Located in Romania, we find something that at first may seem impossible: Stones that are able to GROW and MOVE. Referred to as ‘trovants’, the curious stones have puzzled experts ever since their discovery. No one can say for sure how these stones grow, and how they are able to move.

Even though many associate Romania as the country of Dracula, and some think of piles of bloodthirsty vampires other creatures created by the imagination of Hollywood, this country is also home to one of the most mysterious objects on Earth: Living Stones.

The enigmatic living stones can grow from a few millimeters, to as large as 10 meters.

Located near Costesti, a small Romanian village we find curious objects called ‘trovants’.

Trovants is a Romanian geological term which simply means cemented sand. The name was introduced by the Romanian naturalist Gh. M. Murgoci in his work “The Tertiary in Oltenia”.

In 2004, The “Muzeul Trovantilor” or “Trovants Museum Natural Reserve “ was commissioned to protect the unusual geological creations.

You can even plant a ‘trovant’ in your garden and wait for it to grow.

Locals also refer to the mystery stones as “The Stones that Grow” since, after every rain, new formations rise from the ground. This has led to the creation of countless myths.

Image Credit: Above Top Secret

Every time it rains, the dormant stones come to life and mysteriously start…growing.

The enigmatic ‘living stones’ literally spring to life after coming into contact with water after heavy rainfall.

However, these enigmatic stones are not only able to GROW, scientists have found that they are able to MOVE from one place to ANOTHER.

Stones that grow and… move?

According to the International Geological Congress conducted in Oslo 2008, “Trovanti” were improperly considered as “sandstone concretions”.

Some explanations for the stones’ movement leans towards alternative explanations like weird magnetism, alien intervention, and strange energy vortexes in the region.

Many believe that the mysterious living rocks came into existence due to earthquakes which rocked the region some six million years ago.

Curiously when scientists cut the stones in half they found that the “living stones” consist of cemented sand and mineral salts, and observed strange rings—like the ones you see when you cut a tree—which reveal their age. This has led many authors and experts to refer to these mysterious stones as ‘inorganic form of life.

As many authors indicate, Trovants tend to appear with smooth and edgeless shapes.

Cylindrical, nodular, and spherical; Trovants develop inconsistent shapes as they grow and multiply due to irregular cement secretion.

However, the living stones are not ‘native’ to Romania. You can find similar ‘rocks’ in Russia, Kazakhstan, Czech Republic, and other places.

Scientists have yet to successfully explain’ how on Earth this is possible. However, WhenOnEarth tells us that “…any form of water rich in calcium carbonate is essential in forming a Trovant, and that is also the key to make the rock grow’ in the presence of rainwater. After every heavy rain shower, Trovants absorb the rain’s minerals. The minerals are combined with the chemicals already present in the stone that later creates a reaction and pressure inside. The pressure spontaneously makes the rock grow from the center to its margins and multiply, with a deposition rate of about 4-5 cm in 1000 years.”

Here are a couple of videos:

Here are a couple of videos:

Remember, if you ever go to Romania stop by Costesti and check out these fascinating yet mysterious formations that continue to amaze both Scientists and tourists alike.

Reference:

The Trovants of Costesti – Romania’s Unique Growing Rocks

THE LIVING AND GROWING STONES OF ROMANIA – FACTS ANALYSIS