January 28, 2009
Darwin’s Arch is a land formation in the Pacific Ocean named after the famous biologist, Charles Darwin. This tiny island is approximately 0.90 square miles (2.33 sq. km), the smallest among the Galápagos Archipelago, and is absent of any terrestrial life. One of the seven underwater wonders of the world, the island sits at the end of a reef that harbors a vast variety of marine life. Biologists made their first terrestrial visit to the area in 1964. Scientists speculate that the formation of the arch was the result of volcanic eruptions in combination with mechanical weathering taking place over millions of years. The island sits on top of an inactive volcano, with the last known eruption occurring over 400,000 years ago. The tip of the island is estimated to be anywhere between 400,000 to 1.6 million years old and sits 541 feet (165 m) above the sea floor.
