Amazing Holes in the Earth

Looking at photos like these scares and fascinates me in equal doses. The sheer scale of these holes reminds you of just how tiny you are. Mirny Diamond Mine, Siberia. I'm pretty sure most people have seen this one. It's an absolute beast and holds the title of largest open diamond mine in the world, at 525 metres deep with a top diameter of 1200 metres there's even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few helicopters being sucked in.

1 Kimberley Big Hole, South Africa

Kimberly Big Hole, located in South Africa, was a diamond mine over 1,097 meters deep. The mine was closed in 1914 but was later reopened as a tourist attraction. The site is now a major tourist attraction, featuring a bar, small hotel, shops, and eateries – all in the same area that these things would have been located while the mine was active. Workers will be dressed in period garb and visitors will have the opportunity to participate in a simulation complete with dynamite blasts and dusty explosions ? all designed to give visitors a feel for what it was like living in mine town.

2 Glory Hole ? Monticello Dam, California

The Glory Hole at Monticello Dam is a man made hole designed to help drain water from the reservoir. The sheer size of the hole allows it to drain over 14,440 cubic feet of water every second ? yes, that?s every second! Water that is drained through the hole is shot out at the bottom of the dam. Rumors claim that a woman jumped down the hole thinking she would come out the other end but never lived to tell the tale ? I?ve seen no proof, so take that story or leave it.

3 Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

Bingham Canyon Mine, located in Utah, is still an active mine and is considered to be one of the world?s most productive. The canyon was originally discovered in 1850 and mining began in 1863, at which point it became apparent how valuable the site actually is. The mine produces millions of ounces s of valuable metals, including copper, gold, silver, and molybdenum each year. The Rio Tinto, the owner, is currently committed to a project that will ensure the mine stays open until at least 2013.

4 Great Blue Hole, Belize

The Great Blue Hole in Belize is located in the center of Lighthouse Reef. The hole itself is a limestone sinkhole. It measures 300 feet across and is well over 400 feet deep. The depth of the water in the hole is why the ?blue hole? appears such a dark color when seen from above. The Great Blue Hole is a very popular tourist attraction for divers who want to explore the stalactites and limestone structures that begin to form around the insides of the hole at approximately 110 feet deep. Don?t forget ? this 400 foot hole used to be above the surface of the ocean!

5 Mirny Diamond Mine, Serbia

The Mirny Diamond Mine is located in Eastern Serbia near a small town known as Mirna. The mine itself is over 525 meters deep and more than 125 kilometers in diameter. The hole is so wide and so deep it is believed to cause a suction effect, which has caused several aircraft accidents in the area. The Mirny Diamond Mine is now considered a no fly zone!

6 Diavik Mine, Canada

The Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada is one of the most amazing diamond mines in the world. It is believed that within the mind are over 90 million carats worth of rough diamonds. They?re contained within three main kimberlite pipes, otherwise known as ore deposits. While the pipes at this mine are considered small, the quality of the diamonds contained within the pipes is above average. The mine is so large, in fact, the owners have built their own private airport at the site. Mining began at the site in 2003 and is expected to continue for at least 15-20 years, if not longer.

7 Sinkhole in Guatamela

In February of 2007, a sinkhole in Guatamela collapsed, killing two children as their home, and dozens of others, were swallowed into the pit. The blame for this astoundingly large hole was placed on a ruptured sewer pipe.

The earth is capable of producing plenty of wonderful and natural anomalies. Take a look around and, if you?re in the area, stop by to see one of these incredible sites.

Top 10 Bermuda Triangle Theories

The legend of the Bermuda Triangle probably started some time around 1945, when a squadron of five Navy Avenger airplanes disappeared on a training flight out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Soon, the masses were wondering: Was something amiss in the triangle-shaped stretch of ocean between Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico? Today, we've all heard of the Bermuda Triangle. And over the years, a whole host of theories, from the wacky to the reasonable, have cropped up to explain its disappearances. Here are just a few...

10: A downed 11,000-year-old comet

 So, way, way, way back, 11,000 years ago, a comet may or may not have crashed to Earth and landed deep on the ocean floor, right beneath where the Bermuda Triangle lies today.Some theorists speculate that this comet might have strange electromagnetic properties that could disrupt compasses and other navigational tools and even interfere with an aircraft engine. So, has anyone found such a comet?No... or, well, not YET, but the ocean in the area can be tens of thousands of feet deep in some trenches, so proof may never be found. With no proof, faith in an ancient alien comet is really all that's left. 

9: Pirates 

 

That's right, pirates.This region, just north of the Caribbean in the Atlantic Ocean, is totally pirate territory...um, remember Pirates of the Caribbean? We rest our case.But seriously, piracy really has been a consistent problem in the Triangle for hundreds of years. Now, stir in some good old-fashioned myths about supernatural phenomenon and it's just that much easier for a wily pirate to get away with it ("Who? Me? Blame it on the ghosts...or the aliens.").While piracy wouldn't account for the aircraft disappearances, it might explain some of the ships that went missing over the years (and also, any treasure you might find buried on the ocean floor).

8: Methane hydrates

 Deep beneath the surface of the Bermuda Triangle lie pockets of trapped methane gas, just waiting to be unlocked by seismic activity or underwater landslides. If unleashed, the theory goes, this methane gas could bubble to the surface, reducing the density of the water.Any ship in that patch of water would lose its buoyancy and sink perilously. It gets worse: In theory, if enough of the flammable gas bubbled up to the surface and got high, high, high up into the air, it could potentially stall an airplane engine or even be ignited by an engine's spark.It's important to note that the Bermuda Triangle is far from the only place on the planet where methane hydrates exist - it's not even the area with the highest concentration - but it is possible that these hydrates could pose a threat.Now, would their eruption be powerful and forceful enough to sink a ship or down a plane? We'll leave that one up to you.

7: Time vortex, aka "electronic fog"

 So, this theory arises mostly from a single incident.Here's the story: In 1970, Floridian pilot Bruce Gernon and his father were en route from Andros Island to Bimini Island in the Bahamas when they came across a strange cloud that they say grew exponentially before morphing into a tunnel.Now, would you fly straight into a spinning, tunnel-shaped cloud? Gernon did.He flew into that rotating vortex, he says, only to emerge in a thick "electronic fog" with a white haze surrounding the plane. His compass spun wildly and electrical sparks surrounded him.When the fog finally broke up, Gernon says he found himself miles away from where he expected to be - and much farther than he could have traveled in that time, leading him to believe he had passed through a time travel tunnel.So, was the "fog" a natural occurrence? Was it due to UFOs, caused by interference from extraterrestrial technology?Well, anything is possible. 

6: Government testing  

 That darn government.They really are out to get us, aren't they? And they're so secretive about it. Forget Area 51; they call this base AUTEC (for Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center). It's located on the Bahamas' Andros Island, right in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, and it's where the Navy tests out subs, weapons and sonar...but some people think that's not all they test out. A handful of theorists insist that our government has been working with extraterrestrials and that AUTEC is actually a testing ground for reverse-engineered alien technology. Might this advanced alien technology be powerful enough to down planes? 

5: UFOs/Aliens 

A downed spaceship lurking deep underwater, its dangerous alien mechanics interfering with our own technology? Perhaps. Or perhaps the Bermuda Triangle, along with another similarly rumored triangle in the Pacific off the coast of Japan, serves as a portal for interplanetary, interdimensional creatures.Not kidding.That's the theory.This particular myth holds that human ships and planes, when caught in the portal at the wrong time, end up trapped in between dimensions - it's all just an unintentional by-product of your average day-to-day alien interplanetary, interdimensional, time portal transport.And you thought your commute was dangerous. 

4: Atlantis

 For those of you who believe in the legendary underwater city of Atlantis, this one may actually hold some water (no pun intended).Those who believe Atlantis once lay deep beneath the Bermuda Triangle argue that the remnants of the intense energy crystals that were once used to fuel the city are now interfering with airplane and ship electronics, causing them to go haywire.Their proof? Sometime in 1970, a scuba-diving Atlantis proponent claims he found a mirrored pyramid of some type, deep under the Atlantic, somewhere around the Bahamas.Um...well, yeah, if he really did find that, then, sure, most likely something's going on...but the guy seems to have forgotten his underwater camera, let us say.Other theorists have even more evidence, pointing to what they say is obvious, more easily seen evidence: the Bimini Road, a strange rock formation composed of uniform, seemingly sculpted towers of rock just of the coast of the Bahamian island of Bimini.The Atlantis proponents claim it was once a dock; geologists claim it's the work of natural forces.Hmm...so, naturally occurring, interesting-to-look-at rock formation or underwater port? You be the judge. 

3: Magnetic fields askew 

 e've all heard myths about compasses in the Bermuda Triangle spinning wildly out of control. Legend has held that the Bermuda Triangle is one of only two places on the planet where a compass points true north, as opposed to the magnetic north.Now, navigators know that a compass must be calibrated to compensate for the deviation depending on the location on the globe. While the Bermuda Triangle was once, during the 19th century, a place where a compass pointed true north with no variation, the Earth's magnetic field is constantly changing, and along with it, compass variations.These days, the Bermuda Triangle does not sit in any kind of strange magnetic area, and pilots and sailors know well to adjust their compasses to compensate for the variation, called declination, between magnetic north and true north. There are plenty of charts to help them out with that.

2: Crazy weather patterns 

 This theory about crazy weather isn't actually so crazy at all.The tropical skies over the Bermuda Triangle are prone to intense, severe storms as warm and cold air masses collide over the ocean. Seriously, it IS kind of smack in the middle of hurricane alley.Add to that the swift-moving Gulf Stream that cuts right through the Triangle, and you've got some very difficult territory for both ships and planes. To add another level of mystery to the legend, just take the underwater terrain: It's rugged and deep, and is home to the Puerto Rico trench, the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean.Good luck finding anything that does wreck in that region. Between the depth and the currents, wreckage is long gone...or as some might say, it's "just disappeared."

1: Human error/Pilot disorientation 

Look, no one likes to admit they make mistakes...but we all do it, and pilots and sailors are no exception.The Bermuda Triangle's tropical weather and crystal blue water make it prime aviation stomping ground for everyone from veteran pilots to Navy sailors to amateurs looking to play around.There's a lot of traffic in the area, and when you add in the turbulent weather patterns, swift currents and a landscape composed of a lot of similar-looking islands, it can be really easy to lose one's way. Once you're a little way off, it's only a few more wrong turns until you're really far askew: far, far away from a place to refuel or wait out tough weather.In short, you're a disaster just waiting to happen … and, judging from the Triangle's history, you're not alone.

Top 10 Most Stupid Talents

here is the list of craziest and talented people in the world

The man who can get kicked in the crotch without injuring himself

Yong Hsueh, a Shaolin monk, appeared on the Chinese version of Britain's Got Talent to demonstrate his ability to get kicked in the crotch without suffering injury. He told the audience: “Steel crotch Kongfu is an ancient art, with roots stretching back to ancient China. “It's a practice to strengthen and protect the male genital organs so there is less chance they are injured or incapacitated in battle.”


Cross legged male members of the audience watched in shock as various members of the panel were invited to boot the monk – who simply bowed and smiled after each blow – between the legs. The monk said this skill could only be learned by a student that started in childhood – and it involves pushing the testicles into the body where they could not be hurt.

(Link | Via)

 The man who can stretch his skin for over 6 in

Garry Turner (UK), better known as the Stretchy Skin Man, is able to stretch the skin of his stomach to a distended length of 15.8 cm (6.25 in) due to a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder of the connective tissues affecting the skin, ligaments and internal organs.

(Link)

 The man who can burp at 110 decibels

Everyone has their own particular talent. For Paul Hunn, it's the ability to belch at 110 decibels. He achieved the Guinness World record for the loudest burp on the set of The New Paul O'Grady Show, London, UK, on 24 September 2008.

(Link)

The contortionist who can squeeze through the head of a tennis racquet

Captain Frodo is a very disconcerting figure. It could be his semi-naked and very white body, bulging eyes, tattooed back, or perhaps the 2in black pegs skewered through his nipples that do it. Or maybe it is the small fact that he is currently squeezing his body through a 10in diameter tennis racquet - strings removed. Oh yes, and to speed things along a bit, he's now dislocating one joint after another, leaving spaces where shoulders should be and white limbs flopping and flapping in all the wrong places like a rag doll gone wrong. He's a contortionist in La Clique, a circus that also features juggling, sword-swallowing, strong men acts, acrobatics - indeed, pretty much everything but the bearded lady. (Link)

 The man who can pull a minivan using his eyelids

Next time your car needs a tow but it turns out you haven't got the right equipment, talk to this man. Stuntman Xie Zhongcai in Hefei, China's eastern Anhui Province, has another idea that fits the job. Just tie the car to your ear and head off. And if that seems like it might sting just a little, how about his next trick.

If the locals in Heping Square were left with their mouths open after his first stunt, they couldn't believe their eyes the second time – since the stuntman hooked up the minivan to his eye sockets!

(Link)

 The man who can throw up anything

Liang Yuxin trumps even the very worst hangovers to become world throwing-up record holder. The Chinese man, 25, from Xia Mei has stunned doctors with his ability to regurgitate anything from a live fish to a 50-inch chain. While the process of dispensing with ten or more mojitos in the morning may feel unnatural, Liang Yuxin's ability to throw up jewellery puts even the bitterest katzenjammer to shame. The champion chunderer said: ‘I found out I could do it when I was a boy and I accidentally swallowed a ball and found I could bring it back up at will. 'Now I seem to be able to swallow pretty much anything.'

Liang has taken to regularly swallowing fish and whatever else will fit down his oesophagus for kicks, and is now talking about going for the Guinness World Record in coin-swallowing. ‘The record is ten by a man in Britain and I can do 11,' he said. (Link | Via)

The man who can squirt milk with his eye

Ilker Yilmaz might just hold one of the world's most bizarre world records. The Turkish construction worker poured milk into his hand, loudly snorted it up his nose and squirted it 9.2 feet out of his left eye in what he hopes will be recognized as a new world record.

(Link)

The man who can fit an entire Coke can in his mouth

Meet the man who won a place in the Guinness World Records for having a mouth so rubbery he can fit an entire Coke can in it… sideways. Francisco Domingo Joaquim's mouth stretches to a massive 6.69-inch-long, which adjudicators from the famous record book say is the world's widest. The 20-year-old record breaker from Sambizanga, Angola, is said to have shot to fame after showing off his ‘talent' at local markets and football games. (Link | Via)

The woman who plays two recorders with her nose

Performer Claire Hawes left Britain's Got Talent judges speechless after showing off her extraordinary abilities with the recorder. Not content with playing just one instrument, she took to the stage with two - which she promptly proceeded to blow with her nose, instead of the more conventional method of using her mouth. Claire was just one of a clutch of performers who hoped to make it through to the finals of the hit TV show. (Link)

The professor who can draw a perfect freehand circle

Alexander Overwijk draws a perfect freehand circle 1m in diameter in less than a second.

(Link)

Top 10 World's Most Bizarre Competitions

It is thought that competition is often competitive and fierce. However, apart of competition, you also find the entertainment and joy in some races. This is true for marathon for pigs, bees, or brides. Let's have a look at following collection of most bizarre competitions over the world.


Unemployment Championship

The increasing ranks of the unemployed today aren't just sitting around the house feeling sorry for themselves. A group of the recently job-deprived gathered in New York City's East Village on Tuesday, March 31 2009, for an event described as the Unemployment Olympics. A laid-off computer programmer came up with the idea to lift spirits of the jobless. Some 20 contestants took part in events such as Pin The Blame On The Boss, Office Phone Skee-Ball, Office Phone Pinata, and the "You're Fired!" race to the cardboard Unemployment Office. Phone Skee-Ball, where an old office phone was tossed across the park for points, drew much fanfare and even had students from P.S. 34 cheering participants on. Phone Pinata, which involved hitting a pinata with an office phone, only took two strikes to burst. Unfortunately, the much anticipated Fax Toss, which reminded everyone of the infamous scene in Office Space, was canceled at the last moment due to Parks Department concerns over tossing large office equipment around.
(Link)

High Heel Marathon


High heel race is an unusual event, which is held in many cities, such as Sydney, Paris, Moscow and Amsterdam. But the citizens of Milan were lucky most of all – not every day the winner of such race gets a couple of delicious, lust luxury open-toe sandals from Manolo Blahnik.

Up to 300 girls took part at this competition who must overcome a distance of 80 m running on high heels. The heels should be a minimum 7 cm height and 1.5 cm in diameter. All these fashion sacrifices make only with the aim to get a pair of sandals from the shoe master Manolo Blanik. The winner in the Milan race was not single, but three which means that these three lucky women became the owner of the most elegant heels in the world.
(Link)

Wolf-whistle Contest


These days, any builder foolhardy enough to wolf-whistle at a passing woman is likely to get a slap in the face for his trouble - but not in County Fermanagh town. In 2009 Irvinestown played host to Ireland's first ever wolf-whistling championships, complete with scaffolding, hard hats, and plenty of women. The men of the town were more than eager to show their appreciation of the fairer sex, eagerly donning hard hats and lining up along the pavement to demonstrate their whistling skills.

They had a lot to whistle for. Part of the annual Lady of the Lake Festival, the parade through the streets was led by 2009 year's 'lady', beautician Claire Timlin. The politically incorrect competition was the work of festival organizer, and whistling devotee, Joe Mahon. Joe's years of experience stood him in good stead when asked to pick a winner out of the fine whistles in competition in Irvinestown.

Mahon chose a married man, local butcher Stephen Millar, as the champion wolf-whistler who, like Mahon, credits the technique for getting him a wife. (Link)

Hot Water Bottle Nose Bust Competition

In 2009 during a competition in Tbilisi, Georgia, 18-year-old Jemal Tkeshelashvili managed to burst three hot rubber bottles. One in 23 seconds, the second in 16 seconds, and his last bottle in only 13 seconds. He even blew one up while a man sat on top of it. He set a new record for the quickest burst at 13 seconds.

The previous record for blowing up a standard hot water bottle until it bursts was 51.98 seconds set by Brian Jackson from the United States in April 2006. (Link)

Gurning Competition
 

Gurning contests are a rural English tradition. By far the most notable that is held annually at the Egremont Crab Fair, which dates back to 1267 when King Henry III granted the fair a Royal Charter. The origins of the gurning competition itself are unclear, and may not be so old, although it was described as an ancient tradition by local newspaper the Cumberland Paquet in 1852. The competitions are held regularly in some villages, with contestants traditionally framing their faces through a horse collar — known as "gurnin' through a braffin'." The World Gurning Championship takes place annually at the same crab fair in Egremont, Cumbria. Those with the greatest gurn capabilities are often those with no teeth, as this provides greater room to move the jaw further up. In some cases, the elderly or otherwise toothless can be capable of spectacular gurns covering the entire nose.

Peter Jackman became England's best-known gurner, winning the world championship four times, beginning in 1998 with a face called the "Bela Lugosi." He had his teeth removed in 2000 to make his features easier to manoeuvre. Three years later, he died playing golf in Spain when a cliff face collapsed underneath him. 'Rubber Faced' Grant Owens then took the vacant crown by performing the unprecedented, and rarely seen, treble gurn. Owens states the reason for this is his extra large bottom lip which he used to be able to nestle polos in when he was a child. (Link | Via)
Toe Wrestling Competition Going way back to 1976, the World Toe Wrestling Competition started at a pub in Wetton, Derbyshire, UK. The locals of 'Ye Olde Royal Oak Inn' thought it would be a great idea to hold a toe wrestling competition, where the contestants lock their big toes together, and attempt to force their opponent's foot to the ground. The organizers have big intentions for the sport, and applied in 1997 for its inclusion in the Olympic Games. Unfortunately for crazy sports fans it was not accepted.

Toe-wrestling doesn't sound much like a blood sport, though past participants will testify to the contrary - they've got the sprained ankles and broken toes to prove it. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Palm Tree Trunk Climbing Competition


No, cycling on top of a pole is not a new extreme sport. You may not agree with that until you watch Indonesia's Independence Day celebrations, which include climbing up a greased palm tree trunk. Sound difficult? It is, so much in fact that it requires a team of four, determination and months of strategizing.

Indonesia's Independence Day falls on August 17 and includes many traditions like the hoisting of the flag, decorating houses and offices in red and white, fireworks and other celebrations. Games are a big part of the day; for example, shrimp cakes eating contests, bike decorating competitions (Lomba Sepeda Hias), Tumpeng making competitions (a rice-based dish) and Panjat Pinang, the palm tree trunk climbing, are some of the most popular.

In Panjat Pinang, four people make up a team that has to devise the best strategy to help one person up the greased pole. Some form human ladders, climbing on each other's shoulders, with the last one trying to find a foothold wherever he or she can. At the top of the pole are the prizes – anything from towels, clothes and practical items to mountain bikes and money vouchers. According to the no pain, no gain principle, the higher the pole and therefore the gift, the higher its value. Oh, and should a team make it unexpectedly fast close to the top, the team members, spectators and the pole might just get hosed down with water so that they have to start again. The task is so difficult that opposing teams are known to cooperate to make it. And still, the competition can take anywhere between one and two hours or longer.
(Link)

World Egg Throwing Championship

Egg Throwing has been a sport enjoyed by millions of people since early humans discovered the delight of watching a failure of another to catch a tossed egg. Nowadays egg throwing is a serious sport played all over the world. The World Egg Throwing Competition is held annually in Swaton, England since 2006. The contest features four disciplines besides the egg trebuchet, including the "throw and catch", in which teams of two players try to propel and safely gather an egg over the greatest distance. Teams of 11 players can enter the "egg-static relay" and attempt to move 12 eggs 100 metres by throwing them between themselves as they stand along the route. And "egg Russian roulette" – which echoes a dramatic sequence from the film The Deer Hunter – involves contenders wearing bandannas selecting eggs one at a time and smashing them against their foreheads. The loser is the first to pick the single raw egg among the six otherwise hardboiled ones on offer.
(Link)

Mud Soccer Competition

In 2008, thousands of men and women alike flocked to bog-fields in the spirit of sportsmanship of dirty play, barely able to move an inch in the knee to waist-deep mud at the 10th annual Mud Soccer World Championships for what was more like mud carnival revelry in pig pens than a fundamental world cup outside the tiny town of Hyrynsalmi, Finland. A natural swamp was converted into 22 playing fields each measuring about 197 x 115 feet (60 x 35 meters) — marked out with little more than yellow tape and plastic drainpipes. The game lasts for 2 periods of 25 minutes each on the swampy grounds, with 340 teams of 6 players — 5 field players and a goal keeper — for 880 matches, each wading, crawling, and trudging through the soaking mud fields.

With shoes and socks taped with duct tape, teams of men in long dresses and white hospital gowns, Superman outfits, skimpy shorts, suits and ties, and blonde and pink wigs were common-sight, as were men dragging women through the mosquito-infested bog while they managed to play a game and swill beer simultaneously. Some wore oversized sunglasses which are also useful against the mud splatter. Standard soccer regulations allegedly apply, but the intensely chaotic and largely uncontrolled games seemed to have few if any rules — there's no offside, no definite penalty box and unlimited substitutions are made on the fly.

Not drinking water from the swamp and insurance protection were rules organizers emphasized most. A team member of Athletico Hucknall, England's sole representatives left the arena aboard an ambulance, nursing a suspected broken leg. Winning the trophy in the men's, women's, mixed or hobby category was secondary — at least for most. (Link)

Baby Crawling Marathon

600 kids were expected for Cali, Colombia's first "Maraton de Gateadores," [aka Crawlers Marathon] in 2005, but according to the municipal health ministry 1,122 showed up. The human equivalent of a frog jumping contest, the races pitted kids' ages 8-18 months against each other in a 5-meter straightline crawl. Unsurprisingly, very few completed the race, despite the entertainingly shameless motivational tactics of their parents. The race was part of the city's "Cali en movimiento!" campaign, and was spurred by an alarming drop in productivity among Cali baby drug mules at customs checkpoints in the US. It is hoped that by promoting health and athleticism in infants, Colombian babies will be able to boost their average smuggling load from 0.5kg to 1kg/diaper by 2007. (Link)

World's Scariest Bridges

From sky-high suspension bridges to dilapidated rope bridges, these crossings aren’t for the meek.

All bridges serve a purpose, whether utilitarian or inspirational. And some of them add a distinct element of fear. But you don’t have to be in a remote part of the world: scary bridges exist everywhere, in all shapes, sizes, and heights. And crossing over them can be the ultimate in adventure travel.


Many courageous (or foolhardy) travelers seek out hair-raising bridges just for the thrill. The bridges along the route to Colombia’s National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro are a good example. Though there are safer routes via bus from La Plata, some thrill-seekers choose to ride motorcycles over slippery bamboo crossings deep in the mountains, where one wrong move could mean plunging into a turbulent river.

So get ready to face your fears—or maybe find your next adventure—with our list of the world’s most petrifying bridges.

Aiguille du Midi Bridge
France

Don’t look down. At this height, you’ll want to keep your eyes locked on the panorama of the craggy French Alps. Fortunately, the bridge itself is short, making for an easy escape if acrophobia sets in. But those truly afraid of heights probably won’t even see the bridge; getting here requires taking a cable car that climbs 9,200 vertical feet in just 20 minutes.

Where: The summit of Aiguille du Midi in the Mont Blanc massif near Chamonix.

Stats: 12,605 feet above sea level.

Royal Gorge Bridge
Colorado

America’s highest suspension bridge may be breathtaking for some, but those scared of heights may be left gasping for air as they stare straight down nearly 90 stories at the Arkansas River below. Completed in 1929, the bridge didn’t have stabilizing wind cables until 1982.

Where: Royal Gorge, Colorado, over the Arkansas River.

Stats: 969 feet above the gorge; 1,260 feet long.

Trift Suspension Bridge
Switzerland

 One of the Alps’ longest and highest pedestrian suspension bridges, Trift was built in 2004 to reconnect hikers to a hut made inaccessible by a retreating glacier. A replacement in 2009 gave this bridge higher handrails and stabilizing cables to prevent it from swinging violently in the wind. But it still provides an adrenaline rush.

Where: Trift Glacier, near the town of Gadmen in the Swiss Alps.

Stats: 328 feet high; 558 feet long.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Northern Ireland

First things first: nobody has fallen off this bridge. However, many visitors who walk across simply can’t handle the return and have to go by boat. It used to be even scarier. Erected by fishermen who went to the island to catch salmon, the original bridge had only a single handrail. The rope bridge eventually became popular with tourists seeking a thrill, and the National Trust replaced it with a sturdier structure with two handrails.

Where: Near Ballintoy in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Stats: 65 feet long; nearly 100 feet above the rocks below.

Capilano Suspension Bridge
Canada

Originally built in 1889, this simple suspension footbridge surrounded by an evergreen forest is very high, fairly narrow, and extremely shaky—the cedar planks bounce on their steel cables as you walk across them. If the bridge doesn’t scare you, wait until the spring of 2011; the Cliffhanger attraction will allow visitors to climb across a series of suspended walkways attached to a cliff.

Where: North Vancouver, British Columbia, across the Capilano River.

Stats: 450 feet long; 230 feet high.

Mackinac Bridge
Michigan

Some drivers get so nervous about crossing this five-mile-long bridge that they don’t even go. And this happens so often that the Mackinac Bridge Authority will drive your car or motorcycle for you (and for free). The biggest fear is the wind, which often exceeds 30 miles per hour on the bridge.

Where: Between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

Stats: 5 miles long; 199 feet above the water.

Puente de Ojuela
Mexico

This bridge leads to a ghost town, but it’s the squeaky wood floor that makes it scary. Fortunately, steel cables suspended from two towers bring a greater feeling of safety. Still, steel is a relatively recent addition: when German engineer Santiago Minhguin built this bridge in the 19th century, those towers were made of wood.

Where: The ghost town of Ojuela, an old mining settlement in the northern state of Durango, Mexico.

Stats: 1,043 feet long; 2 feet wide; 360 feet above a gorge.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Maryland

Drivers are notoriously afraid of this bridge, as it’s subjected to frequent—and often violent—storms. And when the bad weather hits, forget about visibility: get to the middle of this five-mile-long bridge and you can barely see land.

Where: Spanning the Chesapeake Bay to connect Maryland’s eastern and western shores.

Stats: Nearly 5 miles long; 186 feet high at its highest point.

Monkey Bridges
Vietnam

It may seem that only monkeys could make it across traditional monkey bridges—after all, they’re typically made of a single bamboo log and one handrail. However, the name comes from the stooped monkey-like posture you have to maintain when crossing, so as not to plunge into the river below.

Where: Various points across the Mekong Delta at the southern tip of Vietnam.

Stats: These bridges are built by hand by local residents and vary from town to town. Newer ones are made of concrete.

Hussaini Hanging Bridge
Pakistan

Massive gaps between the planks, a wild side-to-side swing: there are reasons this is considered one of the world’s most harrowing suspension bridges. While rickety cable and wood bridges are common in this area, crossing this bridge over the rapidly flowing Hunza River is particularly frightening, as the tattered remains of the previous bridge hang by threads next to the one currently in use.

Where: In the village of Hussaini in Northern Pakistan, crossing the Hunza River.

Stats: Floodwaters reportedly submerged the bridge in May 2010. However, due to its draw as a popular adventure-travel activity, the bridge is likely to be rebuilt.