cave: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 25, 2026

News •

Cave divers search for rare ghost bats after flooding • Oct. 22, 2026, 7:18 PM ET (ABC News (Australia))

Facts

Also Known As	cavern

Photos and Videos

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

The Monarch formation in Slaughter Canyon Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, southeastern New Mexico.

Illustration of a cross-section of a limestone cave, showing pointed stalactites hanging from the ceiling, stalagmites rising from the floor, and columns formed where the two meet. The cave features multiple chambers, an underground river, and a labeled limestone layer near the surface, with small human figures for scale.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Giant Dome and Twin Domes

Stalagmites in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico.

Cave interior at Carlsbad Caverns National Park with numerous stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites rising from the cave floor, illuminated by warm lights.

Exploring underwater caves at Calanques National Park

How stalactites and stalagmites form in caves

Exploring Romania's underground Movile Cave ecosystem

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

rock shelter solution cave eolian cave glacier cave talus cave tectonic cave gypsum flower 11 Caves That Made History cave deposit ice cave river lake volcano ocean Meteorite crater tectonic basins and rift valleys continental shelf beach fault continent

Key People

default image

René Jeannel

French biologist