This page will maintain a running list of astrophysical phenomena that scientists try to explain away as "a coincidence," "a mystery," or by making up unprovable theories to explain them away.

Angular Diameter Coincidence. The Moon and Sun appear the same size during a total solar eclipse due to having the same angular diameter. There is no physical explanation for this. (Why do eclipses happen?)

The Great Unconformity. A billion years worth of geologic record was wiped off the earth, creating a “Great Unconformity” in the geologic record. Shortly after this, life exploded into existence in an event called “the Cambrian Explosion.” (Deep-time Thermal History of the Great Unconformity)

Local Bubble Cavity. The Solar System resides in a mostly empty, low-density cavity in the interstellar medium, called the Local Bubble. This contradicts the homogeneity predicted by models that assume a universe formed through natural processes. (The Local Bubble and Material Near the Sun)

Local Bubble Nonequilibrium. The Local Bubble is in a non-equilibrium state with high temperatures (~1 million K), low densities, and expanding edges, suggesting that there are dynamic forces at work. This contradicts the equilibrium predicted by natural process theories. (A Nonequilibrium Ionization Model of the Local Bubble)

Local Void Sparsity. Our galaxy is located on the edge of a vast, incredibly empty Local Void, contradicting the homogeneous universe assumed by Big Bang natural process theories. It also gives astronomers a unique vantage point for studying void dynamics and cosmic structure. (The Local Void is Really Empty)

Ultra-Large Big Arc and Big Ring. The ultra-large-scale structures Big Arc and Big Ring are so vast that they contradict the homogeneous universe assumed by natural process models. Their existence should be impossible under current theories. (Investigating Ultra-Large-Scale Structures)

Immortal Stars. Effectively immortal stars have been detected at the galactic center. Their existence contradicts many assumptions based on purely natural processes, so scientists explain them away with hand-wavy unproven, “dark matter” theories. (Immortal Stars at the Galactic Center)

The Great Attractor. A large region of the universe appears to be pulled toward an anomaly described as “the Great Attractor.” Scientists try to explain away this large-scale flow with hand-wavy “dark matter” theories. (Galaxy Streaming Toward the New Supergalactic Center)

Matter/Antimatter Asymmetry. Natural process models of the theorized Big Bang are unable to explain why there are not equal parts matter and antimatter in the universe. This has led to countless unproductive and expensive particle accelerator experiments as they try to figure out the reason.

There may be purely physical explanations for some of these phenomena, but it seems irrational to jump to that conclusion without evidence. This list will be updated as new discoveries come to light.