The Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland  

The Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

Throughout history, humans have crafted legends to explain natural phenomena that defy our understanding. A prime example is the Giant"s Causeway in Northern Ireland where some 40,000 basalt columns spring from the ground at the shore. Scientists tell us these columns developed 50 to 60 million years ago, when lava erupted from volcanic fissures, then cooled and contracted, cracking into hexagonal structures.

© Dieter Meyrl/Getty Images

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