3 facts
Unlike many oceanic islands, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are true coral atolls, meaning they are rings of coral reefs built atop submerged ancient volcanoes. The visible landmass is entirely biogenic, created by living organisms over millennia.
This underwater rock formation off North Bimini consists of precisely aligned limestone blocks, leading some to speculate it's a remnant of Atlantis. Scientists, however, attribute the Bimini Road to natural geological processes, not a lost city.
These precious gems crystallize under immense pressure and extreme temperatures, approximately 90 to 120 miles below the Earth's surface in the mantle. Volcanic eruptions then bring them closer to the surface for mining.