Spectacular formation remains a puzzle


	Spectacular formation remains a puzzle

amgumen

9-13-2007 11:07 PM

3205 views

tags:

geology, interesting, science

12 Comments |

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9-14-2007 11:08 AM

Marcariel

To me it looks like some type of ancient mining operation. The ancients were always looking for gold and precious jewels and metals ... just like us, huh.

9-14-2007 1:21 PM

dorine

The fourth photo looks like eyes, eyebrows, etc.

9-15-2007 7:51 AM

gazco

Yes, it does look like a face! ...weird

9-15-2007 3:15 PM

constantskeptic

the ancients did have mines, especially in peru.... what will the future think of us when they call our civilization 'ancient' they will laugh at the ridiculous polypropylene commercialized gadgetry and throw-away morality and culture.

9-15-2007 5:40 PM

righthand

My surprise is only learning of it now, if that makes sense. This is as spectacular as many landscapes that we fly around half the world to see.

9-15-2007 10:17 PM

SteveJohnSteele

the fourth image has been PhotoShop-ed

check out the real thing ...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mauritania&ie=UTF8&ll=20.858812,-10.393066&spn=4.813516,11.008301&t=h&z=7&om=1

9-15-2007 10:54 PM

amgumen

the fourth image has been PhotoShoped

Yiu are right. One can read about it in the source article I clipped the photos from.

9-15-2007 11:35 PM

skwirlinator

Amazing

9-16-2007 1:31 PM

aculton

way cool, never seen this!

9-19-2007 6:06 PM

oldbogus

There is one in West Texas, El Solitario

9-26-2007 2:06 AM

sadunpererarules

never heard about this. But frigging amazing. Popped my son

5-8-2008 5:54 AM

ehofehof

Open Pit Strip Mining by aliens?

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<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/78bcbff8-6715-4378-ab70-a818008495f4/7E1BF50C-600E-4925-A7C8-C2673CA001E2/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html" href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html" style="font-size: 11px;">www.darkroastedblend.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html">The Richat Structure, Oudane, Mauritania, is not really a structure but a huge circular formation (50 km in diameter - 30 miles), that resembles an eye when looked upon from space. Originally thought to be a crater, this volcanic dome is most likely a product of erosion, an ancient geological artifact in the middle of featureless Maur Adrar desert, in Africa's Western Sahara. The earliest space missions used it as a landmark, the adventurous 4x4 enthusiasts consider it to be their playground, and scientists are still debating its origin.</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content8.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/1BBFD320-31B2-4D20-88F7-AD0A6999EDC5" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content9.clipmarks.com/images/clip-icon.gif" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; 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background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/images/clip-icon.gif" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=k&om=0&s=AARTsJpnOA3ioEtcI9rx_v7gyZqlolGTYw&ll=21.089625,-11.541138&spn=1.793766,2.746582&z=8&output=embed" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=k&om=0&s=AARTsJpnOA3ioEtcI9rx_v7gyZqlolGTYw&ll=21.089625,-11.541138&spn=1.793766,2.746582&z=8&output=embed" style="font-size: 11px;">maps.google.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=k&om=0&s=AARTsJpnOA3ioEtcI9rx_v7gyZqlolGTYw&ll=21.089625,-11.541138&spn=1.793766,2.746582&z=8&output=embed"><div align="center"><img src="http://content8.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/maps.google.com/img/07CE36F9-14DF-4718-B522-65C6FEF0D7BA" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content9.clipmarks.com/images/clip-icon.gif" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html" href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html" style="font-size: 11px;">www.darkroastedblend.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content6.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/81510F21-32A3-4827-BE73-57A49EF202DC" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><DIV>The meteorite impact theory could not explain the flatness of the "crater"'s floor, so the most accepted explanation is the erosion of the initial volcanic dome, which gradually peeled away the layers of rock, creating the present onion-like form. </DIV></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/304200EB-BB06-4D74-979A-196DCFBAAC21" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; 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border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content6.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/67DFD5AC-9ABE-4978-967B-0C2E5C937B7B" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><DIV>Johnnie Shannon image-enhanced the satellite image, clearly showing an eroded circular anticline (structural dome) of layered sedimentary rocks:</DIV></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/A3C13C12-E36A-4174-A3F4-0283261EAAAD" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content8.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/A2C6B95D-D02D-47AE-B132-99D2D1588D52" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content9.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/53350E26-F27A-4419-9047-16453BEFE212" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content6.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/CD38E7C9-646A-42AF-A7F7-A2668095FB5A" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/1F19F915-31E6-43F0-8320-723261A5090F" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html">there is also <B>a hotel</B> smack in the middle of the Richat Structure</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content8.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.darkroastedblend.com/img/3D1FADD0-529E-41D3-96D3-94DB219E8804" alt="" /></div></blockquote></div><div style="margin: 0px 6px 6px 4px;"><table style="font-size: 11px;border-spacing: 0px;padding: 0px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;">&nbsp;</td><td align="right" style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;width:107px" width="107"><a href="http://clipmarks.com/share/7E1BF50C-600E-4925-A7C8-C2673CA001E2/blog/" title="blog or email this clip"><img src="http://content9.clipmarks.com/images/c2b-foot.png" border="0" alt="blog it" width="107" height="17" style="border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;" /></a></td></tr></table></div></div>

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