The Badlands Guardian is a

geomorphological Geomorphology (from Ancient Greek: , ', "earth"; , ', "form"; and , ', "study") is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or n ...

feature located near Medicine Hat in the southeast corner of Alberta, Canada. The feature was discovered in 2005 by Lynn Hickox through use of

Google Earth Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and geog ...

Description

Viewed from the air, the feature has been said to resemble a human head wearing a full Indigenous type of headdress, facing directly westward. Additional human-made structures have been said to resemble a pair of earphones worn by the figure.Sydney Morning Herald
Article by Stephen Hutcheon: "Gran's canyon is a net sensation" November 13, 2006 The apparent earphones are a road (Township Road 123A) and an

oil well An oil well is a drillhole boring in Earth that is designed to bring petroleum oil hydrocarbons to the surface. Usually some natural gas is released as associated petroleum gas along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce only gas may ...

, which were installed in the early 2000s and are expected to disappear once the project is abandoned. The head is a drainage feature created through erosion of soft, clay-rich soil by the action of wind and water. The arid

badlands Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...

are typified by infrequent but intense rain-showers, sparse vegetation and soft sediments. The 'head' may have been created during a short period of fast erosion immediately following intense rainfall. Although the image appears to be a convex feature, it is actually concave – that is, a valley,As It Happens
3D rendering by CBC Radio which is formed by erosion on a

stratum In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...

of clay, and is an instance of the Hollow-Face illusion. Its age is estimated to be in the hundreds of years at a minimum. In 2006, suitable names were canvassed by CBC Radio One program '' As It Happens''. Out of 50 names submitted, seven were suggested to the Cypress County Council. They altered the suggested 'Guardian of the Badlands' to become ''Badlands Guardian''. The Badlands Guardian was also described by '' the Sydney Morning Herald'' as a "net sensation". ''PCWorld'' magazine has referred to the formation as a "geological marvel". It is listed as the seventh of the top ten

finds by '' Time'' magazine.

References

External links

Satellite image (Google Maps)

Photo of the Badlands Guardian taken from a paraglider

3D diagram of Badlands Guardian topography, prepared by Lutz Perschon for CBC Radio.

Google Earth Community
Page about the discovery of the feature. {{coord, 50, 00, 38.20, N, 110, 06, 48.32, W, type:landmark, name=Badlands Guardian, display=title Badlands of Canada Cypress County Geomorphology Geology of Alberta Landforms of Alberta

Description

See also

References

External links