West Virginia has 4,300 known caves, more than a third of them in Greenbrier County. In this vast underground, recreational cavers will crawl, slither and climb to marvel at the beauty of this unseen world. Scientists from many disciplines are also reaping new knowledge in geology, biology, even pharmacology. Greg Springer, professor of geology at Ohio University, can interpret a region’s climate record through cave formations called stalagmites. "There is conclusive evidence that, in fact, solar output affects droughts in North America based on the study of stalagmites," Springer said. "Their growth is directly related to the amount of water obtained from the surface and we can study the history of droughts – some that have lasted 100 years."

In Tucker County, a discovery of fossil animal remains is attracting international attention from the scientific community.

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There’s a mountain in Hampshire County that harbors pockets of ice in its nooks and crannies all year round. Scientists are trying to determine if climate change is endangering this historic and natural wonder.