Since the start of time, we have
experienced unexplainable events occurring in the natural world. However, more
recently, scientists have noticed that many of these abnormal occurrences
happen prior to unusual events in our lives, and that they most possibly are
correlated. To elaborate, animals “predicting” natural disasters as well as
full moons inferring erratic human behaviour are two examples that prove this
link. Accordingly, it is evident that strange events in the natural world can
be signs for what is to come in our lives.
To start, throughout the
scientific community, it is widely believed that animals can sense when a
tsunami or flood is going to hit. In return, many flee their habitats in search
for higher, safer ground. The reason animals, but not humans have this early
warning aptitude is quite understandable. To explain, most animals have much
greater instincts than us, and their senses are much sharper. It is said that
many animals can feel chemical changes happening in the groundwater prior to
these natural disasters. Proof of this marvel was in December 2004, when a disastrous
tsunami upset the Indian Ocean . In places
including Thailand , Sri Lanka , and Africa ,
it was reported that a few days before the tsunami, animals of all shapes and
sizes fled to seek refuge. Miraculously, there were no mass animal deaths
recorded from this catastrophe! Just like this instance, there are countless
similar cases of animals leaving their homes in advance of a tsunami. This
indicates that these peculiar events in the natural world can signify things
that may come in our lives.
To add, if animals can sense
tsunamis, it is most probable that they can detect earthquakes as well. Along
with trying to escape, many animals will show atypical behaviour in addition to
signs of restlessness just before disaster strikes. For example, there are
multiple documented accounts of animals carrying their offspring outside, dogs
barking unusually, birds leaving their nests, and even chickens refusing to lay
their eggs! This common strange behaviour between domestic, zoo, and farm
animals demonstrate that these critters can feel something that we can’t, such
as an electrical change in the air or weaker P-waves emitted before a large
quake. Contrary to skeptical American scientists, China has successfully used these
strange animal behaviours to its advantage. To elaborate, in 1975, Chinese
officials ordered the city of Haicheng
evacuated after many reported occurrences of odd animal behaviour.
Intriguingly, soon after, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook that exact city.
Thanks to the animals, there were almost no fatalities out of the estimated 150
000 deaths that could have been. Ultimately, these weird animal behaviours
should not be dismissed without consideration.
Finally, another example of
natural foreseeing signs is the full moon. This phenomenon has always been
known to wreak havoc everywhere. Consider the legend of the werewolf, for
instance. Well, even though it is highly unlikely that a human would transform
into a furry dog, the story must have came out of somewhere. Even today, many
believe that a full moon can bring about chaos and out of the ordinary human
behaviour. If you are in doubt, consider this: the moon’s gravitational pull is
widely known to effect water on earth, as it creates tides day in and day out.
Interestingly, during a full moon, the pull is exceptionally strong therefore
creating a bigger effect on earth’s water. So, taking into account that our
bodies are 70% water and our brains are the moistest organs in our bodies,
there is a high chance that our minds can be disorientated by the full moon. My
mum has witnessed this firsthand. To elaborate, when she was growing up, she
had an elderly neighbour who on every full moon day would scream hysterically,
for hours! Just like this example, there are many reported accounts of aberrant
human behaviour caused by the full moon’s abnormally strong gravitational pull.
As you can see, there is enough
evidence to prove that strange events in nature can predict things to come in
our future. Take a look at the examples aforementioned: animals retreating or
acting peculiar before a natural disaster, as well as full moons predicting
crazy human behaviour. All of these accounts of strange natural events pose
reliable facts and numerous examples, which give us no reason not to believe
them. Think about it- all of these incidents cannot just be a bunch of
coincidences; there has to be at least some sort of connection. It’s time we
open our minds and accept what can be an asset to our evolution. Why push these
natural signs away, when we can learn and gather information from them? The
proof is present; that strange events in the natural world can signify what is
to come in our future. After all, Mother Nature is always one step ahead of
us.
References:
"disaster." Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus,
Third Edition. Philip Lief Group 2009. 11 Apr. 2013. <Thesaurus.com <<http://thesaurus.com/browse/disaster>>.
Ishimaru, Heather. "Do Earthquakes
Give Off Warning Signals?" California
News. ABC 7, 20 May 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. <http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=8143617>.
Paulos, John A. "Animal Instincts:
Are Creatures Better Than Us at Computation?" Scientific American Archive Online.
EBSCO, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=animal-instincts>.
Smith, S.E., and Bronwyn Harris. "Can
Animals Really Sense Earthquakes?" WiseGeek.
Conjecture, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013. http://www.wisegeek.com/can-animals-really-sense-earthquakes.htm>.
Great essay Ruvini! Your points were very clear and direct. I really liked how you used transitions like "finally, and to start" they made the essay very easy to follow and to understand. I believe you could have included why humans senses are duller than animals in your essay. For example it can be because of the technology we have today therefore our senses have devolved. I believe there was point in humanity that us humans could feel a natural disaster coming. Your essay was very interesting and I really enjoyed reading it. It really made me think more about the animals around us.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great essay, Ruvini! Even though I was initially skeptical about your topic, I found that by the end of your essay I had warmed up to the idea. I liked how you backed up your theories with statistics and real life examples to solidify your points, as well as including scientific facts (info about P-waves, body is 70% water, etc.) Like Winki, I thought that your transition phrases were extremely useful to guide your work along and help the reader keep track of where they were in the essay. Good job!
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