Crystals

I've stumbled across a couple things that just their sheer beauty inspires amazement and awe, even if the core thing is very simple. This is one of those examples of a very simple, and commonplace, natural process becoming an extraordinary wonder.

It's buried a thousand feet under Naica mountain in the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico...

Some call it "the Sistine Chapel of crystals..."

The Cueva de los Cristales (Cave of Crystals) in Mexico has some of the largest crystals on earth. They are made of gypsum, a soft, translucent mineral that you can scratch with your fingernail. Some of the crystals are as long as 36 feet and as heavy as 55 tons. Each of the columns on the Pantheon in Greece weighs that same amount.

According to scientists, this cave has a very stable environment with temperatures around 136 degrees Fahrenheit. The water in the cave was full of the mineral anhydrite which dissolved into gypsum at high temperatures. These factors helped the crystals grow to amazing heights and lengths.

Of course, my addiction to Planet Earth returns. Maybe it's the science nerd in me but I find some the most beautiful things have been drawn and sculpted by Mother Nature. The lack of desire for fame and money makes these more beautiful than almost any work of art made by people. If you get a chance, check out the caves DVD.

I know some people feel like there is more wonder in seeing things for yourself and the journey or pilgrimmage to those sites is part of the experience... and I totally agree! My trip to Costa Rica last summer almost disappointed me a little bit. I couldn't help but wonder about how I'd react to the totally new environment if I had never seen pictures of it, or seen the tropical animals and plants in zoos and gardens or tasted the food in America already. I almost wished we didn't have the technology to see distant places because the specialness was diluted.

But there are some things in life that you and I will never get the expertise or clearance to ever see. This is one of those things.

Authorities in New Mexico have closed down Lechuguilla Cave to the public. Luckily, before that happened, Planet Earth did an amazing segment on the cave and it's crown jewel, the Chandelier Ballroom, whose beautiful crystals are also made of gypsum.

It's almost entirely pristine, there are only a few species (bacteria) that live there and it's just way too delicate to allow visitors to come through.

The pictures do not do it justice. Really, check out the Planet Earth segment.