Giant's Causeway

A coastal formation of roughly 40,000 interlocking basalt columns in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The columns formed as lava cooled and contracted about 60 million years ago.

Columnar jointing: A pattern of polygonal fractures formed when thick masses of rock cool and contract. It explains how cooling basalt divided into the Causeway’s columns.
North Atlantic Igneous Province: A vast region of igneous rocks formed during volcanic activity around the opening of the North Atlantic. The Causeway’s basalt belongs to this ancient volcanic province.
Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast: A UNESCO World Heritage property encompassing the Giant's Causeway and adjoining coastal landscape. The protected property includes the cliffs and geological setting around the columns.
Causeway Coast: A scenic coastal region in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, known for cliffs, geological sites, and historic places. The Causeway is the region’s best-known landmark.
Basalt: A dark, fine-grained volcanic rock formed when low-viscosity lava cools at or near the surface. The Causeway’s columns are made of this volcanic rock.
Paleogene: The geological period from about 66 to 23 million years ago. The Causeway formed during early Paleogene volcanic activity.
Giant's Organ: A prominent formation of tall basalt columns on the cliffs above the Giant's Causeway. Its unusually high columns display the same jointing at a striking scale.
Irish mythology: The traditional body of myths and legends associated with Ireland. The Causeway’s origin story belongs to this mythic tradition.
Thermal contraction: The decrease in a material’s dimensions as its temperature falls. Cooling lava contracted, generating stresses that fractured the rock.
Paleocene: The geological epoch from about 66 to 56 million years ago. The Causeway’s lava formed near the end of this epoch.

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