Special Sub-Topic: 10 Caves You Just Have To Spelunk Click Here To Play: 10 Caves You Just Have To Spelunk

Cueva de los Cristales, in Mexico, was discovered in 2000. It is full of crystals that are over 35 ft. long and weigh over 50 tons. What is it that makes spelunking (i.e., exploring) these caves so very dangerous?

high temperatures. These fantastic caves maintain a temperature of 136 degrees! Crystals cover the floors, wall, and ceilings. This is a cave that can be explored only by the most experienced spelunker. Even with proper gear, visitors entering this Mexican cave last less than 15 minutes--to stay any longer would mean certain death.

The Sof Omar Cave is part of the longest cave system on the continent of Africa. It is known for a wonderful room called the "Chamber of Columns". In what beleaguered East African nation would we find these caves?

Ethiopia. The Sof Omar caves can be found in Ethiopia. The caves have been considered an underground religious center for centuries. These caverns were formed by the Web River. The river disappears into a huge underground paradise with arched portals, vast, eroded ceilings, and deep, vaulted echoing chambers. This vast cave system can be explored safely by novices and has a variety of formations.

El Meson de la Cava is a cavern in Santa Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic. It is visited by many people. What is found in this cave that makes it so unusual?

a restaurant. The surprising answer is a restaurant! Spelunking no longer occurs as most of the cavern has been closed off. Special permission must be given by the owner to explore the areas not open to the public. This would be a nice place to dine in, just for its atmosphere alone. When you enter a cavern, you never know what you will find!

Voronya Cave in the Georgia Republic was scientifically explored for the first time in 1960. It is the holder of what world record?

deepest cave. This mammoth cave is the only cave on the planet that is over 2,000 meters deep. In 2004, it was explored to a depth of 6,824 ft. Its name means Crow's Cave in native dialect, due to the large flocks of crows that nest at its single entrance. It has an extremely steep profile and exploring it is only done by those with a lot of experience.

This famous cave can only be entered by boat. It was used as the private pool of the emperor Tiberius. Located on the Isle of Capri, what is the name of this cave?

The Blue Grotto. The Blue Grotto is a beautiful sea cave that is illuminated by vibrant blue light reflected from the sun. Originally called Gradola, for years it was avoided by the locals who believed it was haunted by evil entities. It is a single room sea cave and spelunking skills and/or equipment are not needed.

Another famous cave for spelunking is Postojna Grotto, located in Slovenia. It is famous for its spectacular stalactites. What mineral are stalactites made from?

calcium carbonate. The deposition of calcium carbonate by drops of mineralized water over thousands and millions of years is what forms stalactites. One way to remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites is that stalactites hang tight to the ceiling! Postojna Grotto has beautiful and unique formations in pristine condition. It has so many types of formations and difficulty levels that all spelunkers will find this cave exciting. It is also the largest cavern in Europe!

Actun Tunichil Muknal is the name of a wonderful cave located in Belize. It is most famous for a formation called "The Crystal Maiden". What is so unusual about this formation?

it formed over a real skeleton. The Crystal Maiden is a real skeleton that has been crytallized by the natural forces in cave formations. Access to this cave is made by wading across a large pool of water and then climbing into the cave entrance. The cave was found with other artifacts that lead scientists to believe that this cave was used for religious ritual sacrifices. This cave has an eerie aura and only those with experience should explore it.

The Kungur Ice Cave in Russia is one of the most unique caves in the world. It has snowflake formations that do something very unusual. What do they do?

they change in size. The Kunger Ice Cave has many unusual features, including snowflakes that change in size with the seasons. Some grow as large as a grapefruit! It also has many grottos and a lake inside that is fed by the Sylva river. Many who decide to explore these caves become very dizzy when they enter due to the very high oxygen levels inside the cave. Any visit here would be a spelunker's fantasy!

Another wonderful cave to visit is Hastings Cave in Tasmania. The formations in this cave are made of dolomite which gives them a different color than is usually seen in cave formations. What color is it?

pink. Dolomite gives the many and varied formations in these caves a lovely pink color. The caves were discovered by accident in 1917. Unlike many caves, those in Hastings are spacious and well-lit. Anyone can spelunk here! Formations that can be found here include flowstone, columns, shawls, straws, helictites, and tendrils of calcite that flow from all directions in tiny filaments.

No quiz on caves would be complete without a question on Mammoth Cave National Park in the U.S.A. In which state is this spelunking heaven located?

Kentucky. Kentucky is home to Mammoth Cave National Park, the longest cave system in the world! In 2009, over 365 miles of passageways that had been explored. Every year this figure grows as spelunkers from around the world swarm here to be the first to find a new grotto, formation, or passage. It is truly one of the world's natural wonders! It has areas for all levels of experience to explore.