Here is a captivating new introduction to the world's most fascinating caves. Caves explores every nook and cranny of these nature-made creations, including lava caves, sea caves, and glacial caves, from Kentucky's Mammoth Cave, to the amazing Paleolithic paintings of Lascaux, to Fingal's Cave of Scotland, which inspired Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture. Engrossing facts about the geologic origins of these underground voids, their astonishing speleothems, or formations, such as stalactites and stalagmites, and the microscopic extremophile organisms that dwell within are enhanced by exciting black-and-white photographs, a full-color insert, and a wealth of other educational resources for further exploration. In the Field sections discuss fluid dynamics, carbon-14 dating, mud polarity, volcanic tremors, and additional related subjects.

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Excerpted from Caves by Jeanne K. Hanson
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.