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There Is An Island That Nobody Can Enter And It Didn’t Exist Until 1963

By now most of us know that no matter how curious people get, there are places that we will never be allowed to step foot in. We previously wrote about one such place, a mysterious island in the middle of NYC, but nothing can compete with this unique island in Iceland. Surtsey is a piece of land that formed in 1963, after a huge volcanic eruption that has lasted for 3 years. Now, the land is used for scientific research and observations. The focus of the work is to better understand how an ecosystem forms from scratch, without any human impact. There are only a couple of scientists that are allowed on the island’s premises, making it one of a few forbidden places on earth.

One of the main stories that surround this island revolves around a tomato. Yes, you heard right, a tomato. Since the territory is carefully surveilled, only a small house that fits a couple of scientists is allowed on the island premises. Before entering the island every person needs to be searched thoroughly because one of the main rules is not to bring any seeds with you. Well, someone did not pay close enough attention to this rule and pooped on some lava. After that, a tomato plant sprouted up on the island leaving the scientists truly mystified. After they realized the origin of the plant it was immediately destroyed, as it would disturb their scientific research.
Scroll down to learn more about this island and make sure you watch our video that shares stories about other forbidden places on earth!

Surtsey is a truly unique piece of land in Iceland that was formed in 1963

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-18

Image credits: Ron Cogswell

It emerged after a huge volcanic eruption that has lasted for 3 years

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-5

Image credits: National Centers for Environmental Information

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-16

Image credits: The Surtsey Research Society

What makes this island so intriguing is not only its formation but the fact that nobody is permitted to enter

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-10
Image credits: Brian Gratwicke

The main purpose of Surtsey is to better understand how an ecosystem forms itself from scratch, without any human impact

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland
Image credits: Shutterstock

There are only a couple of scientists that are allowed on the island’s premises, making it one of a few forbidden places on earth

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-13

Image credits: The Surtsey Research Society

Before entering this island, every scientist is carefully checked so they won’t carry any foreign seeds in on themselves

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-8

One story that received a lot of attention was when a tomato starting growing on the island’s premises, leaving scientists stumped

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-7
Image credits: Milan Karakas

Turns out somebody disobeyed the island’s laws and pooped on some lava

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-12

Image credits: The Surtsey Research Society

The tomato had to be immediately removed so it wouldn’t disturb the scientific research

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-15

Image credits: The Surtsey Research Society

One of the first native plants to grow on the island without outside interference was moss

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-17
Image credits: The Surtsey Research Society

Fulmar and guillemot were the first species to inhabit the island

forbidden-places-on-earth-surtsey-island-iceland-14
Image credits: The Surtsey Research Society

Check out this video to learn more about other forbidden places on earth!

Subscribe to Bored Panda YouTube channel for more videos!

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What do you think ?

POST

은별 6 years ago

It's amazing how nature can do things on its own. Nature does not need us, humans. It's the contrary, we need nature to live.

42points

Vicky Zar 6 years ago

Only most of us do not recognize that.

18points

Load More Replies...

Rainbow screen 6 years ago

The important part is keeping nature safe and not destroying everything.

1point

Jaded Queen 6 years ago

Why exactly is it a surprise for everybody? Nature was nd is more powerful than us. It has it's own pace. And human species is more of a blemish in it's long journey. It will tosh and turn, release a few waves and we will be gone. Nature's law can't be changed. Human laws are more of a joke than the truth.

0points

Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago

It’s amazing we think nature can’t do it without us. Nature has been doing a long time before we blipped onto the last seconds of the cclock that started ticking after earth coalesced from star stuff

0points

Donegalsean 6 years ago

Eventually birds will carry seeds and plants to the island...

32points

Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago

Some spores also can be windborn and some seeds etc are water born

7points

Load More Replies...

Efe Yaygel 6 years ago

but apparently they can pinpoint what kind of fertilizer the plant grew in. human shite in this case :D

0points

BeenElle 6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Mal Caramia 6 years ago

All the planning and special rules and we still poop on it. Humans

25points

Allen John 6 years ago

But doesn't it make you wonder that if he or she didn't poop, they wouldn't have had the tomato grow? Then, it should makes you wonder what a Fulmar and Guillemot might bring to the island.

3points

Load More Replies...

Thomas Kolev 6 years ago

"Someone disobeyed and pooped on some lava" Best line.

13points

Virgil Blue 6 years ago

It was a call of nature.

6points

Load More Replies...

Ladies and Gentlemen 6 years ago

Mother nature at its best again. She creates, she provides, she sustains.

12points

Sanne H. 6 years ago

In NL we have a forbidden island too, in the nature reserve Wadden Sea. It's called Zuiderduintjes. Its location is not fixed, because due to wind and sea streams it moves and changes in size every year. I love that we still have untouched nature!

9points

Miss Cris 6 years ago

Wow!

1point

Load More Replies...

Wanda Queen 6 years ago

Dammit, Kevin, You had one job: dont poop on the lava!

7points

Bored Bear 6 years ago

I am tempted to lay a doodoo on this island just to see what might grow from it.

6points

Laugh Fan 6 years ago

You could conduct that experiment on your own!

2points

Load More Replies...

Hannah McGowen 6 years ago

This is so interesting! Can't wait until a whole beautiful, diverse ecosystem develops! ✨

5points

Liz dJ 6 years ago

"The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. What you study, you change." - Dr. Ian Malcolm

2points

Echo 6 years ago

I think I will feed some tomatoes to a bunch of birds and release them off the coast of the island. Those few people on the island are gonna be in so much trouble when tomatoes start popping up Everywhere. "Uh, sir we found another tomato." Hehe. I jest. This is a pretty interesting thing. Worth some more time googling about the things that are and have happened there.

1point

Madison VanCamp 6 years ago

This island looks like it's the earths heart is dying

0points

Efe Yaygel 6 years ago

so you dont really need to be searched upon entering the island? just dont s**t on it.

0points

Kiki 6 years ago

I wouldn't live on an island that was formed by a volcano.

0points

Gabby 6 years ago

Nature is God. End of story. Now everyone can stop fighting and just sit down and shut up.

0points

Viktor Jónsson 6 years ago

Ten years after the eruption of Surtsey started, another volcanic eruption started on the island of Heimaey. Heimaey is only a few kilometers away from Surtsey and is the largest island in the archipelago. It had at the time (in 1973) roughly 5500 inhabitants. The eruption devastated the town; roughly 400 buildings were buried under the lava and a thick layer of ash covered the rest of the island. No one died and the whole population were successfully evacuated. I myself live on Heimaey and I can see Surtsey in the distance. Read about the Heimaey eruption and look at the dramatic photos https://www.google.is/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/photo/514394/

0points

Viktor Jónsson 6 years ago

https://www.google.is/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/photo/514394/

0points

Load More Replies...

Adrian Sulcu 6 years ago

Indeed, but I don't know how to get there, departure say today around 02:00, but I don't know from where :))

0points

devi L. 6 years ago

The amount of time "scientific research" was said gesh

0points

Apollo 6 years ago

Another interesting forbidden island is the Venetian 'ghost island'. 400.000 of plague victims have supposedly died there and in the beginning of the 20th century, a mental hospital was built there. Of course this triggered all kinds of fantastic ghost stories. Nobody's allowed to visit this island and nature has long since taken over the place. It looks quite peacefully from airial view.

0points

Max 6 years ago

Saying moss grew first is misleading. I expect that lichens came first

0points

Oscar 6 years ago

Cool!

0points

Mixedupste 6 years ago

Who took a s**t on the lava? and what did he wipe with???

0points

Miss Cris 6 years ago

Well, the tomato seed could have arrived by the wind, or from a bird

2points

Load More Replies...

Nostalgic Hyena 6 years ago

Someone pooped on the lava??

-1point

Panda Panda 6 years ago

Really? "Without any human impact"? Global warming. Plastic pollution. Morons that have to get a look at it - disturbing wildlife. Without any human impact....right.

-2points

JMQ 6 years ago

What morons? Nobody is allowed on the island. Have you actually read the article?

1point

Load More Replies...

Phil Vaive 6 years ago

It's not "has lasted". You only use the "has" if it's ongoing. It started in 1963 then stopped after three years.

-3points

Zeynep Esercan 6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

POST

은별 6 years ago

It's amazing how nature can do things on its own. Nature does not need us, humans. It's the contrary, we need nature to live.

42points

Vicky Zar 6 years ago

Only most of us do not recognize that.

18points

Load More Replies...

Rainbow screen 6 years ago

The important part is keeping nature safe and not destroying everything.

1point

Jaded Queen 6 years ago

0points

Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago

0points

Donegalsean 6 years ago

Eventually birds will carry seeds and plants to the island...

32points

Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago

Some spores also can be windborn and some seeds etc are water born

7points

Load More Replies...

Efe Yaygel 6 years ago

but apparently they can pinpoint what kind of fertilizer the plant grew in. human shite in this case :D

0points

BeenElle 6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Mal Caramia 6 years ago

All the planning and special rules and we still poop on it. Humans

25points

Allen John 6 years ago

But doesn't it make you wonder that if he or she didn't poop, they wouldn't have had the tomato grow? Then, it should makes you wonder what a Fulmar and Guillemot might bring to the island.

3points

Load More Replies...

Thomas Kolev 6 years ago

"Someone disobeyed and pooped on some lava" Best line.

13points

Virgil Blue 6 years ago

It was a call of nature.

6points

Load More Replies...

Ladies and Gentlemen 6 years ago

Mother nature at its best again. She creates, she provides, she sustains.

12points

Sanne H. 6 years ago

9points

Miss Cris 6 years ago

Wow!

1point

Load More Replies...

Wanda Queen 6 years ago

Dammit, Kevin, You had one job: dont poop on the lava!

7points

Bored Bear 6 years ago

I am tempted to lay a doodoo on this island just to see what might grow from it.

6points

Laugh Fan 6 years ago

You could conduct that experiment on your own!

2points

Load More Replies...

Hannah McGowen 6 years ago

This is so interesting! Can't wait until a whole beautiful, diverse ecosystem develops! ✨

5points

Liz dJ 6 years ago

"The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. What you study, you change." - Dr. Ian Malcolm

2points

Echo 6 years ago

1point

Madison VanCamp 6 years ago

This island looks like it's the earths heart is dying

0points

Efe Yaygel 6 years ago

so you dont really need to be searched upon entering the island? just dont s**t on it.

0points

Kiki 6 years ago

I wouldn't live on an island that was formed by a volcano.

0points

Gabby 6 years ago

Nature is God. End of story. Now everyone can stop fighting and just sit down and shut up.

0points

Viktor Jónsson 6 years ago

0points

Viktor Jónsson 6 years ago

https://www.google.is/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/photo/514394/

0points

Load More Replies...

Adrian Sulcu 6 years ago

Indeed, but I don't know how to get there, departure say today around 02:00, but I don't know from where :))

0points

devi L. 6 years ago

The amount of time "scientific research" was said gesh

0points

Apollo 6 years ago

0points

Max 6 years ago

Saying moss grew first is misleading. I expect that lichens came first

0points

Oscar 6 years ago

Cool!

0points

Mixedupste 6 years ago

Who took a s**t on the lava? and what did he wipe with???

0points

Miss Cris 6 years ago

Well, the tomato seed could have arrived by the wind, or from a bird

2points

Load More Replies...

Nostalgic Hyena 6 years ago

Someone pooped on the lava??

-1point

Panda Panda 6 years ago

Really? "Without any human impact"? Global warming. Plastic pollution. Morons that have to get a look at it - disturbing wildlife. Without any human impact....right.

-2points

JMQ 6 years ago

What morons? Nobody is allowed on the island. Have you actually read the article?

1point

Load More Replies...

Phil Vaive 6 years ago

It's not "has lasted". You only use the "has" if it's ongoing. It started in 1963 then stopped after three years.

-3points

Zeynep Esercan 6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Related on Bored Panda

There Is An Island That Nobody Can Enter And It Didn’t Exist Until 1963

Surtsey is a truly unique piece of land in Iceland that was formed in 1963

It emerged after a huge volcanic eruption that has lasted for 3 years

What makes this island so intriguing is not only its formation but the fact that nobody is permitted to enter

The main purpose of Surtsey is to better understand how an ecosystem forms itself from scratch, without any human impact

There are only a couple of scientists that are allowed on the island’s premises, making it one of a few forbidden places on earth

Before entering this island, every scientist is carefully checked so they won’t carry any foreign seeds in on themselves

One story that received a lot of attention was when a tomato starting growing on the island’s premises, leaving scientists stumped

Turns out somebody disobeyed the island’s laws and pooped on some lava

The tomato had to be immediately removed so it wouldn’t disturb the scientific research

One of the first native plants to grow on the island without outside interference was moss

Fulmar and guillemot were the first species to inhabit the island

Check out this video to learn more about other forbidden places on earth!

Subscribe to Bored Panda YouTube channel for more videos!

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