Science is Fun Fridays!

 

A team of scientists discovered a sinkhole with a forest deep inside.

Located in Luoquanyan Village in China, it is 630 feet to the bottom with ancient trees growing around 130 feet.

It is no surprise for the area, which is home to karst topography - a landscape of dissolving bedrock which causes sinkholes and caves.  Rainwater collects carbon dioxide as it runs through the soil, becoming more acidic, then trickles through cracks leading to tunnels and voids.

The larger area, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its karst formations, which also includes rock pillars and natural bridges.

Researchers say species unknown to science could be hiding in this gaping hole.