Abiqua Falls in Oregon is a beautiful example of a basalt column amphitheater. Over 90 percent of all volcanic rock is basalt, but only a small fraction of it forms into the hexagonal columns that you see here. When molten lava hits the atmosphere, rapid cooling causes it to contract into these characteristic columns. It"s just part of what makes Abiqua Falls so spectacular.
Midwinter freeze
Today in History
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Presidents Day in America’s front yard
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Ancient storage in the Grand Canyon
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Mapping courage in the Seventh Ward
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Basking in the glow
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Happy 800th, Salisbury Cathedral
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A growing business
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Happy Independence Day!
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Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia
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A path into history
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An ancient sailing tradition takes to the water
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Birds and bees, and why they re so important
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Take me to the river
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Polar bear capital of the world
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Welcome to the Ring of Fire
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On the rebirth of the Olympic Games
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It’s not a pinecone, it’s a pangolin
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Swinging into International Jazz Day
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National Napping Day
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Aprils full moon
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Dancers perform ‘Revelations’
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So, how long till springtime?
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A bridge comes full circle
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Museum Mile Festival
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Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil
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National Hispanic Heritage Month
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Canadian Thanksgiving
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The forecast calls for blooms
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Roman bridge of Córdoba, Spain
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A towering view of the Pale Mountains
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The rainbow connection