Alien scare debunked: Dead plants cause online frenzy
From time to time, photos appear on the internet that strongly capture the imagination of users. The same thing happened with the photograph we're discussing today. According to some internet users, it shows "aliens" on the coast of South Africa. However, it turns out that these "creatures" are harmless and not extraterrestrial. Allow us to clarify.
Photographer Jan Vorster, after posting photos from the South African coast, received numerous inquiries about whether the area was safe. Many people believed his photos indeed depicted aliens. The truth, however, was quite different.
Creatures not to be afraid of
The photos depict nothing more than dead aloes (Aloe ferox, also known as bitter aloe). Vorster noticed these peculiar forms while walking on the beach in the Western Cape province. This tree species is native to southern Africa and can also be found in the United States, where it's cultivated as an ornamental plant. Bitter aloe is also grown for medicinal purposes, as aloe gel has many healing properties.
After he posted them on Facebook, the photos quickly gained popularity in several local groups. Some people were convinced that the images showed sea spiders, while others went as far as to warn about aliens.
Vorster was truly surprised by the reactions he received. He didn't expect anyone to actually think his photos depicted beings from other planets. To him, it was just an interesting observation. Concerned internet users asked him whether it was safe to go in the water and if what was seen in the photos appeared on the beach only at night.
Vorster did not anticipate that the photos would cause such a stir. He used a Nikon D7100 digital camera with an 18-140 mm lens to take them.
