Jump to content

Geography fun facts and oddities: Difference between revisions

no edit summary
No edit summary
Line 4: Line 4:
* [[Geography bee|Geography bee]]
* [[Geography bee|Geography bee]]
* [[Geography vocabulary|Geography vocabulary]]
* [[Geography vocabulary|Geography vocabulary]]
* [[Category:Geography]]
* [[Category:Geography]]
* [[Category:Geography bee]]
* [[Category:Geography bee]]
Line 22: Line 20:


=== Earthquakes ===
=== Earthquakes ===
[[File:East vs West Coast Earthquakes USGS.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This map shows that East Coast earthquakes travel much farther than West Coast earthquakes of similar magnitude (wiki)]]
* 5-largest recorded earthquakes by magnitude:
* 5-largest recorded earthquakes by magnitude:
# [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Valdivia_earthquake 9.4-9.5 1960 Valdivia earthquake, Chile]]
# [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Valdivia_earthquake 9.4-9.5 1960 Valdivia earthquake, Chile]]
Line 41: Line 38:
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Virginia_earthquake Virginia earthquake, 2011 (wiki)]]
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Virginia_earthquake Virginia earthquake, 2011 (wiki)]]
</div>
</div>
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Earthquakes gallery">
File:East vs West Coast Earthquakes USGS.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This map shows that East Coast earthquakes travel much farther than West Coast earthquakes of similar magnitude (wiki)
</gallery>
=== Mountains ===
=== Mountains ===
[[File:Kirkjufell in Iceland.jpg|thumb|The Kirkjufell mountain in Iceland.]]
* Kirkjufell, Iceland
* Kirkjufell, Iceland
** a mountain formed of volcanic rock, but not itself a volcano
** a mountain formed of volcanic rock, but not itself a volcano
Line 49: Line 50:
** known for it serene waters which reflect the mountain and beautiful seasonal waterfalls (thus the name)
** known for it serene waters which reflect the mountain and beautiful seasonal waterfalls (thus the name)
** was location for two seasons of "Game of Thrones" series
** was location for two seasons of "Game of Thrones" series
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkjufell
** see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkjufell
 
* Vinicunca, Peru
* Vinicunca, Peru
* located in southern Peru, two hours from Cusco
* located in southern Peru, two hours from Cusco
Line 58: Line 58:
* it was covered by an ice cap until the 1990s
* it was covered by an ice cap until the 1990s
* as the ice melted, its unique, colored stripes were revealed
* as the ice melted, its unique, colored stripes were revealed
[[File:Rainbow Mountain Peru.jpg|thumb|The Colored stripes of Mt. Vinicunca, Peru, known in English as the "Rainbow Mountain"]]
 
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Mountains gallery">
File:Kirkjufell in Iceland.jpg|thumb|The Kirkjufell mountain in Iceland.
File:Rainbow Mountain Peru.jpg|thumb|The Colored stripes of Mt. Vinicunca, Peru, known in English as the "Rainbow Mountain"
</gallery>


=== Volcanos ===
=== Volcanos ===
[[File:Mt.Mayon tam3rd.jpg|thumb|Mt.Mayon, Philippines, with a "perfect" cone (wikipedia)]]
* '''Mt. Mayon, Philippines'''
* '''Mt. Mayon, Philippines'''
** a stratovolcano that has a near-perfectly symmetric, or "perfect", cone
** a stratovolcano that has a near-perfectly symmetric, or "perfect", cone
Line 67: Line 70:
** traditionally worshipped
** traditionally worshipped
** see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayon
** see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayon
[[File:Lanzarote 5 Luc Viatour.jpg|thumb|Lanzarote 5 Luc Viatour|alt=Lanzarote 5 Luc Viatour.jpg|World's longest "lava tube" (wikipedia)]]
* '''Cueva de los Verdes ("the cave of Verdes")'''
* '''Cueva de los Verdes ("the cave of Verdes")'''
** world's longest "lava tube" was created 3,000 years ago by the eruption of Monte Corona, Canary Islands
** world's longest "lava tube" was created 3,000 years ago by the eruption of Monte Corona, Canary Islands
Line 78: Line 80:
** a Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched to observe the eruption and instead saw a man standing by spray-painted show reading, "APRIL FOOL."
** a Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched to observe the eruption and instead saw a man standing by spray-painted show reading, "APRIL FOOL."
** see https://www.iflscience.com/environment/the-greatest-april-fools-day-prank-of-all-time-took-four-years-to-plan-and-involved-a-volcano/ Greatest April Fools Day Prank of All Time (iflscience.com)]
** see https://www.iflscience.com/environment/the-greatest-april-fools-day-prank-of-all-time-took-four-years-to-plan-and-involved-a-volcano/ Greatest April Fools Day Prank of All Time (iflscience.com)]
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Volcanos gallery">
File:Mt.Mayon tam3rd.jpg|thumb|Mt.Mayon, Philippines, with a "perfect" cone (wikipedia)
File:Lanzarote 5 Luc Viatour.jpg|thumb|Lanzarote 5 Luc Viatour|alt=Lanzarote 5 Luc Viatour.jpg|World's longest "lava tube" (wikipedia)
</gallery>


=== Rocks ===
=== Rocks ===
==== Famous rocks ====
==== Famous rocks ====
* '''Devil's Tower'''
* '''Devil's Tower'''
[[File:Devils Tower Darton 1900.jpg|thumb||150px|Devils Tower, 1900 (wiki)]]
* click EXPAND for details on Devil's Tower
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
** a butte formation in Wyoming that abruptly juts out of the landscape 1,267 ft high
** a butte formation in Wyoming that abruptly juts out of the landscape 1,267 ft high
** the name comes from an English misinterpretation of the Native American name for it
** the name comes from an English misinterpretation of the Native American name for it
*** the native name is "bear's house" (among others) and was understood in English by a US Army expedition leader as "Bad God's Tower," thus "Devil's Tower"
*** the native name is "bear's house" (among others) and was understood in English by a US Army expedition leader as "Bad God's Tower," thus "Devil's Tower"
*** a Native American legend of its origin is that young girls where chased by bears, and their prayers for salvation were answered by the "Great Spirit" by lifting the rock they sat upon into the air, out of reach from the bears, whose claws scratched marks into the sides of the rock while trying to reach them.  
*** a Native American legend of its origin is that young girls where chased by bears, and their prayers for salvation were answered by the "Great Spirit" by lifting the rock they sat upon into the air, out of reach from the bears, whose claws scratched marks into the sides of the rock while trying to reach them.  
* See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower Devil's Tower (wiki)]]
** See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower Devil's Tower (wiki)]]
</div>
* '''Independence Rock'''  
* '''Independence Rock'''  
[[File:Oregon Trail's Independence Rock 1870.gif|thumb|200px|right|Oregon Trail's Independence Rock 1870 (wiki)]]
** famous for unique formation and 19th century graffiti  
* famous for unique formation and 19th century graffiti  
** a 130 ft high granite rock in Wyoming that sticks up out of the prairie
* click EXPAND for details and more images of Independence Rock
** located at the southeast end of the Granite Mountains
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
** served as a landmark for 19th century western settlers, some of whom carved their names on the rock and some of which are still visible
[[File:Independence Rock, Wyoming, USA, July 2015.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Independence Rock, Wyoming, USA, July 2015 (wiki)]]
[[File:Independence rock names 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Independence rock names 1 (wiki)]]
* a 130 ft high granite rock in Wyoming that sticks up out of the prairie
* located at the southeast end of the Granite Mountains
* served as a landmark for 19th century western settlers, some of whom carved their names on the rock and some of which are still visible
</div>
* '''Pompy's Tower" (Pompey's Pillar National Monument)'''
* '''Pompy's Tower" (Pompey's Pillar National Monument)'''
** famous for inscription by William Clark from 1806
** famous for inscription by William Clark from 1806
* click EXPAND for details and image of Pompey's Pillar
** rock formation rising from the Montana plain
** 150 ft tall, located near the Yellowstone River
** one of the smallest National Monuments in the US (21 acre site)
** famous for its graffiti,
*** including an inscription by William ** William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1803-06) inscribed his name on the rock on July 25, 1806
* click EXPAND for Clark's journal entry of that day regarding the rock:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
[[File:Pompeys_Pillar_NM_(9424545304).jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Pompey's Pillary National Monument (wiki)]]
* rock formation rising from the Montana plain
* 150 ft tall, located near the Yellowstone River
* one of the smallest National Monuments in the US (21 acre site)
* famous for its graffiti:
** William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1803-06) inscribed his name on the rock on July 25, 1806
[[File:Popi_sig550.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|William Clark's inscription on the rock, 1806 (wiki)]]
** Clark's journal entry of that day:
** <pre>“This rock which I shall Call Pompy's Tower is 200 feet high and 400 paces in secumphrance… The nativs have ingraved on the face of this rock the figures of animals &c. near which I marked my name and the day of the month & year.”
** <pre>“This rock which I shall Call Pompy's Tower is 200 feet high and 400 paces in secumphrance… The nativs have ingraved on the face of this rock the figures of animals &c. near which I marked my name and the day of the month & year.”
** he named it "Pompy's Tower" after his nickname for the son of his translators, Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau</pre>
** he named it "Pompy's Tower" after his nickname for the son of his translators, Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau</pre>
Line 123: Line 115:
</div>
</div>
* '''Three Sisters''' or '''Three Sisters Islands'''  
* '''Three Sisters''' or '''Three Sisters Islands'''  
* click EXPAND for image, details and info on & legends behind the name of the rocks:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
[[File:The Three Sisters islets, DC.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The Three Sisters islets, DC (wiki)]]
** three rocky islands in the Potomac River in Washington, DC
** three rocky islands in the Potomac River in Washington, DC
*** three Native American sisters who died crossing the river there while trying to rescue their brothers who had been kidnapped by another tribe
*** three Native American sisters who died crossing the river there while trying to rescue their brothers who had been kidnapped by another tribe
Line 132: Line 121:
See: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(District_of_Columbia) Three Sisters (wiki)]]
See: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(District_of_Columbia) Three Sisters (wiki)]]
</div>
</div>
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Famous Rocks gallery">
File:Devils Tower Darton 1900.jpg|thumb||150px|Devils Tower, 1900 (wiki)
File:Oregon Trail's Independence Rock 1870.gif|thumb|200px|right|Oregon Trail's Independence Rock 1870 (wiki)
File:Independence Rock, Wyoming, USA, July 2015.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Independence Rock, Wyoming, USA, July 2015 (wiki)
File:Independence rock names 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Independence rock names 1 (wiki)
File:Pompeys_Pillar_NM_(9424545304).jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Pompey's Pillary National Monument (wiki)
File:Popi_sig550.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|William Clark's inscription on the rock, 1806 (wiki)
File:The Three Sisters islets, DC.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The Three Sisters islets, DC (wiki)
</gallery>


==== Glacial erratic rocks ====
==== Glacial erratic rocks ====
[[File:Boulder, Madison, NH.jpg|thumb|The Madison Boulder, Madison, NH, the largest glacial erratic rock in North America]]
* rocks that are moved to one place from another by glaciers
* rocks that are moved to one place from another by glaciers
** and that are dissimilar (not like) the rocks where they are found
** and that are dissimilar (not like) the rocks where they are found
Line 143: Line 141:
** it is of granite, while there is no other granite nearby
** it is of granite, while there is no other granite nearby
*** thereby, we can know it was moved to that location by glaciers
*** thereby, we can know it was moved to that location by glaciers
click EXPAND for more images of glacial erratic rocks
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
[[File:Schokland, zwerfsteen bij ingang museum-restaurant foto6 2013-04-28 13.02.jpg|thumb|Glacial erratics from Norway on Schokland in the Netherlands.]]
[[File:Erratics-Cascades-PB110028.JPG|thumb|Multiple erratics on the terminal moraine of the Okanogan Lobe. Cascade mountains in the background.]]
[[File:Doane Rock.jpeg|thumb|Doane Rock, at Cape Cod National Seashore]]
[[File:Yeager-Rock-Erractic-PB110039.JPG|thumb|Yeager Rock, a 400-metric-ton (440-short-ton) boulder on the Waterville Plateau, Washington. Although transported by a glacier, this boulder is not a true erratic because it is of the same lithology of the underlying, till-blanketed, bedrock. Note the glacial till below the rock.]]
[[File:Angular glacial erratic on Lambert Dome-750px.jpg|thumb|Angular glacial erratic on Lembert Dome.]]
[[File:A079, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA, balanced rock, 2002.jpg|thumb|Bubble Rock, Acadia National Park, Maine]]
</div>
see  
see  
* https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/madison-boulder-natural-area
* https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/madison-boulder-natural-area
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacial_erratic
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacial_erratic
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Glacial Erratic Rocks gallery">
File:Boulder, Madison, NH.jpg|thumb|The Madison Boulder, Madison, NH, the largest glacial erratic rock in North America
File:Schokland, zwerfsteen bij ingang museum-restaurant foto6 2013-04-28 13.02.jpg|thumb|Glacial erratics from Norway on Schokland in the Netherlands.
File:Erratics-Cascades-PB110028.JPG|thumb|Multiple erratics on the terminal moraine of the Okanogan Lobe. Cascade mountains in the background.
File:Doane Rock.jpeg|thumb|Doane Rock, at Cape Cod National Seashore
File:Yeager-Rock-Erractic-PB110039.JPG|thumb|Yeager Rock, a 400-metric-ton (440-short-ton) boulder on the Waterville Plateau, Washington. Although transported by a glacier, this boulder is not a true erratic because it is of the same lithology of the underlying, till-blanketed, bedrock. Note the glacial till below the rock.
File:Angular glacial erratic on Lambert Dome-750px.jpg|thumb|Angular glacial erratic on Lembert Dome.
File:A079, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA, balanced rock, 2002.jpg|thumb|Bubble Rock, Acadia National Park, Maine
</gallery>


=== Sinkholes ===
=== Sinkholes ===
[[File:Thor's Well (37588682016).jpg|250px|border|right|thumb|Thor's Well: a sinkhole on the coast of Cape Perpetua, Oregon]]
* sinkholes are holes or caves in the ground caused by erosion or a collapse of a lower, below-ground surface, usually because of water drainage
* sinkholes are holes or caves in the ground caused by erosion or a collapse of a lower, below-ground surface, usually because of water drainage
** sinkholes may also be caused by a drainage of water, such as a water table decline
** sinkholes may also be caused by a drainage of water, such as a water table decline
Line 164: Line 162:
** a sinkhole on the coast of Cape Perpetua, Oregon, that drains at high tides
** a sinkhole on the coast of Cape Perpetua, Oregon, that drains at high tides
* '''Golly Hole''' in Alabama is considered the largest sinkhole in the US.  
* '''Golly Hole''' in Alabama is considered the largest sinkhole in the US.  
Click EXPAND for image and details on Golly Hole
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
[[File:December Giant sinkhole collapse USGS 1972.jpg|right|250px|thumb|More than three acres of forest suddenly disappeared into the "Golly Hole" or "December Giant" sinkhole in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. (wiki)]]
** also known as the "December Giant," it formed in 1972 after water drainage at a nearby quarry,  
** also known as the "December Giant," it formed in 1972 after water drainage at a nearby quarry,  
** it is 325 ft long, 300 ft wide, and 120 ft deep
** it is 325 ft long, 300 ft wide, and 120 ft deep
* source: [[https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-largest-sinkhole-united-states?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products What is the largest sinkhole in the United States? (usgs.gov)]]
* source: [[https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-largest-sinkhole-united-states?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products What is the largest sinkhole in the United States? (usgs.gov)]]
</div>
* For more on sinkholes:
* For more on sinkholes:
** [[https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/sinkholes?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects SinkHoles (USGS.gov)]]
** [[https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/sinkholes?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects SinkHoles (USGS.gov)]]
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole Sinkhole (wiki)]]
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole Sinkhole (wiki)]]
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Sinkholes gallery">
File:Thor's Well (37588682016).jpg|250px|border|right|thumb|Thor's Well: a sinkhole on the coast of Cape Perpetua, Oregon
File:December Giant sinkhole collapse USGS 1972.jpg|right|250px|thumb|More than three acres of forest suddenly disappeared into the "Golly Hole" or "December Giant" sinkhole in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. (wiki)
</gallery>


=== Tsunamis ===
=== Tsunamis ===