Ian
priscilla 1Amazing Rocks of the World
January 5th 2011 01:47
As seen in the above article on Mental Floss, our world has many weird and wonderful rock formations. Here are but a few!
The Devils Marbles are found 393 kilometers north of Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern territory, or as the description reads, “in the middle of nowhere”. Although most postcards show the two most photogenic, there are many rounded rocks of all sizes strewn about the area. They were formed when a layer of volcanic rock was pushed up to the surface. The layer formed cracks and split into rectangular shapes, which were worn away by erosion until some of the rocks look rather round, while others retain their earlier shape. Aboriginal legend says the rocks, called Karlu Karlu, have supernatural powers and have a sacred place in stories they do not tell to outsiders. The rocks are not to be removed from their natural site.
The 12 Apostles are sea stacks at Port Campbell National Park, on the Victoria coast in Australia. Despite the name, there are only eight stacks in the group (there were nine before one collapsed in 2005). While the limestone in Port Campbell is 15-20 million years old, the sea stacks date back only about 6,000 years, and the stone on the bottom layer is softer than the upper layers. Like the Old Man of Hoy, the existing stacks may only last a few hundred more years -a blink of the eye in geological time. However, erosion will continue to carve new stacks.
The Garni Gorge at the Khosrov Nature Reserve in Armenia is framed by columnar basalt cliffs like those of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The rocks lining the gorge are sometimes called the Symphony of Stone because they resemble organ pipes.
In the Bucegi Mountains, a part of the southern Carpathian range in Romania, there’s a cliff that resembles a human face, which earned it the name of The Sphinx. Although the Sphinx is a popular tourist attraction, hiking to the site on foot is not recommended because of bears.
Turnip Rock is a formation you’ll find on the shore of Lake Huron in Michigan, at the “tip of the thumb” (which makes sense when you look at a map of the state). The rock is on private property, but is seen and photographed by many who travel the Tip of the Thumb Heritage Water Trail by raft, kayak, or other boat. Turnip Rock is just as spectacular surrounded by ice in winter.
Devils Marbles
12 Apostles
Garni Gorge
Sphinx
Turnip Rock
| 24 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
