7 Geological Phenomena So Crazy, You'll Think They're Photoshopped!

Blood Drops

Advertisement

Found on Taylor Glacier in Antarctica, Blood Falls is a geological occurrence. It receives its name from the look of blood from the outflow of iron-rich saltwater coming from the glacier. Blood Falls' resulting water is quite salinized and heavy in iron concentration. This sets off a reaction with the oxygen in the air that results in the water turning a deep red, like to blood. Said to have been cut off from the outer world for millions of years, the water comes from an underground reservoir beneath the glacier. Geothermal heating from the Earth's core is thought to be the reason the reservoir's water stays liquid even in the very cold Antarctic conditions. Although most kinds of life find the water hostile because to its high salt and iron concentration, it is home to a special population of microbes that have evolved to thrive in this hostile surroundings. One amazing illustration of the unusual and powerful geological processes found in some of the most hostile conditions on Earth is Blood Falls.