This New Terrifying Discovery in the Amazon Jungle Scared Scientists

The Amazon Rainforest is the lungs of the Earth. This vast wilderness is teeming with life and hidden secrets that can’t be seen anywhere else.

From a giant lilypad to mysterious rings etched on Earth, here are the 20 most amazing discoveries in the Amazon Jungle made by scientists!

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the Amazon rainforest is the lungs of the Earth this vast Wilderness is teeming with life and hidden secrets that can’t be seen anywhere else from a giant lily pad to mysterious Rings etched on Earth here are the 20 most amazing discoveries in the Amazon jungle made by scientists number 20 Victoria amazonica imagine a lily pad that you can lie down on that might sound like something of a fairy tale but the giant water lily of the Amazon is so massive that it can support a hefty amount of weight Victoria amazonica also known as the giant water lily boasts leaves that can grow up to a staggering 10 ft in diameter these massive green discs Float serenely On The Water surface supported by stocks that can extend up to 26 ft beneath the surface since its Discovery in the early 19th century this species has captivated researchers first described scientifically in 1837 Victoria amazonica was named in honor of the monarch of the United Kingdom Queen Victoria its massive buoyant leaves even inspired the design to the crystal palace in London showing just how groundbreaking it was when it was first discovered the largest of these lily pads can support up to 498 lbs of weight but that’s not the only reason they’re incredible aside from their leaves their flowers are amazing too the flowers of the Victoria amazonica are short-lived but spectacular they bloom at night initially opening as white female flowers that emit a sweet pineapple-like fragrance to attract beetles once the Beetles enter the flower closes trapping them inside by the next evening the flower reopens now transformed into a pink male flower releasing the pollen coated beetles to continue the pollination cycle before we go on like this video smash the Subscribe button and click the notification Bell right now number 19 Goliath birde eater did you know that there is a spider in the Amazon that can prey on small birds introducing the Goliath bird eater with its name alone you can pretty much tell what this arachnet is known for this species is considered a behemoth among spiders and is currently recognized as the largest spider in the world by mass and size it can weigh up to 170 G and its body length can reach up to 4 4.75 in with a leg span of up to a staggering 11 in the bird eater part as I’ve said this creature can prey on small birds however most of them hunt insects frogs lizards and mice now if you’re terrified of this creature fret not because it’s only native to the Deep rainforests of Venezuela Northern Brazil Guyana French Guyana and Surinam now you’re probably wondering if this big guy has venom it does but its venom is not something thing that would endanger an adult human when the Goliath bird eater hunts its prey it uses its powerful fangs which can grow up to 75 in long to inject Venom to paralyze it the tarantula then regurgitates digestive enzymes onto the prey liquefying its insides for easy consumption this process leaves only the bones and skin behind as for humans a bite wouldn’t do much what’s more despite their size these spiders would rather avoid humans in the wild unless cornered number 18 Hidden City in the lopano valley of Ecuador archaeologists have Unearthed a vast City dating back between 3,000 and 1,500 years however this ancient dwelling is completely hidden and obscured by thick vegetation it was unexpectedly discovered by researchers who used Advanced light detection and ranging or light art technology to create 3D maps of What Lies Beneath the trees needless to say the researchers didn’t expect that the laser pulses would reveal a city spanning a staggering 115 square miles with an extensive network of Roads canals and Earth and platforms for so long we believed that the indigenous peoples of the Amazon lived in small nomadic groups it was thought that these groups made little changes to their environment but the discovery of this extensive settlement suggests that the early societies at the rainforest were far more advanced engaging in large scale Agriculture and development number 17 the arima the arima is one of the largest freshwater fish globally often reaching lengths of up to 10 ft and weighing as much as 440 lb these Giants have elongated streamlined bodies with a dark green to Black coloration and a reddish tail now there’s a reason for their unique and distinct appearance these creatures have an ancient lineage that dates back to over 100 million years ago needless to say this colossal freshwater fish is one of the greatest creatures that resides in the Amazon however their appearance isn’t the only thing that makes them unique you see most fish rely on their gills to breathe but the arapa possesses a modified swim bladder that functions like a lung this adaptation allows it to thrive in oxygen poor environments such as stagnant pools and flood Plaines with decaying vegetation with this specialized organ they only need to gulp air every 10 to 20 minutes by rising to the surface and when they do they make a distinctive coughing sound as they exhale and inhale initially the Europa was part of Amazonian diets but with their numbers in the wild decreasing conservation of the species is underway number 16 Jesus Lizard this is the common basilisk this creature is native to the tropical rainforest of Central and South America thriving in regions close to rivers and streams these lizards are equipped with large specialized hind feet featuring flaps of skin that allow them to catch air bubbles that is how they’ve obtained the nickname Jesus lizard with their specialized Hine feet they can Sprint across the water while staying afloat reaching speeds of up to 15 mph younger basilisks can Dash up to 66 ft before sinking whereas adults due to their greater weight can only manage a shorter distance running on water that’s impressive it’s safe to say that these creatures are one of Nature’s masterpieces the common basilis Sports a Sleek streamlined body typically measuring around 2.5 ft in total length including its long tail along with their specialized feet these creatures learn to balance on water to increase their chances of survival in the competitive ecosystem of the Amazon’s forest floor basilisks are dial which means they spend their days basking in the sun foraging for food and keeping a lookout for Predators their omnivores with diets consisting of insects flowers small vertebrates like snakes and birds and even fish their incredible ability to run on water is primarily a defense mechanism to escape from threats quickly when not fleeing they’re also excellent swimmers and climbers able to stay underwater for up to half an hour if necessary number 15 walking pal there is a walking Palm in the Amazon but it’s not moving in the way you think the walking Palm is an organism that can be found in the rainforests of Central and South America it can grow up to 82 ft tall and its most notable feature is its stilt-like roots that unlike other tree roots extend several feet off the ground giving it the appearance of standing on stilts these roots provide stability in the soft swampy soils of the rainforest and enable the Palm to reach sunlight without the need for a wide trunk now some believe that through these roots these trees can slowly move in the Direction with more sunlight and nutrients some claim that these trees can move 1 to 2 cm over the span of several years others however claimed that this is merely a myth regardless these fascinating trees have grown to be one of the most fascinating Flora in the Amazon Wilderness number 14 boiling River in the Mayan tuaku sanctuary in the wuko region of Peru lies Nature’s Own hot tub one that would guarantee your death if you jump in the boiling river is just what its name suggests this body of water which has a local name that translates to boiled by the heat of the sun has incredibly high temperatures ranging from 113° F to nearly 212° fit hot enough to cook small animals that fall into it this area has been revered by local shamans who believe the river’s scalding waters are birthed by yakum Mama a giant serpent Spirit known as the mother of the waters despite its proximity to the Amazon rainforest the boiling river is not near any active volcanoes for a long time the origin of this heat was a mystery but today the scalding water is attributed to geothermal activity rainwater seeps deep into the Earth through faults getting heated by the geothermal gradient as it approaches the Earth’s mantle this superheated water then surfaces through geothermal Springs Heating the river along its course number 13 pink dolphins did you know that there are pink dolphins in the Amazon the pink river dolphin also known as the Amazon River dolphin is known for its distinctive pink coloration however they’re not really born pink at Birth they’re gray and as they age they slowly change color with some individuals retaining patches of Gray adult Amazon river dolphins can reach lengths of up to 8 ft and weigh as much as 450 lb unlike their Oceanic cousins these freshwater dolphins have long slender snouts filled with up to 140 teeth which they use to catch a variety of prey including fish Crustaceans and even small turtles their flexible necks and unfused cervical vertebrae allow them to maneuver easily through the flooded forests of the Amazon basin aside from their distinctive appearance what’s fascinating about these creatures is the lore that the local people gave them for those who are familiar with these creatures the Amazon River dolphin is magical some believe they can trans transform into a human form and guide lost Travelers back to safety while some believe they’re playful entities unfortunately the stories do nothing to help them survive currently the pink river dolphin is classified as endangered by the international Union for conservation of nature without Collective effort their numbers might continue to dwindle number 12 electric eels now let me introduce you to one of the most befuddling creatures in the Amazon residing in the river basins of the Amazon and Orinoco is the electric eel now despite their name eels are not true eels they belong to the knife fish family and are more closely related to catfish than to the eels found in the ocean these fish have long cylindrical bodies and flattened heads with their vital organs concentrated in the front fifth of their bodies the rest of their bodies house specialized cells called electrocytes which generate electricity this is what makes them one of the most special creatures on the planet they’re among the a few creatures capable of generating electricity these guys can produce powerful electric shocks of up to 860 volts the highest voltage discharge of any known animal this ability is used for hunting self-defense and navigation they have three pairs of abdominal organs that produce electricity the main organ the Hunter’s organ and the saxs organ these organs can produce both low voltage and high voltage electric charges the low voltage pulses are used for navigation and communication while while the high voltage shocks are used to stun or eliminate prey or Predators now you’re probably wondering what would happen if you got shocked by an electric eel a single jolt is enough to incapacitate a person that might not sound serious but imagine you’re in the water when this happens you could easily lose your footing and drown this means getting shocked in knee level water can still be fatal if you’re unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of multiple shocks well this would cause your heart to fail leading to death number 11 maau clay lick here’s something quite unique in the Amazon there are birds licking clay maau clay licks or culpas are exposed Riverbanks where hundreds of parrots Maca and other bird species gather to eat clay these sites are the most prominent in the western Amazon basin particularly in regions like Peru’s tambopata National Reserve in Manu National Park sounds like something simple but trust me it’s a pretty amazing site especially if you love appreciating nature and Wildlife but what’s the reason behind the bird’s obsession with Clay the primary reason Birds consume Clay is to supplement their diet with essential minerals particularly sodium the Western Amazon basin is known for its low sodium content due to its distance from the ocean and high rainfall which leeches sodium from the soil by eating clay birds can obtain the necessary sodium that’s otherwise scarce in their regular diet of seeds and fruits some studies also suggest that clay helps neutralize toxins that birds ingest from certain seeds and fruits this detoxifying property makes clay a crucial component of their diet allowing them to safely consume a wider variety of foods well this is definitely one of the few things I’d like to see if given the chance number 10 Amazon Rings recently researchers discovered mysterious Amazon Rings predating the Amazon itself this challenges our previous belief that the Amazon Rain forest was a pristine environment before the mining and logging practices in the 19th century these geoglyphs consist of various geometric shapes including circles squares and ovals etched into the ground they’re typically large with some trenches measuring up to 36 ft wide and 13 ft deep and can span diameters between 330 and 980 ft these structures were largely uncovered due to deforestation in the 1980s which exposed the ancient designs hidden by the rainforest since then over 450 geoglyphs have been identified with many more likely still concealed beneath the dense foliage the exact purpose of the Amazon Rings remains a mystery but several theories have been proposed archaeologists believe these Earth Works served as public gathering places for rituals and ceremonies rather than as permanent settlements number nine Tyrant King leech the Amazon keeps its reputation for being one of the most fascinating yet intimidating ating places with every new species discovered within it in 2010 one of the most fearsome creatures in the Amazon was discovered by researchers the Tyrant King leech or Tyran obala Rex despite its fearsome name the Tyrant King leech is relatively small typically measuring less than 2 in long what sets it apart however are its disproportionately large teeth these teeth are about five times larger than those of other leeches reaching up to 130 microns in height roughly the width of a human hair the leech uses its single jaw lined with these enormous teeth to latch onto its prey now unlike many other leeches that attach to the exterior of their host the Tyrant King leech has a disturbing preference for mucus membranes it tends to invade the nasal passages mouths and even eyes of its mamalian hosts including humans once attached it can remain feeding on its host’s blood for extended periods sometimes days or even weeks in fact one can easily have a leech feed onto them and not notice it until the leech grows in size another reason why you shouldn’t carelessly stick your foot in unfamiliar Waters number eight bullet ant the bullet ant also called the 24-hour ant or Conga ant is a large ant species native to the humid lowland rainforests of Central and South America they can be found from Honduras and El Salvador down to Peru Bolivia and Brazil these ants are known for their size measuring up to 1.2 in in length making them one of the largest ant species in the world and of course they’re also known for their painful sting that’s described as pain comparable to being shot this intense pain can last for up to 24 hours not only is it sting painful but it’s also longlasting the Venom contains paner toxin a neurotoxin that affects the nervous system causing intense pain and temporary paralysis with their lethality it’s easy to get that these creatures are primarily carnivorous they feed on a variety of small insects and other invertebrates on the forest floor but they occasionally consume nectar to regain energy so step anywhere while in the wilderness just be sure not to disturb a colony of bullet ants after all these creatures are known for having the most painful sting in the world number seven Amazon centipede the Amazonian giant centipede also known as the Peruvian giant yellow leg C centipede can grow up to an astonishing 12 in in length these centipedes have a long segmented body with a reddish brown color and bright yellow legs each segment equipped with a single pair of legs trust me you wouldn’t want this creepy Crawley anywhere near you unless you live in the tropical and subtropical regions of Northern South America including countries like Colombia Venezuela and Brazil you generally don’t have anything to worry about these centipedes are native to these places and aren’t found anywhere else they thrive in dark moist environments such as Leaf litter under rocks and inside rotting wood their preference for such habitats helps them stay hydrated as their exoskeleton can lose moisture easily these creatures are primarily nocturnal and prey on insects amphibians small mammals and even birds and bats Yes you heard that right with their venom they can paralyze their prey which allows them to overpower animals bigger than them not only are these creatures literal spawns from hell they’re Venom can also be harmful to humans it’s potent enough to cause significant pain swelling and other symptoms although fatalities are quite rare then again even without its venom I’m sure its appearance is enough to deter a person from getting close to it number six Patu bird patus are medium-sized Birds ranging from 8 to 24 in in length they’re renowned for their cryptic plumage which perfectly mimics tree bark helping them blend seamlessly into their surrounding ing if you’re unfamiliar with these creatures you can easily pass by them perched on a tree branch at your eye level and not see them you see with their eyes closed their camouflage is so effective that they can be nearly impossible to spot during the day when they perch motionless on branches during the night however these creatures use their round eyes and wide mouths to hunt their prey they feed on a diet of insects including moths beetles and grasshoppers which they catch in midair using their mouths occasionally they may also prey on small birds or bats number five silkhenge Troy Alexander a Georgia Tech Student was exploring the tambopata national Reserve in Peru when he discovered something odd a small structure consisting of a central silk Spire surrounded by a circular picket fence of silk all no more than an inch wide oddly enough it reminded him of Stonehenge the rock formation in England Alexander’s photo of this strange structure sparked curiosity and confusion within the scientific Community as no one had seen anything like it before and so the hunt for the creature that created the silkhenge began all throughout the Amazon and the nearby Wilderness researchers have found multiple examples of these structures on Tree Trunks and leaves observing that they often appeared in clusters despite extensive research the spider species responsible for these structures remained unidentified for years silen structures are believed to be a protective nursery for spider eggs the central Spire typically contains one to two eggs and the surrounding silk fence likely serves to protect the eggs from predators and environmental threats some scientists speculate that the fence could deter parasitic wasps or keep out water providing a safe environment for the developing spiderlings recently spiderlings have been captured hatching from silken structures no DNA tests have conclusively figured out the exact spider species but this observation shed some light on these tiny yet befuddling structures number four the lost city of Z have you ever thought about how exciting it was to be an Explorer an archaeologist or even a treasure hunter decades even centuries ago with much of the world still unexplored there are surely many discoveries waiting to be found perhaps it’s for this reason that many explorers had high hopes for themselves this includes British Explorer and archaeologist colonel Percy Harrison faucet he’s the man behind the lost city of Z in the early 20th century faucet went on a quest to find this lost city which he believed to be hidden in the Amazon faucet’s desire to find the ancient city began when he read manuscript 512 an 18th century document stored in the National Library of Rio De Janeiro this manuscript detailed the discovery of a walled City deep in the Brazilian Jungle which resembled classical European architecture inspired by these tales and convinced of their truth faet embarked on his first solo expedition to find Z in 1920 however his first exploration showed him how unprepared he was to face the harsh Wilderness he returned home but 5 years later he organized another Expedition this time accompanied by his son jack and Jack’s friend Raley Rimmel confident in his experience and the abilities of his companions faet ventured into the Uncharted territories of the M Gro region before departing he famously instructed Ed that no Rescue Mission should be launched if they fail to return true to his word faet and his team were last seen on May 29 1925 and subsequently vanished Without a Trace with that the mystery of his disappearance and the lost city of Z remains to this day number three Waters meeting halfway this isn’t Photoshop this is a real place you’re looking at the Rio negro and the Amazon river flowing side by side without a immediately mixing this is known as the meeting of waters and it occurs near the city of Manos Brazil it’s quite fascinating to see this phenomenon but what’s the science behind it the meeting of waters is a Confluence where the dark Waters of the Rio negro meet the pale Sandy colored Waters of the Rio CIS despite flowing together these Rivers maintain distinct boundaries for about 3.7 Mi before they begin to mix it’s simply because the two waters have different properties Rio negro has a higher temperature slower flow speed and is filled with decayed organic matter on the contrary the Amazon River or Rio Solis in Brazil is lower in temperature faster in flow speed and filled with sediment straight from the Andes Mountains due to their temperature speed and sediment load the two waters resist mixing creating this stunning separation it also just so happens that their colors are so different that this phenomenon is visible from space today the meeting of waters is considered a natural wonder there are boat tours offered by locals in the area to allow visitors to see this great separation in person number two piranha the star of the b-rated horror film SLG Creature Feature piranhas they’re one of the most misunderstood creatures thanks to pop culture but there’s more to them than what badly done movies portray panas are native to South American Rivers especially the Amazon basin there are about 30 to 60 different species of them with a red bellied piranha being the most infamous these guys are often depicted as Relentless Predators but they’re primarily scavengers and opportunistic feeders their diet includes fish Crustaceans insects plants and even fruits they often travel in shes which can range from a few individuals to several hundred now if you come across a sh while swimming in the river chances are they won’t really bite you to death if you leave them alone they’ll actively avoid you after all you’re bigger than them it’s a different story if you throw some food in the water though then you’ll just see what their protruding jaws and serrated teeth can do and now it’s time for today’s topic this new terrifying Discovery in the Amazon jungle scared scientists in 2019 locals in Brazil were stunned to discover a mysterious humpback whale in the Amazon at that time of the year whales living in the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil should have migrated South yet that this one lone whale remained and perished what’s more befuddling was the fact that it was found so far into the mangroves with how mysterious and odd the discovery is scientists were quite perturbed that it might be a sign that something was a Miss in the whale populations in the area number one giant otter water Jaguar riverwolf these are names you wouldn’t believe would refer to an otter after all otter are cute and cuddly right in the rainforest of the Amazon this isn’t quite the case in the river systems of the Amazon Orinoco and llata are giant otters that can grow up to 6 ft in length and weigh up to 75 lb these otters thrive in slow moving rivers lakes and swamps constructing complex dens along Riverbanks aside from their size their way of living is equally impressive these creatures have learned to create underwater entrances for their dens providing a safe haven from predators and if by chance someone challenges them the entire family would be there to help each other out in the wilderness these creatures live in family groups called rafts a single raft can consist of up to 20 individual otters these groups are usually made up of a dominant breeding pair in their offspring they communicate through an extensive range of vocalizations including whistles screams and snorts giant ERS have webbed feet and agile bodies making them proficient swimmers capable of reaching speeds up to 10 10 mph they can also dive up to 60 ft and hold their breath for about 8 minutes while searching for food with their physical prowess and capability of communicating with the rest of the raft they are apex predators that thrive in the Amazonian Wilderness they’re exceptional Hunters using their sharp teeth and powerful jaws to catch and consume prey in fact if a Cayman approaches a raft it would be a guaranteed death trap for the reptile if you know about other discoveries in the Amazon feel free to share them in the comments down below also check out our other cool stuff showing up on the screen right now and I’ll see you in the next video take care everybody