Carcross Desert - The Smallest Desert In The World

As you all know that most of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans that make up 71% of the surface of the Earth, and the remaining 29% is for land. But do you know what percentage of the land surface is covered by deserts? It is about 1 / 3rd or 33%. You must have read somewhere about large deserts like Sahara or Rub' al Khali, but today we will talk about the world's smallest desert, Carcross desert. The Carcross Desert is located in Yukon Territory, Canada, and has an area of just one square mile that can even be measured by steps. The village of Carcross which is known especially for its world-class mountain biking, situated near this desert and which was inhabited some 4500 years ago and is home to a total of 301 people. The Carcross Desert is on a very high altitude and for centuries the area remained out of the knowledge of the people. About 4500 years ago, Bennett Lake and Nares Lake used to merge here and at a crossing point where these two lakes meet a natural land bridge was formed. Then people started migrating and settled here in Carcross village with the help of this bridge.

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Jakub Fryš / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Carcross Desert is specifically called the Desert but it’s actually not a desert at all but a series of sand dunes. The sand is believed to have formed during the glacial period about 11,000 to 24,000 years ago when large glacial lakes formed and silt had accumulated. But when the lakes dried up, the dunes were left behind. Today, the source of sand mainly belongs to the nearby Bennett Lake, which is carried by air. The Carcross Desert receives less than 50 cm of precipitation per year, resulting in the area remains drier than the surrounding region. The dunes are home to a rare variety of plants. The plant life includes Baikal sedge and Yukon lupine, which are exceptionally rare varieties. In 1992, several attempts were made by the Yukon Territorial government to protect the desert but were unsuccessful due to the interference of the local people, as the locals use the dunes for entertainment purposes.

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Image Source - Flickr

The desert has now become a popular destination for the people around there. As the desert is being used for recreational purposes by locals, the region has many activities to perform, including sandboarding, beach volleyball, hiking, skydiving, cross-country skiing, all-terrain vehicles, and snowboarding. A popular tourist attraction of nearby White Pass and Yukon Route helps to bring many people to the Carcross area every year. The Carcross Desert is not only a favorite destination for tourists but also a research center for Canadian geologists and scientists who are trying to figure out how this small desert was able to be formed in the entire icy area. According to some geological reports, the birth of the Carcross desert is the result of the hard work of about ten thousand years of nature. Some people say that the area has become desert because the lakes had dried up, whereas this is not the case. Even today, strong sandy winds blow near Bennett Lake, causing small sand dunes to form here. The birth of this fascinating desert at this height can be attributed to the ice age, water and wind, which have altogether helped in accomplishing this amazing feat.

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The Mysterious Pokaini Forest of Latvia - The Gateway To A Parallel World

We have talked about many forests so far, many of which were scary and many were mysterious as well, especially Aokigahara Forest in Japan, Crooked Forest in Poland, Chatillon Car Graveyard in Belgium Forest, and Stone Forest in China. Today we are going to tell about another mysterious forest which is located in Latvia, named Pokaini Forest, often referred to as "The Valley of Spirits" by the locals. The Pokaini Forest is located 80 km south-west of Riga near the small town of Dobele and known especially for various myths, superstitions, and mysterious events. This place is said to have associated with magic and superstitions, was once believed to be the home of spirits, monsters, and entities, with plenty of trees, rocks, and the land itself acquiring enigmatic qualities.

The most mysterious fact about this forest is the mysterious mounds of rocks and boulders with alleged powers that are still unexplained. One of the reasons behind the existence of these stones is that they may have collected centuries ago to build a castle but never came into practice. But, this would be difficult to prove, as there is no record of such activities in the area. No one knows for what purpose these rock mounds were built, but one thing is clear that they were not used for burial because those who have examined these rocks have found no trace of human remains on them. Many of the rocks have been stated by people to be warm and have healing potential. According to traditional beliefs, the Pokaini forest is an ancient sacred site that has the power to cure all forms of illness and injury. It is believed that there was a time when pilgrims made their way here to overcome their sins and left the rocks behind to signify their burden being released. It has also been claimed by some people that these stones have an uplifting and energizing effect, and people sometimes bring offerings to increase the powers of stones. Some rocks cure diseases and some are also "dangerous" and have the opposite effect. Taking stones from the forest and bringing them home is considered dangerous.

 Image Credit - Latvia Travel

Another strange feature of the forest is its mysterious rays of lights that are experienced by people many times. There have been many reports of mysterious lights sightings in the forest, some of which are visible on the photographs. The place is considered by some to be a haunted area or even a gateway to a parallel world. Those visiting the forest say that they are also free to speak in whispers while standing at the top of the hills located quite a distance from each other. These strange experiences lead some people to believe that there is an invisible gateway to a parallel world and that an average person can have supernatural powers. While others think that the forest is a dark and dangerous place, it is better to stay away from it. The rumors of some people dying or suffering after visiting the forest have also been heard many times.

Image Credit - Latvia Travel

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Grass Globe Illusion, Paris - Is It Real Or Just A Visual Illusion

It may have happened to all of you at some point in your life when you clicked a photo and accidentally caught something else in that photo instead of the moment you have tried to capture. As a result, the photo starts showing something beautiful or horrible captured moment that actually doesn't exist, causing an illusion of the mind. The world has many fantastic optical illusions that mother nature has bequeathed to us and some are also there that are created by the best architects. Now take a look at the image below of the Grass Globe Illusion at Paris City Hall. Can you tell if it is a globe or a park? At first glance, it looks like a globe to you but it is actually a park, which is built by French artist Francois Abelanet in the illusion of looking like a globe. These kinds of stunning 3-dimensional illusions are usually made by using a projection called anamorphosis which allows creating the illusion of three dimensions when viewed from a certain angle. This wonderful 3D illusion is installed on a flat part of the lawn in front of Paris City Hall, which looks like a giant sphere when viewed from the correct position. This amazing optical illusion took a period of five days to complete the installation, requiring 1200 square meters of lawn, and 300 square meters of sedum. The incredible grass globe is 100 meters long which is even bigger than it looks in the photos.

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Mirny Diamond Mine - A Giant Hole That Is Visible From The Sky, Causing Helicopters To Disappear While Passing Over It

The Mirny town in Russia is home to one of the most productive diamond mines in the world. Mirny Diamond Mine, which is one of the largest excavations in history, and the second-largest man-made hole in the world, is located in Mirny, Yakutia, in the Siberian region of eastern Russia. This open-pit diamond mine is 1,722 feet (525 meters) deep, and 3,900 feet (1.25 kilometers) across. The excavated hole that holds the first rank is Bingham Copper Mine in Utah.

After World War 2, the soviet union was in need of money to help it rebuild and therefore, in 1955, they deployed a huge team of geologists to look for kimberlite fragments and indicator minerals. The kimberlite is usually associated with diamonds that hints at the presence of diamonds. The three geologists, Yuri Khabardin, Ekaterina Elagina, and Viktor Avdeenko, hit the motherload in the Siberian wilderness, 5000 miles east of Moscow. In 1957, Yuri Khabardin was awarded the Lenin Prize for this amazing discovery, one of Russia's top honors. After being ordered by Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin, the construction began on the open-pit Mirny diamond mine, also called the Mir mine. But this was not an easy task, as the average winter temperatures in the region were as low as -40 ° C, cold enough to freeze oil, and shatter car tires and steel. Due to the thick layer of permafrost deposited over the surface, the workers had to use jet engines to thaw the ground and explosives to break through the permafrost to get access to the underlying kimberlite. During the night, the entire mine had to be covered so that the machines could be protected from freezing and not deteriorating. Three years later, in the 1960s, the mine was able to produce large numbers of diamonds and miners were extracting approximately 10,000,000 carats of diamonds annually, a good percentage of which were gem quality. After the discovery of this mine, Russia had become the world's third-largest producer of diamonds. Today the mine is off-limits to bystanders, open-pit mining has stopped and officially they are not mining for diamonds anymore. But there is still underground mining is going on.

Along with producing diamonds, Mirny diamond mine also kept a mystery aside. Once a claim was made that when helicopters come close to the mine, the airflow from the hole actually sucks them onto the ground and make them crash. Actually, this hole is extremely large, therefore many times the helicopters passing over it have been 'sucked in’ by its downward airflow. Subsequently, the airspace above the mine is off-limits to helicopters. But there is no proof of whether the claim is true or not.

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Magdeburg Water Bridge - An Incredible Bridge That Carries River Over A River

Have you ever seen a bridge over a river through which another river flows and which also allows vessels to pass through it? If you have not seen yet, then let us tell you that there is one such bridge in the city of Magdeburg in Germany, known as Magdeburg Water Bridge. As we know, Germany is a country known for its excellent engineering, whether roads or buildings, more than one engineering example can be seen everywhere in the country. But this bridge in the city of Magdeburg is a unique example of engineering that allows ships to cross over the river rather than cars. This navigable aqueduct connects the Elbe-Havel Canal to the Mittelland Canal. When you see this bridge from the sky that is built over the Elbe river, it seems as if the river is flowing over another river, the most impressive scene to observe.

This is the longest navigable aqueduct (water bridge) in the world, which is 918 meters long, allowing large commercial ships to pass between Eastern Germany and Western Germany. The work on this project was started in the early 1930s and continued until 1942 but was then halted due to World War II and remained suspended till 1997. After that, the bridge was finally completed and opened to the public in the year 2003. The bridge incredible structure contains 24,000 tons of steel and 68,000 cubic meters of concrete. The project was completed at a total cost of 500 million Euros.


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2010 Guatemala City sinkhole - A Hole That Suddenly Appeared In The Ground

The strength of nature and human ability has no defined boundaries. From time to time on our planet earth, some natural phenomena continue to occur that affect us in a unique and different manner. On the other hand, humans have also created some very impressive things in the world using their intelligence and abilities, but sometimes these man-made things can cause big troubles for us. A hole in the ground has always been a topic of discussion for the people, but if it is made in a mysterious way, then it is even more interesting. We have written about some mysterious holes many times before, such as Mel's Hole and Darvaza gas crater, but today we are going to talk about a sinkhole that suddenly appeared in the ground in a very strange way. But before we go further, let's know what does sinkhole actually means. A sinkhole is a hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. Sinkholes can be natural or man-made.

One such staggering incident happened in Guatemala City in 2010 when a similar hole suddenly appeared in the ground. The hole was about 20 m wide and 90 m deep, and perfectly cylindrical in shape, responsible for swallowing a three-story factory. The sudden formation of this hole raised many questions among people and several reasons were attributed to its formation. Tropical Storm Agatha, the Pacaya Volcano eruption, and sewer pipes leakage were the main reasons behind the formation of this sinkhole. Guatemala City has a very high risk of sinkholes occurrence, a similar sinkhole had collapsed in 2007 in a similar fashion.


According to experts, Volcanic pumice deposits, upon which Guatemala City is built, led to the formation of this sinkhole. The city and its underground infrastructure were built in an area where the land of the first few hundred meters consists mostly of material called pumice fill, which had accumulated during previous volcanic eruptions. These pumice deposits were unconsolidated and of low density, which could easily lead to erosion. The underground leaking sewer pipes went unfixed long enough to create the conditions necessary for sinkhole formation. The fluid from a sewer eroding uncemented volcanic ash, and limestone deposits underlying Guatemala City.

Experts say that sinkholes have natural causes behind their formations, but this sinkhole was mainly artificial because sinkholes are usually formed from limestone but there are no limestone hundreds of meters beneath this city. The tropical storm Agatha is also considered another reason for the formation of this sinkhole, due to the heavy rains from the storm widened the hole's cavity, causing the sinkhole to collapse. But immediately after the sinkhole's collapse, it was started to be filled with large rocks and other debris. But due to its huge size, it took a lot of material to fill its giant empty space.

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The Most Bizarre and Unique Buildings In The World

Architecture plays a very important role in the development of a country because the strength of impressive architecture can help any country to establish its unique identity all over the world. We know many such countries today, who have made a unique recognizance in the world on the basis of the art of constructing great buildings. From time to time, we all saw a significant change in the concept of architecture around the world and today we will talk about some such buildings which are very bizarre in appearance and causing great interest. Here list of some of the strangest buildings around the world.

The Dunmore Pineapple (Scotland)

Dunmore Pineapple is one of the most impressive and wonderful art structures in the world, ranked as "the most bizarre building in Scotland". This bizarre-looking giant pineapple stands in Dunmore Park, near Airth in Stirlingshire. Dunmore Park is the ancestral home of the Earls of Dunmore, which includes a large country mansion, Dunmore House and grounds with two large walled gardens. The building contains a hothouse, which was located on the ground floor of the building and was used for growing pineapples. The building had its iconic giant pineapple added as something of an afterthought. The pineapple is about 14 meters high and is a stunning example of the stonemason's craft. Being a popular symbol of wealth and hospitality, the pineapple was adopted as a motif by architects, artisans, and craftsmen, and was appeared in art and architecture motifs.

The Basket Building (USA)

We all have baskets that we keep on using in our daily lives to hold or carry things, but have you ever seen such a big basket in which humans live? If not, then let us tell you that there is really one such big basket in the world, known as Basket Building. Yes, it is a basket building that is very beautifully and carefully designed by the architects and has given the shape of a basket. The basket building is actually the head office of the Longaberger Company in Ohio, the United States, and which looks like the exact copy of the company’s own basket because the Company is the manufacturer and distributor of handcrafted maple wood baskets and other home and lifestyle products, which was started by Dave Longaberger in 1973. At its peak in 2000, the company employed more than 8,200 people. This beautifully designed seven-story, 180,000 square foot basket building took two years to complete and was opened in 1997.

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La Pedrera (Spain)

La Pedrera is a strange looking building situated in the city of Barcelona and counted as one of the most wonderful attractions in Spain. Due to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, it is a modernist building in Barcelona. Construction of this building began in 1906 and lasted for about six years until it was completed in 1912. The building, designed by architect Antoni Gaudí, which remains at the top tier of Gowdy's achievements, is greatly appreciated for being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the most notable elements of the building is the roof, crowned with skylights, fans, chimneys, and staircase exits. Gaudí's work on the roof of La Pedrera was clearly more innovative and impressive, as the roofs of this building decorated with Barcelona pictures and postcards. The stepped roof of La Pedrera is called "the garden of warriors" because the chimneys appear to be protecting the skylights. The interior layout of the building is even more impressive and fascinating.

The Church of Hallgrímur (Iceland)

The Church of Hallgrímur is a Lutheran parish church located in Iceland, which is the most uniquely designed church in the world. Rising 74.5 meters above the streets of Reykjavík, it is the largest church in Iceland and one of the tallest buildings in the country.  It is one of the city's most visually impressive landmarks and is visible throughout the city. The most amazing fact is that the construction of this church was started in 1945, and was completed in 1986, which means it took 41 almost years to build the church. The church underwent a major restoration of the main tower in 2008 and completed the restoration process in late 2009. The church is also used as an observation tower that provides the best views of the Reykjavík city and the surrounding mountains.

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Atomium (Brussels, Belgium)

A beautiful landmark building of Atomium in Brussels is a 102 m tall giant iron crystal, replicated in shiny steel. This amazing structure of Atomium is designed by Andre Waterkeyn, has the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. A special thanks to its nine 18 m diameter stainless steel clad spheres which are connected in such a way that gives an incredible shape to this stunning structure. The other half part is done by 10 feet diameter tubes that connect the spheres along with 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the center. There are stairs, escalators and a lift (in the central, vertical tube) installed inside these tubes for the visitors. The top sphere includes a restaurant-like facility and a viewpoint, a panoramic view of Brussels.

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The Ebisu East Art Gallery (Shibuya, Tokyo)

Image Credit - Flickr

The stunning Ebisu East Art Gallery was opened in 1997 and is considered one of the coolest building structures ever known. On looking at this building, it seems as if the wall has fallen down from the outside layer of glass and the glass has started to appear from below. But this is not the case at all because the building is designed by architects in such a way that makes it a most impressive bizarre-looking building.

Stone House or Casa do Penedo (Portugal)

Image Credit - Wikipedia

The Stone House, also known as the "House of the Rock", was built in 1974. The construction of this amazing structure started in 1972 and lasted about two years. This architectural monument is located between Celorico de Basto and Fafe, in northern Portugal. The most amazing thing is that this small Portuguese cottage is built between the two large boulders, linked with a concrete mix that serves as the foundation of this unique structure. The house has an ancient-look which was inspired by the Flintstone house for its resemblance to the Stone Age. The house also serves as a small museum that retains relics and photographs from Penedo’s history. Despite being located near a wind electricity farm, there is no electricity inside the house. This unusual stone building has become a growing tourist attraction due to its rare and unusual design. An improperly sandwiched appearance between the two large boulders makes it one of the most bizarre buildings in the world.

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Lotus Temple (India)

Now when the matter is about the best architecture, how can India stay behind, we all have heard the name of the Taj Mahal, which is one of the best examples of ancient architecture. Apart from the Taj Mahal, if we talk about any other excellent building structure in India, then there is such a beautiful building that is presenting a sample of its beauty and impressive architecture, known as the Lotus Temple, which is notable for its flowerlike shape. Located in Delhi the Bahá’í Lotus Temple welcomes all religions and peoples to worship and has become a famous attraction in the city. The design for the temple is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad "petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. The nine doors open onto a gathering space with a height of slightly over 40 meters that can hold 2,500 people. Since its completion in 1986, this stylish building was officially opened to the public. Due to its elegant design, it has become one of the most visited buildings in the world.

The Lotus Building (Wujin, China)

Above we talked about Indian Lotus and now let's talk about Chinese Lotus. This incredibly designed building in the form of a lotus flower looks as if it is blooming out of an artificial lake at the center of Wujin. Taking its name and form from the blooming lotus flower, the building shows the three stages of the flower, from bud to full bloom. The building is designed and built by Australian architecture firm Studio 505 and completed in 2013. The outer petals of the structure are filled with colorful ribs that simulate the structure's flower-like appearance. This flower building looks even more attractive at night as the lighting system illuminates the building in multi-colored lights for the most dramatic effect. This beautiful landmark is home to departments of the city’s planning bureau, featuring cathedral-like ceilings, exhibition halls, meeting rooms, and offices. Since its completion, the Lotus building has become one of the most popular landmarks in Wujin.

Mind House (Spain)

The Mind House is one of the best examples of craziest architecture ever designed, which is situated in the Park Guell on the Carmel Hill in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The Park Guell is counted as one of the most popular attractions in Barcelona, looking like a fantasy world which is actually a public park system composed of gardens and architectural elements. The park is the reflection of Gaudi's artistic work and was declared as the UNESCO's World Heritage Site under "Works of Antoni Gaudí" in 1984. Built between 1900 and 1914, which took 14 years for the completion, it was officially opened as a public park in 1926.

The Crooked House or Krzywy Domek (Poland)

Image Credit - Flickr

The crooked house in Sopot, Poland, is undoubtedly the most bizarre building on the earth due to its unusual shape. The local name of the building is Krzywy Domek which translates into English as "Crooked house". This building looks like someone has distorted a real house and given it a shape like this. But this is the real work that was done by the design team of Szotynscy & Zaleski in 2004. The building is about 4,000 square meters in size and is actually a part of the Rezydent shopping center, and is home to many popular shops and restaurants. The crooked house is one of the most photographed sites in Poland and a popular landmark for tourists as well.

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Quilotoa - A turquoise lake within a volcanic crater

The world is full of beautiful lakes and we always continue to enjoy seeing many lakes from time to time. But what if the lake exists in a crater, it will definitely be a different thing that will give more excitement. Crater lakes may appear more attractive, unique and mysterious as compared to other lakes. A few different things can lead to the formation of Crater Lakes, including meteorites, human-made explosions, and some mainly due to volcanic activities. We have already discussed several Crater Lakes such as Kerid Crater Lake and Lonar Crater Lake. But today we are going to talk about another such fascinating lake that will fill your heart with love for nature and the name of this lake is Quilotoa. Quilotoa is a volcanic-crater lake, sitting at an elevation of around 3,800 to 3,900 meters, now filled with brilliant turquoise water. It is actually a water-filled caldera, offering stunning views of both the lake and the mountain ranges surrounding it. Quilotoa Volcano is the most western volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes, whose last eruption occurred about 800 years ago, causing the formation of this crater lake.

With a diameter of just over 3 km, the caldera has now turned into a 250 m (820 ft) deep crater lake, which has a greenish color as a result of dissolved minerals present in the water. There are some hot springs that are bubbling on the eastern side of the volcano and fumaroles are found at the bottom of the lake. The crater's surroundings are essentially rural with a lot of livestock farming, cows, goats, and sheep.

The small village of Quilotoa is located southwest of the lake and provides basic accommodation run by local indigenous people. This tiny town suits the best place to view the lake and start the hike around its rim. The hike along the rim of the crater is about 7.5 km, which offers four to five hours of amazing views down into the deep lake. The hike is an adventure and a challenge for any experienced hiker. It’s a good idea to start this hike early before it gets too sunny during the day, or too chilly in the evening. The immediate area includes several simple hostels that provide services such as mules and guides. According to local residents, the lake level has been slowly decreasing over the past 10 years.

Quilotoa is a tourist destination which is gaining popularity day by day. Lake Quilotoa and the village of Quilotoa is a popular destination within the Quilotoa Loop, the most popular trek in Ecuador. It is a ring-shaped trail that connects remote villages in the high Andes in Ecuador. The entire loop is about 40 km long, and to cover this distance, it takes around two to five days, depending on your starting point and walking speed. The route to enter the town of Quilotoa is generally traveled by a hired bus from the town of Zumbahua, or more commonly by bus from Latacunga. There are multiple buses each day from Latacunga to Quilotoa.

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