Geological formations and natural wonders on Earth

The Giant's Causeway consists of about 40,000 basalt columns rising along the coast of County Antrim. These columns formed through volcanic activity around 60 million years ago, when lava reached the surface and cooled into geometric shapes. Most columns are hexagonal and fit together like paving stones. Some reach a height of 40 feet (12 meters). The rock formation extends from the cliff down into the sea. At low tide, you can walk on the flat tops of the columns. The basalt color ranges from gray to reddish, depending on light and moisture. Seabirds nest in the rock crevices, and the ocean crashes against the lower formations. The site shows how volcanic processes shaped the landscape.

The Grand Canyon is a large river valley carved by the Colorado River over millions of years into the high plateau of Arizona. The gorge runs roughly 280 miles (450 kilometers) through the desert landscape and displays layers of rock from different geological eras on its walls. Anyone standing at the rim looks down more than 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) to the river. Light shifts during the day and tints the cliffs from pale red through orange to violet. Trails lead from the upper plateau down to the water, past cacti and dry pines. The river itself has not finished its work and continues to dig into the rock, while rain and wind alter the shapes of the cliff faces.

Valley of Dreams sits in northwestern New Mexico and consists of gray and white hills made of petrified wood and mineral-rich sediments. This landscape formed from deposits left by rivers and lakes about 70 million years ago, when the region was a humid lowland. Wind and water have exposed the soft rock and shaped it into waves and cones. The petrified wood comes from trees that were buried by volcanic ash and replaced by silica. You walk on dry ground between formations that change color with the light.

Mount Everest reaches 8,849 meters (29,032 feet) above sea level and stands as the tallest mountain on Earth. The mountain was formed millions of years ago when the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collided, a process that continues today as the landmasses slowly push against each other. From the Tibetan side, the summit appears as a sharp pyramid of rock and ice, while glaciers flow down the southern face in Nepal between jagged cliffs. The air becomes thin at such altitudes, making breathing difficult without supplemental oxygen. Climbers from around the world attempt to reach the top, usually during narrow weather windows in spring or autumn. The surrounding terrain remains harsh, with extreme cold, high winds, and deep crevasses marking the landscape.

The Great Barrier Reef runs for 1400 miles (2300 kilometers) along the coast of Queensland. This coral reef contains around 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands. The warm, shallow water holds coral gardens in many colors: pink, orange, purple and yellow. Fish, turtles and rays swim among the corals. The reef is visible from shore, but many visitors take boats out to snorkel or dive. The water is usually clear and turquoise. The corals grow slowly and are sensitive to changes in temperature. Some sections are healthier than others. The reef sits in the open ocean and is one of the largest structures created by living organisms.

The Salar de Uyuni is a salt flat on the Bolivian altiplano, where a thin layer of water forms after rainfall and mirrors the sky and clouds above. During the dry season, the salt crust breaks into hexagonal patterns that stretch across the level surface. A lake once covered this area, then evaporated and left behind a thick deposit of salt and minerals. Cacti grow on islands made of volcanic rock, flamingos feed at shallow lagoons, and villages harvest salt from the ground. The air is dry, the sun strong under a clear sky, and the expanse makes distances hard to judge. The salar sits above 12,000 feet (3,600 meters), surrounded by ridges of the Andes and volcanic cones along the horizon.

Devil's Garden sits within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and holds a landscape shaped by wind and water over millions of years. Red and orange sandstone rises from the ground, with narrow passages and natural arches carved by erosion. The arches appear as openings in the rock, forming passages you can walk through. The sandstone is soft and porous, allowing water to seep in and wear away material. Over time, cavities and cracks form. The surroundings are dry, vegetation is sparse, with only scattered desert plants growing among the rocks. Visitors move between rock formations that differ in color and shape. Some arches are wide and tall, others narrow and low. The terrain is uneven, the path crosses rock surfaces and sandy stretches.

The Yellowstone Caldera sits above one of the largest active volcanic systems in North America. The area covers an underground magma chamber that extends across thousands of square miles. At the surface, this activity shows through hot springs, geysers, and mudpots that release steam and water. The ground rises and falls over the years, a sign that the system is alive. The landscape shifts between forested hills and open valleys where sulfurous vapors rise. Visitors follow wooden boardwalks that lead through fields where rock is stained orange, yellow, and green. The heat beneath the ground keeps life at the surface in motion. Three large eruptions over the past two million years have shaped this caldera. Today, scientists monitor the volcanic activity continuously to track changes.

The Wave is a sandstone formation made of Navajo rock laid down around 190 million years ago. Fine sand from ancient dunes hardened over time, leaving layers that now curve in ribbons of ochre, orange, and red. Wind and rain continue to shape the surface, bringing out the bands. Reaching it requires a hike of about 6 kilometers (3.6 miles) across open ground with no marked trail, so visitors rely on GPS or a map. The sun beats down most of the day, and shade is rare. Daily visitor numbers are limited to protect the rock. The route crosses narrow slots and slickrock before arriving at the formation.

The volcanic ash layers and harder rock above them have been shaped over six to seven million years into slender cone formations with pointed caps. The erosion pattern formed from wind and water wearing away softer material faster than the protective stones at the tips. The formation stands amid a landscape of canyons and mesa plateaus in the New Mexico highlands. A trail leads through narrow slots between walls of banded tuff rock and offers views across the surrounding high desert. The layers show different shades from tan to gray that shift with changing light.

The Vulcanii Noroiosi form when natural gas rises through layers of sediment and pushes mud to the surface. These mud volcanoes create small cones and craters with gray bubbles emerging from them. The landscape looks barren and resembles a lunar surface. When it rains, the ground turns into a slippery mass. The activity is continuous but moves at a slow pace. The mud is cool and contains minerals. The terrain is flat and surrounded by sparse vegetation.

Victoria Falls drops across a width of 1700 meters into a narrow gorge that has been carved into the rock over time. The Zambezi River carries the water over an edge, from which it falls 108 meters down. During the rainy season, the volume of water increases sharply, and the rising spray can be seen from several kilometers away. In the dry season, the river divides into several streams, and parts of the rock face become visible. The gorge has formed through ongoing erosion, and the falling water continues this process. The vegetation at the edge of the falls benefits from the constant moisture that the spray brings. On both sides of the gorge, paths run along the rock edge, from which you can watch the water.

Antelope Canyon formed through the erosion of sandstone over thousands of years. Water carved the narrow passages, while wind and rain polished the reddish walls. The smooth surfaces show wavy lines and curved shapes. Light enters through openings from above and creates changing colors on the rock. The passages are sometimes so narrow that you need to squeeze between the walls. This canyon is among the geological formations that arise from the force of water in dry regions.

This avenue lies west of Morondava and connects several villages across the plain. About a dozen baobab trees line an unpaved road surrounded by rice paddies and dry pastures. The trees belong to a species found only in Madagascar. Their trunks store water during the rainy season and can live for several hundred years. The road is used mostly at dusk by ox carts and people on foot. Some trees reach 100 feet (30 meters) in height.

The Jeita Grotto consists of two interconnected limestone cave systems in the mountains north of Beirut. The lower cave contains an underground river that flows through large chambers accessible by boat. The upper cave can be explored on foot and displays formations of stalactites and stalagmites in reddish and white tones. Water has deposited calcite over thousands of years, creating columns, draperies and pools. The temperature inside remains cool throughout the year. The cave also serves as a drinking water source for the region.

This bay spans an area where more than 1600 islands and limestone rocks rise from the water. These formations result from karst processes that developed over millions of years. The water is usually calm, and many islands carry dense vegetation on their steep slopes. Fishermen move between the rocks in small boats, and some caves are accessible when tides allow. The bay shows how limestone changes under the influence of water and time, creating a landscape that continues to evolve.

This body of water sits at the lowest point on Earth's surface, more than 1,300 feet below sea level. The water holds a salt concentration of around 34 percent, ten times higher than the ocean. Anyone who enters floats effortlessly at the surface. The shoreline is often lined with white salt crusts that glint in the sunlight. The surrounding landscape is barren, with dry hills and sparse vegetation. Almost no life survives in this water. The air down here is warm and thick, especially in summer. People come to coat themselves in the mineral-rich mud. The water evaporates constantly, so the surface has been shrinking for decades. The silence is notable, with no waves breaking the smooth expanse.

The Meteora monasteries stand on sandstone pillars that rise up to 1,300 feet (400 meters) above the plain of Thessaly. Six of these monasteries date from the 14th and 15th centuries and form one of the most unusual religious complexes in Europe. Monks originally reached the summits using ladders and rope hoists. Today, staircases carved into the rock provide access. From the top, you look out over pine forests and fields below. The monasteries remain inhabited and house icons and frescoes from the late Middle Ages.

The Wulingyuan area shows more than 3,000 sandstone pillars rising up to 656 feet (200 meters). These geological structures formed through erosion over millions of years. The zone also contains about 40 caves and two large natural bridges carved from the same rock. The pillars stand scattered across valleys and plateaus, creating a maze of rock formations. Mist and clouds often surround the tops and change how the landscape appears. Vegetation grows on the rocks and in the crevices. Rivers and streams run through the terrain and continue shaping the stone. The caves offer views into the inner layers of the sandstone.

These cliffs rise as high as 700 feet (214 meters) above the Atlantic and stretch eight kilometers along the west coast of Ireland. Wind has shaped the layers of shale and sandstone for thousands of years. You walk on narrow paths near the edge while birds nest in colonies on the steep rock faces. The 19th-century tower stands at one of the highest points and offers views over Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. On stormy days, spray reaches far up the cliffs as the ocean crashes directly against the rock. The landscape remains both bare and green, with grass growing right up to the edge of the precipice.

These waterfalls stretch along the border between Argentina and Brazil across nearly two miles of subtropical rainforest. Hundreds of water streams drop between rock walls and forested islands. The Devil's Throat forms the heart of the site: a horseshoe-shaped chasm where water crashes down with a roar and creates a permanent mist cloud. Narrow walkways lead to the edge of the cascades, where moisture clings to the skin and rainbows appear in the spray. The Argentine side brings visitors close to the waterfalls, while the Brazilian side offers a wide view of the entire panorama.

This glacier stretches across the Andes and pushes into a lake, where its wall of bluish ice rises in places to around 240 feet (70 meters). The ice creaks, cracks and breaks off regularly, with large blocks crashing into the water with a deep rumble. From viewing platforms you can watch the mass slowly advance and shape itself through its own weight. Unlike many other glaciers in the region, this one does not retreat but holds its volume. The movement is visible, the ice seems alive. Visitor paths lead close to the front, some take guided walks on the surface. The cold, the light and the sound of falling ice blocks shape the place.

The Danxia formation spreads across several valleys in Gansu Province. Layers of sandstone stack horizontally here, showing bands that range from red to yellow to orange. The coloring comes from different minerals, mainly iron oxide and other metal compounds that settled over millions of years. Rain and wind have eroded the softer rock layers unevenly, creating wavy surfaces and grooves. The color contrasts stand out more clearly when the light changes. Visitors walk on constructed paths between the rock formations, which are sometimes gently rounded and sometimes steep. The region lies in a dry climate, so vegetation is sparse. The intensity of the rock colors appears strongest at sunrise or sunset, when the light emphasizes the layering.

Mount Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano in East Africa composed of three cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. Its highest point reaches 19341 feet (5895 meters) above sea level. The upper reaches carry glaciers that have shrunk considerably over recent decades. The mountain's slopes display distinct vegetation zones, from tropical rainforest at the base to alpine desert at higher elevations. The volcano formed through tectonic activity in the East African Rift and has been dormant for around 150000 years. Its shape dominates the landscape far across the Tanzanian plateau.