The Osage Nation was responsible for discovering the deepest cave in Missouri, which later became known as Marvel Cave and was discovered in the 1500s. Its impressive 500-foot depth was visited by Spanish explorers, later on looking for riches and the fountain of youth. Riches were found, but they’re not what you’d think. Bat feces, or bat guano, were in abundance in the cave, and back then, they could sell as fertilizer for $700 a ton, which is approximately $20,000 today.

Although the Marvel Cave in the Ozarks still holds the riches found long ago to this day, that’s not the most fascinating attraction anymore. It’s the fact that hot air balloons have floated inside its cave. By 1960, this original mining site became part of the Silver Dollar City theme park, named number one by Trip Advisor in 2023. It has plenty of water and above-ground features to enjoy. You can even enjoy a 40-foot-high underground waterfall along exceptional rock formations still growing today.

Once you descend into the underground journey, you can still find bats that once made the miners rich, but there is also a blind salamander species that lives inside. The climb back up to the daylight is an impressive 1,070-foot climb aided by a cable train. If the day tour is not enough, you can enjoy a night tour of the Marvel Cave in the Ozarks. Those willing to wait can enjoy the famous Lantern Light tour and experience what the miners did once upon a time.

The highly anticipated sixth season of Black Mirror has finally arrived, featuring a star-studded cast that includes Annie Murphy, Aaron Paul, Salma Hayek, and Kate Mara. After a long hiatus, the new episodes of Black Mirror continue to delve into thought-provoking themes, with a particular focus on fame and the ever-present influence of technology.

Fans of the mind-bending and eerily prophetic series are already busy crafting new theories. One theory suggests that the episode “Joan Is Awful” was inspired by real-life entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes and her infamous company, Theranos. Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker confirmed that the premiere episode of season 6 drew inspiration from his own viewing of the Hulu series The Dropout, which chronicled the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes. The striking similarities between the two cases fueled speculation among fans.

The link between “Joan Is Awful,” and the overarching Black Mirror universe becomes apparent to those who have watched the episode. It follows the story of an ordinary woman whose life is transformed into a series by a prominent streaming platform. What makes this connection even more intriguing is the confirmation from the fictional streamer in the Black Mirror universe, known as “Streamberry,” which supports a long-held fan theory: every episode of Black Mirror coexists within a shared universe. This theory warrants further exploration and discussion.

Fans have pondered the idea that Black Mirror explores the concept of a digital afterlife. The series frequently explores the corruption of humanity through advanced digital consciousness. Episodes such as “White Christmas,” “San Junipero,” and “U.S.S. Callister” all feature the presence of digital consciousness or “cookies,” leading fans to speculate on the deeper meaning behind these connections within the series.

Another intriguing theory suggests that all six seasons of Black Mirror share a single universe. In the episode “Joan Is Awful,” as Joan and her fiancé search for something to watch on Streamberry, they come across titles like “Loch Henry” (a reference to an episode in season 6) and “The Callow Years” (a fictional docuseries about a prime minister featured in the first-ever Black Mirror episode). This subtle connection between episodes, along with previous instances of cross-referencing within the series, has led fans to believe in the existence of an interconnected Black Mirror universe.

With its thought-provoking themes and intricate storytelling, Black Mirror continues to captivate audiences and ignite their imaginations. As viewers delve into the new season, these theories add an extra layer of intrigue to the already compelling narratives that have made the series a cultural phenomenon.