Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Blood Falls, Antarctica

Image from Smithsonian

As explained in Amusing Planet, Blood Falls is home to an ancient community of microbes that have evolved in isolation, living off the minerals that lie beneath the ice and snow.

In 1911, geologist Griffith Taylor discovered the blood-red falls and theorized that algae caused the coloration. It's since been confirmed that a saltwater lake rich in iron lies beneath the ice and feeds the falls.

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