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Discover the Wonder: Top 10 Amazing and Fun Facts About Waterfalls You Never Knew!

illustration of waterfalls
Dive into the mesmerizing world of cascading wonders with these splash-tastic fun facts about waterfalls!

1. Waterfall Beauty Pageant

When Mother Nature hosts a beauty pageant, waterfalls prove they're not all just wet behind the ears: Behold the world's tallest contender Angel Falls in Venezuela, towering a stunning 979 meters (3,212 feet), while the widest splash-maker Khone Phapheng Falls in Laos flaunts a spectacular 10,783-meter (35,376-feet) width. And lest we forget the diverse talents showcased in their unique acts like Niagara's block performance, India's Monkey Falls waterfall sashay, and Japan's plunge-extraordinaire Hannoki Falls.
Source => nationalgeographic.org

2. Rainbow Bridge Border Crossing

Did you hear about the bridge that's always looking for its pot of gold? It's a cascading daredevil that bridges the gap between two wonderous lands: The Rainbow Bridge, connecting Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, is open 24/7 and offers magnificent views of the falls. Travelers need a valid passport or appropriate identification for a smooth border crossing, and as of October 1st, 2022, US citizens no longer need proof of vaccination or the ArriveCan app to enter Canada. Enjoy the sights and attractions in both Niagara Falls Canada and Niagara Falls NY, USA, without any current COVID-19 restrictions!
Source => niagarafallslive.com

3. Olympic Salmon Champions

If salmon were Olympians, they'd surely win gold for the long jump and marathon combined: these remarkable fish, such as Chinook and sockeye salmon, can travel up to 900 miles and climb nearly 7,000 feet against strong currents and rapids just to reach their spawning grounds, overcoming obstacles like waterfalls and dams with their impressive swimming and leaping abilities.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Victoria Falls' Epic Splash Zone

Introducing the world's splashiest splash zone and dubstep producing natural wonder: the Victoria Falls is the largest sheet of falling water, stretching 1,708 meters wide and 108 meters high! During flood season, it puts on an epic show where the spray reaches 400 meters high—visible from 50 kilometers away—drawing all the awe-struck onlookers to its aquatic brink.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Angel Falls' Penthouse Suite

5. Angel Falls' Penthouse Suite

If waterfalls were real estate moguls, Angel Falls would have the ultimate penthouse suite: it's not only the highest waterfall on Earth, but also the tallest one with an uninterrupted cascade, boasting a height of 979 meters (3,212 ft) and an 807-meter (2,648 ft) plunge into the abyss below.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. California's Rainy Waterfall Bonanza

When life gives you heavy rain, California makes waterfalls: Yosemite Valley has seen over 10 ephemeral waterfalls emerge and its renowned waterfalls, like Yosemite Falls, transformed into a "big Slurpee machine" due to frazil ice caused by the unique interaction between snow and ice in Yosemite Creek, creating breathtaking wonders for visitors to behold.
Source => sfgate.com

7. The Tallest Waterfall Controversy

Hold on to your measuring tapes and grab your rulers, because the world of waterfalls is about to dip into controversy: There's no definitive list of the tallest waterfalls because factors like volume, duration of flow, and even subjective criteria come into play, making the crowning of the tallest waterfall more slippery than a wet rock.
Source => world-of-waterfalls.com

8. Plunge Pools: Nature's Deepest Dips

If you thought the hotel pools in Las Vegas were deep, wait till you hear about these natural ones at the base of waterfalls: Plunge pools can be incredibly deep and can even stick around after the waterfall has stopped flowing, thanks to erosion from the forceful water and factors like the fall's height, water volume, and rock resistance - like those seen at Dry Falls in eastern Washington's Channeled Scablands.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Winter's Waterfall Ice Sculptures

When Old Man Winter puts on his dancing shoes and decides to tango with cascading water, they often create some ice-olated masterpieces: Frazil ice, consisting of supercooled water droplets, forms mesmerizing icy stalactites and stalagmites around waterfalls during freezing temperatures, but an entire waterfall can only freeze solid if its source—be it a creek, stream, or river—also freezes through completely.
Source => science.howstuffworks.com

Travertine Spa Waterfall Wonders

10. Travertine Spa Waterfall Wonders

Talk about a rock-hard spa treatment: travertine, a limestone found around mineral springs, forms unique landforms that can create stunning waterfalls, such as those seen in Pamukkale, Turkey, and Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia – where the cascades can reach heights up to a mesmerizing 70 meters (230 feet)!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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