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Though a dog chowing down on pizza, a baby mastering the iPad and hilarious covers of Rebecca Black's Friday are undeniably entertaining, there's something about the awe-inducing abilities of Mother Nature that kind of beats them in "holy crap that's awesome"-ness.

Simply put, all the flora, fauna, cosmos and naturally-occuring phenomenons in our expansive universe are badass.

Ant Colony
We've all watched hundreds of tiny ants entering and exiting the top of an ant hill. But have you ever tried to imagine what their actual dwelling space looks like? Turns out, ant colonies are massive structures comparable to something like the Great Wall of China in ant-world.

Morning Glory Pool
Venture over to Yellowstone National Park and you'll bump into the "Morning Glory Pool," a pond of clear water that's just as -- if not more so -- colorful than your typical rainbow. The bacteria that thrive there, in addition to coins and bottles thrown in, create a positively glorious display of Mother Nature at her finest.

See more pictures here.


The Mimic Octopus
Camouflage is one of nature's most awesome inventions, but this mimic octopus brings it to a whole new level. Watch as this one blends into rocks, algae and coral to avoid being spotted by predators. We guarantee you'll gasp in awe alongside the audience.


Venezuela's Everlasting Storm
For approximately 140 to 160 nights a year, a storm rages above Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela for over 10 hours of the night. The clouds create an impressive -- and sometimes scary-looking -- cloud-to-cloud storm. Many speculate it's the largest natural emitter of CO2 in the world.

See more pictures here.


Denmark's Black Sun
Throughout Denmark's spring, flocks of more than a million European starling birds gather just before sunset and fly together. The phenomenon has been aptly dubbed the "black sun" and looks like the cloud of black smoke from Lost.



Meeting of the Waters
Where the Rio Negro (black river) and Amazon River collide, there's a distinguishable line between the two. It's similar to that of an oil/water mixture and occurs naturally due to differences in velocity, density and temperature.



Ferocious Black Footed Wildcat
Not much is known about the African black footed cat, but what scientists do know is that these guys are super feisty. At full size they're not much bigger than your average house cat, but the felines can -- and have -- taken down animals much, much larger than themselves. One rumor even says they've taken down a giraffe by piercing its jugular.



Egypt's White Desert
The White Desert, located about 45 km north of Egypt's Western Desert, looks like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie or perhaps Super Mario. There, nature has crafted bizarre-looking sculptures out of the soft and pliable chalk-like material.


See more pictures here.


Flying Snake
While other snakes busy themselves slivering around the Earth, the flying snake takes to soaring between trees. It flies by throwing itself off a branches end and then twists and turns in the air to get where it wants to go. Needless to say, its unusual ability is both badass and positively frightening.




Immortal Jellyfish
You read that first word correctly. The Turritopsis Nutricula Jellyfish is immortal, as in, it can't die. That's because it's able to revert back to the polyp stage of its life after becoming sexually mature. The only way it could pass is if it were killed by another creature or developed an illness. Otherwise, there's no "old age" death for this amazing creature.




Canada's Spotted Lake
Klikuk, the Spotted Lake, is located between B.C. Canada and Washington state is looks like something you'd find on a different planet. The lake begins developing spots in the summer because it evaporates more, causing crystals in the water to mineralize and form white-rimmed circles.



Glow Worms
The slimy glow worm has the ability to create light via a chemical that seeps from its body. Looking into a dark cave where hundreds of glow worms dwell is almost like staring up into the starry nighttime sky. This video shows their beautiful light and also how their lights attract bugs (aka dinner).



Female Striped Plateau Lizards
While all lizards are incredible in their own way, there's something especially impressive about the female striped plateau lizard. Turns out this little lady can literally advertise her fertility. The bigger the orange patch, the more antioxidants exist in her eggs.



Antelope Canyon
Page, Arizona is home to Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon created via a unique erosion of the area's sandstone and flash floods. Visitors can walk within it for a truly spectacular view.


See more pictures here.


Goliath Bird-Eating Spider
Spiders are creepy enough as is, but imagine one so large it actually preys on birds. Unfortunately, such a creature does exist. The Goliath Bird-Eating Spider, part of the tarantula family, grow up to have a leg span of over 12 in. Its hairs can be shot at prey or enemies and cause severe irritation. The one good thing about this scary behemoth of a beast is that it's so large and hairy you can literally hear it coming.


See more pictures here (if you dare).