Speleology

"Cave and Shadows" is a short story by Nick Joaquin that explores themes of identity, duality, and the search for self-awareness. It follows the protagonist, a painter named Felipe, who becomes obsessed with a painting he encounters in a museum depicting a cave with two human figures standing outside. As Felipe delves deeper into the painting and the mystery surrounding it, he is forced to confront his own inner struggles and desires, ultimately leading to a revelation about the complexities of human nature and the shadows that exist within all of us.

People have used caves for shelter, storage, religious ceremonies, burial sites, and as art canvases for cave paintings. Caves have also been used as tourist attractions and for recreational activities like cave exploring and spelunking.

The Lascaux caves were formed naturally over thousands of years by the gradual erosion of limestone rock. The famous prehistoric cave paintings found inside were created by early humans using mineral pigments and natural tools. These paintings depict various animals and geometric shapes and are estimated to be over 17,000 years old.

Caves, caverns, and sinkholes are typically formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, or gypsum by water. Over time, water erodes and dissolves the rock, creating underground cavities and passages. Eventually, these cavities can collapse or become exposed at the surface, forming caves, caverns, and sinkholes.

The Longhorn Caverns in Texas are estimated to be around 450 million years old. However, they were officially opened to the public as a state park in 1932.

A stalactite is a structure that hangs from the ceiling of a cave and is formed by minerals dripping down, while a stalagmite is a structure that rises from the floor of a cave and is formed by minerals deposited from drips falling from the stalactite. When a stalactite and a stalagmite eventually meet and grow together, they form a column.

A small cave is often referred to as a grotto or a cavern.

The drawings by cave people are called cave paintings or rock art. They were often created using natural pigments and depict various animals, symbols, and everyday activities of prehistoric people. These paintings provide valuable insights into early human culture and spirituality.

Dragons were often depicted as living in caves because caves provided them with a dark and secluded environment where they could guard their treasures and remain hidden from humans. Additionally, the association of dragons with caves added to their mystical and fearsome reputation in folklore and mythology.

I believe you might be referring to "nebula," which is a cloud of gas and dust in space. Nebulae are often regions where new stars are forming or remnants of old stars. They come in various shapes and sizes, such as planetary nebulae or supernova remnants.

"Cave and Shadows" is a short story written by Filipino author Nick Joaquin. It explores themes of national identity, history, and the effects of colonization on Filipino culture. The story delves into the complexities of Filipino society and reflects on the struggles faced by individuals trying to navigate the tensions between tradition and modernity.

Straws in caves are formed when water travels through limestone or other soluble rocks, dissolving them and creating hollow tubes. Over time, mineral deposits can form around the edges of the tube, creating a straw-like structure. This process can take thousands of years to occur.

Wookey Hole Caves is a series of limestone caves in Somerset, England, formed by the action of the River Axe. The caves are known for their prehistoric archaeological finds, including a human skull dating back over 50,000 years. The site also features underground rivers, stunning rock formations, and a variety of unique cave-dwelling species.

Generally in regions holding large areas of massive limestone, and with suitable accompanying geological and hydrological conditions. Caves do form in other rocks by other processes, but these are a lot rarer.

The famous temples in Ellora with 34 caves are known as the Kailasa Temple, also known as the Kailasanatha Temple or Kailash Temple. It is a remarkable example of rock-cut architecture and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Kailasa Temple is one of the largest monolithic rock-cut temples in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wear and tear, basically. The most common is unwitting trampling of floor sediments, perhaps followed by accidental muddying or breaking of stalactites and stalagmites. Some disturbance to cave-dwelling organisms, such as by trampling through pools and stream inhabited by the animals. The one real worry in the USA at present is the transfer of the fungal spores of White Nose Syndrome, currently responsible for killing vast numbers of bats - but we can't really know how much of the infection is spread by the unfortunate animals themselves moving from cave to cave.

A spelunker-enthusiast

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"Caver" - see Discussion note.

I'm sorry, but when I read questions as badly worded as this I find it hard to pitch the answer suitably. Do you mean "break"? If so, yes, as internal weathering attacks the roof and walls, leading to collapses that can choke the passage completely. Eventually they are un-roofed and finally removed entirely as the surrounding landscape is lowered by erosion.

Karst landscape is a type of landscape where caves, deep valleys, and sinkholes are common. This type of landscape is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, or gypsum by groundwater. The result is distinctive topographical features like caves, sinkholes, and underground drainage systems.

The Cave of Hira is located on a mountain named Jabal al-Nour (Mountain of Light) approximately 2.5 miles from the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the cave where Prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Quran from the Angel Gabriel.

It's called a cave system. They are quite common.

There are even more systems that are connected hydrologically although with no humanly-passable links.

Wookey Hole, at the foot of the Mendip Hills in SW England is one such example. It discharges the River Axe whose tributaries are several major caves on the hills above it; and despite efforts over many decades and continuing, no-one has yet found a cavers' route from the sink caves to the resurgence; nor between the feeder caves.

For their intrinsic beauty, scientific interest and often "sporting" attraction; to preserve their indigenous wildlife; and because if they are active they are water-courses every bit as important ecologically or as water-sources at their resurgences.

Maroo of the Winter Caves is a fictional character from Jean Craighead George's book "Maroo of the Winter Caves." She is a young girl from the Ice Age who must survive in a harsh environment after her clan is wiped out by an avalanche. Maroo's story explores themes of survival, resilience, and the importance of community.