A Farmer Found This Hole In A Rock.

a reply to: purplemer

I think I read about that cave in a National Geographic once. Very cool what we still have to open our eyes to see.

a reply to: purplemer

It has no top and is exposed to the sun. So it's not a cave and not impressive.

a reply to: purplemer

If I found that I would never tell anyone about it. It would be my little slice of natures heaven.

Color me selfish.

originally posted by: onehuman
a reply to: purplemer

I'm curious as to what exactly those little balls are in the spirals in picture 4? You have any idea? I was hoping there would be a caption for them at the link, but there wasn't for them specifically anyway. Great post btw.

i think they are rare pearls

a reply to: onehuman

Really, pic 5... but yeah, I'm having a little trouble trying to figure that image out as far as geo processes to make it... looks like alluvial rills around jumbles of water smoothed rocks ... but wow-wee... a little too organized looking!

Maybe a collection of ant-man eggs?

Awesomeness within awesomeness.... I imagine that deeper down, there are even more mind blowing vistas to see... all that's missing is a little light to see it... and a way in that doesn't involve molten rock.

Crystal caves are incredible, too...

a reply to: purplemer


The fifth image triggered my trypophobia. Thank you for the nightmares OP

originally posted by: onehuman
a reply to: purplemer

I'm curious as to what exactly those little balls are in the spirals in picture 4? You have any idea? I was hoping there would be a caption for them at the link, but there wasn't for them specifically anyway. Great post btw.

They are called Cave Pearls. They are formed when calcium starts layering over a speck of sand or something.
The roundness comes from the pearl being tumbled by moving water.
From the looks of the picture water with a lot of calcium in it flowed over the formation. The little pools formed pockets that the cave pearls formed in, kind of acting like a natural tumbler.

I used to do a lot of cave exploring in college and worked as a tour guide at Cumberland caverns in Tennessee for a bit.
Sleeping in a cave is not a lot of fun. Not sure about the conditions in a Vietnam cave are but in the South Eastern US caves the temp are around 50 to 60 degress with a high humidity. Bring a good sleeping bag a better slepping pad.

a reply to: purplemer

I remember reading about this cave system a few years ago. Glad to see that they now have guided tours but I hope they tread lightly and leave no trace. That is definitely one of the most beautiful places on Earth, IMHO.

I read in the link from the OP that they felt the cave was "considered" to be 87 miles long, so I am going to assume they've only explored a small portion of the system so far. Will be interesting to find out more when it has been explored all the way to the end...

a reply to: purplemer

nice, but if i found something like this i would never mention it to anyone
now tourists will come there and mess it up

I defn plan on seeing this one day. The drone video I watched twice, kinda left me speechless

a reply to: purplemer
WOW, that really stimulates the imagination! Thanks
for an awesome post OP.

Rebel 5

a reply to: purplemer that is total BS how does the sunlight get in?

a reply to: purplemer -- Great post!! And, MANY thanks for sharing. There is so much wonder that has yet to be found... i'm sure many people in Vietnam knew of this cave... But to finally make its way across the world is awesome. I'm sure there are hundreds, maybe thousands of caves like this across the world, buried so deep they have to be discovered. From new species new and extinct to caves and the distant Universe...

Who was it who wrote that book about an entire ecosystem in "Middle Earth"?? Is that Jules Vern "Journey to the Center of the Earth"??? its such an awe inspiring fictional tale, makes me wonder that it has a grain of truth when discoveries like this are made!! I only wish I am still around for all the new discoveries that will be found in the coming years and decades!!

a reply to: rebelv

Hello Rebel 5

Thank you for the reply... Glad you enyoyed thread.

purp..

Sorry for lack of replies peeps I had to go away working back no for a few days..

purp..

Sorry for lack of replies peeps I had to go away working back no for a few days..

purp..

originally posted by: NihilistSanta
a reply to: purplemer


The fifth image triggered my trypophobia. Thank you for the nightmares OP

Pleasent Nightmares..

purp..