* Astronomy

A sparkling subterranean crystalline calcite formation known as Snowy River is no longer a dry riverbed. Scientists say Snowy River, discovered in 2001, is now running with between a half-foot to a foot-and-a-half of water.
The formation, which is not open to the public, was discovered by a U.S. Bureau of Land Management team led by veteran speleologist John McLean of Colorado. The passage, which looks like a river of snow surrounded by walls of brown clay and black manganese dioxide deposits, stretches more than 2 miles from a passage in Fort Stanton Cave.
Water originally carved a channel in the clay and gravel, then eventually filled it with brilliant white calcite. In some places, the ceiling soars up to 40 feet; in others it's down to 16 inches.
Scientists believe the last time water flowed in the Snowy River formation may have been 150 years ago.

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