It’s easy to think of the universe as cold, vast, and indifferent, but sometimes it feels like it’s got a sense of humour. Between bizarre coincidences, impossible structures, and little cosmic jokes baked into the fabric of reality, you can’t help but wonder if the universe is occasionally messing with us just to see what we’ll do. Here are 13 strange phenomena that make it feel like the cosmos is in on a joke we haven’t quite figured out yet.
1. The planet that rains glass sideways
There’s a planet out there called HD 189733b that’s known for its brutal sideways glass storms. The winds reach up to 5,400 mph, whipping shards of glass through the atmosphere. It’s hard not to take that personally. Of all the materials and wind directions possible, the universe chose sideways glass. It feels less like a weather pattern and more like an elaborate cosmic prank to say, “You think Earth is bad? Try this.”
2. The fact that our moon fits the sun just right during an eclipse
Total solar eclipses happen because the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but it’s also about 400 times closer. That freakish ratio means they look the same size from Earth’s point of view, creating perfect eclipses. What are the odds? It’s such a ridiculous coincidence that it feels like the universe arranged it just for the aesthetic. A neat little flex, like, “Look what I can do with some basic geometry and perspective.”
3. Quantum particles that change based on whether you’re watching
In the double-slit experiment, particles act one way when unobserved and another when measured. It’s like they know they’re being watched. Scientists call it wavefunction collapse, but it feels more like particles being shady on purpose. The idea that something so tiny can switch its behaviour based on your attention sounds less like physics and more like a toddler trying to act innocent when your back is turned.
4. Saturn’s hexagon-shaped storm
At Saturn’s north pole, there’s a massive storm system shaped like a perfect hexagon. Not a swirl, not a spiral—a precise, six-sided polygon churning through space. No one knows exactly why it forms that way. It’s unsettlingly perfect. It’s the kind of thing that makes you suspicious the universe has access to Photoshop and a wicked sense of humour.
5. The Wow! signal… that never came back
In 1977, astronomers picked up a strange, powerful radio signal from space. It was so strong and out-of-nowhere that one researcher literally wrote “Wow!” on the data sheet. Then it disappeared forever. No repeats. No explanation. Just one big “HELLO” from the cosmos that ghosted us immediately after. If that isn’t the most on-brand example of the universe trolling us, what is?
6. The cosmic microwave background is… lopsided
Scientists expected the universe to be evenly spread out in all directions. However, the afterglow from the Big Bang—the cosmic microwave background—has a strange asymmetry. One side is just slightly different than the other. They literally call it “the Axis of Evil.” Not because it’s dangerous, but because it makes no sense. It’s as if the universe painted a perfect wall… then added a wonky patch just to annoy the detail-oriented among us.
7. The speed of light is an unbreakable speed limit
No matter how hard you try, nothing can go faster than light. You can accelerate forever, burn infinite fuel, and the universe will still shake its head like a tired teacher: “Nope. That’s the rule.” It’s like the cosmos has built-in parental controls. We’re not trusted with warp drives, apparently. Maybe it’s for the best—we’d probably crash into a star on day one.
8. Time moves slower near massive objects
If you hang out near something really massive, like a black hole, time slows down for you. So technically, if you get close enough, you could watch the future unfold while barely ageing yourself. It’s cool in theory but completely useless in practice. The universe offers time travel… but only if you’re willing to live next to a space vacuum that crushes everything. Classic bait-and-switch.
9. The fact that neutrinos pass through your body by the trillions
Right now, trillions of neutrinos are zipping through your body every second—without touching a single atom. You don’t feel them, see them, or stop them. They just pass right through like you’re not even there. Imagine if you had roommates who moved through walls, ignored you entirely, and left no trace. That’s neutrinos. It’s as if the universe invented ghost particles just to flex its weirdness.
10. The edge of the universe keeps expanding faster
Not only is the universe expanding, it’s doing so faster and faster—despite gravity trying to slow it down. It’s like the cosmos said, “Nah, I’m out” and floored it in every direction. Even dark energy, which is driving this acceleration, is a mystery we can’t really define. The universe isn’t just leaving us behind—it’s doing it with style, confusion, and zero explanations.
11. There’s a star that blinks like a coded message
In 2015, astronomers found a star called KIC 8462852, nicknamed Tabby’s Star, that dimmed and brightened in bizarre, irregular patterns. Some scientists jokingly wondered if it was an alien megastructure. Turns out it’s probably just a massive dust cloud or swarm of comets. But still, it blinks so weirdly that even experts were like, “Wait… what?” It’s the cosmic equivalent of your porch light randomly flashing Morse code.
12. You’re made of stardust, but still need coffee to function
Every atom in your body was forged in a dying star. You’re literally a product of cosmic explosions. That sounds majestic—until you realise you still have to set alarms, pay bills, and drink coffee to get through a Monday. The universe handed us god-tier origin stories… and then plopped us into awkward bodies that trip over shoelaces. It’s a very humbling (and slightly insulting) contrast.
13. Earth orbits in perfect “Goldilocks” conditions
Earth just so happens to sit in the not-too-hot, not-too-cold zone for life. One slight tilt or a nudge closer to the sun, and we wouldn’t be here. It’s almost too convenient. Whether it’s luck, design, or just a rare cosmic accident, it makes it feel like the universe rolled some dice and landed on “barely survivable but good for memes.” And here we are, wondering why toast always lands butter side down.