Buzz
Though they may appear desolate, mountains, caves, and canyons are far from empty. They're constantly buzzing with activity, not only in a geological sense but also with curious objects left behind by both adventurers and billionaires.
Mountains are home to seed vaults, strange psychological phenomena, and even supernatural occurrences. And nature isn't far behind—methane rivers and invisible mountain ranges are just a few examples of the bizarre wonders our planet hides.
10. Submerged Peaks
When tectonic plates submerge beneath one another, they can trigger earthquakes and tsunamis, sometimes wreaking havoc on land. For a time, seafloor mountains were seen as potential heroes. Earthquakes occur when plates slip under one another quickly and over a large distance. Seafloor mountains, acting like giant brakes, may slow down this process.
The Cascadia subduction zone challenged that theory. Famous for producing massive quakes, it unleashed a magnitude 9.0 earthquake in 1700. Researchers revisited Oregon in 2012 to explore the origins of earthquakes. They pinpointed the likely source: a submerged Cascadia mountain, 30 kilometers (19 mi) offshore.
This mountain dwarfed the Alps and moved at a glacial pace, taking millions of years to travel 45 kilometers (28 mi) beneath the North American plate. Despite its slow progress and enormous size, it likely caused Oregon's tremors, the strongest of which reached a magnitude of 4.8.
Oceanic mountains are now thought to pose serious risks. While they can obstruct plate movements, any temporary blockage is dangerous. Once the mountain gives way, the built-up energy forces a massive piece of the plate beneath, potentially triggering a catastrophic earthquake.
9. Exciting Discoveries at Shanidar
Shanidar Cave, located in northern Iraq, was once inhabited by Neanderthals, our extinct human relatives. It became famous in the 1950s with the discovery of the so-called 'flower burial.' In this grave, three of the cave's ten Neanderthal skeletons were found, one of which was surrounded by pollen, suggesting that Neanderthals may have buried their dead with flowers.
This discovery challenged earlier perceptions of Neanderthals as primitive cave dwellers with clubs. In recent years, archaeologists have intensified their efforts to dig deeper into Shanidar. Part of their motivation was to resolve the controversy surrounding the pollen—some had questioned whether the 'flower burial' truly indicated ritualistic funerals.
A new skeleton was unearthed near the pollen-filled grave. Its positioning suggested that the lower body, which was missing, may have been part of the floral burial. Although this new find did not significantly alter the debate, it was still an important discovery.
Recent excavations also revealed that the individuals in the 'flower burial' were laid to rest at various times between 60,000 and 90,000 years ago. Shanidar was evidently a significant site for Neanderthals, who returned for generations to bury their dead within its cave.
8. Subterranean Mountain Ranges
Earth consists of three primary layers. The outermost is the crust, while the innermost is the core. Between these two is the mantle, which makes up 84 percent of the planet’s volume and is where earthquakes and volcanoes originate.
A groundbreaking study published in 2019 revealed something fascinating about this rocky layer. A long-established feature within the mantle is the '660-kilometer (410 mi) boundary,' which marks the deepest point of the layer that divides the mantle into its upper and lower sections.
But what’s new is that hidden within this boundary lies a secret—immense mountain ranges, some even larger than the Rockies and Appalachians. Seismologists, who thrive on studying earthquakes, love these because they provide insights from deep within the Earth—areas humans cannot physically reach.
As seismic waves travel through different materials, their shockwaves adapt to varying densities. By analyzing the unique signature of an earthquake, scientists can gain insight into the Earth's inner layers. One such event, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake in Bolivia in 1994, helped create a model of the boundary, revealing a structure reminiscent of Earth's surface mountain ranges.
7. High-Altitude Delirium
Climbers face serious mental challenges when ascending above 7,000 meters (23,000 ft). Reports of mountaineers losing their sanity at such altitudes are common. The most striking symptom is experiencing vivid visual and auditory hallucinations.
One particular phenomenon is so often reported that it’s been given its own name: the 'Third Man.' This sensation occurs when climbers feel the presence of someone accompanying them, even though they are alone. The intensity of hallucinations only increases when the climbers are isolated.
Other symptoms commonly associated with high-altitude sickness also appear, such as dizziness, lack of coordination, and headaches, in addition to the hallucinations. For years, experts attributed these symptoms to cerebral edema caused by high-altitude sickness.
However, in 2017, a study examining 83 cases revealed that something else was at play. The vivid hallucinations were found to be part of a newly identified medical condition. This condition, called high-altitude psychosis, differs from regular high-altitude sickness in a crucial way: once the affected climber descends to a lower elevation, all symptoms vanish as if they had never existed. The cause remains a mystery.
6. Denali’s Waste Woes
Every year, more than 1,000 climbers attempt to summit Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. Standing at 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) above sea level, Denali, which is also a national park, has accumulated a staggering amount of human waste over the years. Between 1951 and 2012, the total reached approximately 98,000 kilograms (215,000 lb).
The West Buttress of Kahiltna Glacier features some of the most heavily polluted crevasses along the path to the summit. The situation has worsened year by year, with an additional 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb) of waste, increasing the risk that glacial melt could carry the waste into Alaska's watershed.
In 2007, park authorities introduced the Clean Mountain Can, a plastic device capable of holding up to 14 bowel movements. Climbers were permitted to dispose of it into very deep crevasses across the glacier. However, officials mistakenly believed that the waste would decompose, which it did not.
In 2011 and 2012, tests of the Kahiltna River in the glacier's melt zone revealed the presence of human waste. This discovery led to a revision of the rules. The practice of dumping waste into any deep crevice was prohibited, and climbers are now restricted to emptying their cans only at two designated locations.
5. Uranium At Grand Canyon
In 2018, a teenager armed with a Geiger counter wandered near the Grand Canyon’s museum collections building. The device suddenly spiked when it came close to three paint buckets. Upon inspecting the 19-liter (5-gallon) containers, authorities discovered uranium ore. The radioactive stones had been left by someone almost two decades earlier and had remained undisturbed until the Geiger counter detected them.
What concerned some of the staff members, even to the point of alleging a cover-up, was the possibility that countless visitors had unknowingly been exposed to hazardous radiation. Groups of schoolchildren, for example, frequently gathered near the area, listening to presentations for up to half an hour.
Once the rocks were discovered, they were promptly disposed of in a local uranium mine. Despite some staff members’ anxiety, the building was later deemed safe. A report concluded that it was unlikely anyone had received a dangerous dose of radiation.
The primary danger comes from prolonged exposure, similar to the risk faced by miners who work with uranium for extended periods. Uranium ore produces three types of radiation, but only one—gamma particles—escaped the sealed containers. Fortunately, the human body can tolerate small amounts of gamma radiation without serious harm.
4. Liquid-Filled Canyons
Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, was the subject of an intriguing discovery in 2013, when NASA’s Cassini spacecraft mapped its surface. Upon examining the data, astronomers were stunned to find canyons carved by flowing liquid methane. The rivers within these canyons bore a striking resemblance to those found on Earth, which was particularly surprising given the stark differences between the two worlds—Titan is a frigid, frozen environment.
The newly discovered canyons were found to be, on average, 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles) wide and as deep as 579 meters (1,900 feet). They wound their way toward the moon's primary sea, which is also composed of liquid methane.
Scientists are perplexed by the origins of these canyons. They cannot explain how they formed. If they were shaped by erosion, similar to Earth’s canyons, it presents another puzzle—the absence of significant sediment. On Earth, when erosion shapes a canyon, the river carries the sediment away to nearby lakes or oceans. No signs of such sediment have been found in the canyons on Titan.
Researchers remain baffled by the formation process, but the narrow shape of some canyons suggests they may have formed much more quickly than previously imagined.
3. The Giant Clock
Jeff Bezos, the man behind Amazon, purchased a mountain in Texas. Frequently listed among the wealthiest people in the world, Bezos envisioned placing a clock inside the mountain—a clock unlike any other.
Years ago, scientist Danny Hillis dreamed up a unique timepiece. It would tick just once every year, with its hands moving every 100 years. A cuckoo would emerge every thousand years. Designed to endure for 10,000 years, this clock would be a marvel of engineering.
To bring this vision into reality, Bezos committed $42 million. He was captivated by the idea that the 152-meter-high (500 ft) clock could outlive not only the United States but also countless civilizations and potentially all existing forms of governance. In essence, Bezos, in collaboration with Hillis, is creating a gift for a future world that no one can even imagine.
In 2018, construction commenced at the Sierra Diablo site. To keep the clock running for 10,000 years, thermal energy will be harnessed from the natural day-night cycle of the mountain. Visitors will also have the option to wind it manually.
2. Davelis Cave
Situated north of Athens, the pyramid-shaped Penteli mountain features the vast Davelis Cave on its southwest side. This cavern has a rich and mysterious history, including associations with outlaws, military operations, and paranormal occurrences.
Numerous visitors have reported strange experiences within the cave, such as water seemingly dripping upward, hearing disembodied voices, experiencing electronic interference, seeing glowing orbs, and encountering unknown creatures. Some have even discovered unsettling carvings and evidence of satanic rituals.
Human activity in the cave dates back for centuries. In the fifth century, it served as a shrine to the goat-footed god Pan. During medieval times, two Byzantine chapels were built near the entrance. Close by stands a concrete structure from the 1970s, which once functioned as a Greek military outpost.
Most of the cave's tunnels are sealed off. Conspiracy theorists suggest that the military concealed hidden secrets within them. On the other hand, geologists maintain that the tunnels were closed for safety reasons, as they posed a danger to visitors.
In a more mundane explanation, the cave’s marble could account for some of the reported paranormal events. The stone is known to conduct electromagnetic waves and generates electrical charges under intense pressure. This might explain why some visitors experience disorientation and unusual electromagnetic phenomena.
1. The Seed Vault
Some refer to it as the 'Doomsday Seed Vault,' but its official name, the Global Seed Vault, more accurately reflects its true purpose. Located in the Svalbard archipelago in Norway, it was never intended to preserve crops from the apocalypse.
Instead, the creators of the vault envisioned it as a safeguard for biodiversity. Stocked with a vast collection of seeds from nearly every plant species, it serves to replace crops lost anywhere in the world. When a crop is lost, a good harvest or another source helps to replenish the Global Vault's stock with the same species.
This cycle benefits everyone. For instance, Syria. After the war in Syria devastated the country’s seed bank, the Global Vault replenished it in 2015. A few years later, around 50,000 new samples, including the seeds sent to Syria, were returned to the Global Vault.
Svalbard was chosen for its frigid climate. The vault was built into a mountain to take advantage of the natural permafrost, which helps freeze the seeds. The storage rooms can be accessed through a tunnel that stretches 130 meters (426 feet) deep into the mountain.
