Why Earth is the only known world with stable surface oceans

At Lake Nyos, a pipe lifts deep water rich in dissolved CO₂. As the water rises and pressure falls, gas bubbles form and pull more water upward, so the flow can continue without outside power. Degassing pipes have been used to reduce the dangerous buildup of CO₂ in the lake.

Table Mountain supports roughly 2,200 plant species, an extraordinary concentration for such a small area. Many belong to the Cape Floristic Region, where plants evolved in highly localized habitats. That diversity comes with a vulnerability: development, invasive species and habitat loss can threaten plants found nowhere else on Earth.