Category: Nature

• Elephant rock in Iceland is one of Earth’s greatest wonders

  

  If you’re looking for a unique natural wonder during your travels to Iceland, add Elephant Rock or Halldórsskora to your list.

  This incredible rock formation resides 5 miles off the south coast of Iceland in the Westman Islands archipelago. It most likely formed due to one of Mt. Eldfell’s many eruptions on an inhabited island called Heimaey, most notably the gigantic 1973 eruption.

  The catastrophic volcano caused all 5,300 residents to flee. Amazingly, everyone survived except one.

  An elephant rock sculpted by nature

  The rock itself comprises volcanic basalt rock with a texture that appears to be wrinkled and grey, like an elephant’s skin. The head and intricate trunk seemingly dumping underwater make the whole scene appear sculpted.

  Note that Iceland’s elephant rock is not to be confused with the similar-looking elephant-style rock in Hawaii, known as Mokuhooniki doing the rounds on social media.

  Visitors can see the fantastic rock formation by driving two hours south of Reykjavik and taking the ferry to Westman Islands from Landeyjahöfn.

  Whether you’re a nature lover or simply looking for a unique photo opportunity, Elephant Rock is a must-see when in Iceland!

  

  

  If you’re looking for an unforgettable natural wonder during your travels to Iceland, be sure to add Elephant Rock to your list! This incredible rock formation is unlike anything else you’ll see in the country. Standing at over six meters tall, Elephant Rock is a sight that will leave you in awe. The best time to visit is during the summer when the days are longest and you’ll have plenty of time to explore the area. Whether you’re a nature lover or simply looking for a unique photo opportunity, Elephant Rock is a must-see when in Iceland!

  Wells Baum

  November 22, 2022

  Nature

  Featured, Iceland, Nature, rock

• Ireland’s impressive Dún Briste Sea Stack

  

  Dun Briste is a 150-foot sea stack off County Mayo on the western coast of Ireland, at Downpatrick Head.

  According to the legend, this impressive landmark broke off the mainland during a massive sea storm in 1393. Ships rescued those living on the cliffs who’d fallen into the water.

  During the 1980s, scientists discovered remnants of a medieval house on the property. The discovery supports the theory that an arch leading to the rock once existed. After all, Dun Briste translates to “The Broken Fort” in Gaelic.

  The Dún Briste Sea Stack sits approximately 260 feet from the shore. Now, we get to see thousands of years of geological formation caused by rough wave erosion and the molding of sandstones, limestones, and even seashells in one chunky layered tower of rock.

  

  

  

  Dun Briste is a 150-foot sea stack off County Mayo on the western coast of Ireland, at Downpatrick Head. According to the legend, this impressive landmark broke off the mainland during a massive sea storm in 1393. Ships rescued those living on the cliffs who’d fallen into the water. During the 1980s, scientists discovered remnants […]

  Wells Baum

  November 2, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Ireland, Nature, Ocean, Rocks, Travel

• The fairy tale beauty of Slovenia’s Bled Island

  

  Bred Island is a small tear-shaped island floating in the middle of Lake Bled in northwestern Slovenia.

  On the island sits the 170ft tall Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, a Baroque church established in 1534. The church on the island is a popular place for locals to wed, with the requirement that the groom carries the bride up the 99 stone steps leading from the boat dock to the church door.

  Tourists enjoy hiking around the lake and rowing in its peaceful waters during the summer. One can also reach the island by Pletna boat or, dare we say, by swimming there.

  During the winter, the frost over the island looks like a scene from a Disney movie. The mountains and forests surrounding the lake add to the picturesque view of the church.

  Bled island is the only natural island in Slovenia. It’s also the country’s most famous destination, along with the nearby medieval castle built on a steep cliff above the lake.

  Straight out of a fairy tale, we can see why this little island is a real treasure.

  

  

  

  Bred Island is a small tear-shaped island floating in the middle of Lake Bled in northwestern Slovenia. On the island sits the 170ft tall Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, a Baroque church established in 1534. The church on the island is a popular place for locals to wed, with the requirement that the […]

  Wells Baum

  October 15, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  church, island, Nature, Slovenia, Travel

• Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world

  

  The high-altitude salt flat of Salar de Uyuni in southwest Bolivia creates the world’s biggest natural mirror. It sits near the crest of the Andes at an elevation of 11,995 ft above sea level.

  Considered one of the flattest surfaces on Earth (4,086 sq mi), the salt flat, also known as the “Mirror of God,” is so big it can be seen from outer space. In fact, space satellites often use the flat’s intense relfections to calibrate their sensors.

  It’s remarkable to think that the Salar de Uyuni was once an ancient lake before it dried up. While Uyuni is extensive, remember that most dry lakes are small.

  Mind-bending reflections of Salar de Uyuni

  During the winter, a thin layer of water from the summer rains hovers over the salt creating the reflective mirror effect. The entire landscape reflects onto the ground, giving the impression of where Heaven and Earth meet.

  As the salt crystallizes from the saline oozing out of the mud cracks, the ridges in the salt flat also become hexagonal (see images 1 and 5 below). The bright white salt is up to 32 feet thick at the center of this prehistoric lake.

  Visitors to the location are known to take pictures that play with the perspective of the viewer’s depth. Check out some of the photoshop-looking optical illusions after the jump.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The high-altitude salt flat of Salar de Uyuni in southwest Bolivia creates the world’s biggest natural mirror. It sits near the crest of the Andes at an elevation of 11,995 ft above sea level. Considered one of the flattest surfaces on Earth (4,086 sq mi), the salt flat, also known as the “Mirror of God,” […]

  Wells Baum

  September 30, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Bolivia, Nature, Travel

• A phenomenal Iridescent Pileus Cloud over China

  

  Pileus clouds are rare, but they are a sight to behold when they form. Like this one, shot earlier this month in Pu’er, Yunnan Province, China.

  

  These clouds get their name from their Latin name, which means “cap.” Call it rainbow magic, but these “scarf clouds” form on top of other cumulus clouds.

  The science behind the iridescent colors

  Pileus clouds are thinner than cumulous clouds and contain uniform-sized droplets. The smaller the droplets, the more iridescent the colors.

  Pileus clouds are usually a sign that a thunderstorm is brewing.

  If you’re lucky enough to see a pileus cloud, take a moment to appreciate the rare beauty of this phenomenon. See more Iridescent Pileus clouds below.

  

  

  

  Iridescent Pileus Cloud

  Wells Baum

  September 19, 2022

  Nature

  China, clouds, meteorology, Nature

• Baatara gorge waterfall is Lebanon’s best-kept secret

  

  Baatara gorge waterfall is one of Lebanon’s best-kept secrets.

  Located in the Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve, the waterfall is accessible via a short hike on the Lebanon Mountain Trail through the forest. The views from the top are breathtaking, and the waterfall is an impressive sight.

  The Baatara gorge waterfall is one of the most beautiful sights on Earth

  The triple-leveled natural cascade drops 837 feet into the Balaa Pothole, a 160-million-year-old cave of Jurassic limestone also known as the Cave of Three Bridges. The natural bridges stand suspended over the chasm descending into Mount Lebanon.

  “The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places,” once wrote British novelist Roald Dahl. He must have been referring to the Baatara gorge sinkhole, a scene reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, especially during the spring melt when ice turns into water and floods down the cliffs.

  The Baatara gorge sinkhole is a place everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.

  

  

  

  

  Baatara gorge waterfall is one of Lebanon’s best-kept secrets. Located in the Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve, the waterfall is accessible via a short hike on the Lebanon Mountain Trail through the forest. The views from the top are breathtaking, and the waterfall is an impressive sight. The Baatara gorge waterfall is one of the most […]

  Wells Baum

  September 15, 2022

  Nature

  Baatara gorge, Lebanon, Nature, Rocks, water, waterfall

• Asperitas clouds form rippling waves in the sky

  

  There are all types of stunning clouds — Lenticular, Mammatas — to name a couple.

  But the asperitas clouds take center stage. These clouds, which are dark and storm-like, look like Van Gogh painted waves in the sky.

  Amazing Asperitas over Lummi Island –
  Probably the best looking clouds that I’ve ever seen here.. 😮 Hope everyone enjoys the video and the cool clouds ☁️#wawx #pnw pic.twitter.com/1d9iHHGEtJ

  — Wheels (@wheeler244) February 24, 2022

  Asperitas clouds form in the wake of thunderstorms like Mammatus clouds, yet unlike the latter, asperitas clouds appear more turbulent. Rising winds chip at the clouds to give them their unusual, undulating shape that resembles a rough sea surface.

  Undulatus Asperitas is a unique and rare cloud formation. They are a new classification, only recognized by the World Meteorological Organization in 2015 — the first new cloud type to emerge in 60 years.

  The manner of clouds always amazes.

  

  

  

  There are all types of stunning clouds — Lenticular, Mammatas — to name a couple. But the asperitas clouds take center stage. These clouds, which are dark and storm-like, look like Van Gogh painted waves in the sky. Asperitas clouds form in the wake of thunderstorms like Mammatus clouds, yet unlike the latter, asperitas clouds […]

  Wells Baum

  August 17, 2022

  Nature

  clouds, Nature, weather

• Hooker’s Lips is the world’s most kissable plant

  

  The tropical plant Psychotria Elata aka ‘hooker’s lips’ or ‘Hot Lips,’ is Latin America’s most kissable plant.

  Native to Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, the shrub’s enchanting red bracts mimic a woman’s luscious lips. Some of nature’s shapes and colors are biologically universal — especially these juicy puckers, which have also developed the nickname “Mick Jagger’s Lips.”

  

  Hooker’s Lips kissed by pollinating butterflies

  The plant has evolved its big red shape, a modified set of foot-long leaves, to pucker up and attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. But the lips are temporary, as they take their unique shape several days after opening.

  White flowers emerge inside the plant’s smoochy center between December and March.

  Sadly, deforestation and climate change are wiping the species off the Earth. People in Central America are also known to gift the plant during Valentine’s Day. But let’s be sure not to kiss this beautiful plant goodbye.

  

  

  

  The tropical plant Psychotria Elata aka ‘hooker’s lips’ or ‘Hot Lips,’ is Latin America’s most kissable plant. Native to Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, the shrub’s enchanting red bracts mimic a woman’s luscious lips. Some of nature’s shapes and colors are biologically universal — especially these juicy puckers, which have also developed the nickname “Mick […]

  Wells Baum

  July 29, 2022

  Nature

  flowers, Nature, Plants

• Pyrocumulus cloud erupts in California wildfire near Yosemite

  

  A strong and fast-moving wildfire broke out in Mariposa County, California this weekend, burning 6,550 acres and threatening Yosemite National Park.

  The Oak Fire started on Friday evening in the town of Midpines in Mariposa County and destroyed 10 structures overnight. The sprawling bush fire is now threatening 2,000 more structures, including some of the world’s oldest giant sequoia trees.

  The fire was zero percent contained as of Saturday morning, spreading as much as 10.2 square miles and prompting an immediate evacaution of 6,000 people. 400 firefighters and multiple water-hose helicopters are working to contain the flames.

  Oak Fire sparks massive Pyrocumulus cloud

  The heat of the fires generated a spectacular and scary Pyrocumulus cloud on Friday evening that could be seen from the Bay Area.

  There’s still no word yet on what sparked the fire in what could be an ominous warning signaling the start of a more destructive wildfire season.

  Rapid pyrocumulus cloud development has taken place on the #OakFire near Mariposa in the last 15 minutes as the fire continues to spread at a critical rate.
  
  The Yosemite area and surrounding Sierra foothills have just been killed by wildfire over the last decade. #CAwx #CAfire pic.twitter.com/YrOzPHPJvB

  — US StormWatch (@US_Stormwatch) July 22, 2022

  #OakFire continuing to show rapid growth and extreme fire behavior, unfortunately in a region with subdivisions nestled in the foothills amid dense vegetation. Fairly significant pyrocumulus cloud already building, with tops to ~25,000 feet. #CAwx #CAfire https://t.co/HGKZEgxRFj pic.twitter.com/X8bw2hoeFc

  — Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) July 22, 2022

  A strong and fast-moving wildfire broke out in Mariposa County, California this weekend, burning 6,550 acres and threatening Yosemite National Park. The Oak Fire started on Friday evening in the town of Midpines in Mariposa County and destroyed 10 structures overnight. The sprawling bush fire is now threatening 2,000 more structures, including some of the […]

  Wells Baum

  July 23, 2022

  Nature

  california, climate, clouds, Nature, wildfire

• The beautiful and secretive Agami Heron

  

  The Agami Heron might be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. It’s undoubtedly one of the most unseen.

  The reclusive bird resides in the wetland habitats of Central America, stretching south to Peru and Brazil.

  One would think its elaborate plumage and a silvery splash of neck plumes would make it easy to spot. Brazilians nicknamed it “Soco beija-flor” or “hummingbird heronin” for a reason.

  But the medium-sized bird also has short legs and incredible stillness, making it hard to find in the humid tropical lowlands.

  Highly secretive and shy bird

  The Agami Heron’s quiet nature — the animal is known to wait for hours for the perfect catch using its dagger-like bill — makes it challenging to identify in and under backwater vegetation where it lurks.

  This secretive and shy tropical bird is also known as the Chestnut-bellied Heron and is the only member of the genus Agamia.

  

  

  

  

  The Agami Heron might be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. It’s undoubtedly one of the most unseen. The reclusive bird resides in the wetland habitats of Central America, stretching south to Peru and Brazil. One would think its elaborate plumage and a silvery splash of neck plumes would make it easy […]

  Wells Baum

  July 15, 2022

  Animals, Nature

  animals, birds, heron, Nature

• The Wave in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

  

  The Wave is a sandstone rock formation located in North Coyote Buttes of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on the Arizona and Utah borders.

  The swirling stone waves combine water and wind eroded sandstone dunes, calcified vertically and horizontally, and fossilized over 190 million years. The rich red-vermilion rocks get their colors from iron oxide pigments.

  Only 20 people can visit The Wave in Vermilion Cliffs daily, reachable exclusively by foot through a challenging 6.5 mil round-trip terrain. The distinct rock formation rests 3,000 feet above the benchland below. 

  The scene offers some of the best photography of public lands in the United States.

  

  

  

  The Wave is a sandstone rock formation located in North Coyote Buttes of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on the Arizona and Utah borders. The swirling stone waves combine water and wind eroded sandstone dunes, calcified vertically and horizontally, and fossilized over 190 million years. The rich red-vermilion rocks get their colors from iron oxide pigments. Only […]

  Wells Baum

  July 8, 2022

  Nature, Science, Travel

  Arizona, Ecology, Nature, Rocks, science, Travel

• Germany’s “Devil’s Bridge” makes a spectacular optical illusion

  

  The Devil’s Bridge (Rakotzbrücke) is a 19th-century stone bridge located in the 200-acre Rhododendron Park in Kromlau, Saxony, Germany. 

  Legend says that not only did the devil build the structure, but Satan himself should be the only one to cross it. After all, it looks like a passageway to another world or, even more mysteriously, a massive serpent’s eye.

  The bridge’s reflection paints an eerie picture

  With a perfect parabola and basalt spires, no wonder Hollywood decided to use the legendary bridge in the 2021 film Matrix Resurrections.

  The arched bridge reflects a perfect circle over the water of Lake Rakotzsee below. The resulting optical illusion makes the bridge fit flawlessly into the surrounding picturesque nature. Perhaps they should rename the ancient bridge “fairy-tale bridge.”

  No one’s allowed to walk the bridge, nor even touch it. But it doesn’t hurt to look if the gigantic diabolical eye isn’t already staring at you.  

  

  

  

  

  The Devil’s Bridge (Rakotzbrücke) is a 19th-century stone bridge located in the 200-acre Rhododendron Park in Kromlau, Saxony, Germany.  Legend says that not only did the devil build the structure, but Satan himself should be the only one to cross it. After all, it looks like a passageway to another world or, even more mysteriously, a massive […]

  Wells Baum

  July 1, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Bridge, Devil’s Bridge, Germany, Nature, Travel