Alien Landscape in the Italian Alps

When you think of the Alps, you don’t necessarily think of strange, hoodoo-like outcroppings, looking very much like otherworldly formations. You probably picture steep slopes with pine trees and snow covered vistas. Yet photographer Kilian Schönberger has found these strange formations, high up in an area called South Tyrol   in Northern Italy. He calls them “Earth Pyramids”. Another reason to get on your hiking boots, our Earth is filled with surprising, beautiful places to explore.   Via Colossal:

The structures are created by erosion, rising from clay soil left behind by glaciers from the last Ice Age. Each features a large boulder resting on top which protects the soil below. Eventually the tall columns lose the strength to hold the large rock overhead, shifting balance and sending it tumbling down the mountain.