cursing him to remain that way forevermore.

What a yarn! So cool is this little folk tale that the town of Plato near the Magdalena River has a huge statue of the semi-crocodilian perv. And just when you thought mermaids were always sexy…^[5]

5 Shetani, East Africa and the Island of Zanzibar

Dog-headed demons, hideous stunted hags, strange Dali-esque elephants; these are the sorts of carved sculptures you can expect to find everywhere in Mozambique, Tanzania, parts of Kenya, and the island of Zanzibar. These are the Shetani—the “devils.” In fact, they are derived from the same Semitic root that gives rise to the Islamic “Shaitan” and the Christian “Satan.”

Beyond these cool-looking sculptures and creepy folk tales, many modern East Africans believe in the Shetani very seriously. Recall the mass-hysteria-fueled panic that occurred on Zanzibar in 2001 when locals claimed that Popo Bawa, a bat-winged Shetani, was attacking victims. The BBC reported: “The ghost or genie goes by the name of Popo Bawa, and people believe that it sodomizes its victims, most of whom are men.” Yeesh.

Cultic practices surrounding these beings also occur across East Africa, proving that some ancient traditions can remain vibrant in more than just architecture and song.^[6]

4 Woyo Tribal Masks, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola

These incredibly expressive masks are worn by the Woyo people, a group living on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa. They are worn at ritual dances by the “ndunga,” the group tasked to keep societal order and maintain the tribal laws. Imagine your local copper pulling you over on the highway, tapping on your car window wearing one of these masks.

What’s scarier is that these men will don these masks to carry out their duties—tracking down suspected criminals and witches, those blamed for causing natural disasters like droughts or flooding, even poor harvests. Each mask is said to have its own unique “character,” usually revealed during ritual dances.^[7]

3 The Night Hag, Worldwide

There are very few traditions, motifs, or stories that can be found the world over. However, an extremely curious (and, when you think about it, terrifying) character that shows up all over the globe is the “Night Hag” or “Old Hag.” This wizened, malevolent old woman appears near people at night, scaring them and pressing down or sitting on their chests until they struggle to breathe.

So, sleep paralysis, right?

Probably, but does that make you less scared? If you found out that poltergeists were just normal, common-or-garden-variety prion diseases, would that make you less afraid? In East Asia, it’s blamed on Buddhist monks and nuns, throwing their spirit forth to the dream realm to paralyze wicked people. In Brazil, the hag lives on the roofs of houses, ready to descend into bedrooms and stand on the bellies of those who’ve eaten too much. Her name is more frightening than Night Hag—”Pisadeira” or “She who steps.”^[8]

Ugh.

2 Manaia, New Zealand

Take a look at an image search of these Maori carvings—what do you see? A serpent? A bird-headed humanoid? A man in profile? Dinosaur?

The answer is nobody knows what these enigmatic motifs really depict, despite turning up a lot in traditional carvings. The word itself offers no clue. If you look it up in a Maori dictionary, the meaning varies from “a grotesque beaked figure sometimes introduced in carving; ornamental work, a lizard; the sea-horse; a raft.”

Is that what you see, a raft? Enjoy drowning…

In related Polynesian languages, there are similar words that mean “embellishment.” So, these carvings are…just carvings? Filler for corners on lintels and pillars?

Nah, they must mean something, or the style wouldn’t be so identifiable and common. Whatever they signify, however, has been long forgotten. Still, they look awesome.^[9]

1 Bhoma, Bali

We started this listicle with the traditional European figure The Green Man and the Meditteranean’s Pontia Theron. On the island of Bali, you’ll find a similar figure that adorns temples and other buildings, symbolizing much of the same themes as man’s interactions with the natural world. The main difference? Look how cool this thing looks; it’d eat the Green Man whole, plus the Mistress and her beasts too!

In the island’s Hindu tradition, the Bhoma is considered the son of Vishnu and the earth goddess Pertiwi. The figure is a nature spirit of sorts, considered “King of the Jungle” (take that, lions). Bhoma is also considered a guardian spirit, keeping watch over the sacred forests at the foot of holy mountains. And does a bloody good job of it too—you don’t want to mess with that thing.^[10]

The edges of any language are ragged, torn, messy, and not easily delineated from the next fluttering language. This is the place you’ll find slang—an ever-shifting series of terms, words, phrases, and grammatical quirks that, depending on your perspective, either debase, oversimplify, and cheapen a language or provide it with the color and joy that aids in keeping the given language from becoming overly rigid and utilitarian.

Here’s a list of some of the weirdest, coolest, and most obscure terms used on the streets; in the cantinas, the pubs, and coffee houses; on the farms and the decks of fishing boats; and rarely, if ever, in the halls of academia or on the pages of textbooks.

Related: 10 Foreign Words That Deserve English Translations

10 Sigogglin – Appalachian English, USA

Appalachian dialects are old, perhaps the oldest English language dialects in the continental U.S. What is amazing is that there are still many people who speak this way, allowing terms that are entirely alien to most English speakers to live alongside the modern, everyday language (primarily the broader Southern U.S. dialect). The thing about this particular dialect is that many of the words simply sound like what they describe, without resorting to onomatopoeia. For example, a “jag” is a small amount of something, a “gaum” is a mess, and a “foxfire” refers to any plant or animal life that displays bioluminescence. Concise and beautiful.

Take “Sigogglin” (also “antigoglin”); it refers to a surface or construction that is askew—a combination of “side” and “goggling.” It could be a poorly made cabinet or a muddy slope that one needs to walk across. Both would be a bit sigogglin. See also “slaunchwise,” as in: “I put up that shelf a bit slaunchwise, and now all my books keep sliding off.” To which one would reply, “What? You mean it’s sigogglin, don’t you? Do try to speak properly, good sir.”^[1]

9 Dwankie – “Zef” Dialect, South Africa

Zef is a fascinating sub-culture in South Africa. Many low-income countercultures or “street cultures” around the world seem to be a reaction to social degradation and a lack of opportunity (“gopniks” in Russia, “chavs” in Britain, and “eshay/bogans” in New Zealand and Australia). However, Zef culture in South Africa tends to be more playful, relying on self-parody and a broader reaction to being an Afrikaner in post-Apartheid South Africa. It’s beautifully complex. And brashly simple. More “White trash-sculptors” than simply “white trash.”

Some of the words employed in the Zef version of code-switching Afrikaans/English are similarly playful, thumbing their noses at the primness, the religious conservativism, and the conformity of the older generations. “Dwankie” is a perfect example of this edgy use of language – a combination of “downie” and “wanker” (“downie” being an offensive term derived from Downs Syndrome and “wanker” an English put-down that refers to masturbation—edgy, right?).

The term refers to a person or a situation that saps the fun out of whatever the utterer wants to do. “You don’t want to go to the party? That’s dwankie. You’re dwankie.” The mix of Afrikaans, English, and other African languages form a dynamic, exciting cant, especially when you consider that the sub-culture is focussed on souped-up cars, gold chains, and the ever-weird music of groups like Die Antwoord.^[2]

8 Zhooshy – Polari, England

Some languages and cants develop naturally, born out of the passage of both time and cultures through a population, meandering their way to modern vernacular. Some forms of speech, however, are born from necessity. Numerous “thieves’ argots” have sprung up over the years, secret vocabulary used by a criminal underclass to aid in identifying their brethren or obfuscating their unlawful deeds. “Polari” is a bit different in that the “crime” this cant was designed to hide was simply being gay. A mix of Italian, Cockney rhyming slang, Portuguese, Greek, Romani, and Yiddish (basically, all the languages spoken in London’s East End from the 1700s through to the early 20th century).

Words like “naff” (meaning a bit crappy or kitsch), “barney” (meaning a fight), and “clobber” (meaning clothing) have entered the broader English lexicon. Words like “zhooshy,” alas, have not. It simply means “showy,” and it is a far more “zhooshy” word for it, don’t you think? Despite being pretty much a dead form of speech, the lasting effects of polari on the English language in England are still felt today.^[3]

Fantabulosa!

7 Cachgi Bwm/Cont y Môr – Wenglish/Welsh, Wales

There are many beautiful, untranslatable words in Welsh, “Hiraeth” being chief amongst them (the wistful longing for a place or a time that has gone or is far away, tinged with aching tragedy and sweet memories). Even many Wenglish words have hyper-specific meanings. Take “Cwtch,” maybe the most famous Wenglish word, which is like a hug, but longer, better, and carries more meaning. You can hug a casual acquaintance, but only a person who truly loves you can give you a cwtch.

There is no swearing in Welsh. One must get awfully creative with their pejoratives. Lots of describing what the other person’s mother likes to do on a Saturday evening… It seems that members of the animal kingdom get some special attention here.

“Cachgi bwm” (“sh*t-dog a**hole”) is a South Walian term for a bumblebee. Anyone who has ever been stung by one of these little “diawled” (devils) will see this term as apt. Same goes for the jellyfish that plague the shallow waters of the coast of North Wales. The legend goes that some Gog (colloquial term for a person from North Wales) was swimming off the coast of Anglesey when he was stung by a jellyfish. He shouted, “Cont!” (Yes, it is what you think), causing his mother to scold him for resorting to foul language, both the word and the fact that it was in Wenglish. He then explained that he was merely using the true, scientific name for the sea creature—”Cont y Môr,” a “C*** of the Seas.” Exactly right.^[4]

6 Tapiru – Gyaru-Go, Japan

A lot of people think of weird and wonderful young women wearing crazy, colorful make-up and doll-like clothes when they think of Tokyo’s Harajuku district. That’s apt…or was 20 years ago. The out-there, bombastic style of feminine dress has gone out of vogue in the Land of the Rising Sun. But some ladies stubbornly cling to the early 2000s subcultures that once dominated Japan’s capital.

“Gyaru” girls, who don dark brown make-up with white-eye highlights and unabashedly feminine clothing (all very Jersey Shore), are almost extinct “in the wild,” but their language remains. In fact, this simplified text speech is flourishing. The perfect example is “tapiru”—it is simply a verb attached to “tapioca.” What does this mean? Considering just how popular bubble tea is in East Asia, especially amongst young women, a word that specifically describes the purchase and consumption of the cold, sugary beverage/chewy treat is perfect.^[5] Does the West have an equivalent for a Frappuccino? No!

Take that, Starbucks!

5 “A Tradie with His Stubbie in a Ute” – Strine Slang, Australia

Apart from deadly fauna, a near-psychotic love for ball-carrying sports that cause brain injuries, and sounding like drunken cockneys, the land down under is famous for adding an “ee” noise onto shortened words. Or just shortening words in general. A “tradie” is a tradesman, a “stubbie” is a stubbed can of beer, and a “ute” is a utility vehicle.

Add a pack of “bickies” (biscuits) and a trip to the local “macca’s” (McDonald’s) followed by a visit to the “bottle-o” (liquor store), and you know you’re going to have a good day.

Or a G’day. Mate.^[6]

4 “Tabarnak!” – Quebecois/Joual, Canada

Many people say, “If you want to hear what French sounded like in the 14th century, go to Quebec!” This isn’t a put-down—the dialect in francophone Canada is very close to older forms of French. This is evident in their very worst swear words. They’re all related to church!

“Tabarnak,” “Câlice,” and “Baptême” are the worst of the worst, the most profane, likely to get you punched in the balls if leveled at a random person in Montreal. They mean tabernacle, chalice, and baptism. The historical prominence of Catholicism, coupled with the profanity of using these terms outside the hallowed church, elevates these simple religious words to super-swears (“Tabarnak” is the Quebecois equivalent to “F*ck”).

Mind you, there’s also the phrase you’ll hear when a Quebecer is angry at you—”J’ai le feu au cul”…”I have fire in my ass.” We hope not.^[7]

3 “The patient has come in with a UBI, appears NFN” – Medical Slang, British Hospitals

There’s something besides cheap, easy-to-access medical treatment which comes with nationalized healthcare. Since everyone gets a tax bill to pay for the services doctors provide, one can’t blame healthcare workers for looking slightly askance at patients who come into the ER with preventable injuries and illnesses. Not wanting to offend the sick, NHS workers have developed a secret code when discussing such individuals with their colleagues: “UBI” stands for Unexplained Beer Injury, “PAFO” is Pissed and Fell Over, and a “GROLIES” refers to a middle-class person who isn’t as bright as she thinks she is (Guardian Reader of Low Intelligence in Ethnic Skirt).

The term that is simultaneously quaintly English and deeply offensive is “NFN”—Normal for Norfolk. Norfolk is an isolated, largely rural county, which is stereotypically considered to harbor many inbred farm boys. As notable (fictional) Norfolk resident Alan Partridge once commented, “I’ve seen the big-eared boys on farms.” Charming.^[8]

2 “En rosin i polsen” – Norwegian, Norway

Is your friend an “alkis” with a “sig” hanging out the corner of his mouth? Are you really “keen” to go see the fjords (maybe don’t let your “alkis” friend pilot the boat)? You’ve never been to Norway? “Serr?”

Many Norwegian slang words, as found in many European languages, are shortened versions of longer words. “Alkis” is short for alcoholic, “sig” for cigarette, and “serr” serious/seriously. You may have noticed the English translations for these shortened slang terms; given that Norwegian is a Germanic language, the closeness to English becomes very evident in the slang. Scraping back the complexity of the formal language uncovers the common basis for many words. In fact, the links to the anglosphere are very prominent in the slang—English and American culture popularity in Scandinavia is evident in the sheer number of people there who speak English. “Keen” is quite literally a loanword from English, now commonly used as a slang term among the youth of Norway.

But Norwegian is not English. It harbors some interesting little phrases that only make sense in a Nordic context. If you come across something that is pleasantly surprising, you’d say, “En rosin I polsen” (like finding a raisin in the sausage)…

If someone tries to get you to invest in their new business venture that focuses on making sustainable T-shirts out of uneaten ham, you’d answer, “Har durøykasokkadine?” (have you been smoking your socks?).^[9]

OK, Norway.

1 SKSKSKSK – Gen Z English-Speaking Internet Slang, the Interwebs

Older people look at Gen Z and argue that an increasing reliance on emojis and meme-based communication is creating a shallower form of interpersonal interactions. Further, Ray Bradbury and Aldous Huxley should be resurrected to remind the kids what the word “fiction” in “science fiction” means…

Perhaps the apex of this degradation is the oft-typed series of letters—”SKSKSKSKSKSK.” This is simply an expression of excitement, meant to represent the hissing feedback heard if the Twitch streamer gets too loud close to a mic. It’s feedback, a fitting metaphor for this new “lost generation.”

Maybe a focus on Bradbury and Huxley is wrong. Maybe we should look to the Wachowskis—once we bring on the Metaverse, maybe we can use these kids as a new energy source…^[10]

Amazing things really can come in small packages, and tardigrades are perfect examples! And they have the most adorable nicknames ever. Can you get cuter than a water bear or moss piglet? And perhaps not everyone will find their snapshots so darling…but those little legs and squishy bodies!

Even if you don’t think they’re quite the lookers, you have to admit that the facts about them are captivating. These creatures are incredibly hardy and live almost everywhere you find water. And since the planet is mostly water, you won’t have to look very far. So let’s dive into why these minuscule animals are so astounding.

Related: 10 Surprising Ways Bugs Shaped The Modern World

10 What the Heck Are They?

There are more than 1,100 species of these tiny invertebrates. Tardigrades are purported to be closely related to arthropods like crustaceans, spiders, and other insects. But their classification is still somewhat of a mystery due to their many unique attributes and because there is no way to directly correlate them to the arthropod family. It’s mostly their resemblance to some animals in this family that gives them this potential label. It’s very possible that they will end up representing something entirely new on the tree of life! At one time, they were believed to be more closely related to bacteria, but this was a misconception due to tainted samples, as proven by future research.

In reality, they are multi-celled organisms that evolved from eukaryotic cells, which means that their genetic material is located in a central nucleus. Without getting all science-y, it simply means that they have more cells than bacteria, which have never grown to be more than one-celled organisms. It’s fairly obvious now that we can see them. Yay for advanced technology!^[1]

9 Little Body, Killer Teeth

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Tardigrades belong to a special category of animals referred to as extremophiles. This simply means they can survive in conditions most other creatures can’t, including humans. They have a translucent body with an exoskeleton that consists of four segments and eight stubby legs with four teeny, tiny claws on each used to grab onto the surfaces from which they feed. Their heads are a well-defined fifth segment, even if they look a bit squished. They range in size from 0.5 to 1.2 millimeters (0.02 to 0.05 inches), but they usually do not grow larger than 1 millimeter. And admittedly, their mouths are slightly creepy looking.

The mouth is round, can actually telescope outward like a spear, and is full of sharp teeth (called stylets) they use to pierce and then suck the liquid out of their meals. We’ll discuss their diets a little later, but they aren’t vampires like mosquitoes or spiders, at least not in the sense of enjoying blood. And thankfully, we aren’t on the menu either. At least not yet.^[2]

8 Been Around for Millenia

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Despite only recently being studied in more depth, they were discovered back in 1773 by J.A.E. Goeze, a German pastor. Three years after that, they were given the name Tardigrada, “slow stepper,” by an Italian biologist named Lazarro Spallanzani. And recent studies have revealed that they have a much longer history than when people finally began recognizing their existence.

Realistically they are probably one of the oldest terrestrial organisms out there. They’ve existed for an estimated five hundred million years or more. Who says humans are the most adapted to survive? Look at bacteria and other things invisible to the naked eye that have long predated the human race and thrive quite heartily still. It’s a pretty astonishing and magical world when you observe it outside of the limited scope of typical human mindsets. Put down the smartphone and go exploring…after you finish reading this, of course!^[3]

7 Desiccated and Frozen…but Alive

These little guys are most often found in water, especially fresh water. But they also live in every habitat on Earth where water is present, from Antarctica to the oceans to tropical rainforests to mountaintops and even in sand and soil. The easiest place to find and study them is in the water film found on mosses and lichens. So yes, you can likely find them in your own backyard, especially if you live near a body of freshwater!

They are considered aquatic since they need water to live. The water around their bodies is necessary to allow gas exchange and prevent them from desiccation, basically being a sun-dried tomato or dehydrated fruit. But, if they are removed from the water, they don’t actually die. They can be reanimated once they are returned to that life-giving H2O. And that isn’t all! They can be frozen at extremely low temperatures for very long periods of time and still be reanimated once they thaw. How awesome is that? They’re getting cooler with every new thing we learn about them.^[4]

6 A Fungi Diet

So what do they eat? Mainly they feast on mosses, flowering plants, bacterias, and lichens, or as they are more commonly known, fungi. They are also known to slurp on animal cells, and some of them are actually cannibals, eating other tardigrades. They suction out the fluids that are nutrient-rich after using that kind of disturbing mouth to puncture the cell walls and membranes of their targets. It’s a really good thing they don’t have a taste for us, or they wouldn’t be quite so cute anymore.

Now just imagine, like a scientist, how many ways they have probably helped by devouring bacteria that could have caused more plagues or at least localized disease. They’re plump, little miracles swimming all around us. Mini, water-dwelling angels!^[5]

5 Extreme Survival

Let’s learn a little more about that remarkable ability to come back to life that has made the scientific world so keen to study them further. Through a process known as cryptobiosis, they are able to slow their metabolic rate to as low as 0.01 percent, essentially making it possible for them to survive without eating. Their organs are protected by a sugary gel that continues to produce a large amount of antioxidants.

On the occasions that they are exposed to extremely low temperatures or dehydrated, they form something called a tun. They curl into a tiny ball by tucking in their head and hind legs. And in freezing conditions, they can also somehow prevent the growth of ice crystals. There’s no way science is finished studying that ability.

And if the water they live in has lower than normal oxygen levels, the tardigrades can stretch out, slow their metabolic rates, and absorb oxygen through their muscles. As if all of this isn’t incredible enough, they can produce a protein that protects their DNA from radiation damage. They can also survive some noxious chemicals, low-pressure vacuums, boiling alcohol, high pressure such as deep ocean depths, and changes in water salinity. It’s becoming less of a wonder how they have survived so many mass extinctions over time!^[6]

4 Brace for Impact

Water bears aren’t entirely indestructible or immortal despite their many shocking survival capabilities. It may seem that way, but they do have some weaknesses and will eventually die. One thing they definitely cannot survive is human stomach acid, which is a good thing because you’ve almost certainly drunk some in your lifetime without knowing. And their natural life span, without being frozen or desiccated, is about two and half years. And they can’t survive an impact in excess of 3,218 kph (2,000 mph). Yeah, people shot them out of guns to test the limits of their survival skills. Humans are so weird.

Recently it has been discovered that their life spans are greatly shortened in water temperatures of 38°C (100°F) or more. Climate change may be just as much of a detriment to them as it is to all other forms of life. We truly need to get better control of our habits that are speeding up that process for all of our sakes. Let’s save the bacteria-destroying water angel moss piglet! New campaign?^[7]

3 Walk This Way

Watch them walk! The videos are out there now, and it is precious. When they are not swimming, tardigrades lumber along on those eight little legs in search of moss and mushrooms to suck dry. And they have the gait of insects 500,000 times larger than them and even crustaceans. It looks surprisingly similar to galloping. They just do it very, very slowly. Ever feel like a tardigrade without your morning coffee?

They are aquatic. Hence, water angels (hoping that catches on)! So, of course, they also swim. They do this with those miniature legs too. And they can swim a bit more quickly than they walk. They also float, but it is usually on bits of debris instead of free-floating. So their float seems a bit more like surfing. They’d probably kill the competition at the Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii.^[8]

2 Males Need Not Be Present

The Moss Piglets have some interesting reproduction practices too. Some species even reproduce asexually. The female lays the eggs, and they develop on their own with no need for external fertilization. Clean and efficient (but maybe not as fun). It also eliminates the need for any males in the species (um…wait a minute there). If you’re a fan of science fiction or horror films, watch No Men Beyond This Point, and you’ll see what might happen if people went the way of the self-reproducing tardigrade!

In some species that have been observed mating, the lady lays anywhere from one to thirty eggs. But the eggs are implanted in the molting cuticle of her skin. Once the guy comes along, he wraps around her, and they work toward stimulation together, sometimes for an hour or more. The male then releases the sperm under her skin. In other species, the female sheds the cuticle completely and lays the eggs in it. The male comes along later to fertilize the eggs. The eggs take around 40 days to develop and sometimes 90 days if they have been desiccated. So it’s not the most romantic process.^[9]

1 Tiny Alien?

Because of their multitude of strange and death-defying attributes, there’s a belief spreading that the tardigrades are aliens that arrived here on a meteor. This is probably more science fiction than fact. But that didn’t stop people from turning them into aliens. We sent them to the moon after all, if only by accident. Poor little water angels.

An Israeli spacecraft was carrying thousands of tardigrades in an effort to study their survival capabilities in the vacuum of space and the various forms of radiation. But it crashed and landed on the moon. The water bears were in a “hibernation” state and encased in artificial amber. And it is firmly believed by the program’s director that the moss piglets very likely survived and are still in their suspended animation state. Now the tardigrades are astronauts too. Truly fascinating.^[10]

If it is called a local, pub, tavern, inn, hostelry, saloon, 19th hole, watering hole, or bar, public houses are fascinating places, luring people of all walks of life to its alcoholic nectar, like bees to flowers. Pubs around the world tend to all tastes, palates, and sub-cultures these days, with inventive owners providing varieties for picky connoisseurs—from whiskey-only pubs to non-alcoholic and gender-based bars. With extra-long names, such as the Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn to themed bars or taverns offering secret rendezvouses, public houses across the globe provide more than just a beer at a counter.

Through the decades, many a pub has had its name honored by Guinness World Records for being the tiniest, the longest temporary bar, or the largest—like the Offshore Rooftop & Bar at Chicago’s Navy Pier in Illinois, USA. Although pubs don’t need to break records to be cool as these ten clearly show.

Related: Top 10 Ancient Alcohols

10 Squeeze into a Small One in the UK

Because they are so small, there are sometimes not more than a mention or a photo available of the world’s tiniest bars. But they do exist—and they are as quaint as small pubs come. For example, the Signal Box Inn building was once a working—you guessed it—signal box in Scunthorpe. But it was moved to Cleethorpe, UK, where it has attracted pub-goers since 2006. Another really tiny bar is the narrow 1.8-meter-wide (5.9-foot) Mou Very in Dunedin, New Zealand, holding six bar stools, a few bottles of alcohol, and an oversized coffee roaster. Slim’s Elbow Room in the city of Cabo San Lucas offers a wide variety of tequila to four customers at a time. Not much elbow room at all.

Although many claim the title, the Blomberger Saustell in Blomberg, Germany, currently holds the title as Guinness World Records’ smallest permanent licensed bar in the world at 5.2 square meters (55.9 square feet)! The beer is normal size, though. “Prost” to that!^[1]

9 Go High in Nepal

The Irish Pub in the Namche Bazaar in Nepal is 3,440 kilometers (11,290 feet) above sea level, making it the highest bar in the world. The pub was opened by two brothers in 2012 after the village saw Mount Everest climbers flocking to the area. Only just recovering from a 2015 earthquake, the bar struggled under pandemic regulations, hampering business due to the mountain being “closed” to tourists.

A new highway promises more traffic and easier ways to bring locals, tourists, and stock in. But be warned—until then, it isn’t a walk in the park to reach this pub. To reach the village, one is flown into apparently the world’s scariest airport, followed by a hike for two days—which is also how supplies are transported to the bar. Do your own research, prepare well, and read accounts of others’ experiences before you decide to go for a pint!^[2]

8 Sink to Your Lowest at the Dead Sea

Just a 30-minute drive from Jerusalem (or an hour from Tel Aviv) brings one to the Kalia bar at Kalia Beach on the northern shore of the Dead Sea in Israel. Kalia is the lowest bar in elevation in the world at more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) below sea level. The settlement of Kalia was established in 1929 on Lido Beach, and the kibbutz (an intentional community) was destroyed in 1984 and rebuilt again.

The Kalia Bar is named after the huge potassium deposits in the area, leading to the initial development of the community. Together with most “normal” alcoholic beverages, the Kalia Bar serves their signature cocktail, the Dead Sea Margarita, and authentic local food like falafel. Drinking to life at the Kalia Bar is the perfect end to a day of sunbathing, black mud skin treatments, and floating in the Dead Sea. L’chayim!^[3]

7 Eco-Pubbing, Icelandic Style

The Northern Lights Bar is a glass enclosure specifically intended for seasonal Northern Lights viewing in Iceland. Not only does the location of the bar make it unique and sought after for watching the famed Aurora Borealis, but it is also situated in a geothermal power plant’s abandoned living quarters. These were renovated to become an archetype of eco-sustainable building and recycling, earning the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel the 2014 World Boutique Hotel Award.

The hotel is situated close to Reykjavik for easy travel and is an adventurer’s dream, offering activities like hiking up the volcano, horseback riding across black sand beaches, snowmobiling on glaciers, diving, fly fishing, and river rafting in glacial rivers and waterfalls. The menu consists of “slow food” prepared from fresh local ingredients, and the bar serves beers, liqueurs, and spirits from Iceland’s several microbreweries.^[4]

6 Neither Shaken nor Stirred in Sweden

Although there are many ice bars found in the world’s colder regions—and on the sea on Norwegian cruise ships and even in hot climates, such as in the UAE—one can go one step further and visit the ice bar in the IceHotel, a structure made entirely of ice in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Of course, it isn’t the only ice hotel in the world, but it was the first, and it is still operating since its opening in 1989. A winter phenomenon occurring when the waters of the Torne River slow down and freeze makes this hotel a must-visit.

Following the tradition, IceHotel’s watering (or is it ice) hole is simply named Ice Bar. Like other ice bars around the world, it serves its drinks in unique ice-carved glasses. Patrons sit on ice furniture or stand on ice floors, admiring ice art sculptures while having the option to sleep it off in an ice bed after an evening of too much elbow lifting. Visiting Ice Bar is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, as the surroundings offer many other activities for those with ice in their veins. Skål to that!^[5]

5 A Very Remote Drink on Tristan da Cunha

The Albatross Bar on Tristan da Cunha Island is one of the world’s most remote bars. Tristan da Cunha is situated 2.810 kilometers (1,750 miles) from Cape Town. To visit, one must find a boat going there—as it is not a tourist destination and there is no airport. If a boat is available, police clearance must be obtained before an application can be submitted to both the South African government and the powers that be on the island—and then the stay can be a lengthy one. It is pretty hard work, a long trip, and an even longer stay to sip a beer in a remote pub. But travelers fortunate enough to have done it swear that it is worth it.

On offer in the bar are South African beers and wines and Scottish whiskeys, among other drinks. It might not be the bar with the best ambiance in the world, but the locals are friendly and answer questions about their remote life patiently—probably because they don’t see many new faces in their bar that often.^[6]

4 Under the Maldivian Sea

The Subsix Bar in Niyama, Maldives, opened in 2012 and has undergone various changes and upgrades. However, what is still as spectacular as it was and doesn’t need any renovations is its underwater surroundings.

The Niyama Subsix Bar originally opened as an underwater nightclub—the first in the world of its sort at the time. Subsix is located about 6 meters (20 feet) below the surface of the Indian Ocean. Situated 500 meters (0.3 miles) from Niyama Island, Subsix is only reachable by boat. The bar is ocean-themed with spectacular décor, borrowing heavily from its surroundings. It offers lunches, parties, special events, and marine biologist-led aquatic activities.^[7]

3 Getting Drunk in a Tree Trunk in South Africa

Probably one of the most unique bars in the world was operated inside a very old Baobab tree on a farm in the Limpopo Province in South Africa. The Sunland Pub opened its trunk for visitors in 1993 and was set inside the upside-down tree—as it is called by locals. The tree is more than 22 meters (72 feet) high and has a circumference of 47 meters (155 feet) with a 4-meter-high (13-foot) ceiling. The bar could easily accommodate fifteen patrons at a time. The tree’s age is disputed, as it is thought to be 6000+ years old by some—making it older than the Giza pyramids. However, there is agreement that it may be at least over a thousand years old and one of the world’s oldest and biggest living trees.

Baobab trees grow throughout the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa and are known to become very big. Unfortunately, many of these big Baobabs are collapsing, which happened to the Sunland Bar tree in 2016. Sadly, the bar is closed to the public now, as the property is under a new leasing contract. ^[8]

2 A Pint in the Oldest Bar in the World–Maybe

Around AD 900, Luain Mac Luighdeach (Luain son of Lewy) lived and established an inn close to Áth Mor—The Great Ford—in what is Athlone, Ireland, today. These days the bar at the inn is called Sean’s Bar and is, according to Guinness World Records, the oldest bar in Ireland. Research is underway to establish if it is indeed the oldest bar in the world, and so far, the outcome looks positive. In 1970, renovations to the inn revealed that the walls of the bar were made of wattle and wicker and dated back to the 9th century. In addition, old coins minted by several landlords from the area for barter purposes were also found. Parts of the walls and some of the coins are displayed in the National Museum, while a small section is displayed in the pub.

Guided tours at Sean’s Bar treat punters on the history of whiskey—a word coined by King Henry II’s army after sampling the local uisce beatha (water of life). Research showed that distilling started in the small monasteries around Athlone in the 6th century. So, there’s one for the bucket list—having a whiskey and saying sláinte is táinte (slawn-che iss toin-che), meaning “health and wealth” in the oldest pub in Ireland (and probably the world).^[9]

1 Speakeasy in LA if You Are Connected Enough!

Probably the pubs or bars gripping the imagination the most are speakeasies or speakeasy bars. They dated from eras when alcohol was prohibited as pubs, bars, and liquor shops were operating undercover. People visiting had to “speak easy” (softly) not to be discovered. Secret bars have made a comeback in recent years, with wonderfully secretive establishments springing up in just about every city around the world.

The Blue Room is such a secret bar, which is accessed through a hidden bookcase door on the 3rd floor of the Los Angeles Athletic Club and is a sought-after speakeasy with a long history. Unfortunately, access is only allotted to the 20 inaugural members of “The Lofty and Exalted Order of Uplifters”—who are probably all dead already—or to those recommended by one of them (or probably a living descendant by now).

The Blue Room was initially established after the club opened in 1912 to host evenings of fellowship and networking by some of their (apparent) inaugural members—Walt Disney, Clark Gable, Will Rogers, and L. Frank Baum, who seemingly came up with the name for the group. The club moved to another location in 1920 but was relaunched in its original quarters in 2015.

Unfortunately, the closest we as unconnected plebians would ever come to the Blue Room was to be in the know. However, things changed with their relaunch in 2015. The LA Athletic Club website invites patrons to enjoy the Blue Room on Friday evenings. Its new special menu features ten whiskey-based cocktails in the custom bar, offering over 50 whiskeys.^[10]

Since the 1920s, our understanding of the universe has greatly expanded. Edwin Hubble, the man who the famous Hubble Space Telescope was named after, helped to shatter the illusion that ours was the only galaxy in the universe with his observations of what would later be called the Andromeda galaxy.

With the James Webb Space Telescope finally launching and reaching its final cosmic docking spot in Earth’s L2 Lagrange point, we have an entirely new era of astronomy to look forward to, as once the telescope’s instruments are fully ready, it boasts the ability to peer back in time to the first luminous glows erupted after the Big Bang.

But that doesn’t mean that observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope will be out of the job, as even 32 years after the telescope’s launch, it is still being used to do groundbreaking scientific work.

Today we’re looking at the 10 most breathtaking images ever taken in the known universe.

10. Cosmic Cows

What is a cosmic cow?

No, we haven’t launched some poor hapless bovine into space, at least not yet, but rather, the term refers to an extremely bright form of supernovae. The first of these cow-like flashes of light was discovered in 2018 thanks to the efforts of astronomers operating two different telescopes, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. 

The newly discovered celestial explosion was dubbed AT2018cow and the name just sort of stuck, becoming a catchall for any supernovae which match its unique description. 

Cow-like supernovae are very short-lived and AT2018cow was 100 times more luminous than a typical supernova, emitting brilliant ultraviolet and blue light. These newly discovered explosions also make up about 0.1 percent of all observed cosmic blasts in the night sky.

And, at the start of this year, another cow-like event was discovered in the Spektrum-Roetgen-Gamma (SRG) space telescope’s data. This one being 200 times as bright as the original cosmic bovine. 

According to Caltech astronomer Yuhan Yao, these events are more than likely the result of a collapsing star giving birth to a black hole or neutron star with a powerful magnetic field. 

9. Henize 2-10 Stellar Nursery

Black holes are typically depicted as silent monsters, lurking in the black of space waiting to gobble up unsuspecting worlds and stars. Yet, without them, we would likely not be here. For one, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way binds our galaxy together, making our very existence possible.

However, what was discovered by the Hubble Telescope in a dwarf starburst galaxy 34 million light-years from us is perhaps proof that black holes assist in the formation of new stars. 

Henize 2-10 has been the source of some debate since the discovery of what appears to be a massive black hole at the galaxy’s core, but the data suggesting that the object at the core could also suggest a supernova remnant. However, in these stunning recent images from Hubble, we see an outflow of gas coming from the object, leading directly to a stellar nursery. 

If this object is indeed a black hole, then it will prove that black holes play a pivotal role in new star formation.

8. N44 Nebula

Located within the Large Magellanic Cloud, the N44 nebula as it was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope is absolutely stunning to behold, but more important are the cosmic phenomena which contribute to its awe-inspiring beauty.

The titular super bubble spans nearly 250 light-years, and currently, there’s no one explanation for why N44 has a massive hole in it, but stellar winds coming from massive stars and a supernova remnant have been offered as potential explanations.

7. Centaurus A Radio Galaxy

The Centaurus A Radio Galaxy might be the fifth brightest galaxy visible in the Earth’s night sky, but it’s also one of the most heavily studied objects in all of astronomy. 

This particular image, which shows Centaurus A’s supermassive black hole’s powerful relativistic jets in all of their terrifying glory, is a composite of three different images captured by three separate instruments. 

Each instrument operates in different wavelengths of the light spectrum. The orange segments of the image are from LABOCA on APEX, the blue portions are from x-ray data captured by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and everything else was captured using the MPG/ESO telescope located in La Silla, Chile.

6. Intersecting Galaxies

Hubble has had an incredible run since its debut in 1990.

It is said that one day, the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy will collide and merge together (and some data suggests that that process has already started, but that’s neither here nor there). 

Speaking of Andromeda, the constellation not the galaxy. This image represents ARP 273, two colliding galaxies some 300 million light-years from our humble little solar system. 

While some places describe this interaction as having created what looks like a beautiful rose or flower formation, others describe the galaxy making up the “stem” of the flower as though it’s making a harrowing kamikaze dive into the other spiral galaxy. 

The gravitational forces at play here are actively distorting both galaxies into their current shape, offering us a preview of sorts for what might happen when the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy are further along with their merger.

5. Star Cluster R136

Located within the Tarantula Nebula which itself is located within the Large Magellanic Cloud, star cluster R136 is a sight to behold. 

This sector of the nebula features dozens upon dozens of newborn blue stars. These are some of the most massive stars in the entire universe. 

This particular image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, through a partnership between NASA and ESA astronomers who were studying the Tarantula Nebula using Hubble’s spectrograph instrument.

Among these glowing blue stars, which are located 170,000 light-years from us, are 9 heavyweight stars with masses 100 times than that of our sun, Sol. 

4. V838 Monocerotis

V838 Monocerotis is a variable star and surrounding it is a structure of interstellar dust. Hubble was able to capture this incredible image after V838 Monocerotis brightened by an extreme amount at the start of 2002. 

For a brief moment in time (cosmically speaking, of course), the variable star was 600,000 times brighter than Sol. The brightening of this star lasted from January to April of 2002, and the cause for this flare is still a mystery. But, as a result, we have this stunning image of what’s called a “light echo” from the star’s brightening. 

According to NASA, light from V838 Mon “propagates outward. Each new observation of the light echo reveals a new unique “thin-section” through the interstellar dust around the star.” In other words, as that light travels to us, we see the star’s light reflected on the interstellar gas that surrounds the star, even after the star has quieted down.

However, V838 Monocerotis is still one of the brightest stars in all the Milky Way. 

3. Pillars of Creation

Located some 7,000 light-years from the Earth, the Eagle Nebula is also home to one of the most famous images ever taken by Hubble, the Pillars of Creation. 

Like the twisted and writhing hand of a dead god, the Pillars of Creation is composed of three trails of beautiful multicolored dust and gas that stretch on for four to five light-years. 

The Pillars are composed of nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, but the most incredible thing about this formation is the fact that it’s home to a bunch of newly formed stars.

Unfortunately, the light from those newborn stars is also eroding the structure. 

The structure was originally photographed by Hubble in 1995 and it’s been photographed two more times since then. The ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory photographed the structure in 2011, and after that, Hubble took another crack at it to celebrate the space observatory’s 25^th anniversary. 

2. Ring Nebula

The Ring Nebula sits 2,000 light-years from the Earth, and it’s a hint at the haunting future that awaits our own sun someday billions of years into the future. When stars like our own finally die, they don’t explode with the fury of a supernova.

They just aren’t large enough for that. 

Instead, they slowly lose their outer layers, until they come to spread out, much like we see in the Ring Nebula. They also leave behind a remnant of the star’s core, known as a white dwarf. 

All of these features are present in this stunning image taken by Hubble in 1998. Originally, it was thought that the Ring Nebula was shaped exactly how we see it, but in recent years it’s been revealed through careful analysis of the planetary nebula that the blue regions (which are composed of helium, hydrogen, and oxygen) are actually shaped more like a football that’s intersecting with the red colored donut-shaped nitrogen and sulfur gasses. If were we to observe the nebula from a different perspective, it might look more like someone had spiked a football right through the reddish gasses. 

1. M87 Supermassive Black Hole

Of course, no list of the greatest astronomy images ever taken (or in this case, generated) would ever be complete without the first image ever taken of a black hole.

M87 (or Messier 87) is a supermassive black hole resting at the center of a supergiant elliptical galaxy. The galaxy sits within the constellation Virgo and features a unique view at a single relativistic jet coming from one end of the galaxy. 

The relativistic jet is moving so fast that it creates an illusion when we observe it from the Earth, making it appear to be moving 4 to 6 times the speed of light. 

The first image of the black hole was made in 2019 by the Event Horizon Telescope which is a collaborative effort made by multiple radio observatories around the globe. Essentially, the EHT has linked 9 observatories that function as an Earth-sized Interferometer. 

Since that first image from 2019, the EHT team has been studying M87 in even greater detail. Just last year, they released another image of the supermassive black hole showing how the stellar beast’s magnetic field disrupts the material in the accretion disk. The EHT team has since announced that it will be focusing its network of observatories on Sagittarius-A, the supermassive black hole that rests at the center of the Milky Way, which has never been directly imaged before.