6 - Keep Moving Forward: Perito Moreno Glacier

The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It is the third largest reserve of fresh water in the world. The ice formation is 250 square kilometers. It rises around 75 meters above the water, with a total height of 170 meters.

Baffling scientists, this glacier is the only glacier in the world that is advancing rather than retreating. The reason is still being debated and is not understood. It is advancing at about two meters a day.

The glacier is named after explorer Francisco Moreno, who played a major role in defending Argentina during an international border dispute with Chile. During this feud, the glacier acted as a barrier between the two countries. In Spanish, "perito" means expert.

The weight of the ice puts lots of pressure on the glacier and pushes it over the southern arm of Argentino Lake, separating the section from the rest of the lake. This causes the water level on that side to rise, and the pressure causes the water to break through the ice barrier. This creates a rupture, sending a massive outpouring of water from the dammed section to the main body of Lake Argentino. This cycle recurs naturally between once a year to once a decade. The last rupture occurred on March 13th, 2018.

5 - Out of This World: Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert is located west of the Andes Mountains in Chile. It is considered the driest desert in the world, only receiving an average annual rainfall of approximately one millimeter. Some locations within the desert have never seen rain at all. Periods of up to four years have been recorded with no rainfall in the central sector. The desert is composed mainly of stones, salt lakes, and sand.

In one of the regions of the Atacama Desert it's soil is comparable to that on Mars. Due to it's physical appearance, it has been used for the location of filming movie scenes on Mars. NASA scientists also use it as a testing site for future Mars missions due to the soil's similar composition to that on Mars.

Despite the seemingly unlivable climate and conditions of the Atacama Desert, many plants live there. Over 500 species have been gathered within the desert borders. Some of the common species are things such as thyme, saltgrass, and llareta. It is also home to succulents, cacti, and other dry climate loving plants.

As for fauna, the desert conditions do not allow many animals to make up permanent residence. However, some species such as scorpions, grasshoppers, and reptiles have been found here at certain times of the year. Humboldt penguins are the largest animal group in the Atacama, living year-round along the coast. Flamingos enjoy the salt lakes, and other birds are often seen visiting.

Human populations live in the desert, though most towns are located along the Pacific coast, housing around 1000 people. It is a popular site for astronomical observations, all-terrain sports, and solar car racing.

4 - An Astonishing Drop: Angel Falls

Located in Bolivar State, Venezuela, this natural wonder is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world. It drops over the edge of the Auyan-tepui mountain, falling from a height of 985 meters with an uninterrupted drop of 807 meters.

The waterfall was named after James "Jimmie" Angel, a U.S. aviator who was the first person to fly over the falls in 1933. He returned in 1937, attempting to land on Auyan-tepu's summit. Though successful, the wheels of the plane became submerged in mud, and Jimmie could not get his aircraft to move. Jimmie and his group trekked across the mountain for 11 days before reaching a small settlement. Word of his adventure spread, giving the waterfall the name of "Angel". Jimmie's plane remained marooned on the mountain until 1970. It can now be found in the Aeronautics Museum of Maracay.

The waterfall is so large that it can create its own climate. During the "dry" season from January to March, the water from the falls will evaporate and form mist before it even reaches the ground, cooling down the surrounding environment. During rainy seasons, the waterfall will split into two, and people can feel drops of water on them from more than a kilometer away!