What Is Antarctica's Blood Waterfall? The Mystery Of A Red Cascade Flowing From Ice

Deep in one of the coldest and driest places on Earth, something strange and eye-catching flows from the ice. In Antarctica's McMurdo Dry Valleys, a waterfall pours out bright red water, making the white glacier look stained with blood. This unusual sight is called Antarctica's Blood Falls, and scientists have been trying to understand it for more than 100 years, reported the Antarctica Journal.

What Is Antarctica's Blood Falls

Antarctica's Blood Falls were first observed by Australian geologist Thomas Griffith Taylor during the Terra Nova expedition in 1911. At the time, scientists believed its red color was due to red algae, but subsequent research revealed a different and more complex cause.

According to scientists, the water originates from an extremely old, iron-rich lake deep beneath the Taylor Glacier. This lake has remained completely isolated from the outside world for more than two million years. It receives neither sunlight nor fresh air, creating a unique and isolated environment.

The water's high salt content prevents it from freezing even in extreme cold. When this salt water slowly seeps out of the glacier's crevices and comes into contact with oxygen in the air, the iron present in it reacts, turning the water a deep red, much like iron rust.

Research has also revealed that this hidden lake maintains an active microbial life system.