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Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
The Sudanese hill that looks just like a pair of ‘lips' — no one knows why
The Sudanese hill that looks just like a pair of 'lips' (Image source: Live Science) A picture of a hill formation strikingly resembling human lips in Sudan was captured by a Google Earth satellite in 2012. The image appears to show a pair of human lips, giving the impression of blowing a kiss into space. Researchers have speculated about how the unusual landmark might have formed, but not much is known about it yet. According to Live Science, the striking hill, which is around 3,000 feet (900 meters) long and 1,200 feet (350 meters) across at its widest point, is located in Sudan's West Darfur state, roughly 60 miles (95 km) east of the country's border with Chad. 'Landlocked Lips': Sudan's mysterious mouth-shaped hill captured from space Despite its distinctive shape, the formation has not been widely studied and does not have any official name. However, based on its appearance and lack of ocean access, it has been informally labeled the 'Landlocked Lips.' The formation captured in the 2012 satellite photo appears to be surrounded by agricultural fields and dotted with small black specks, which are probably trees. The surrounding land in the photo looks parched, most likely due to drought conditions. The hill itself has a pinkish hue on its slopes, which enhances its mouth-like appearance. However, in more recent satellite images of the location, both the hill and its surroundings appear much greener and are covered with significantly more vegetation. This change may suggest seasonal variation or recovery from drought, further emphasizing how dynamic the region's landscape can be. Geologists say, the unusual landscape may be ancient Dikes According to reports, Josh Roering, a geomorphologist at the University of Oregon, says that the unusual formation resembles a dike. He explained, 'It looks like there's a dike or narrow unit of resistant rock running through the middle of that ridgeline that erodes more slowly than the surrounding rock and thus sticks out.' Dikes are geological features that cut across larger horizontal sheets of rock, according to the European Geosciences Union. They are most commonly formed via volcanic activity or tectonic plate movements. In some cases, they can also form as a result of sedimentary processes. These formations tend to be more resistant to erosion than the surrounding rock, which is why they often appear as elevated ridges on the landscape. However, it is unclear what type of dike this hill's central line may be. Similar structures can be found in the other parts of the world, such as the New Mexico desert and the Mackenzie dike swarm in Yukon, Canada. These global comparisons could offer clues to the origin of Sudan's 'Landlocked Lips,' but for now, the mysterious hill remains an intriguing natural feature awaiting further study. Also read | Is the 'doomsday fish' a real omen of disaster? Here's what scientists say
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The mysterious hill in Sudan that looks like 'landlocked lips'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK FACTS Where is it? West Darfur, Sudan [12.370771816, 23.322227802] What's in the photo? A hill shaped like human lips Where did the photo originate? Google Earth When was it taken? 2012 This intriguing satellite photo, captured by Google Earth satellites in 2012, shows a strange hill formation in Sudan that bears a striking resemblance to pursed human lips blowing a kiss into space. Not much is known about the bizarre structure, but experts told Live Science how it likely formed. The striking hill, which is around 3,000 feet (900 meters) long and 1,200 feet (350 m) across at its widest point, is located in Sudan's West Darfur state, roughly 60 miles (95 km) east of the country's border with Chad. The feature appears to be surrounded by agricultural fields and small black dots that are probably trees. In the 2012 photo, the surrounding ground has been dried out by drought, and the hill's slopes have a pinkish hue, accentuating its mouth-like look. But in more recent imagery, both the hill and its surroundings look green and are covered with significantly more vegetation (see below). The hill's elevation and age are unknown. The structure does not have an official name, but it is labeled as "Landlocked lips" campground on Google Maps (although it is unclear if there is actually a campsite there). Related: See all the best images of Earth from space However, based on the available satellite imagery, experts do have a general idea of how the hill may have formed. "I see a narrow unit of exposed rock running down the middle of this feature," Josh Roering, a geomorphologist at the University of Oregon who specializes in landscape dynamics, told Live Science in an email. "It looks like there's a dike or narrow unit of resistant rock running through the middle of that ridgeline that erodes more slowly than the surrounding rock and thus sticks out." Dikes are geological features that bisect larger horizontal sheets of rock, according to the European Geosciences Union. They are most commonly formed via volcanic activity or tectonic plate movements, but they can also emerge from sedimentary processes. However, it is unclear what type of dike this hill's central line may be. MORE EARTH FROM SPACE —A mysterious 'black hole' in Pacific Ocean that sparked wild rumors online —'Shining anus' volcano in Tonga coughs up cloud of smoke during recent eruption —The heart-shaped 'Spirit Lake' sculpted by Mount St. Helens' epic eruption "If correct, the shape and extent of that resistant rock unit thus sets the scale of the feature as the less resistant surrounding rock forms sloping terrain on either side," Roering said. Similar structures can be found in the New Mexico desert and the Mackenzie dike swarm in Yukon, Canada. However, without being able to study the formation up close, Roering said this is just "speculation."
