Have you ever seen a cave? Have you ever been inside a cave?
A cave is a naturally-made underground chamber. There are many caves around the world. Some caves are big enough for people to walk through. It's even possible to drive through some caves. Some caves are difficult to explore because they're quite small, and narrow. If you have claustrophobia you should stay out of caves.
Some caves are underwater. You need special gear to explore these underwater caves. It's similar to scuba diving but you're in smaller spaces.
Caves often have stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites hang from the ceiling of a cave. Stalagmites grow from the cave floor. They look like icicles. Look at this column. It was made when the stalactites and stalagmites joined together in the middle. Look at this rock formation. It is called drapery. It looks like a waterfall. It is formed by water flowing along the walls of a cave.
In a cave, it is dark. Not much sunlight can get into a cave. If a cave is very big, it can get very, very dark. To explore a cave, you need to bring lights to help you see. You should wear a helmet with a head lamp, too. You might also need to bring ropes, hooks, and carabiners. Sometimes you have to abseil down to get to the entrance of a cave. That part sounds like fun.
It can be hard to explore a cave. Some people like to dive into caves. It can be scary and dangerous to dive into caves. Some caves are so deep that you have to fall for a long time to reach the bottom. Would you want to go cave diving?
Look at this cave. It is called Fingal's Cave. It is in Scotland. This cave is special because of the formation of the rocks. Why do you think they look so strange?
Look at this cave. It is called the Cave of Crystals. It is in Mexico. This cave has enormous crystals inside. Do you see how small the explorers look compared to the giant crystals?
Look at this cave. It is called the Glowworm Cave. It is in New Zealand. This cave is famous for the glowing worms that live there. The glowworms make a light that makes this cave beautiful.
Look at this cave. It is called the Kverkfjoll Ice Cave. It is in Iceland. This cave is not a rock cave. It is made of ice.
Caves can be beautiful. What caves are near your home?