German cave explorer Michael Laummans squeezes through a cave passage in Gabon during the summer of 2008. Laumanns was part of a team of explorers and scientists, funded in part by a National Geographic Society Young Explorers grant, mapping an extensive cave system just hours southeast of the capital city of Libreville.

Grotte de Mbenalatembe (above in a newly released picture) was mapped to be 7,808 feet (2,380 meters) long, making it the longest recorded cave in Gabon. The previous record-holder was Grotte de Kessipougou, which was mapped at close to a mile (1.5 kilometers) long.

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