The Earth's darkest depths are menacing. Just below the crust, a world of total blackness stretches for thousands of miles, beyond the reach of light. Most people can't see far into the ground, except maybe into a sinkhole. But some extremely deep holes offer a glimpse of what's hiding below. The deepest holes on Earth are magnificent and phobia-inducing. Fear of heights is normal, but these pictures of deep holes show it's also possible to fear depths. Check out these scary holes, and watch your step.
About this list
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A massive copper mine in Butte, MT, now holds a mix of toxic waste and strange microorganisms.The pit itself measures 1,780 feet deep. The bottom thousand feet are submerged in hyper-acidic water. Surface water glows red from heavy metals in this poison.The pit stands 1,780 feet deep. The bottom thousand feet sit in hyper-acidic water. Surface water glows red from heavy metals floating in this poison. Tourists pay to look down; this pit killed people.A sinkhole opened in Guatemala City in 2010, reaching 300 feet deep. This is one of the largest human-made sinkholes ever.Leakage from sewer pipes, a tropical storm, and past volcanic eruptions caused this sinkhole.
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In 2010, a sinkhole opened in Guatemala City, reaching 300 feet deep. This sinkhole ranks among the largest ever.This sinkhole in Mexico is the world's largest. NASA scientists used a robotic submarine to explore it. El Zacatón, nearly 1,000 feet deep, is a diver's nightmare. One person died reaching the bottom. Geothermal vents there make El Zacatón look like habitats on Jupiter's moon Europa.The Mariana Trench sits at the deepest point on Earth. Only a few people have reached the bottom; James Cameron, an acclaimed filmmaker, is one of them. Challenger Deep, the trench's lowest point, is seven miles from the surface. This area is extremely harsh. Scientists questioned if life could exist there before the first dive.
The Mariana Trench is in the Pacific Ocean. The US government protects the trench from environmental damage, but human pollution harms it.The IceCube Neutrino Observatory sits at the South Pole. This Antarctic research station looks like the one from The Thing. It is isolated and frozen, housing strange things like this particle detector. IceCube, a giant ice and metal structure, reaches 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) deep.The event possibly claimed lives. Death tolls remain unclear because Tropical Storm Agatha hit at the same time.
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This Mexican sinkhole is the world's largest. It is the biggest sinkhole globally.NASA scientists explored it using a robotic submarine.El Zacatón is nearly 1,000 feet deep. It is a diver's nightmare. One person died trying to reach the bottom. Geothermal vents there make El Zacatón look like Europa's moon habitats.
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Welcome to Earth's deepest spot: the Mariana Trench.The Mariana Trench is in the Pacific Ocean.Few people have reached the bottom. James Cameron, an acclaimed filmmaker, is one of those people.Challenger Deep marks the lowest point of this trench. It sits about seven miles from the surface. Scientists debated life's existence there before the first dive.Challenger Deep is the trench's lowest point. It sits about seven miles from the surface. This place is one of the harshest known environments. Scientists questioned if life could survive before the first dive.
The US government protects the trench environmentally. However, human pollution makes it a victim.Human pollution caused damage..
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Located at the South Pole, this Antarctic research station is in position.The Antarctic research station looks like the one from The Thing.It is isolated and frozen. It holds terrors like this particle detector. Known as IceCube, this ice and metal structure reaches 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) deep.Researchers plan to use this technology to understand neutrino particles and dark matter..
This massive cave complex in Abkhazia, Georgia, is one of the deepest known. Some expeditions go over 7,000 feet down. The cave hosts wildlife found nowhere else, plus a subterranean waterfall. Reaching the bottom takes days or weeks.The Great Blue Hole sits in a reef off Belize. It is one of the world's deepest sea holes. It measures 1,000 feet wide and 400 feet deep. It is a natural formation.Divers visit the Great Blue Hole. It hosts many unique ocean creatures.
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The Bingham Canyon mine measures 2.5 miles wide and nearly 4,000 feet deep.The Bingham Canyon mine holds four Eiffel Towers.The Bingham Canyon mine fits four Eiffel Towers.
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The Great Blue Hole is located in a reef off the coast of Belize and is one of the deepest sea holes in the world. It's about 1,000 feet wide and 400 feet deep, and it's a natural formation. It's a popular destination for divers and is home to a slew of unique ocean life.
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At 2.5 miles wide and nearly 4,000 feet deep, the Bingham Canyon mineThis massive mine is one of the largest man-made excavation sites on Earth. It sits in Utah, where work began over 115 years ago.It has been over 115 years.A landslide, 70 million cubic meters of debris, roared down the side of this massive mine. This event was so powerful it registered on seismic instruments designed to detect earthquakes.
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Lake Assal sits in the small African nation of Djibouti. It is the lowest point on the continent. This salt lake is...It reaches 515 feet.It sits 515 feet below sea level and functions as a salt quarry. The water is much saltier than the ocean and...It is too dangerous to swim in..
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This is thedeepest man-made hole.A series of holes in Russia, designed and drilled by scientists searching for Earth's geologic past, makes this the deepest man-made hole in the world. The hole reaches 12 kilometers deep, about 7.5 miles. Though impressive, people often forget the Earth's core is thousands of miles beneath the surface. Scientists found microbial fossils here, dated to two billion years old.
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TheMponeng Gold Mine.AngloGold Ashanti runs the Mponeng Gold Mine in South Africa. It sits about 2.5 miles beneath the Earth's surface, making it the deepest in the world. The mine holds enough space for ten Empire State buildings. Thousands work there, but the temperatures hit 140 degrees Fahrenheit at its lowest levels.
AngloGold Ashanti already has the world's deepest mine, but it is...It is planning to expand.It.
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Awell in England.is the deepest hand-dug hole in the world. It started to supply an industrial school with water. Work continued day and night using candlelight. Today, the well is 1,285 feet deep, achieved without machinery.
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Thismassive mine.bottoms out near 1,000 feet below sea level. It has operated in Germany since 1978. Known as the largest hole in Europe, it is a huge source of mineral wealth. Millions of tons of coal are excavated yearly, but environmentalists clash with industry, a position seemingly backed by the German government's green energy goals.
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