The geological processes on the surface of the Earth create many unique phenomena that are almost impossible to find elsewhere, such as the Door to Hell and Blood Falls.
Moving Rocks, Death Valley, USA
A moving rock and the trail it leaves on the ground. (Photo: Wikimedia).
One of the strangest geological phenomena is the moving rocks in the Racetrack Playa area of Death Valley. These rocks, weighing from dozens to hundreds of kilograms, seem to slide across the desert floor, sometimes not in a straight line, without any animal intervention. A study in 2014 proposed that the movement of the moving rocks is related to the formation of thin ice on the flat ground overnight. When the ice melts, the ground becomes slippery, and even a gentle breeze can cause the rocks to slide across the surface.
Fairy Circles in the Namib Desert, Namibia
The mysterious fairy circles in Namibia are circular patches of bare ground with diameters ranging from 1.8 to 12 meters, surrounded by wild grass. They spread over more than 1,600 kilometers throughout the Namib Desert in Namibia, one of the driest regions on Earth. Researchers have also discovered them in Pilbara, Western Australia.
Although no hypothesis has fully explained the origin of the fairy circles, a study in 2022 suggested that the grass around the circles extracts water away from the center, creating a phenomenon called the “vacuum effect” that prevents vegetation from surviving inside. The circular shape maximizes water distribution for plants at the outer edges, leaving the area in the center of the circle barren.
Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
The Door to Hell has been burning continuously for decades. (Photo: iStock).
The Door to Hell (or Darvaza Gas Crater) in Turkmenistan is a 70-meter-wide crater that has been continuously burning since 1971. This geological phenomenon is an example of natural geological processes combined with human intervention. The Door to Hell was formed due to an accident when geologists drilling for natural resources caused the ground to collapse, creating a massive hole filled with methane. At that time, the scientific team believed it would extinguish after a few days. However, the crater has been burning for over 50 years since.
Blood Falls, Antarctica
Blood Falls at Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. (Photo: Wikimedia).
Another impressive geological phenomenon is Blood Falls in Antarctica, where iron-rich water flows from Taylor Glacier. This waterfall is formed when ancient seawater trapped beneath the glacier rises to the surface. When the iron in the saline water comes into contact with oxygen in the air, it turns red. Blood Falls is a testament to the geochemical processes occurring within the glacial environment.
Devil’s Tower, Wyoming, USA
Devil’s Tower formed about 50 million years ago and rises approximately 386 meters above sea level, famous for its towering hexagonal basalt columns. According to one theory, Devil’s Tower was created through a geological process known as magma intrusion, where molten magma from deep within the Earth cools and solidifies underground without erupting on the surface as lava. Over time, the hardened magma is exposed, creating the tower’s distinctive shape while the surrounding sandstone erodes away.
