Villa Luz Cave: Difference between revisions

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Cueva de Villa Luz (English: Cave of the Lighted House), also known as Cueva del Azufre and Cueva de las Sardinas, is a cave near Tapijulapa in the southern Mexican state of Tabasco. The springs within the cave are rich in hydrogen sulfide, a gas that is a potent respiratory toxicant and smells like rotten eggs. Within the water sulfide is oxidized to colloidal sulfur which gives the water a milky appearance, and creates sulfuric acid. The cave is essentially a maze about two kilometers in length and primarily etched out of limestone by the sulfuric acid in the water. Hydrogen sulfide is also used by chemoautotrophic bacteria, which form the base of the food web.

The cave is a popular tourist destination and visited by many, partly because it is easily accessible. It has been featured on the BBC's series Planet Earth, and Wonders of the Solar System.

External links

Hose L. D., Pisarowicz J. A. (1999) Cueva de Villa Luz, Tabasco, Mexico: reconnaissance study of an active sulfur spring cave and ecosystem. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 61(1): 13-21.
Cueva de Villa Luz Biological Investigations
Cueva de Villa Luz at ShowCave
National Geographic Magazine, Mexico’s Poisonous Cave
New Scientist Magazine, Acid House, 6 June 1998
Research on cave mollies
Research using the Cueva de Villa Luz
New Scientist Magazine, Religious rite gives evolution a helping hand, 18 September 2010

17°26′37″N 92°45′53″W / 17.4437°N 92.7648°W / 17.4437; -92.7648

This article about a location in the Mexican state of Tabasco is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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-'''Cueva de Villa Luz''' (Cave of the Lighted House, also known as Cueva del Azufre and Cueva de las Sardinas) is a [[cave]] near [[Tapijulapa]] in the southern [[Mexico|Mexican]] state of [[Tabasco]]. The springs within the cave are rich in [[hydrogen sulfide]], a gas that is a potent respiratory toxicant and smells like rotten eggs. Within the water, sulfide is oxidized to [[colloidal sulfur]], which gives the water a milky appearance, and sulfuric acid. The cave essentially is a maze about two kilometers in length and primarily etched out of [[limestone]] by the sulfuric acid in the water. Hydrogen sulfide is also used by [[chemoautotrophic bacteria]], which form the base of the food web.
+'''Cueva de Villa Luz''' (English: Cave of the Lighted House), also known as Cueva del Azufre and Cueva de las Sardinas, is a [[cave]] near [[Tapijulapa]] in the southern [[Mexico|Mexican]] state of [[Tabasco]]. The springs within the cave are rich in [[hydrogen sulfide]], a gas that is a potent respiratory toxicant and smells like rotten eggs. Within the water sulfide is oxidized to [[colloidal sulfur]] which gives the water a milky appearance, and creates sulfuric acid. The cave is essentially a maze about two kilometers in length and primarily etched out of [[limestone]] by the sulfuric acid in the water. Hydrogen sulfide is also used by [[chemoautotrophic bacteria]], which form the base of the food web.
 The cave is a popular tourist destination and visited by many, partly because it is easily accessible. It has been featured on the [[BBC]]'s series ''[[Planet Earth (2006 TV series)|Planet Earth]]'', and ''[[Wonders of the Solar System (TV series)|Wonders of the Solar System]]''.