Five Beautiful Natural Wonders of the World -- Or, We're Not In Kansas Anymore, Toto
For billions of years, our earth has been a work in progress! Wind, water, pressure, minerals, and other geologic processes have created these natural wonders that look alien-like...
Here are five of the most unusual wonders of our very own world:
Limestone metamorphosed into marble and at least 6,000 years of wave action has created the beautiful Marble Caves, of Chile. The caves are enhanced by the clear blue-green waters of Carrera Lake, near the border of Argentina.
The process of creating the metamorphic rock, marble, from limestone often distorts the bedding planes of the limestone, realigning crystals, and warping the original rocks into the fabulous shapes and whirls we know as marble.
If you want to see this natural wonder-- you'd better hurry! The area is threatened by the construction of a proposed hydroelectric dam. As of right now, you can kayak through the marble caves, gasping at the beautiful rock formations and colors!
The Cave of Crystals in Nalca, Mexico looks like Superman's Fortress of Solitude, but these are not from the planet Krypton. These giant, four story gypsum crystals formed from superheated water from an igneous intrusion, about 1,000 feet below a working lead and silver mine in Chihuahua, Mexico.
The crystals, some up to four feet wide and fifty feet long, sprout at all angles, and were first discovered in 2000. Temperatures in the cave can reach 150o with 100% humidity, unsurvivable without specialized gear. Gypsum is a mineral that forms the "desert roses" of Arizona, and a very common deposit in caves. Trips to the cave are limited to professional geologists and speleologists with the right survival gear!
Wind and wave action have carved this formation of folded sandstone in Coyotte Buttes, in Arizona and Utah. Deposited as part of the erosion of the Proto-Rockies during the Paleozoic age. Subsequent mountain building folded the rocks, and the forces of wind and water did the rest!
Only 20 permits are given each day for hikers that wish to see this beautiful sandstone wave, which is quite a hike! The fewer the visitors the safer this formation is from graffiti, and ill-use. I'd give anything to see this, but likely couldn't walk that far... I'm sure they don't allow horses, or anything else that may damage the formation! 
The Travertine Pools at Pamukkale, Turkey look like a giant fountain, rising from the plains-- but are formed from seventeen subterranean hot springs, laden with calcium carbonate. When the hot spring water reaches the air, the oxygen in the air causes the calcium carbonate to precipitate at the edges.
The site has been used as a "spa" for thousands of years, known as Pamukkale, a "cotton castle" visible from more than 10 miles away.
Travertine fountains are a common deposit in caves, although since the water is colder, it takes a much longer time to form the travertine pools.
270 million years ago, China's remote Yunnan Provence was beneath a shallow sea. The sea floor was covered by limestone sediment, capped by a hard layer of precipitated limestone. Gradually, the sea bed rose, and rain and wind began to erode the lower, softer limestone beds.
As the weaker rock eroded, the stronger limestone spires, capped by harder limestone formed The Stone Forest, in Shilin, China. Now, they rise skyward, surrounded by leafy trees.
There are more to come! But these were some of my favorites!
Thanks for coming by!
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Sometimes, it's fun to take a break from human things, to just enjoy the wonders of our world... I hope you enjoy these!
Dowser - I couldn't agree more.
Have you ever heard of fractals ? They are geometric patterns. The patterns can actually be created on a computer - and they are beautiful.
But fractals were first found in nature. Some of the photos you posted above are fractals.
Thank you, Dowser, for bringing these sights to our computers.
The straight lines in the sandstone pics are called unconformities and represent gaps in the record of the rocks. Something happened during these gaps to erode the rock that was deposited. Then, at some later time, more sediment, in this case sand, was deposited, which later turned into rock.
My physical geology professor would always say on his field trips, "Tell me a story of what happened here. Tell Me a story."
Yes, I've heard of fractals, and have tried to make some on the computer-- looooon ago!
I just thought these were so neat-- the symmetry of some of them are amazing!
Thanks for coming by, dear Rose!
We had the same thing, on our field trips... How did this quartz crystal get on top of Pine Mountain? It gives you a whole new perspective!
Thanks so very much for coming by-- I've got more, but will save those for later!
I wanna go to all these places; thanks Dowser!
:~)
Me, too, Larry! I want to see each and every one of them!
I wonder if they would let me ride a horse to the one in Arizona... I can't hike that far!
Thanks, Larry, for coming by!
"Nature is the art of God." (Sir Thomas Browne)
Dowser,
like always your articles are priceless and the pics are both wonderful and beautiful.....but I must say and ask,..as I am a true citizen of these here Untided Staes of America and because i passed through the town of Liberal KS where Dorthy and Totos house in now on display,...how could you leave a face like this out of the top five wonders of the world,...
You're so right! You can't!
I've GOT to get going on pictures-- I've just been so busy with everything else... They are fun!
Much love to you!
Hey Broliver-- can you see cross-bedding of the sands? Some of them look like it...
Please see above-- I stuck a comment in the WRONG place, again...
Dear A. Mac, I believe it, too...