Socotra Islands
Dragon Blood Trees and Socotran desert roses. Reuters

Scientists have long been looking for evidence of aliens, but because they could not find any, astronomers at the Australian National University suggested celestial climate change could have caused the death of extraterrestrials and their planets. Whether that theory could be proven, or even the existence of an alien world, remains to be seen.

However, a group of remote islands off the Horn of Africa offers earthlings a possible look at how the alien world looks like. It is found in the Indian Ocean 250 kilometres away from Somalia and 340 kilometres from Yemen, according to Darkroastedblend.

With its unique plant life of about 700 rare species of flora and fauna, one-third of which are endemic to the place, it is no wonder that Socotra Islands was described by Business Insider as the “most alien-looking place on Earth.” UNESCO, in July 2008, declared the place a World Heritage Site.

The islands, one of the most isolated land masses known for its extreme dryness and temperatures, features a plant life that looks very unusual compared to other places on the planet. One such plant is the Dragon’s Blood Tree that has a crimson red sap used by residents for its reported medicinal properties.

Another plant is the desert rose (Dorstenia gigas) with obese trunks that store water. A lot of the desert roses, described as looking like blooming elephant legs, are found on a hillside in Wadi Diksam. While one-third of its flora is endemic, it is a different story for fauna since the only mammal endemic to the islands is the bat found in large limestone caves. According to researchers who discovered writings on the walls of the cave in 2001, the inscriptions were in various languages which they attributed to sailors who likely stayed on the island between 1 and 6 AD.

According to the writings, the island possibly had water buffalo, lizards and crocodiles which were likely introduced species that changed the place’s ecosystem. The islands are home to about 43,000 people who are mostly farmers, fishermen and animal herders, occupations usually common in agricultural areas or rural lands. And like its flora, the residents are also unique, especially women whose unique DNA lineage are exclusive to people living in Socotra.

Tourism sites says the islands are a hideaway and peaceful enclave, away from today’s troubled world. It is also a boost to eco-tourism that helps sustain the Socotra economy and its tranquil and serene way of life.