Tag: Nature

• 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

• How the Jesus Christ Lizard runs on water

  

  You’ve got to see it to believe it. The Emerald Basilisk Lizard, also known as the Jesus Christ Lizard, can run on water like Jesus.

  That’s right — this little green dragon has elongated toes with specialized skin that unfold like umbrellas, allowing the creature to scurry across the water on its hind legs and escape would-be predators.

  Meet the Jesus Christ Lizard #funny pic.twitter.com/bTi2oZKAnp

  — Smiley Animal Planet (@Cheer_up_Pics) November 22, 2015

  So fast it can run on the surface of water

  In reality, these reptiles sprint on self-made air bubbles, which, combined with their upward body motion and counterweight tail, help thrust them above water to avoid sinking. They can run 5 feet in 1 second. But they don’t mind taking the occasional swim either.

  But good luck finding one — the obscure Jesus Christ lizard lives in the rainforests of Central America, primarily Southern Mexico, Costa Rica, and Northern Colombia. They average a foot in length and can weight up to a pound.

  

  

  

  You’ve got to see it to believe it. The Emerald Basilisk Lizard, also known as the Jesus Christ Lizard, can run on water like Jesus. That’s right — this little green dragon has elongated toes with specialized skin that unfold like umbrellas, allowing the creature to scurry across the water on its hind legs and […]

  Wells Baum

  June 23, 2022

  Animals

  animals, lizard, Nature

• The brilliantly colorful Fly Geyser of Nevada

  

  Located in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada is a small Geothermal geyser that looks like an alien-form bursting with life: The Fly Geyser.

  The Fly Geyser resulted from a man-made drilling accident in 1916 when someone went drilling for a water source. Instead, they penetrated a pool that spewed 200°F of scalding hot water that flowed from a group of conical rocks.

  A marvel born of multiple human errors

  Another nearby drilling incident in 1964 created the multiple fountain cones today. Calcium carbonate and silica deposits built up over time to give the sprout its imaginary shape with psychedelic green and red-colored thermophilic algae.

  The conic openings are about 6 feet high, buttressed on a 12-foot wide mound.

  Tours for the Fly Geyser operate on private land owned by the Burning Man Project. Be reassured that boiling water still shoots over 5 ft into the air. 

  

  

  

  Located in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada is a small Geothermal geyser that looks like an alien-form bursting with life: The Fly Geyser. The Fly Geyser resulted from a man-made drilling accident in 1916 when someone went drilling for a water source. Instead, they penetrated a pool that spewed 200°F of scalding hot water […]

  Wells Baum

  June 17, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  geology, Nature, Nevada, Travel

• Meet the Eye of Earth, Croatia’s Cetina Cave Spring

  

  The Eye of Earth is a karst spring located in Croatia’s Mount Dinara Nature Park. Its unique blend of blue and emerald green color makes it look like a dragon’s eye from above.

  The small body of water is the primary source of the Cetina River, which flows from the northwestern slopes of Dinara — 6,000 feet above sea level — down through southern Croatia.

  No one knows the precise depth of the cave containing the crystal clear water, but it is suspected to be more than 300 feet deep.

  However, this hidden gem is no easy dive or swim, as the water is frigid. Temperatures can go as low as 46.4F, even during 95F summers — quite the opposite of a hot spring!

  

  

  

  The Eye of Earth is a karst spring located in Croatia’s Mount Dinara Nature Park. Its unique blend of blue and emerald green color makes it look like a dragon’s eye from above. The small body of water is the primary source of the Cetina River, which flows from the northwestern slopes of Dinara — […]

  Wells Baum

  June 13, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Croatia, Earth, Nature

• Guyana’s Kaieteur Falls is the largest single drop waterfall in the world

  

  The tallest single drop waterfall in the world is tucked away deep in the Amazon rainforests.

  Kaieteur Falls in Guyana is four and half times the height of Niagara Falls and double the height of Victoria Falls. But what makes this 741-foot cliff-face unique is the massive volume of water that pours over the edge.

  At an average flow rate of 23,400 cubic feet per second — a rush of 30,000 gallons of water — Kaieteur Falls takes the cake as the tallest single drop waterfall in the world.

  The steep drop and ferocious waterfall are something to marvel at for a primarily flat country with nearly 100% of its rainforest intact.

  Tourists who want to feel like they’re living on the edge of the world can visit the waterfall in a day’s trip by booking a flight from one of the two Georgetown airports and then taking a guided hike. There’s also a more intensive hiking and Potaro River route.

  

  

  The tallest single drop waterfall in the world is tucked away deep in the Amazon rainforests. Kaieteur Falls in Guyana is four and half times the height of Niagara Falls and double the height of Victoria Falls. But what makes this 741-foot cliff-face unique is the massive volume of water that pours over the edge. […]

  Wells Baum

  June 2, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Guyana, Nature, Potaro River, rainforest, Travel, waterfall

• The crystal clear waters of Blue Nelson Lake, New Zealand

  

  The Blue Lake in Nelson, New Zealand, or Rotomairewhenua (“land of peaceful waters” in Māori name), contains the clearest natural body of fresh water on Earth. The water is so lucid, as visually transparent as distilled water, that one can see down up to 262 feet down into the lake.

  The beautiful Southern Alps surrounding the remote lake amplify its distinct natural colors of blue and green as given by the algae and plant life.

  To maintain the lake’s purity, the Nelson Lakes National Park prohibits visitors from swimming or bathing items in the lake to avoid contamination. After all, the lake is considered sacred to the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō people.

  

  

  The Blue Lake in Nelson, New Zealand, or Rotomairewhenua (“land of peaceful waters” in Māori name), contains the clearest natural body of fresh water on Earth. The water is so lucid, as visually transparent as distilled water, that one can see down up to 262 feet down into the lake. The beautiful Southern Alps surrounding […]

  Wells Baum

  May 24, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Nature, New Zealand, Travel, water

• Waterfall of the Bride in Peru

  

  Is nature greater than any human artist?

  There’s a beautiful 165-foot waterfall outside the city of Cajamarca, Peru, that forms the shape of a bride in her wedding dress.

  Ghost in the water

  The water source for the cascade is a cave that starts 650 feet above the falls. The hidden cave and sudden barrage of whiteness create a phenomenon known as pareidolia, where people see shapes in objects. In this case, the waterfall gives the ghostly impression of a lady wearing a white veil.

  Known as “Cascada La Novia” by locals, Bride’s Waterfall takes its name from settlers who believed that the waterfall was formed to commemorate the tragic loss of a woman’s soon-to-be husband. The bride wished the waterfall into creation after her father killed her finance.

  Below is the tragic story according to the legend.

  “In times of yore, a couple of lovers who loved each other deeply despite the rivalry of their families, decided to get married, but on the big day so special for both, the father of the bride took a rifle and shoots the groom propitiating him the death instantaneously, this act caused the bride wrapped in tears and with a huge grief to run out with her beautiful dress towards the mountains, and being there when she could not bear the sadness of losing her beloved, she made a pact with the Apu and the Pachamama, which turned it into a beautiful waterfall, so that everyone could appreciate its beauty for all eternity.”

  For those looking to travel to the destination, consider giving some of these tourist videos a view.

  

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Miguel Oliva | 📸🌿 (@miguel.oliva10)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by 𝙑𝙞𝙖𝙟𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙨 (@viajernautas)

  Is nature greater than any human artist? There’s a beautiful 165-foot waterfall outside the city of Cajamarca, Peru, that forms the shape of a bride in her wedding dress. Ghost in the water The water source for the cascade is a cave that starts 650 feet above the falls. The hidden cave and sudden barrage […]

  Wells Baum

  April 15, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Nature, Peru, waterfall

• Walking the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks

  

  The Hopewell Rocks is a series of sandstone pillars along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada.

  The unique-looking rock formations, cliffs, and coves result from centuries of tidal erosion, yet another reminder of how nature crafts its own beauty.

  Home to the highest tides in the world

  The tides at the Hopewell Rocks are actually the highest globally, reaching nearly 50 feet tall and washing ashore 100 billion tons of water twice a day. The inlet’s ebb and flow of waves create a ‘bathtub effect.’

  Amazingly, the inlet is still walkable at low tide. During the summer season, tourists can walk the ocean floor in the morning and even kayak on the same day.

  

  

  

  

  

  Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick. 45 foot swing between low and high tides. Cool place. pic.twitter.com/624ADao7e4

  — Dave (@SpotTheLoon2010) May 23, 2021

  The Hopewell Rocks is a series of sandstone pillars along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. The unique-looking rock formations, cliffs, and coves result from centuries of tidal erosion, yet another reminder of how nature crafts its own beauty. Home to the highest tides in the world The tides at the […]

  Wells Baum

  March 17, 2022

  Nature, Travel

  Canada, Nature, Rocks, Travel

• Mount Roraima: An island in the clouds

  

  Mount Roraima is a tabletop mountain located in the deep rainforest of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. It serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil.

  Mount Roraima forms the highest peak of the Pakaraima chain of Tepuis plateaus in South America, standing 9,200 feet with a 12-square-mile summit area and 1,300-foot tall cliffs. It’s no wonder that Roraima and the surrounding highlands look like islands floating in the sky on a cloudy day.

  Mount Roraima is one of the oldest geological formations on Earth

  A roaring beauty that dates back two billion years to the Precambrian era, Mount Roraima is often referred to as the lost world. Dinosaurs likely roamed this high and flat land, which remains rich in unusual species of plants and animals.

  At the top of the mountain are rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and caves, looking like a picturesque scene out of Jurassic Park.

  

  

  

  Mount Roraima is a tabletop mountain located in the deep rainforest of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. It serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Mount Roraima forms the highest peak of the Pakaraima chain of Tepuis plateaus in South America, standing 9,200 feet with a 12-square-mile summit area and 1,300-foot tall cliffs. It’s no wonder […]

  Wells Baum

  March 16, 2022

  Nature

  Mount Roraima, mountain, Nature, South America, Travel, Venezuela