Our earth is full of surprises and covered with so
many unique and mysterious landforms or rock formation. Let's explore the most
unique and strange rock formations around the world.
AL NASLAA ROCK
FORMATION
This incredible pair of standing rocks of Al-Naslaa
is located in Saudi Arabia and of course, it looks like a huge boulder cut in
half with laser-like precision. It was first discovered in 1883 by Charles
Huvor, the formation has encouraged debates amongst academics, alternative
researchers, and tourists. Just look how straight that cut is! Many people
believe that it is evidence of Ancient High Technology.
Both are precariously balancing side by side yet the
stones don’t even touch. So, is this rock outcrop in the middle of Saudi
Arabian desert evidence of Ancient High Technology? Is it even manmade? Or is
it a natural geological wonder? Geologists think that it could be from a
volcanic dike of a few weaker minerals that solidified there earlier before
exposed to the surface. Or, it is able to be a vintage pressure crack that has
been driven/pulled aside. Or, it may be an antique (minor) fault line. It
displays a fantastic example of historic rock art and therefore, it is also
archaeologically significant.
FAIRY CHIMNEYS
ROCK FORMATION
Cappadocia’s famous ‘fairy chimneys’ in central
Turkey, an unreal landscape of carved-out towering rock formations, elongated
as far as 130 feet into the sky and change colour with every sunset. But how
did these strange natural growths appear?
This majestic rock formation is one
of the most popular destinations in Turkey. Millions of years ago ancient
volcanic eruptions covered the region with thick ash, which later solidified
into a soft rock called ‘tuff’. When the natural geomorphic forces like wind
and water did their erosional work, only the harder elements were left behind
to form the ‘fairy chimneys’ that can be seen today. This is one of the UNESCO
World Heritage Sites.
ÁRBOL DE
PIEDRA, BOLIVIA
Árbol de Piedra known as "stone tree" is an
isolated long-standing rock formation in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna
National Reserve in Bolivia. This 7-meter high rock formation basically, one
kind of mushroom rock formed by strong wind eroding process in the sandy
desert. This rock looks like a small tree and thus it was named as "Stone Tree".
I MMORTAL BRIDGE, CHINA
On the top of Mount Tai in China, there is the
so-called Immortal Bridge – which is a beautiful and remarkable arch formation.
Actually, it is difficult to believe that this amazing bridge is formed
naturally. The arch is made up of single giant rolling stones, which once fell
between the rocks and remained stuck between them and was formed during the ice
age, according to rough estimates of scientists. And it seems that the bridge
can collapse at any time and fall into the valley. In reality, the stones have
been in the unchanging position for several million years.
Local people believe
that a man, who dares to cross the bridge, will gain immortality. They regard
the Immortal Bridge as a symbol of rebirth and eternal life.
BALANCED ROCK,
COLORADO
A huge sandstone boulder hangs dangerously near the
roadway in Garden of the Gods Park near Colorado Springs. The park's famous red
rocks formed millions of years ago due to disruptions in the earth's surface by
erosion. The rock is a conglomerate of red, pink, and white sandstone and
limestone. This 700 tons weight Rock rises 35 feet above its base.
Geologists call Balanced Rock an erosional residue, a formation that was not transported and deposited in place but instead was
eroded from surrounding bedrock. Balanced Rock, like other riskily balancing
rocks, is an incredible natural wonder that appears and ready to topple over at
any time.
KJERAGBOLTEN, NORWAY
It is a boulder on the mountain Kjerag in Rogaland County,
Norway. The rock itself is a 5-cubic-meter glacial deposit trapped in the
mountain's crevasse. It is a popular tourist destination and is accessible
without any climbing equipment. However, it is hanging above a 984-meter (3,228
ft) deep valley.
Rogaland lies in a weak tectonic zone, allowing the
river to dig into the surrounding sandstone mountain. During the several ice
ages, Norway was completely covered in glaciers. Between the ice ages, the meltwater formed and reformed the valley up to 22 times. As the Norwegian Glacier
melted, it was accompanied by a rebound in rock formations as the ice was
removed. In this case, the rebound was faster than the rising sea level, which fixed
the rock into its current position.
SPLIT APPLE
ROCK, NEW ZEALAND
Split Apple Rock is a geological rock formation in
Tasman Bay off the northern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. This
granitic rock from the cretaceous era looks like an apple that has been cut in
half. The crack to produce two sides of the 'apple' was a naturally occurring
joint which commonly occurs in granite. These joints and cracks in granite are
very weak and susceptible to weathering. According to traditional Maori
mythology two gods breaking apart the rock to form its shape. It is a popular
tourist attraction in the waters of the Tasman Sea.
Disclaimer
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Information on this site is purely for educational purposes. The materials used and displayed on the Sites, including photographs, are copyrighted items of respective owners. GEOFacts is not responsible and liable for information shared above and does not claim any copyright ownership.
0 Comments
Please do not enter any spam link in the comment box