Caves and Karst – Landscapes Dissolved by Water
Rain that vanishes into the ground in a limestone landscape isn't just soaking away — it can be dissolving solid rock, one drop at a time. This episode explains the chemistry behind karst landscapes, how caves and their stalactites and stalagmites form over tens of thousands of years, how they preserve a record of past climate, why sinkholes and disappearing rivers occur, the strange eyeless creatures that live in permanent cave darkness, and Australian examples including Jenolan, the Nullarbor and Naracoorte.
You'll come away understanding the carbonic acid chemistry that dissolves…
The skinny
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