From the air, the Great Blue Hole of Belize resembles an otherworldly maw, intent on drinking down the surrounding Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Geologists believe that an underlying cave system collapsed under increased pressure some 10,000 years ago due to rising sea levels. The dark hole descends 412 feet, terminating in lightless depths where a lack of oxygen prevents most forms of life from thriving.

Today’s photo of the day is the Amazing Belize Barrier Reef which straddles the coast of Belize – roughly 300 meters offshore in the north and 25 miles in the south. The Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals and is one of the most diverse ecosystems of the world.