Formation of basalt stone pillars created by volcanic eruption 50 million years ago at The Giant's Causeway, on the north coast of Northern Ireland

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Resulting from a volcanic eruption during the Paleocene Epoch some 50 to 60 million years ago, the lava contracted as it cooled, cracking in a similar way to drying mud. The fractures extended down through the mass, creating pillarlike structures. These stone columns also fractured horizontally into segments with a convex bottom face and concave top. Most of the columns are hexagonal, though some have four, five, seven or eight sides. The tallest are almost 40 feet high (12 meters), and the solidified lava in the cliffs is more than 90 feet thick (28 meters) in places.

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Size: 3772px × 5540px
Location: Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Photo credit: © John Cumbow / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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