Nature is beautiful and unpredictable, often taking us by surprise in ways we can’t ignore. The natural world can leave us feeling awestruck or even terrified sometimes. Some scenes feel almost too intense to believe, like storms that darken the skies or creatures we hope to never cross paths with. We’ve gathered 16 of the most chilling moments captured in nature—images that show just how powerful and wild our world can be.
Related: Nature Is Weird: Fascinating Natural Phenomena!
1. Looks like it's testing the water to see how cold it is
2. Taken by Chris Holmes while Swordfishing off the coast of Nova Scotia
3. Swampfoot, relative of Bigfoot
4. Tongue Mushroom commonly found on oak and chestnut trees
5. A massive dust storm (haboob) rolls across the Phoenix, Arizona area
6. Mystical and unreal atmosphere at Beynac Castle due to lightning storm
7. This sea snail looks like it has a giant eyeball
8. Predating even the earliest dinosaurs by 200 million years, this remarkable living fossil has existed on Earth longer than trees themselves. A true marvel of the natural world.
9. An incredible view of a volcano eruption in Iceland
10. Meteor falls on the peak of Mount Merapi in Indonesi
11. Vampire Horsey!
12. The terrifying hiss of a Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko
13. It looks like a scene from a disaster movie
14. WOW!
15. The result of a battle between a snake and a scorpion
16. Meet the terrifying goblin shark
