Grand Prismatic Spring, USA
The multi-coloured Grand
Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone National
Park in the USA. It is 90m across and over 50m deep.The mineral-rich pool has concentric bands of vibrant
colours from red to green, due to different sets of heat-loving pigmented
bacteria in each band. The brilliant
blue central part is extremely hot with temperatures reaching up
to 87°C. The multi-coloured Grand
Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone National
Park in the USA. It is 90m across and over 50m deep.The mineral-rich pool has concentric bands of vibrant
colours from red to green, due to different sets of heat-loving pigmented
bacteria in each band. The brilliant
blue central part is extremely hot with temperatures reaching up
to 87°C.
Spotted Lake, Canada
This is an alkaline lake rich in minerals, particularly
sulphates, and contains small doses of silver and titanium. The circular spots
appear during summer when most of the water evaporates.Located in British Columbia, the lake is locally called
Kliluk, and is considered sacred. During World War I, the
lake's salts were used to make explosives.
Lake Retba, Senegal
Resembling a giant pool of strawberry pink lemonade, Lake
Retba has very high levels of salt, so it is easy for people to float on its
water. It also attracts salt harvesters. The lake is near Senegal's Atlantic coast. It gets its
brilliant pink colour from salt-loving microalgae called Dunaliella salina,
which produce a red pigment to help absorb sunlight. The colour is especially
prominent during the dry season.
Blood Falls, Antarctica
In the frozen wastes of east Antarctica, a bright-red
cascading waterfall flows out of fissures in the Taylor Glacier. The water
comes from a hyper-salty lake, which has been trapped beneath the glacier for 2
million years. As the iron-rich water flows out, the iron reacts with
oxygen in the air to form rust, giving the waterfall its vivid red colour. The
ancient community of microbes in the lake could provide clues to life
on prehistoric Earth and other planets. (Source : BBC)