Close to the town of Shetpe in Western Kazakhstan lies the Valley of Balls – or Torysh, as it is known in Kazakh. It consists of numerous ball-like rock formations strewn across a wide range of... »

Natural Wonders, Martian Landscapes, Geological Oddities | Edited by Tawsam, Rachel and others

Kaindy Lake is an idyllic mountain lake in Kazakhstan’s portion of the Tian Shan Mountains, close to the country’s largest city, Almaty. The lake was formed after an earthquake in 1911, which... »

Natural Wonders, Watery Wonders, Geological Oddities | Edited by Tawsam and Rachel

A strenuous multi-day trek is necessary to reach Merzbacher Lake, a lake so far away from anything, that even the label remote would be an understatement. The lake is located at the confluence of... »

Natural Wonders, Watery Wonders, Geological Oddities | Edited by Tawsam

Sarez Lake is a mountain lake deep in the inaccessible Pamir Mountains of Central Tajikistan. The lake was created in 1911, when an earthquake, estimated at 7.0 at the Richter Scale, and a... »

Natural Wonders, Watery Wonders, Geological Oddities, Disaster Areas | Edited by Tawsam

Until 1986, Lechuguilla Cave was just a dead-end historical site used briefly for bat guano mining and intermittently visited by enthusiastic cavers. In the 1950’s however, light was shed on this... »

Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Strange Science, Subterranean Sites | Edited by katiebaker4 and Rachel

Lava does weird things. When it flows from a volcano or some other fiery leak in the earth's crust, its surface cools and hardens in the open air, but a viscous molten core continues to flow... »

Fiery Wonders, Martian Landscapes, Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Natural History, Subterranean Sites | Edited by Mark_Casey and Rachel

The lakes of Band-e Amir are an incredibly stunning sight. Six deep blue lakes suddenly appear like sparkling jewels in the middle of the barren grey wasteland of Central Afghanistan that... »

Natural Wonders, Watery Wonders, Martian Landscapes, Geological Oddities | Edited by Tawsam and Rachel

The Hingol National Park is situated in Pakistan’s troubled southwestern province of Baluchestan. It is mostly famous for the Makran Coastal Highway, which snakes across an inhospitable lunar... »

Martian Landscapes, Geological Oddities | Edited by Tawsam

Freshwater and Florida isn't always a combination that conjures good feelings among the locals. More often than not, Floridians identify freshwater with swampland, mosquitos, snakes and alligators... »

Natural Wonders, Watery Wonders, Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Follies and Grottoes | Edited by Mark_Casey and Rachel

Things that look weird get names. That was just as much the case 150 years ago as it is today, if not more so. Sorry, nameless rock overhang in Springfield - you're just too normal. So is that... »

Natural Wonders, Geological Oddities | Edited by meredithea, Mark_Casey and others