Star “jelly”: a message from the cosmos. Mysterious star jelly Star jelly

Ghost stories are frightening because they speak of the unknown. Historical stories are interesting because they tell about events that actually happened. The golden mean between them is those natural phenomena that we have yet to understand.

Although we are constantly expanding our knowledge of the world around us, we often encounter natural wonders that we cannot explain, and we plunge into the realm of speculation and fantasy. Here are ten of the strangest natural phenomena: from jelly falling from the sky and inexplicable explosions that fell forest for hundreds of kilometers in the area, to apocalyptically bloody skies.

10. Star jelly

Rain, snow, sleet, hail. This is practically everything that can fall on us from the sky. However, although we can predict precipitation fairly accurately, there is something that falls from the air that we know absolutely nothing about: star jelly.

Star jelly is a translucent, gelatinous material often found in grass or trees that evaporates shortly after it appears. There are many reports of this substance falling from the sky. This has led to myths that it comes from falling stars, alien excrement - or even secret government drones. The first mention of a strange substance dates back to the 14th century, when doctors began to use star jelly to treat abscesses.

Of course, scientists tried to study this strange element to establish its origin. Some of them decided that these were frog eggs that had expanded under the influence of water. The problem with this idea is that the jelly has been shown to contain no plant or animal DNA, which only adds to the long list of puzzling questions.

9. Morning Glory

Clouds are like pillows, but they are not soft or fluffy at all. They are made of evaporated water and would presumably not be as pleasant to fall on as the aforementioned cushions. Because they are made of water, we can understand the laws of their formation and movement and use this data to predict the weather.

Morning glory are long clouds in the form of tubes that spread rather ominously across the sky. Reaching a length of more than 965 kilometers, these clouds are most often observed in Australia during the off-season. The natives living in this area explain that such clouds are a sign predicting an increase in the bird population.

Unlike the natives, we know much less about these clouds. Some climate scientists claim that the clouds form due to a unique combination of sea breezes and changes in humidity, but until now no computer models have been able to accurately predict this strange weather phenomenon.

8. City in the sky

No, this is not a picture from a comic book or a sketch of the religious ideas of the ancient world. This is reality. On April 21, 2017, in Jiayang, China, many citizens were amazed by the sight of the city floating on a cloud above them. Many witnesses took photographs of this phenomenon and posted them on the Internet, many were simply extremely worried - although there was nothing to worry too much about, since this had happened before.

Exactly the same floating cities were recorded in five different places in China just six years before this event. Such a number of identical events has prompted theorists to put forward many different hypotheses: an attempt by aliens to cross the borders of another dimension, the second coming of Christ, or experiments with holography by the Chinese government, and possibly the US government.

But we need facts. There is a possible explanation: there is a rare meteorological phenomenon called Fata Morgana, when, as a result of the reflection and refraction of rays, real-life objects (including those located far beyond the horizon) produce several distorted images on or above the horizon, partially overlapping each other and rapidly changing over time. This would be an acceptable explanation if the images in the sky were no different from those on the ground.

7. Tabby Star

The universe is incredibly vast, and there are billions of galaxies that our descendants will one day discover. But if you want to find mysterious wonders, then you should not forget about our native Milky Way. Enter in the search engine: Tabby Star.

The star KIC 8462852, named Tabby's Star after its discoverer Tabetha Boyajian, is one of more than 150,000 stars visible with the Kepler Space Telescope. What makes the Tabby Star unique is how frequently and radically its brightness changes.

All stars usually experience dips in the brightness of their glow, this is due to the fact that they are partially obscured by passing planets. Tabby's Star is considered unusual because its brightness drops by up to 20 percent at a time, significantly greater than the brightness fluctuations of all other stars.

There could be various explanations for this: from a large cluster of passing planets (which is very unlikely) and large accumulations of dust and debris (not normal for a star of Tubby's age), to aliens (and this is the most interesting part).

One leading theory is that an alien civilization is using huge machines orbiting the star to harvest energy. Although this may seem unusual, it is much more interesting than cosmic dust.

6. Rains of cats, dogs... and spiders...

Almost every person in our world loves either dogs or cats. These two options cover all of humanity. While almost everyone loves animals, some love them to the point where they wish they would literally fall from the sky. If this sounds like you, then you may need to seek professional help. But before you do, we have some good news for you.

Although this cannot be considered a widespread weather phenomenon, it still happens that animals that cannot fly fall from the sky. Although they are not necessarily dogs or cats, there have been many recorded cases of various animals "raining" from the sky. Examples include frogs, tadpoles, spiders, fish, eels, snakes and worms (not a pretty picture overall).

The leading theory is that these animals were lifted into the sky by waterspouts or tornadoes passing over their natural habitat. Unfortunately, this has never been witnessed or recorded by scientists.

If this theory turns out to be true, it still does not explain a similar incident that occurred in 1876, when raw meat rained down on Kentucky from a clear sky.

5. Bloody Sky

Quick question: what are the signs of the coming apocalypse? Perhaps you will name famine, war or plague. Perhaps you will name the name of a newly elected (but dearly disliked) politician. While all of these answers are perfectly acceptable, let's consider another: the sky turns blood red for a few seconds and then quickly returns to its normal color.

This is exactly what the residents of Chalchuapa, El Salvador, saw in April 2016. According to reports, the sky was crimson for a minute or so before returning to normal color with a slight pinkish tint. Many local evangelical Christians believed that the red flash was a sign of the coming apocalypse described in the Book of Revelation in the Bible.

One explanation is that it was a side effect of the annual April meteor showers that often occur in this area. However, this is unlikely because there has never been such a bloody sky before.

There is a possibility that this was a reflection of the fires that occurred in some of the sugar cane fields. Instead of struggling to find the answer, just pick up the Bible or go to a bar, depending on your belief system.

4. The Great Attractor

The generally accepted version of the origin of the Universe is the theory of the Big Bang, after which about 14 billion years ago all matter began to fly away from the epicenter, which led to an ever-expanding Universe. Although this version is the most common, it is only one of many. But it does not explain such an anomaly as the Great Attractor.

In the 1970s, we first began to study this strange force that is located 150-250 million light years away and attracts the Milky Way and several other nearby galaxies. Due to the accumulation of Milky Way stars in this direction, we cannot see what attracts galaxies to itself, so this anomaly was simply dubbed the “Great Attractor”.

In 2016, a team of international scientists was finally able to peer through the Milky Way using the Cesro Parkes radio telescope and discovered 883 galaxies clustered in this region. While some believe this is the final solution to the Great Attractor, others believe that many of these galaxies were drawn to this location in the same way that we are now, and that the true cause of the phenomenon is still unknown.

3. Taos Rumble

We've all experienced ringing in the ears, which is most annoying because no one else can hear it except us. Therefore, when experiencing it for the first time, we may think that we are going crazy. But what if other people could hear it too?

The city of Taos in north-central New Mexico is known for its liberal arts community, as well as several celebrities who have lived there. But it is perhaps even more famous for its "Taos Hum" - a noise that is reported to be heard by 2 percent of the population, but which everyone describes differently.

The first reports about it appeared in the 1990s, they said that this hum was studied by the University of New Mexico. Although people insisted that they heard sounds, no equipment was able to record them. Various explanations are given for this noise: aliens, government experiments, natural background. But until we find a way to fix it, all assumptions are just guesswork.

2. Tunguska meteorite

During the Cold War, everyone was afraid of nuclear destruction. We knew the power of the atomic bomb not only from the test results, but also from the explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At that time, people really expected that fire would fall from the sky and the explosion would level the entire earth around them. But in 1908, probably no one expected this.

On June 30, 1908, near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia, a massive fireball exploded above the Earth at an altitude of about 6,000 meters. The explosion killed many animals and completely felled trees in the taiga several kilometers in diameter. All the inhabitants of the Vanavara trading post, located 64 kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion, were knocked off their feet by the blast wave.

Most scientists believe the fireball was an asteroid or meteorite that exploded before it hit the ground due to atmospheric pressure, its composition, and a number of other factors. The biggest mystery is that the crater was never found, meaning there is no meteorite material to analyze. It is possible that the object was composed primarily of ice and therefore left no debris. But it is impossible to prove this.

1. Japanese Atlantis

Oddly enough, this is a rare case when the mystery was solved.

Atlantis is a mythical underwater city ruled by either Poseidon or Aquaman, depending on who you ask. Since the myth of Atlantis originated in Ancient Greece, many believe that its remains should be found somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. But it is possible that they are located near Japan.

Large rock formations exist underwater near the Japanese island of Yonaguni. They resemble Egyptian or Aztec pyramids and have been underwater for about 2000 years. Originally discovered by a local diver in 1986, they look like natural terraces but have straight sides and precise angles.

Later, due to these features, the formations were recognized as the remains of an ancient city (about 5000 years old), which sank under water as a result of an earthquake. This theory is generally accepted, but not fully proven.

Unlike previous mysteries, this one has a pretty solid answer. We hope this will help us sleep a little better tonight.

Ghost stories are scary because they involve something unknown to us. The story is interesting because it tells about real events that actually took place. A fascinating middle ground between these two extremes are natural phenomena that we still cannot understand.

While we constantly continue to study the structure of this world, we often encounter natural “miracles” that go beyond our understanding and force us to enter the realm of fantasy and speculation. From jelly falling from the sky to unexplained explosions that destroy hundreds of kilometers of forest and blood-red apocalyptic skies, here are 10 strange natural phenomena.

star jelly
Rain, snow, sleet, hail. No, these are not the four proverbial elements, but theoretically, these are all that can fall from the heavens at any given time. Oddly enough, even though we can detect and track precipitation quite accurately, there is something else that can fall from the sky that we have no idea about: star jelly.

Star jelly is a translucent gelatinous material often found on grass or trees that is known to quickly disappear once discovered. Many have reported seeing such a substance fall from the sky. This has led to myths that the falling material is nothing more than parts of dead stars, alien excrement, or even from government drones. Mentions of the strange substance date back to the 14th century, when doctors used star jelly to treat abscesses.

Of course, our scientists had to investigate this strange phenomenon and determine its origin, right? In theory, yes. Some believe the strange substance is frog eggs swollen from exposure to water. The problem is that the study did not confirm the presence of animal or plant DNA in the substance, which makes it even more mysterious.

Clouds of morning glory
Pillow-like clouds are not soft or fluffy at all. They are made of water vapor and will not be as soft as pillows if you fall on them. Because clouds contain water, we can understand their shapes and movements, and use this data to predict the weather - at least in most cases.

Morning glory clouds are long, tube-shaped clouds that look quite ominous in the sky. Reaching over 965 km in length, these clouds are most often seen in Australia during the transition from the dry to wet seasons. Local Aboriginal people say the clouds appear to warn of an increase in the bird population.

Apart from these Aboriginal myths, there is no serious explanation for why morning glory clouds have the shape they do. Some climate scientists say they form as a result of a combination of sea breezes and changes in humidity, but so far no computer models have been able to predict this strange natural phenomenon.

Cities in the sky
No, this is not some kind of comic book story or something from an ancient religion. This is reality. On April 21, 2017, in Jieyang, China, many citizens were amazed by the sight of the city floating in the clouds. Many people rushed to post photos on the Internet, which scared others, but there was no reason for this, since something similar had happened before.

The same floating cities were observed in five different places in China during the 6 years leading up to this event. A large number of similar phenomena have led to various hypotheses: aliens are trying to get through to us from another dimension, the second coming of Christ will soon be, or the appearing images are a holographic test of the Chinese or even American government.

But we need, first of all, facts. There is a possible explanation: it is a rare natural phenomenon known as Fata Morgana, where light passing through thermal waves causes a duplication effect. This explanation could well be accepted if the images in the sky were not different from what is below them, below the horizon.

Tabby Star
Our universe is huge, and there are billions of galaxies in it that our descendants may one day discover. But in order to discover mystical wonders, we do not need to leave our Milky Way.

If you enter: Tabby's Star, you will get this information: KIC 8462852, named "Tabby's Star" in honor of its discoverer Tabet Boyajian, is one of more than 150,000 stars observed by the Kepler Space Telescope. What is absolutely unique about this star is the way it changes its glow.

Typically, stars are observed by the dips in their light that appear when planets pass in front of them. Tabby's Star is surprising because dips in its brightness amount to up to 20% of the total volume at one time, which is significantly more than other stars we observe.

Explanations for such strange light activity vary widely, from large clusters of planets passing in front of the star (which is unlikely) to large accumulations of dust and debris (but not for stars Tabby's age) and alien activity (which is very interesting).
One of the main theories says that aliens are using some kind of huge mechanisms orbiting the star to extract energy. Although this may sound strange, it is much more interesting than cosmic dust.

Rain of Spiders
One of the many laws of the universe states that each of us is either a dog person or a cat person. These two personality variants are characteristic of all humanity. Even though many of us love animals, that love is not so strong that we dream of animals falling from the sky. If you love animals that much, perhaps you should seek professional help. But before you do, we have good news.

Although this is not a common natural phenomenon, animals falling from the sky are a reality. Not cats and dogs specifically, but many other animals fell from the sky along with raindrops. Some examples include: frogs, tadpoles, spiders, fish, eels, snakes and worms (any of these scenarios are unpleasant).

The current theory explains this phenomenon by saying that the animals were lifted into the sky by a water tornado or waterspout that originated in their natural habitat. Unfortunately, such a fact has never been recorded or confirmed by scientists. Even if this theory is true, it cannot explain the fact that raw meat fell from the clear Kentucky sky in 1876. This does not fit into the official theory at all.

Blood red sky
Answer the question quickly: what are the main signs of the approaching apocalypse? You may have guessed it: war, famine and epidemics. You may have mentioned the name of your favorite politician on this list. All of these answers are accepted, but consider one more: the sky turns blood red for a few seconds and then quickly returns to its normal state.

This phenomenon was observed in April 2016 by residents of Chalchuapa, El Salvador. The sky reportedly turned crimson within a minute and then returned to normal color with a slight pinkish tint. Many in the Christian population believe that the red flash is a sign of the upcoming apocalypse described in the Book of Revelations in the Bible.

Some possible explanations for this phenomenon include light coming from meteor showers, which are common in this area in April. However, this is unlikely because the blood red sky is a phenomenon that has never been observed before.
Another theory is that clouds reflected fires that had engulfed several sugarcane farms in the area. Whatever the explanation, we recommend that you pick up a Bible, or go to a bar, depending on what you believe.

Great Attractor
The generally accepted model for the origin of the universe is the Big Bang Theory: a massive explosion 14 billion years ago caused matter to expand outward at a rapid rate, causing the universe to continually expand. Although it is generally accepted, this theory is one of many regarding the origin of our universe. However, it does not explain some anomalies, such as the Great Attractor.

In the 1970s, they first began to study a strange force located 150-200 million light years away, which attracts the Milky Way and other neighboring galaxies. Due to the location of the stars in the Milky Way, we cannot see what this object looks like, so it has been dubbed the "Great Attractor".

In 2016, an international team of scientists was able to finally take a definitive look at the Milky Way using CSIRO's Parkers Telescope and discovered 883 galaxies concentrated in this region. While some believe that this will solve the mystery of the Great Attractor, others believe that the galaxies were attracted here in the same way that our galaxy is now attracted, and the true reason for this attraction remains unknown.

Taos Rumble
Each of us has heard ringing in the ears, and the associated “old wives' tale” that it occurs when someone speaks badly about you. What is most infuriating is that no one hears this except you. Therefore, when we hear ringing in our ears for the first time, we might think that we are going crazy. But what if other people heard the same thing?

The city of Taos in north-central New Mexico is known for its liberal arts community, as well as several celebrities who have lived there. However, it is perhaps more famous for the "Taos Rumble", which is heard by about 2% of the population and which everyone describes differently.

It was first reported in the 1990s, and the hum began to be studied at the University of New Mexico. While most people claimed to have heard the hum, no equipment picked it up. Explanations for this phenomenon come down to factors such as: aliens, government experiments, the norm. Until we find the only true explanation for this hum, our personal explanation will be no worse than anyone else's.

Japanese Atlantis
It is strange when we discover circumstances that confirm that the mystery has been solved. Atlantis is a mythical underwater city ruled by Poseidon, or Aquaman from the comics, depending on who you ask. Since the legend originated in Greece, many believe that the real prototype is located somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Or maybe near the shores of Japan.

Large rock formations are found underwater near Yonaguni Jima Island. Outwardly, they resemble Egyptian or Aztec pyramids and have been under water for about 2000 years. Discovered in 1986 by a local diver, the formations were initially thought to have formed naturally, although this is strange given the 90° angles.

Unlike other mysteries on our list, this one has a completely reasonable explanation. We hope this helps you sleep much more peacefully tonight.

No one can unravel the nature of the strange substance
Star jelly is a strange substance that appears on grass or trees. The first mentions of it were found in the 14th century, and disputes about the nature of the substance have not subsided to this day. What is this - a message from space or a mystery of the Universe?

It is a clear or translucent substance that is white and jelly-like. Interestingly, the mysterious substance gradually evaporates, leaving traces on the ground.

Remedy for diseases
Back in the 14th century, the then famous scientist John Gadessen told the general public about a certain substance that, he believed, could heal a person from various diseases, including the scourge of that time - abscesses. This mysterious object was the “star jelly” known today. Scientists immediately began to speculate about where this “something” landed on the planet, what it means for humanity and what to do with it. The first guess is a message from alien civilizations eager to contact the earthly mind. The second hypothesis is parts of stars that can heal various diseases.
Some researchers believed that the substance did not fall from the sky at all, but was organic material, in particular the remains of some animals and insects.
In Latin America, the word “uligo” appeared in medical institutions, which translated means “fatty substance.” In fact, the fat content of star jelly is very high, which makes it possible to attribute it to organic origin. By the way, in books of the 14th century it was noted that after touching this strange mucus, stains remained on the hands. They were compared to the stains left after dipping your fingers in vegetable oil.

Taste it
The further science developed, the more scientists became interested in the composition and origin of star jelly. They conducted the most amazing experiments with him. First of all, we tasted the jelly. It looked like full-fat milk mixed with gelatin, which is used to make real edible jelly. The celestial substance was subjected to a strength test, which was successfully failed. It was thrown from a height, and after the fall it simply ceased to form a greasy mass that spread over the surface of the earth. The next experiment is attempts to treat a variety of diseases with this jelly. It was tested on people who suffered from asthma, diarrhea, colds and dizziness. Surprisingly, the substance was able to relieve those suffering from pain or alleviate it. Whether this is a real healing effect or self-hypnosis remains unclear.
Residents of Mexico told the world that they also witnessed the appearance of mysterious celestial bodies. In their interpretation, it was nothing more than “lunar excrement.” Of course, after such a term, all scientists refused to taste the unknown substance.

Jelly after meteor shower
Already in the twentieth century, Fade magazine put forward the version that this biomass is of extraterrestrial origin. The author of the published material conjectures that jelly is an organic substance that exists as a “molecular cloud”, capable of moving in space indefinitely.
Of course, from time to time, frankly ridiculous theories appeared. Thus, the author of the book “British Amphibians and Reptiles” Smith believes that star jelly was formed from the internal organs of female toads and frogs. In particular, from the ovaries. This assumption was made on the basis that birds cannot eat these organs, so they remain on the ground. At the moment when the remains of frogs come into contact with water, they increase slightly in size, changing shape. This is what produces a jelly-like substance. Having examined it under a microscope and studied the structure, the author mentioned that in fact the composition included not only the ovaries of toads, there were also paws with tails.
Ufologists believe that jelly is formed in space. Throughout history, there have been several references in literature to a mysterious substance that fell on our planet. For example, in early November 1846, an unidentified luminous object several feet in diameter landed near New York. People discovered that at the site where the object fell there was a luminous substance that had such a smell that it immediately made them dizzy, and many even fainted. Apparently the aroma was not the best.
The next drop occurred again in America, in the state of Pennsylvania. In the mid-twentieth century, police officers patrolled city streets. They discovered a disk that was completely enveloped in jelly. The diameter of the disk was approximately 1.8 m. When law enforcement officers tried to move the “something” from its place, it simply dissolved, leaving behind greasy stains on their hands and clothes. Later, based on these events, the film “The Drop” will be made.
In the late 70s of the last century in the United States, in Texas, a girl named Sybil discovered several disks with a jelly-like structure. They were bright purple in color and ended up on the ground after a meteor shower. A few years later, another meteor shower occurred in the same state, after which transparent biomass remained. In the early 1990s, rain made entirely of jelly fell on America again. The next incident occurred in Australia after a meteor flew over the city of Kempton. All the streets were shrouded in strange, greasy biomass.
Slime appeared in the British Ham Wall nature reserve in 2013, on the day a meteorite fell on Chelyabinsk. That day, a meteorite flew over the reserve - many saw it. The substance lying on the grass was transferred to the laboratory of the UK Center for Biological Diversity at the Natural History Museum. Six months later, scientists admitted that their research was inconclusive. "This mucus is a real mystery," said biologist Cheska Rogers. According to her, traces of DNA from worms and bacteria were found in the substance. But only because the samples were sent contaminated with soil.
Another exotic hypothesis is that in the atmosphere there live creatures whose flesh consists of a substance similar to airgel. They glow while they are still alive due to internal processes. And after death they immediately disintegrate. A less pleasant version says that star jelly is a product of the digestion of celestial inhabitants. It's just a matter of catching at least one, thereby proving the fact of their existence and digestion!

Based on materials from Nosecret.com.ua, “Secret Planet” (cryptoplanet.ru)

Space guests leave a mysterious jelly-like substance on earth.

Trembling traces

Science has once again found itself at a dead end: a strange mucus discovered in the British Ham Wall nature reserve in Somerset has not been identified. Although it took more than six months.

The trembling substance was picked up back in the winter - in February 2013 - on the day when a meteorite fell on Russian Chelyabinsk. That day, a meteorite flew over the reserve - many saw it. The substance that was lying on the grass was transferred to the laboratory of the Center for UK Biodiversity (AMC), Great Britain at the Natural History Museum. And now - in late autumn - scientists admitted that the research ended in vain. It was not possible even to suggest nothing worthwhile.

Jelly discovered in the British Ham Wall Nature Reserve

“This mucus is a real mystery,” said biologist Chesca Rogers, one of the leaders of AMC. According to her, traces of DNA from worms and bacteria were found in the substance. But only because the samples were sent contaminated with soil.

“And I only stained my hands with mucus.”

By the way, such a find is not the first. Slime is found regularly all over the world. Moreover, folklore associates its appearance exclusively with meteorite falls. For example, here are some interesting poems left by the British poet John Suckling (1609-1642):

"He watched with a keen eye,
Like a false star fell on the market square,
And, running, he tried to grab her,
But I only stained my hands with mucus.”

Walter Scott in his novel “The Talisman” wrote: “Find a star that has fallen to the ground - and you will see only a vile gelatinous mass, which, rushing across the sky, lit up for a moment with a blinding light.”

In the 19th century, the fall of this “vile gelatinous mass” was described more than once in scientific journals. The "Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science" reported that "October 8, 1844, near Koblenz, a German gentleman, accompanied by another person, was walking late in the evening in the dark along a dry plowed field. They saw a luminous body descending right near them - no further 20 meters. And they heard it clearly and loudly hit the ground. They marked the place, returned there early the next morning and found a jelly-like mass of a grayish color."

There are also this type of jelly

The magazine "Nature" in 1910 told about a certain Joel Powers from Lowell (Massachusetts, USA), who "saw a bright shooting star or meteor rush through the atmosphere, hitting the ground near him. He found a jelly with an almost intolerable unpleasant odor" .

However, the odor is not reported every time. On the contrary, many witnesses emphasize that the substance does not smell of anything.

On September 26, 1950, four Philadelphia police officers spotted a luminous object falling onto a field. Approaching the crash site, they saw a pulsating mass with a diameter of about two meters. It filled with light and then faded away. One of the policemen who dared to touch it assured that the mass was soft to the touch, similar to gelatin. He tore off a piece, which melted in his palm like snow. Half an hour later, the strange mass evaporated without a trace. This incident inspired director Irwin Eyeworth to create the horror film The Blob (1958) a few years later.

Heavenly inhabitants

“Some people believe that the mucus is unfertilized frog eggs,” says Cheska Rogers. - Others consider it fungus, mold or something plant-based. None of the tests we conducted revealed anything like this.

What if high above the whole sky is gelatinous? - the eccentric American explorer of the unknown, Charles Hoy Fort, suggested in 1919. - Maybe meteorites break through it and separate fragments? I personally think it would be absurd to consider the whole sky gelatinous. It seems more acceptable that students are only some of its areas.

The scattering of “star rot” sometimes occupies a vast area

Atmospheric research in the 20th century left no chance for Fort's hypothesis. Then an alternative appeared - they say that in the atmosphere there live creatures whose flesh consists of a substance similar to airgel. They glow while they are still alive due to internal processes. And after death they immediately disintegrate.

A less pleasant version says that “jelly” is a product of the digestion of the heavenly inhabitants. All that’s left to do is catch at least one, thereby proving the fact of their existence and digestion. But it doesn't work.

INSTEAD OF A COMMENT

There is still someone in the clouds

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Vladimir Bychkov from Moscow State University suggested that “mucus” appears in the middle of the clouds due to the proliferation of bacteria and algae that form complex structures. In fact, he echoes the supporters of the theory of heavenly inhabitants. But without attracting creatures unknown to science.

The scientist believes that organisms lifted from the earth by air currents settle in the clouds. They reproduce there by "feeding on organic particles or plants." They form “networks or balls of bacteria interconnected with each other.”

As they fall, the “balls” capture water, turning “into a complex structure with a framework of bacteria, mucus—the product of bacterial reproduction—and water.”

According to Vladimir Lvovich, the smell of the resulting “jelly” depends on the breakdown products of bacteria - if there are a lot of them, then a putrid smell is inevitable. And the color depends on which bacteria predominate. Once on the ground, the bacteria tend to “go into the soil,” leaving only mucus and quickly evaporating water.

It’s easy to check Bychkov’s version. You just need to find the freshest possible “jelly” and take an uncontaminated sample. Alas, “things are still there.” As microbiologist Bernard Dixon noted, "The most surprising thing about the problem is that despite the large amount of literature, especially since the advent of the Internet, the observations have received very little scientific attention." And without it, all hypotheses will remain unproven - they will be nothing more than reasoning from scratch.

Photo: Natural History Museum

It's no wonder that during a meteor shower, all sorts of things fall from the sky (this is almost 90% scientific). But sometimes what falls on Earth is something completely different from what one would expect. Instead of a huge piece of stone or metal, people sometimes find something jelly-like, similar to a jellyfish thrown out of space.

For more than a century, people in different parts of the world have been watching how, after a meteor shower, what the Germans lovingly call sternenrotz (literally translated, “star snot”) falls to the Earth. Star snot is a clump of translucent or yellowish jelly that smells terrible and disintegrates instantly when touched (so it's almost the same as normal jelly).

Another significant example: in 1950, four Philadelphia police officers discovered a two-meter piece of “star jelly” outside the city. When they tried to pry it off the ground, the jelly turned into a "nasty, sticky, odorless foam." No doubt, after this incident, they all took a shower and could not look into each other's eyes for a long time.

• What do scientists think?

Most scientists would be happy to declare that all the witnesses are blatantly lying and leave everything as it is, but some particularly conscientious individuals are still trying to find an explanation for the “star jelly”. The clump of jelly found by police in Philadelphia was located half a mile from the Philadelphia gas pipeline, so some argue that it was some kind of release of an unknown nature (this is as plausible and as unlikely as snot from outer space).

Be that as it may, none of the researchers is yet ready to answer the question of what is the nature of this substance. Some outspoken skeptics believe that everything could not be simpler. They believe that “star jelly” is in fact absolutely “earthly” and that all this is somehow connected with the life activity of frogs, birds or worms. The mysterious slime could also be some completely ordinary type of slug that just happened to catch your eye during the meteor fall and has nothing to do with it. But the most surprising theory suggests that "star jelly" is nothing more than the remains of atmospheric animals,