We cannot just travel to other planets, but we may imagine distant worlds. Fortunately, Earth has been gifted with some incredible and jaw-dropping marvels that seem otherworldly.
Even though we often look to the stars, planets and moons for strange and amazing sites, the Earth still has plenty of unique landscapes and structures that would be fit for a science fiction epic.
Here are 5 stunning places on Earth that look like they’re from another planet
1. Fly Geyser, Nevada
This man-made geothermal spring was accidentally created. Fly Geyser formed from mineral deposits after the region was repeatedly dug for water and resealed. These deposits, along with thermophilic algae, provide stunning red and green hues.
2. Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand
Waitomo Glowworm Caves, formed over 30 million years ago, is a paradise filled with the distinctive luminosity of specific glow worms. Millions of these tiny creatures dwell inside the deep tunnels and produce light, making it one of the world’s most surreal sites.
3. Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone
According to the National Park Service, Yellowstone’s largest hot spring has a diameter of 200-330 feet (60-90 meters) and a depth of over 121 feet (36 meters). Thermophilic algae and bacteria produce the pattern’s rainbow along a temperature gradation, with the hottest water, which is clean and the cause of the vivid blue hue, at the spring’s centre.
4. Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan
Wadi Rum, one of the world’s most gorgeous deserts, is well known for its stunning scenery. It is different from others due to the striking sandstone and basalt mountain jutting out of its sandy floor. It is also known as the ‘Valley of the Moon’ because of its l moon-like landscape.
5. Rainbow Mountain, Peru
Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, or the Mountain of Seven Colors, was founded in 2015 after its usual layer of snow melted. Its vivid stripes of rose, gold, mint and lavender are created by the mountain’s mineral makeup and weathering throughout time.