Tag Archives: geology

Welcome to the rumbling belly of the shaky isles: Waiotapu

Waiotapu means sacred waters in Maori. It’s an active geothermal area at the southern end of New Zealand’s Taupo Volcanic Zone just outside of Rotorua. It’s a place of surreal colour, beauty and otherworldly wonder. It’s no exaggeration that you haven’t seen anything like this before. The alchemy of mineral deposits mixing over thousands and sometimes millions ofContinue reading “Welcome to the rumbling belly of the shaky isles: Waiotapu”

Hawaii’s volcanic spectacle and Pele the Fire Goddess

This sky-level satellite image above shows how most of Puna is covered in a lush green canopy, with some visible lava flows in the District of Puna. Puna is one of the smaller islands in the American states of Hawaii. At around 1,300km2 Puna is slightly smaller than the island of Kaua.  It’s subtropical climate andContinue reading “Hawaii’s volcanic spectacle and Pele the Fire Goddess”

Travel: The Epic Story of Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland

Inside of the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a thousand steps seem to guard you from the surface of the world. A thousand false ceilings seem to call out and confuse your senses. So far away are you from the grounding blue of the sky and the sensation of dirt under your feet. Inside of this mineContinue reading “Travel: The Epic Story of Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland”

One person’s trash is another’s treasure: oxidised metal film under the microscope

They could be a collection of post-apocalyptic planets viewed from space. However these pieces of enchanting art were not made by humans but by natural phenomena. Science is beautiful. The excellent Reddit page MicroPorn features close up microscopic images of materials. This collection of oxidised metal films were photographed using a microscope and an Amazon FireContinue reading “One person’s trash is another’s treasure: oxidised metal film under the microscope”

Ancient Mineral, Art or Book?

San Fran based artist Alexis Arnold has managed to reimagine National Geographic magazines with the use of Borax crystals for a strange geological marvel of colourful striations. Glittering crystals are alive and growing on the gradients of colour, turning them from mere functional books to something akin to living art and also uncannily like aContinue reading “Ancient Mineral, Art or Book?”

Free Online Course for Dreamers: Origins – Formation of the Universe, Solar System, Earth and Life

This is quite possibly the most amazing course ever presented on Coursera. It’s called Origins – Formation of the Universe, Solar System, Earth and Life. A sweeping epic that begins at the moment of the Big Bang and the creation of matter and careens along at a throttling pace through Deep Time towards the HumanContinue reading “Free Online Course for Dreamers: Origins – Formation of the Universe, Solar System, Earth and Life”

Stunningly Beautiful Meteorite Section Looks Like An Email From Space

This striking and odd meteorite section looks like an email from space or a painting sent to earth by an alien race. For those who are curious (all of you!) these mystical, geometric markings are formed by post-atmospheric cooling. Although these striations and patterns are made by nature, they are reminiscent of a flyer forContinue reading “Stunningly Beautiful Meteorite Section Looks Like An Email From Space”

New Zealand: An Ode To Young Volcanic Countries

Do you think that volcanic places make the most beautiful and dramatic destinations? I believe they do. Volcanic places are the crossroads of the earth’s crust! Where the techtonic plates of the earth combine and form mountains, volcanic activity, thermal lakes and more. Think of Iceland and New Zealand, two of the most remote andContinue reading “New Zealand: An Ode To Young Volcanic Countries”