Short Stuff: Trovants

In this episode, Josh and Chuck explore one of Romania's strangest geological mysteries: Trovants, mysterious rocks that appear to grow smaller rocks out of their surfaces, leading locals and observers for centuries to believe they might be alive, moving, or even alien pods. The hosts dive into what scientists have actually figured out about these bizarre formations—they're made entirely of calcium carbonate sandstone that grows through a pressurized chemical reaction triggered by rainwater, expanding so slowly that it takes about 1,500 to 2,000 years to grow just an inch or two, and sometimes even appear to move slightly due to soil temperature changes and underground forces.