These 'living' rocks know how to give birth.

In Romania , trovant stones, also known as "living stones," react to rainwater, causing the internal parts to be pushed outward, making them appear to grow or give birth.

Strange living rocks in Romania. Photo: aaltair/Shutterstock — Strange "living rocks" in Romania. Photo: *aaltair/Shutterstock*

The town of Costești, Romania, has many very strange rocks. Unlike the typical static state of rocks, they slowly protrude from within, even growing as if they were alive. They are called trovants, or "living rocks," IFL Science reported on September 3.

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Trovants have attracted the attention of many geologists and tourists over the years. There is some debate about this unusual type of rock, but many believe that trovants are blocks of sandstone with solid layers of sand encasing them. They are harder than the surrounding rocks, so when the softer bedrock erodes, they can protrude.

When it rains, rainwater reacts with the minerals that make up the rock, causing the internal parts to leak out and making the rock appear to grow. This can create protruding, bubble-like structures, making it look like the rock is giving birth. However, this geological process is extremely slow. Experts estimate that trovants only "grow" by less than 5 cm in 1,200 years.

"Trovants are basically egg-shaped or spherical, although they can take on many different forms. Their history is quite simple. Seven million years ago there was a plain in what is now a quarry. This plain contained sediments, including sandstone and siltstone, which accumulated and were transported here from all over the continent by a prehistoric river. Then, many minerals dissolved into solutions flowing in this gravelly and sandy basin," said Florin Stoican, co-manager of Buila-Vanturarita National Park.

"Minerals act as cement, binding together many different sedimentary particles. Today, there are trovant rocks with very diverse compositions. Some are made of sandstone, others of gravel," Stoican further explained.

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