BLUE HOLE
Located on the undersea Lighthouse Reef some 60 mi (100 km) from Belize in Central America is a perfectly circular Blue Hole that measures 1000 ft (305 m) across and 400 ft (123 m) deep. Filled with dark blue water, the hole was formed 15000 year ago during the Ice Age when sea levels were lowered by more than 350 ft (107 m), exposing the limestone rock. As freshwater began flowing through the limestone deposits, huge underground caverns formed. Then, as the ocean began to rise again, the caverns flooded and the roof of one cavern collapsed to create this incredible sinkhole. With its breathtaking collection of stalactites, the Blue Hole is now a popular diving venue. At a depth of 130 ft (40 m) the temperature inside the hole is a constant 79°F (24°C).
FOG FOREST
A lush forest survives in Oman's Dhofar mountains with no rain! The cloud forest is surrounded by deserts and gets most of its water from seasonal fog.
WORM SHOWER
Clumps of live worms fell from the sky onto the streets of Jennings, Louisiane, They are thought to have been sucked up into the air by a waterspout seen 5 mi (8 km) away, and then dropped on the town.
TROPICAL ALASKA
It once topped 100°F in Alaska! On June 27 1915, a temperature of 100°F (38°C) was recorded at Fort Yukon.
DRIFTING APART
North America and Europe are moving away from each other at about the same speed as a human fingernail grows about 6 ft (1.8 m) every 75 years.
PURE GOLD
A lump of pure gold that is only as big as a matchbox can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court. An ounce (28 g) of gold can be stretched into a wire 50 mi (80 km) long.
UNLUCKY STRIKE
A diver was killed in the ocean off Deerfield Beach, Florida, after lightning struck his oxygen tank as he came to the surface.
UNDERWATER MOUNTAIN
The longest mountain range in the world is underwater. The Mid Ocean Ridge extends about 40,000 mi (65,000 km) from the Arctic Ocean via the Atlantic to the Pacific off the west coast of North America.
SAFETY SALT
Ten per cent of all the salt mined in the world each year is used to de ice freezing roads in North America.
ALASKAN TSUNAMI
In 1958, an earthquake followed by a rockslide in Lituya Bay , Alaska, Triggered a huge tsunami more than 1720 ft (525 m)high. As the area is relatively isolated and enclosed, the only casualties were two men in a fishing boat.
BOAT REVEALED
In April 2007, an earthquake near the Solomon Island, measuring a powerful 8.1 on the Richter scale, pushed coral reefs around 10 ft (3 m) above sea level. It also tossed up a World War II torpedo boat that had previously sunk.
HOT BLAST
In July 1949, a sudden blast of hot air swept across an area of Portugal, causing temperature to soar remarkably from 100 to 150°F (38 to 65°C) in just two minutes. The heat surge killed countless chickens on local farms.
Comments