The mystery of the formation of 'pearls' in the world's largest cave Cave pearls

SKĐS - Cave pearls appear in many areas inside Son Doong Cave. They look very beautiful when illuminated, especially on days when water drips from the ceiling, these cave pearls sparkle under the light.

Son Doong Cave was discovered by Mr. Ho Khanh, a local forest worker, during his forest expeditions. In 2009, a British-Vietnamese cave exploration team conducted an exploration, survey, and mapping of the cave. That same year, Son Doong Cave was declared the world's largest natural limestone cave. In 2013, Son Doong Cave was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest natural cave. (Photo: Oxalis Adventure).

Son Doong Cave has a total length of nearly 9 km, with a vast vault containing a volume of up to 38.5 million m3. Many things make Son Doong special, including the numerous gigantic stalactites (over 80m high) and stunning rock formations considered "cave jewels." Furthermore, the cave contains a primeval forest with its own ecosystem, climate, and an endless underground river yet to be fully explored . (Photo: Oxalis Adventure).

Cave pearls are spherical stones of various sizes (from pea-sized to baseball-sized). According to scientists , cave pearls are formed when calcium-rich water flows down from the cave ceiling, depositing around grains of sand or small objects over a long period. They form in pools of water with a high concentration of calcium carbonate. This allows large amounts of calcium to bind together on the surface of the pearl at the same time. (Image: Oxalis Adventure).

As water flows from high to low, it creates a circular motion, forming the spherical shape of the pearls. However, cave pearls are easily altered, so they actually come in many different shapes. Each cave area will have different characteristics for these pearls. (Photo: Oxalis Adventure).

According to explorers, Son Doong Cave contains many areas where cave pearls of varying sizes appear. These pearls are naturally arranged within calcium deposits. They look stunning when illuminated, especially on days when light rain falls, making them sparkle under flashlight beams. (Photo: Oxalis Adventure).

According to experts, in the environment of limestone caves, cave pearls look very attractive, but if taken to the outside environment, they will turn black, become unsightly, and will spoil in a short time. Authorities and tourism operators strictly prohibit tourists from directly interfering with stalactite and stalagmite structures, including cave pearls.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/bi-an-ve-su-hinh-thanh-cua-nhung-vien-ngoc-trong-hang-dong-lon-nhat-the-gioi-169250803100935452.htm