Look at the wrinkles! The missing golden eyes of Black Myth: Wukong are here →

The Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils originally referred to the pair of eyes that were smoked red by the smoke from the Bagua furnace in the story of Sun Wukong in Journey to the West. They were eyes that could identify demons and monsters. Geologists who have been engaged in field work for a long time have also developed a pair of "Fire Eyes and Golden Pupils" that can identify various strange geological phenomena.

Common sedimentary rock folds, faults, topography and landforms may not attract much attention.

The fold structure in the sedimentary strata of Tushan, Weixian County, Hebei Province. The discovery of a large number of curved "folds" in volcanic rock areas may arouse everyone's interest. This kind of curvature is mostly found near ancient craters, with limited distribution, loose regularity, various changes, and various shapes. The smooth patterns are like exquisite patterns drawn by the painter's magic pen.

What are the differences between the two "folds" developed in the rhyolite in the Sanyihao area of ​​Weichang County, Hebei Province?

In people's cognition, the bending and deformation of rock layers may be considered as "folds". In geological terms, only those formed under the action of force are considered to be folds. The bending in sedimentary rocks is manifested as different lithological layers under the action of force in the later period, with obvious regularity, relatively stable extension and a certain scale; while the bending in volcanic rocks is manifested as a series of curved "facies" formed by the undulating terrain below during the flow of magma. This kind of "fold" is not a fold.

Flowing volcanic lava (Photo credit: www.serengeseba.com)

In fact, during the volcanic eruption, hot magma continuously flows out of the crater. Due to the high viscosity of acidic magma and its slow flow, minerals, glass and pores of different colors are arranged in a certain direction in the rock during the flow, forming features that look like stratification, called flow surfaces. Most flow surfaces are relatively stable, but due to the large changes in local landforms, especially near the crater, the drop is greater. After the magma flows out of the crater, it is like a stream flowing from the mountain. When it encounters obstacles, it will turn and form waterfalls or whirlpools when it encounters steep slopes. The magma gradually cools and solidifies during the flow. In the plastic-semi-plastic state, due to the effects of gravity, drag, traction and other forces in local areas, various curved and deformed structures are formed and solidified in the rock. After its formation, it has undergone multiple tectonic activities and was exposed to the surface under the long-term erosion and cutting of flowing water, forming a series of natural "murals".

Nature is like a mysterious encyclopedia. We must develop a pair of "eagle eyes" and explore nature with a scientific attitude, seeing the essence through phenomena, so that we can better reveal the laws of nature, better utilize natural landscapes, and continuously develop and understand nature.