Geological Oddities - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

681 Items Tagged

Geological Oddities

Share Tweet
Diamond Rock
Le Diamant, Martinique

Rocher du Diamant (Diamond Rock)

This large stone off the coast of Martinique had a brief career in the Royal Navy.
Blowing Rocks Nature Preserve
Hobe Sound, Florida

Blowing Rocks Preserve

These craggy limestone outcrops offer a glimpse at a unique piece of Florida geology.
Winona, Missouri

Rocky Falls

A 40-foot waterfall flows into this unique natural swimming hole.
Lake Powell, Utah

Cathedral in the Desert

The damming of the Colorado River buried an iconic geologic formation before record-breaking drought brought it back.
Balze del Valdarno
Botriolo, Italy

Balze del Valdarno

Leonardo da Vinci was one of many to find inspiration in this unique, rocky landscape in Tuscany.
museums

Podcast: Fluorescent Rocks of Sterling Hill

A light show, courtesy of a historic New Jersey mine.
The Podcast Team November 30, 2022
At 10-times magnification, sand from Alaska's Point Spencer resembles semiprecious stones.
science

These Tiny Jewels Come From One of Alaska's Most Unusual Beaches

This microscopic treasure was collected from a remote site near the Arctic Circle.
Gemma Tarlach November 15, 2022
Bow Fiddle Rock
Portknockie, Scotland

Bow Fiddle Rock

Named for its similarity to the tip of a violin's bow, this striking formation was created by millions of years of erosion.
Plug seen looking southeasterly, close-up.
Mono City, California

Basalt Plug

This large chunk of dark rock is a relic from an ancient volcanic eruption.
Tasmans Arch
Eaglehawk Neck, Australia

Tasmans Arch

A natural rock bridge towers above the sea.
Image of the Hill
Washington, England

Worm Hill

According to local legends, a monstrous worm once wrapped itself around this hill by the River Wear.
Serpentine rocks at Green Point
Anacortes, Washington

Green Point

On the edge of this small Washington Park, a piece of the Earth's mantle has come to the surface.
caves

Podcast: SubTropolis

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team October 10, 2022
Squeaky Beach
Wilsons Promontory, Australia

Squeaky Beach

The spherical grains of white quartz sand give every step on this Australian beach a distinctive sound.
Sa Stiddiosa
Gadoni, Italy

Sa Stiddiosa

Greenery covers the face of a gently-dripping waterfall deep in the mountains of central Sardinia.
Formica Léo
Sainte Rose, Réunion

Formica Léo

On one of the world's most active volcanoes, a pebble-filled crater changes color with the wind.
Gadime Cave
Gadime e Poshtme, Kosovo

Gadime Cave

The ceiling of this cavern is dripping with multicolored marble stalactites.
Trollkonufingur
Sandavágur, Faroe Islands

Trøllkonufingur

Legend says this rock spire is the finger of a witch who wanted to throw the Faroe Islands towards Iceland.