Sahara ‘Skull’ Volcano: Stunning Earth View From Space

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Eerie ‘Skull’ Formation Discovered in Sahara Desert by ISS Astronauts

A haunting, skull-like geological formation in the remote Sahara Desert has captivated scientists and space enthusiasts alike after being photographed by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Febuary 12, 2023. The striking image reveals a naturally occurring structure within a volcanic caldera in Chad, appearing to gaze upwards into the vastness of space.

A Desert Cranium: Trou au Natron Revealed

The unsettling visage is located within Trou au Natron, also known as Doon Orei, a 3,300-foot-wide (1,000 meters) volcanic caldera in northern Chad. The name translates to “natron hole” in French and “big hole” in Teda, reflecting the geological feature’s dramatic scale. According to NASA’s Earth Observatory, the caldera sits at the heart of the Tibesti Massif, a 300-mile-long (480 kilometers) mountain range stretching across Chad and Libya.

From a vantage point in space, the caldera floor presents an unmistakable resemblance to a human skull. However, this eerie effect is largely an illusion, as the formation appears almost unrecognizable when viewed from ground level.

Did you know?– Natron, the salt compound coloring the “skull’s” features, was used by ancient Egyptians for mummification due to it’s preservative properties.

The Geology of a Ghostly Face

The “skull’s” features are a result of unique geological processes. The white coloration of the “mouth, nose, and cheeks” is due to natron, a naturally occurring mixture of sodium carbonate decahydrate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, and sodium sulfate. This salty compound creates a flaky texture, resembling cracked paint when observed up close.

Interestingly, the “eyes and nose hole” are not cavities at all, but rather cinder cones – steep, conical hills formed around volcanic vents.The darker area to the left of the “face” is simply a shadow cast by the crater’s rim, further enhancing the skull-like illusion.

Pro tip:– Volcanic calderas form when a volcano collapses after a large eruption, creating a bowl-shaped depression.

A Lake Lost to Time

Today, Trou au Natron is a barren and lifeless landscape. However, evidence suggests a vastly different past. Researchers discovered fossils of sea snails and plankton dating back 14,000 years beneath the natron-covered floor in the 1960s, indicating the caldera was once a thriving glacial lake.A 2015 expedition unearthed even older algal fossils, dating back as far as 120,000 years ago.

The caldera has remained volcanically dormant since its formation, but it is located near Tarso Toussidé, a volcanic feature covered in frozen lava. Tarso Toussidé contains a stratovolcano believed to still be volcanically active, despite not erupting for over 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism programme.

Reader question:– The Tibesti Massif is a relatively young mountain range, formed by volcanic activity beginning around 25 million years ago.

Similar Formations Around the Globe

Trou au Natron is not alone in its skull-like appearance from above. the Chiltepe Peninsula in Nicaragua’s Lake Managua also features a pair of volcanic lakes within calderas that create a similar visual effect. This suggests that such formations, while striking, may be more common then previously thought.

The finding serves as a potent reminder of the