No, this isn’t a teaser poster for a Minecraft or Cave Story movie. This is a picture taken within the Vietnamese cave, Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave. Even though it’s the world’s largest cave, it was only discovered around twenty years ago, and features a segment inside that can fit a half-mile block of 40-story buildings. The cave also features an underground jungle, which you can check out past the break.
The jungle is nicknamed the “Garden of Edam,” and was able to form underneath a collapsed part of the cave. To get a sense of how absolutely humongous the cave is, take note that the light source in the picture below is coming from a person’s helmet:
National Geographic has a worthwhile piece on the cave, as well as a gallery of astonishing photos, both of which are worth your time.
(National Geographic via io9)
Published: Dec 31, 2010 03:49 pm