These ‘living’ rocks can give birth to baby stones

Trovants are bulbous, otherworldly stones that grow over time, thus appearing to be alive. Parent rocks can even push out baby trovants, which then grow independently.

The sandstone structures are found mainly in Romania, with the most famous cluster in and around a village named Costeşti. There, a Trovants Museum Natural Reserve celebrates and protects them.

The stones’ smooth curves give the appearance of modern, man-made sculptures. They feature heavily in local folklore, with people at one time believing them to be giant dinosaur eggs, plant fossils or alien creations. The word…