On “Holey” Ground

The Floor Is Lava!

Some volcanoes have giant explosions that send half an island flying. Other volcanoes ooze lava for years. Lava comes out of a volcano’s conduit (KAHN-doo-it), a pipe-like channel that connects to the volcano’s magma (hot, liquid rock) deep in the earth. During the flood, volcanoes formed as the earth’s rocky foundation broke apart. Many islands we have today, including Hawaii, were formed by volcanoes.

Not-So-Solid Ground

The ground is sturdy, right? Not if you’re standing on a sinkhole. When limestone and other rocks get eroded, usually by rain or groundwater, they leave a section of soil with nothing supporting it. The dirt can suddenly give way, forming a hole that is sometimes as deep as a 10-story building!

The Deep Blue

Underwater sinkholes are called blue holes. At one point, these holes weren’t in the ocean at all. The limestone (a soft, grainy rock) that makes blue holes is a result of the flood. These sinkholes probably formed during the ice age after the flood, when the ocean levels went down and wore away the limestone. When the sea level rose again, the blue holes filled with water.

Cool Caves

Many of the world’s caves were probably carved out by acidic water soon after the flood. People have lived in caves throughout history. In some hot areas of the world, people still live underground because caves are cooler than houses!