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Any locum who is visiting New Zealand will want to put some time aside to learn more about the history of the country's Pink and White Terraces, which were once considered the eighth wonder of the world.
These naturally formed pink and white silica terraces were located near the city of Rotorua, along the edges of Lake Rotomahana. In the 1880s, travelers would come from far and wide to witness these cascading formations, which were created over time by thermal waters straight from the Earth's burning core.
The natural attraction's legend only grew when Mount Tarawera erupted in 1886 and seemingly destroyed the terraces, along with several nearby settlements. Before this event, the Pink Terraces were said to be on the Rotomahana's western bank, while the white staircases were on the northern side of the lake.
For locum tenens who wish they could see the terraces without having to look at a painting, there may be hope. Scientists recently reported that they had found half of the Pink Terraces at the bottom of a volcanic lake near their original location.