Buzz
After viewing "10 More Amazing Wonders of the Natural World", which featured several places I'd never even heard of, I felt motivated to compile my own list. Unlike the previous one, my selection highlights places that, while they may not be visually stunning, are remarkable due to their size, location, or unique natural significance.
10. The Door To Hell, Turkmenistan
The Door to Hell, named by locals from the nearby town of Darvaza, is a 70-meter wide crater in Turkmenistan that has been burning for over 35 years. In 1971, geologists drilling for gas deposits accidentally uncovered a massive underground cavern. The collapse of the ground swallowed their equipment and camp. The cavern was filled with poisonous gases, so to prevent its escape, they set it alight, hoping it would burn out in a few days. Unfortunately, their estimation of the trapped gas was off, and the fire has continued to burn ever since.
You can find it on Google Earth at coordinates 40°15'8"N 58°26'23"E
9. Mount Roraima, Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana
Mount Roraima is truly a fascinating destination. It is a flat-topped mountain with vertical cliffs rising 400 meters on every side. The only 'easier' access route is a natural staircase-like ramp on the Venezuelan side, while climbing up from any other direction requires an experienced rock climber. The summit experiences frequent rain, which erodes most of the soil nutrients, resulting in a barren sandstone landscape. This environment also gives rise to some of the tallest waterfalls in the world, with Angel Falls located on a similar tabletop mountain about 130 miles away. Although vegetation is sparse, a few marshes on the mountain support unique species, including a carnivorous pitcher plant.
8. Meteor Crater, USA
Meteor Crater is a meteorite impact crater located about 43 miles (69 km) east of Flagstaff, near Winslow, in the northern Arizona desert. The name ‘Meteor Crater’ comes from the nearby post office, which was named Meteor, a common naming convention by the US Department of the Interior Division of Names. The crater was formed approximately 50,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch when the climate in the Colorado Plateau was cooler and wetter. The region was an open grassland interspersed with woodlands, home to woolly mammoths, giant ground sloths, and camels. It is believed that humans were not present at this time, as the earliest confirmed human presence in the Americas occurred long after the impact. The crater was created by a nickel-iron meteorite approximately 50 meters (54 yards) in diameter, striking the plain at a speed of several kilometers per second.
7. The Great Dune of Pyla, France
Although Europe lacks true deserts, the title of ‘Europe’s largest sand dune’ is not just reserved for a dull formation. The Great Dune of Pyla stretches 3 km long, 500 meters wide, and rises to 100 meters high, and for reasons beyond understanding, it seems to have formed in a forest. The dune has a steep slope on its forest-facing side and is renowned as a paragliding hotspot. From the top, it offers spectacular views over the sea and the forest, as the dune towers far above the surrounding trees.
6. Socotra, Republic of Yemen
Socotra has often been described as one of the most otherworldly places on Earth, and it’s easy to understand why. The island is extremely isolated, with a harsh, dry climate, which has led to a unique ecosystem. Approximately a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet, including the distinctive Dragon’s Blood Tree, an umbrella-shaped tree that produces red sap. The island is also home to numerous species of birds, spiders, and other animals that are native to the region, as well as coral reefs surrounding it, which host a wide range of endemic species. Socotra is regarded as the most biodiverse location in the Arabian Sea and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
5. 83-42, Greenland
While not particularly visually striking, 83-42 holds a fascinating distinction as the northernmost permanent landmass on Earth. This tiny piece of land measures only 35 meters by 15 meters and stands about 4 meters high, located around 400 miles from the North Pole. Discovered in 1998, it surpassed the previous northernmost point, ATOW1996. Lichens were found growing on it, indicating that it was not just a temporary gravel bar, which are often moved by the rough seas in the region. The image above shows the current northernmost point of land, a temporary gravel bar, photographed in 2007, as no photographs exist of 83-42 itself, which has only been visited by five people.
4. Rotorua, New Zealand
Rotorua is a city situated on the southern shores of the lake that shares its name, located in the Bay of Plenty region on the North Island of New Zealand. Known for its geothermal activity, Rotorua features several geysers, including the famous Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa, and hot mud pools (as seen above) scattered throughout the city. This geothermal phenomena is a result of the Rotorua caldera that the city sits upon. Rotorua is also a top destination for adventure seekers and serves as the cultural heart of the Māori people in New Zealand. The city is also infamous for its pungent ‘rotten egg’ smell, caused by the release of sulfur compounds from the geothermal activity. If you're planning a trip to New Zealand, Rotorua is a must-see. Once home to the famous Pink and White Terraces, the area offers visitors thermal wonders that will leave them in awe.
3. Guaíra Falls, Brazil-Paraguay border
Situated along the Parana River, the Guaíra Falls once held the title of the world's largest waterfall by total water volume. On average, 1.75 million cubic feet of water poured over the falls every second, far surpassing Niagara Falls, which experiences a mere 70,000 cubic feet per second. However, in 1982, the falls were submerged following the creation of a dam harnessing this immense flow rate. The Itaipu Dam, now the second most powerful hydroelectric facility globally after the Three Gorges Dam, provides 90% of Paraguay’s electricity and 19% of Brazil's, including the power needs of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
2. Iceberg B-15 Antarctica
Iceberg B-15 holds the record as the largest iceberg ever documented, covering an area of 3,100 km²—larger than Jamaica. It was formed when a segment of the Ross Ice Shelf detached in March 2000. By 2003, it fragmented, and one of the major pieces, B-15a, drifted northward, crashing into a glacier in 2005 and causing the calving of an 8-km² section. This triggered a series of map revisions for Antarctic geography. The iceberg continued its journey along the coastline, eventually grounding itself and disintegrating further. A storm in Alaska in 2006 sent ocean swells that traveled 13,500 km and broke up the remaining large section. Nearly ten years later, parts of B-15 have yet to melt, with the largest piece still called B-15a, measuring 1,700 km². The image above depicts B-15a in 2005 after colliding with the Drygalski Glacier, splitting its end into several fragments.
1. Don Juan Pond Antarctica
Don Juan Pond is the saltiest body of water on Earth, with a salinity exceeding 40%. It was named in honor of the two pilots, Lt Don Roe and Lt John Hickey, who first explored the pond in 1961. This small lake measures just 100 meters by 300 meters and has an average depth of only 0.1 meters. Despite being located in Antarctica, where temperatures can plummet to -30 degrees Celsius, the pond remains unfrozen due to its extreme salinity. It is 18 times saltier than seawater, whereas the Dead Sea is only 8 times saltier than seawater.
