speleothema (IMAGE) Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz Caption Speleothems are secondary mineral deposits in caves that occur mostly in the form of dripstones, such as stalagmites and stalactites. Credit Research group of Sebastian Breitenbach Usage Restrictions Credit must be given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted. License CC BY-NC-ND Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.