[Science!] 'Statue' Lake

[-SS-]

ACCORDING to Dante, the Styx is not just a river but a vast, deathly swamp filling the entire fifth circle of hell. Perhaps the staff of New Scientist will see it when our time comes but, until then, Lake Natron in northern Tanzania does a pretty good job of illustrating Dante's vision.

Unless you are an alkaline tilapia (Alcolapia alcalica) – an extremophile fish adapted to the harsh conditions – it is not the best place to live. Temperatures in the lake can reach 60 °C, and its alkalinity is between pH 9 and pH 10.5.

The lake takes its name from natron, a naturally occurring compound made mainly of sodium carbonate, with a bit of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) thrown in. Here, this has come from volcanic ash, accumulated from the Great Rift valley. Animals that become immersed in the water die and are calcified.

Deadly lake turns animals into statues - environment - 01 October 2013 - New Scientist

Bad ass.

 

[Dangerdoggie]

The animals are all arranged in poses by the photographer.

that's cheating

 

[BadMoFo]

That is cool.

 

[Goshin]

a plus

 

[Breyer]

maybe the alkaline wackos can go swim in it

it'll finally prove that shit cures cancer

 

[Putrid]

that cheating

but

that's cool

 

[SkittleBrew]

All of these pictures you see are photographer manipulated and posed for pictures like they'd been instantly petrified. Little bit misleading.

 

[Goshin]

maybe the alkaline trio

 

[ICMeltdown]

Friend posted about this yesterday elsewhere, pretty cool.