9 places on Earth that seem alien

On Earth, there are many interesting and unique places that can surprise with their views, looking at which you can think that these are landscapes of completely different planets.

We have all seen a photograph of the mysterious Great Red Spot of Jupiter, which is not of a solid nature, but is a giant atmospheric formation. If you look from space, then on Earth you can find an area resembling a mysterious Spot - this is the Rishat Structure in Mauritania with a diameter of 50 kilometers. When astronauts first spotted Rishat in the 1960s, they believed that this crater was formed due to the impact of a huge meteorite. But this version was not confirmed. Currently, scientists suggest that the Rishat structure occurred as a result of erosion.

The Akatama Desert, Chili Atacama stretches 1,000 kilometers from the southern border of Peru in northern Chile. This place climatologists call absolute desert. Since people started documenting the rainfall, it has never rained here! As a result, most of the territory is completely devoid of vegetation. The Atacama is more like a Martian landscape. NASA is using this Chilean desert for testing. For example, in 2005, a NASA probe discovered microorganisms in the seemingly barren desert soil. These studies help scientists advance in the study of Mars. Despite the arid climate, about 1 million people live in the Atacama.



Vulcan Kilauea, Hawaii Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is home to volcanoes more than anywhere else in the Solar System. The landscape of this planet consists mainly of basalt plains – a type of rock formed by the lava flow. On Earth, the site near Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, most resembles the landscapes of Venus. The youngest and southernmost active volcano on the island has erupted more than 34 times since 1952.



Lunar craters are a national monument in Idaho, USA. The area of 1,600 square kilometers bears a striking resemblance to craters on the lunar surface. In fact, this relief is the result of the movement of the Earth’s crust and volcanic eruptions over the past 30 million years. Scientists predict that the eruptions that will change the surface of this area, will occur.



Dry McMerdo Valleys, ANTACTIDE This place is more like the landscape of Pluto. 15,000 square kilometers of the valley were carved by glaciers, leaving behind a layer of boulders, gravel and pebbles. The surface also contains deposits of marine sediments covering a layer of soil that dates back millions of years.

The lack of ice in this part of Antarctica allows scientists to study the unique processes affecting the continent.



Etosha Salar is the largest salt lake in Africa, distinguishable even from space. It is 4,800 square kilometers of shimmering, dry, burned clay that looks completely extraterrestrial. When scientists studied images of the hydrocarbon lake Ontario, taken with the help of a space probe on Titan (a satellite of Saturn), they found an interesting external similarity with a salt marsh located in Namibia. During the rainy season, Etosha turns into a drainless lake, and in the dry season all the water evaporates, forming a surreal landscape.



TE PINNACLS, AUSTRALIA And again about the desert. Australian this time.

The Te Pinnacles Desert in Western Australia has a truly alien look. These limestone rocks were formed by rain, sun and wind over millions of years. The spires of some protrusions reach 3.5 meters in height!



Seeing the first picture of the Spanish river Rio Tinto, you can think that it is photoshop. But such a river does exist! For thousands of years, there has been mining, which negatively affects the river, the waters of which have acquired a bright red color due to the high acidity, heavy metals and bacteria that oxidize iron and sulfur. Scientists are studying this ecosystem because of its similarity to Mars.



Wayotapu Thermal Zone, New Zealand The thermal zone of Wayotapu covers 18 square kilometers. This geyser park in New Zealand is very popular with tourists due to its unique extraterrestrial landscapes. The smells are also very specific.



source

Source: /users/104