Mammoth Cave
image source : oneworldjourneys.com
In October 2004, a team of Call of the Abyss project down 1.2 miles (1.9 km) in Krubera Cave, making it the deepest cave. But what is the world's longest cave? That would be the system of Mammoth Cave, in central Kentucky. The total length of its labyrinth of limestone passages is not known, but some 350 miles (560 km) have been mapped. (Optimisticheskaya Cave of Ukraine is the next longest at about 130 miles (210 kilometers).) Archaeological evidence indicates people have resorted to Mammoth Cave thousands of years. Explorations modern began in the late 18th century and 19th century, the cave was mined for nitrate, used in the manufacture of gunpowder for the War of 1812. In 1941 Mammoth Cave National Park was established to preserve its caverns, lakes and underground passages, and in 1981 it was designated a World Heritage site.
Abigail A. Tipton
source : nationalgeographic.com
