10 Massive Holes In The Earth's Crust That Will Prove Just How Small You Are

Neha Borkar
Neha Borkar
Updated on May 10, 2017, 16:11 IST
kola

These holes will literally explain to you the true meaning of the phrase 'to make a dent in the universe'. Not kidding

1. Dean's Blue Hole

Dean Blue

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Where: Long Island, Bahamas

Located in a bay near Clarence Town on the Bahamas’ Long Island, Dean’s Blue Hole is 650 feet deep and is the dreaded challenge of every professional deep-sea diver. Legend has it that the hole was dug by the devil that drags people in it and kills them. 

2. Kennecott Copper Mine

Kenneth

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Where: Salt Lake City, Utah

Also known as the Bingham Canyon Mine, the mine was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It is a huge 2.5 mile-wide pit located in the Oquirrh Mountains outside Salt Lake City, and is currently owned by the Rio Tinto Group, an international mining and exploration company headquartered in the United Kingdom.

3. Chand Baori

Chand Baori

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Where: Abhaneri, Rajasthan

Located opposite Harshat Mata temple in Rajasthan, India, Chand Baori (baori means a steepwell) extends approximately 100 ft into the ground making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India. It was constructed in 800 AD and consists of 3,500 narrow steps and over 13 stories. Movies like ‘The Fall’ and ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ have been shot here.

4. Kimberley Mine

Kimberley

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Where: Kimberley, South Africa

This location was once home to more than 6,000 pounds of diamonds. Also known as the ‘Big Hole’ it is also the largest hand-dug excavation in the world to date.

5. Door To Hell

dervese

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Where:  Derweze, Turkmenistan

A massive molten cavity known as the Darvaza crater – nicknamed the ‘door to hell’ is a continuous burning hole located in Derweze, Turkmenistan. The crater, which is 69 metres wide and 30 metres deep has been burning for the last 40 years. George Kourounis, a Canadian explorer, became the first person known to have ventured into the pit last year. His aim was to explore the hole and to check if there were any signs of life.

6. The Kola Superdeep Borehole

mirmine

Image Credit: cittunes

Where: Pechengsky District, Russia

This hole is the result of a scientific drilling project of the Soviet Union in the Pechengsky District, on the Kola Peninsula. The project has dug the deepest artificial point on Earth, measuring a crazy 40,230 ft!

7. The Great Blue Hole

bluehole

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Where: Belize

This hole is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also a popular recreational scuba diving spot. The site was made famous by Jacques Cousteau, who declared it one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world. The Great Blue Hole is nearly 1,000 feet wide and more than 400 feet deep.

8. The Sawmill Sink

sawmill

Image Credit: rollingharbour.com

Where:  Abaco Island, Bahamas

This blue hole lies in the interior of Abaco Island in the northern Bahamas. The hole is the location for the amazing find of the remains of a 2,500-year-old giant tortoise shell. The sinkhole measures 55 feet (17 meters) across and 110 feet (33.5 meters) deep.

9. Crveno Jezero 

crveno

Image Credit: creterra.com

Where: Imotski, Croatia

Crveno Jezero is the third largest sinkhole in the world. The sinkhole is named after the reddish-brown color of the surrounding cliffs, coloured by iron oxides.

10. The Devil's Sinkhole

devil

Image Credit: express news

Where: Edwards County, Texas

The Devil’s Sinkhole is 350 ft deep and is home to millions of Mexican free-tailed bats. It’s a scary sight when millions of bats fly from the entrance to the sinkhole.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neha is a keen observer of human behaviour and a devout Tina Fey worshipper. She is a good listener and will gladly listen to all your rants and raves. This job has made her shift base from the far-flung suburbs to town, and she is therefore now adapting to a new lifestyle (which is a sweet coincidence as she manages the lifestyle section at indiatimes) She is a TV fanatic and has watched most of your TV shows well in advance. Neha’s favourite shows include ‘Mad Men’, ‘Dexter’, ‘Game of Thrones’ and everything between. Her newfound passion is running and thinks that a good 30-minute-run is the ultimate key to happiness. Also, loves the sound ‘hmm’ a lot..

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