We experience the surface of the Earth, the valleys and mountains, the rivers and the sea as something that hardly changes. This is due to the length of our lifespan. However, from a geological perspective, there is a dramatic dynamism at play. Mountains grow and disappear, continents migrate, oceans open and close. Only rarely do the Earth’s enormous changes manifest in events that threaten us humans, such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
The Earth’s surface is like a fragile skin drawn constantly back and forth between heaven and hell. Heat flows from the Earth’s interior, while the sky brings the forces of air and water into play.
The deeper you go into the Earth’s crust, the warmer it gets. In fact, deep boreholes can also be used to extract heat sustainably.
One very unique drilling project was carried out in northeastern Bavaria for research purposes: The Continental Deep Borehole in Windischeschenbach reaches more than nine kilometers deep. The tools failed to drill futher due to the high temperatures. You can start the journey into the depths of the borehole at the touch of a button!
Why was drilling carried out in the east of Bavaria? Because there are geological sensations to be found here. Around 350 million years ago, two continental plates collided here. This created a soaring mountain range as mighty as today’s Himalayas. And one remnant of this mountain range found today is the Bavarian Forest.
Let’s take a closer look at our beautiful Bavarian Forest. At the map to the left at the end of the corridor, I’ll tell you more about this aging mountain range.
