The word cave comes from Latin: cavus, meaning “hollow in the ground”. It has different definitions depending on the area of study. A cave can also be called a cavern, grotto or an abyss. Caverns have served as a constant source of intrigue and fascination for people from all over. They are intriguing not just in their appearance, but in their origins. There is so much more to learn about them, so many mysteries left unsolved. As more research is conducted, the more we can find reasons to protect this fragile environment. This post explores what makes caverns so interesting and special, how they form, the variety of life that depends on them, and the human history of cave exploration. Are you ready to learn seven interesting facts about some cool caverns? Let’s get started.
#1
Some grottoes, such as those in the Mendip Hills in England and the Jenolan Caves in New South Wales, Australia had emerged when limestone dissolved and eroded due to acidic waters on the surface. Others result from lava tube caverns within volcanos. The vast Coxcomb Mountains Cave System in Nevada was created by an underground river and is about sixty five million years old. There are also glacier caverns forming underground ice tunnels which can be found all over the world. Cool, isn’t it?
#2
Caverns are fascinating places. They have a long history and serve many different functions. They are also home for unique organisms that have evolved to survive in the darkness within their confines but not for human beings. You see, caves take almost 100,000 years to develop enough space for one person to be able to squeeze into the formation though.
#3
Caverns have played an important role as sacred spaces throughout history. From religious rituals to survival, caves have been a part of everyday human life. Today, we create museums and galleries in underground locations that are repurposed old caves. Many ancient civilizations are known for building elaborate temples, pyramids, and other structures. The Mayans are no exception to this – they constructed grand buildings that used cut stones and beautifully painted frescoes. It seems counterintuitive that some Mayan temples had cave-like qualities.
#4
Caves are naturally cool, dark, and humid. They provide safe shelter from extreme temperatures, predators and human activity. Caves contribute to the biodiversity of an area and are home to many ecosystems that might not otherwise exist. Perhaps the most interesting use of a cave was as a temporary shelter for the soldiers in the late 1940s. The Reed Flute Caves, also referred to as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, are a collection of the Mogao caves and grottoes in China. It was the shelter for a group of soldiers during World War 2.
#5
The Mexican caverns boast the world’s biggest crystals, which are largely found growing in hidden underground habitats of Cueva de los Cristales which means “Cave of Crystals”. Two miners discovered this grotto at a depth of about three hundred meters underground while digging a fresh cavern for Industrias Peñoles in 2000th.
#6
A glacier grotto is a nearly horizontal cave formed within a glacier. The process of their formation involves meltwater that seeps into the glacier, then as the water refreezes and expands in volume it cracks the rock wall of the glacier, which subsequently enlarges to form caves. Originally, thousands of caverns were found beneath Paradise Glacier on Mount Rainier in Washington. The American’s glacier caves were first detected by explorers in 1908. Though the cave locations were kept secret, they drew such large crowds that railroads were constructed. As the soft ice formations were easily damaged, the caves slowly disappeared over 100 years of exposure to the sun.
#7
Caverns are a very unique habitat, one that neither humans nor most animals can survive in. Nevertheless, there exist many species of animals and plants that have adapted to this extreme environment. For most species of troglobites, the ability to live in this type of habitat is essential for their survival. Recent discoveries have also shown that some cave-adapted animals may be much older than previously believed. The animals have lost their sight due to the fact that there is no light in caves and they need to use other senses. They have become adapted to the darkness of the cragged cave walls and avoid predators and food by the use of their acute hearing, smell, feeling and taste. Some live underground in water filled tubes or caves on land while others like crickets, ants, spiders and beetles eat rocks, plants and other dead insects which fall into caves.