Alien landscape. Alien landscapes near Bogdanovich (Ural Mars). Tinto River, Spain

Phantasmagoric views of salt marshes, deserts and islands... All these amazing photographs are not at all scenery for science fiction films and not shooting the surface of other planets. All these are unearthly landscapes of our blue ball, planet Earth.

(Total 21 photos)

1. The expanses of the Salar de Yuni salt marsh in.

The largest in the world during the wet season reflects the sky like a huge mirror. And during the winter months, when the weather is dry, the surface of the salt marsh becomes like a mosaic. (Photographer: Sergio Pessolano)

2. Fairy Fireplaces in Cappadocia, Turkey. These rock formations rise above the rest of the landscape in the area located between the villages of Cavusin and Zelve. (Photographer: Timothy Neesam)

3. Contrary to the common misconception that the desert is monotonous, in fact, the desert can be either black or white. In the photo: White desert in Egypt. (Photographer: tronics)

4. "Chocolate Hills" on the island of Bohol, Philippines. The central territories of the island of Bohol are dotted with 1700 natural mounds. The vegetation covering these hills takes on a "chocolate" color during the dry season. (Photographer: Lemuel Montejo)

5. Reflections of the sun's rays on the surface of the Salar de Yuni, Bolivia. Salar de Yuni, the largest salt marsh in the world, during the rainy season is covered with a layer of water, which reflects the sky. (Photographer: Luca Galuzzi)

6. View of the Dead Sea from a bird's eye view. The Dead Sea is an endorheic salt lake between Israel and Jordan. The lowest point on the surface of the planet, the deepest salt lake in the world, the waters of this lake are saltier than the oceans ... The list of distinctive features of this reservoir can be continued for a long time. (Photographer: Pennina Neumann)

7. Four corners, eng. Four Corners is a region of the United States covering southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, and southeastern Utah. The name is associated with the Four Corners Monument, located at the intersection of the borders of all 4 states (the only such border crossing in the United States). (Photographer:gregmote)

8. Black desert in Egypt. (Photographer:Gekko82)

9. Sunset over the desert of Alvord Playa in southeastern Oregon. It is rather unexpected to meet the desert in these parts, in the northwest of the Pacific coast. The Alvord Playa desert, which is the bottom of a dried-up lake, averages only 180 mm of precipitation per year. (Photographer: Rason)

10. Stopover. The Sahara Desert in Tunisia. (Photographer: andzer)

11. Windy shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya. This lake is located in the East African Rift Valley. Its salty waters form the world's largest lake located in the desert. (Photographer: Yannick Garcin)

12. "Twin Towers" in Monument Valley, USA. (Photographer: Wolfgang Staudt)

13. Red sand dunes of the Namib Desert, Namibia. Sands as unusually red as those found in the Namib desert are rarely seen in nature. (Photographer: Brian Preen)

14. Structure Richat, located near Ouadan, Mauritania. This photo was taken from space. The Richat structure is a ring formation 50 km in diameter and is located in the middle of the faceless Sahara desert. (Photographer: trodel_wiki/NASA)

15. Dragon tree (dragon blood), growing on the island of Socotra,. Due to its isolated position in the waters of the Indian Ocean, the island has developed a unique ecosystem that you will not find anywhere else in the world. (Photographer: Sotti)

16. Ledges formed by solidified lava are washed by ocean waves off the coast of the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Coastal escarpments formed by solidified lava give the scenery of this Hawaiian island an ethereal air. (Photographer:PatrickSmithPhotography)

17. Blue Lake and the mountain peaks of the Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. This is the most unusual place from the list of "8 Wonders of Chile". The mountain peaks located on the territory of this park rest against the blue sky. (Photographer: winkyintheuk)

18. Fly Geyser in the Black Desert, Nevada, USA. The Black Desert is more commonly known as the site of the Burning Man festival. (Photographer: Stephen Oachs)

21. Iceberg in the dark waters of the Southern Ocean, off the coast of Antarctica. (Photographer: winkyintheuk)

Avatar - part 1

After watching "Avatar" by James Cameron, many people, shocked by the beauty of the planet Pandora, began to dream of visiting "fabulous places". Of course, you can meet the unearthly jungle only on the screen - but it is quite realistic to get closer to their prototypes live. The forests inhabited by the Navi people were filmed in reserves and national parks in different parts of the world - on the island of Borneo, Costa Rica, in the rain forests of the Brazilian Amazon. Of course, there are no stunning phosphorescent flowers, but still nature is really magnificent, and will give unforgettable impressions to tourists.

The most sought-after place among the fans of the film is the "Soaring Mountains" of Pandora, where the pilot Trudy flew in the clouds through the UPC ("watch where you go"). They were filmed on the Wulingyuan quartz rocks in the Zhangjiajie National Park (China, Hunan Province). These incredible geological formations are about 800 meters high, and the highest peaks of Wulingyuan reach 3000 meters above sea level. And they really “soar” when fog rises above the tropical forests at their foot. True, in the "Avatar" added computer graphics, showing that the rocks just hung in the air.

The largest stone pillars, covered with centuries-old pine trees, received names in the traditional Chinese spirit: “Rabbit looking at the Moon”, “Abode of the Gods”, etc. This geological reserve is both a botanical garden and a natural zoo, and there is also an extensive network of caves, powerful deep rivers and waterfalls. Stunning landscapes open up from the peaks, so not a single person has regretted his journey to Wulingyuan yet.

Avatar - part 2

As you know, work on the next part of the picture that has already become a legend is in full swing (and we expect the fruits of these labors by 2014). James Cameron decided that the action would unfold in the depths of the waters of Pandora, and for realistic shooting he chose not anything, but the Mariana Trench. The director's passion for deep-sea diving has been haunting him for a very long time: he has already filmed the psychedelic fantasy film The Abyss (1989) under water, and besides, one cannot help but recall the sunken Titanic. Australian engineers, on his instructions, mounted a deep-sea vehicle with special 3D cameras designed personally by the famous director, so the quality of the video material promises to be impeccable.

By the way, before Cameron, they descended into the deepest depression of the World Ocean only once - to a depth of 11,000 meters, passengers-scientists of the Trieste apparatus descended in May 1960, and stayed there for only about a third of an hour. Cameron said that he will populate the Pandorian Ocean with incredible creatures, as realistic as anything we saw in the first part of the blockbuster. And, what is even more pleasant, at the initiative of the director, the profit from the film goes to environmental protection, restoration of tropical forests and other major eco-actions.

Star Wars

“Episode One: The Phantom Menace” was remembered by many: it was the best science fiction of the turn of the millennium (1999), which captivated the public with high-speed flying car races, from which young Skywalker emerged victorious. According to the plot, the action takes place on the home planet of Anaken - hot and deserted Tatooine.

The filming of this fragment of the film, as it turned out, took place in the Serpent Canyon (Tunisia), which is included in the mandatory program of local excursions. Also in the film, during the competition, the Atlas Mountains flicker in the background, however, also in computer processing.

The one-story clay town on Tatooine, where the Skywalkers and their slave owner lived, was also not a pavilion shooting: the scenery was specially preserved there for fans of the film who come to see the living legend with their own eyes. Some scenes were also filmed on the island of Djerba, and two local cities gave names to the Star Wars story planets - Tatooine and Naboo (Nabeul). Older, earlier parts of the film were also partially filmed in Tunisia - in the 1500-year-old Berber cave city of Matmata, on the El Jerid salt marsh, on an oasis in the city of Nefta. The rebel base from episode 4 was filmed in the 2500-year-old ruins of the Mayan temple of Tikal (northern Guatemala).

Travel to Mars

Generally speaking, there are many fantastic films about Mars, and all can be divided into two groups: those that were shot through red filters, making the actors look like boiled crawfish, and those that were shot in a natural way. Where on Earth to take the Martian landscape?

Turns out we have one too! We are talking about the rare red sand dunes of the Namib Desert in Namibia. The name from the local dialect translates as "There is nothing" - and indeed, this area has not seen rain since the time of the dinosaurs.

But here you can meet Bushmen with children - similar to aliens, and accompanied by tamed wild cats - cheetahs, lions and caracals.

Superman

… And also all his numerous remakes (which can be watched without tears of emotion and sarcasm) contain one key point: an ice fortress, a copy of the palaces of the planet Krypton.

It turns out that in Mexico there is a cave of crystals "Cueva de los Cristales", consisting of the world's largest 11-meter ice "rods", converging with each other to form domes and walls. The unique micro-climatic conditions of the cave have shaped these giant crystals over many millennia. Of course, filming never took place here - however, it was this cave that served as a prototype for pavilion models, so fans of the red-and-blue superhero often visit this attraction.

The mysterious and beautiful planet Earth is fraught with many secrets. Our planet is believed to have formed about 4.54 billion years ago from a large cloud of interstellar dust and gas.

Planet Earth is the only object known to man at the moment in the Universe, inhabited by living organisms. The earth is home to millions of different kinds of living beings, including humans. At present, science cannot give an unambiguous answer about the existence of life on other planets.

It is possible that we will never reveal all the secrets of our and other planets. But there are places on Earth that would definitely appeal to the inhabitants of other worlds.

See unearthly landscapes of our amazing planet.

9 PHOTOS

1. Shark Bay in Western Australia.

85% of the entire history of the existence of the planet Earth was inhabited only by microbes. The only evidence of this is the products of the activity of cyanobacteria - stromatolites. Most often, stromatolites can be found in extremely saline waters. And live specimens that have survived to this day can be found precisely in Shark Bay.

What makes the color of the water in this hot spring so beautiful? Life, that's what!
Water takes on such an unusual color under the influence of extremophiles. These are living beings that require extreme environmental conditions to live or are well adapted to them.

Hell on Earth or Bumpass Hell is a hydrothermal site, the underground waters of which are heated by hot magma to very high temperatures. Despite this, some microorganisms live in the water. The Spirit rover has discovered minerals on Mars that indicate that the same hydrothermal environment existed on the red planet as in Bumpass Hell.

The increased acidity of the waters and the high content of iron oxides in it gave the river such an unearthly, Martian look. For most organisms, such an environment is deadly, but living microorganisms live in the river - extremophiles, including algae and fungi.

Volcanic lakes are still the most mysterious objects on Earth. The red color of the lake is given by algae floating close to the surface of the water. They contain special pigments to protect against high UV radiation. Scientists believe that similar lakes existed on Mars 3.5 billion years ago.

The water in it is 2-3 times saltier than in the ocean, and the high content of calcium carbonate gave the lake a mystical otherworldly look.

The water that flows from the top of the glacier is like a chemical mixture with a high sulfur content. However, living microorganisms were also found in it. Research on these glaciers is used by astrobiologists to study potential life on Jupiter's moons.

It is believed that for more than a billion years the oceans of the Earth did not contain oxygen. The sea rocks, which are billions of years old, have preserved the fossil remains of purple bacteria, which, in the process of photosynthesis, do not release oxygen, like modern plants, but sulfur. Astrobiologists are currently studying these bacteria.

At the beginning of the era of space exploration, it seemed that very soon it would be possible to pack up and move to Pluto or fly to the moon for a couple of weeks on vacation. Fantasists predicted villages on Venus, trees on Mars and contacts with extraterrestrial civilizations. Half a century later, it became clear that the predictions were wrong: instead of the stellar world, humanity began to master the virtual one. It already seems that you can not leave the house - everything is at hand. But no, no, yes, and there will be a desire to find out what it is like to find yourself in a completely alien environment, in another world. Forbes has chosen ten unique places, once in which, it is impossible to believe that all this is on the familiar planet Earth.

Socotra Archipelago, Yemen

Approximately 6 million years ago, a small piece of land broke away from Africa, which moved towards the Arabian Peninsula. A piece that fell apart on the way to four islands managed to escape only a couple of hundred kilometers from its parent. But the past 6 million years was enough for the emergence of a unique ecosystem here: more than a third of plant species, 90% of reptile species and almost all types of mollusks are found nowhere else in the world. Here, of course, there are no eight-armed five-eyes communicating in the language of clicks. But there is a dragon tree, similar to a nuclear mushroom, from which, moreover, “blood” flows every year, a cucumber tree is a shapeless smooth white trunk, on top of which “cucumbers” are cheerfully green, or the Socotran desert rose is also a tree, and in appearance funny and repulsive at the same time.

Despite its isolation, the archipelago, as it recently turned out, was inhabited as early as 1.5 million years ago. In 2008, Russian archaeologist Valery Zhukov discovered stone tools of the Olduvai culture (2.7-1 million years ago) here. The sensation of the find lies in the fact that it is not entirely clear how the representative of this era got here - homo habilis, "a skilled man." But it will not be difficult for a modern person to visit Socotra - even by plane, even by sea. It is better to go in February and March: the rest of the time, especially from May to September, Socotra has rather severe and unpleasant weather with endless rains and knocking winds.

Mount Roraima, Venezuela

In 1839, the expedition of the German traveler and explorer Robert Schomburgk in British Guiana literally ran into a wall that went beyond the clouds. It was a mountain, but an unusual mountain - as if someone had cut off its top with a huge knife, leaving a giant flat platform. Schomburgk's account of the journey caught the eye of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose imagination immediately placed on the plateau the Lost World miraculously preserved from prehistoric times.

In fact, what is happening on top of Mount Roraima - one of the tepui, South American mesas, the remnant of a huge sandstone plateau that existed when South America and Africa were one continent - is more like the fantasy writers of the 1950s about Venus: eternal rain watering a completely unearthly landscape. "Tepui" in the language of the local Indians means "house of the gods." But this house is rather uncomfortable: the rains wash away the nutrients from the soil, leaving no chance for normal life. And those representatives of flora and fauna that nevertheless took root here are completely unique. It is no coincidence that the creators of the cartoon "Up" (also about a journey into the lost world) went to Roraima in search of inspiration. And director Pete Docter later admitted that they used what they saw only in general terms: “It is so far from reality that the viewer simply would not believe it.”

Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia

Some call this place "the border of heaven and earth", but this expression is not entirely true. Rather, it is a place where the sky is both above and below, and you can walk on it: it is the largest mirror on Earth, so large that it goes beyond the horizon.

The Uyuni salt marsh is the largest in the world. In the bowels of a dried-up salt lake, a reserve of natural substances and minerals is stored for many thousands of years to come. Such a specific composition and natural conditions have turned this place into the most unique point on the planet. Firstly, the height difference in an area of ​​more than ten thousand square kilometers does not exceed one meter. Secondly, in the dry season it is the brightest white plain, and when it rains, it is an impeccably detailed reflection of the sky. At the same time, the depth of the lake in most places does not exceed a few centimeters, so you can freely walk along it, watching the clouds under your feet. In addition, every November, hordes of flamingos of rare species and colors arrive here. But those wishing to visit the Uyuni salt marsh should take into account that it is located at an altitude of 3500 m above sea level, so it will take some time to acclimatize.

Wave Gallery, USA

A striking formation of sand and stone called "Wave" is located on the border of the US states of Utah and Arizona. For 200 million years, mighty winds have carved these undulating formations with unexpected and eye-pleasing geometry. Once they were sand dunes, which, under the pressure of time and natural conditions, turned into ribbed multi-colored hills; now it is one of the main draws for landscape photographers from all over the world. Interest in the Arizona sandstone gallery is so high that local authorities are forced to limit the flow of those wishing to take a look at this miracle of nature at least from the corner of their eye. Therefore, only twenty vouchers are issued per day. Moreover, ten of them are played in the lottery four months before the intended visit, and the other ten - the day before the trip. And if in the low season there are great chances to win a permit in two or three days, then in the high season - from March to November - the probability drops below 50%. But if you can’t get a permit in Arizona, you can look at similar formations in Utah as a consolation: they are not as popular as the Wave, and less impressive, but more accessible.

Dry Valleys, Antarctica

The driest place on Earth is by no means the Sahara or the Gobi, as one might assume, but a place in Antarctica with the telling name Dry Valleys: in some places there has not been water in them for 2 million years! This piece of land is surrounded by mountains, from which, under the influence of gravity, cold dense air descends at a tremendous speed (about 300 km / h), taking with it everything that comes along the way, including water, snow and ice. If we compare these conditions with what happens on the planets of the solar system, then they will be closest to the Martian ones. What was the joy of scientists when, even in such harsh conditions, life was discovered - a bacterium, which is enough for the existence of those droplets of moisture that manage to hide from the winds in the uneven surfaces of the rocks.

Even more interesting is another bacterium, a neighbor living under the Taylor Glacier, which also belongs to the Dry Valleys. This anaerobic bacterium processes sulfur and iron, and the result of such vital activity, along with water, flows to the surface - this is how the Bloody Falls is formed. The iron oxide-colored water against the white background of the glacier looks eerie, as if blood is gushing from a huge non-healing wound.

Tinto River, Spain

Even the ancient peoples of the Iberians and Tartessians began the development of minerals in the mountains of the Sierra Morena - where the Tinto River originates. Iron, copper, silver, gold, manganese - what has not been mined here for 5000 years! All this inevitably fell into the slowly flowing waters of the local river and spread throughout the surroundings. It would seem that nothing alive, except for people in overalls and helmets, can not be here. But nature disposed of in its own way and settled here the relatives of extremophile bacteria from the Bloody Falls in Antarctica. They gladly began to process substances that are poisonous to any normal organism. As a result, Tinto and its surroundings were painted in all shades of red and yellow, and scientists received another hope for the existence of life outside the Earth.

Local conditions are similar to those on Mars and to what happens under the icy shell of Europa, Jupiter's moon. The best thing is that you can safely see it with your own eyes: although industrial developments continue here to this day, most sections of the river are free to visit.

Lake Kliluk, Canada

Spotted Kliluk Lake is one of the strangest places on Earth - unlike any other planet we know of. Due to the high concentration of salts (the highest among terrestrial lakes) and the special climate of Kliluk during the hot season, it is a collection of small lakes, between which you can safely walk. It sounds rather boring, but it looks unforgettable.

Thanks to the salts, the local waters have healing properties, and this feature at one time became the cause of a fierce confrontation between the local Indians and the European colonists. For the natives, Kliluk is a sacred place, many legends and tales are associated with it, it is an integral part of the local culture. And when in 1979 Ernest Smith, the de jure owner of these lands, decided to arrange a medical resort here, it caused an uproar among the indigenous population. The Indians fought for the right to keep the reserved land intact for more than twenty years, and only in 2001 they bought it for $720,000. Since then, access to the lake has been limited and you can visit it only with permission from the elders. Although it is not easy, it is possible, and in extreme cases, you can admire the view of Kliluk from the highway nearby.

Moon Valley, Brazil

Moon Valley is located in the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in Brazil. The plateau on which the park stands was formed about 1.8 billion years ago. Local rocks are the oldest on Earth: they are only two and a half times younger than the Moon. For many millennia, the waters of the San Miguel River have ground the natural quartz that makes up the local rocks to the most bizarre and unnatural forms. The surroundings of the valley will also be remembered for a long time: in addition to the fossilized remains of ancient plants and animals, their prosperous descendants are abundant here: orchids, palm trees, pepper trees, anteaters, tapirs, capybaras, rhea, etc. In 2001, the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park was included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And the only thing that can confuse this decision is why it was made only forty years after the discovery of the valley.

Tsingy du Bemarha, Madagascar

The unpronounceable name of this reserve comes from the even more complex word mitsingitsignia, which in Malagasy means "to walk on tiptoe." Indeed, when looking at the local landscape, the thought of any other form of transportation does not even come to mind.

The famous Stone Forest was formed as a result of erosion of calcareous rocks: instead of ordinary mountains, a palisade of sharp stone peaks soars up here. Among them, rare (in both senses of the word) trees make their way, equally rare animals - lemurs - rush about, and no less rare birds flicker. Below, at the foot, you will not get bored either: there are forest canyons, mysterious caves and dark waters of the Manambolo River.

The reserve here was organized in 1927 in order to preserve natural conditions, and some parts of it are still closed to the public. But even those that are available still seem to have been brought here from somewhere outside the Earth.

Dallol Volcano, Ethiopia

The crater of this volcano quite plausibly demonstrates what is happening on Jupiter's moon Io: a lot of gurgling geysers, fantastic colors and a persistent smell of sulfur. Located below all other volcanoes in the world - minus 48 m from sea level - Dallol is still active, thanks to which the surrounding area is constantly bubbling and boiling. But the last major eruption occurred in 1926 - it was then that an “extraterrestrial” lake was formed, which is a bizarre salt formation framed by puddles of green and purple liquid.

The Dallola Crater is the hottest place on Earth, with an average annual temperature of 34 degrees Celsius. In such a heat and such an aggressive environment, no form of life is able to exist, except for bacteria. It is they who provide vivid colorful memories to every visitor to this inhospitable place.

Getting to Dallol is not so easy - despite the apparent abundance of natural resources, there are no roads laid there. This place is regularly visited only by camel caravans, on the humps of which they take out the salt mined here.