Just think about a lake that is so mysterious and deadly that turns animals into stone.It seems to be a story from mythology but actually a place like this is present in this world. In East Africa there is a lake that has amazed the photographers, scientists and travelers with its appearence and weird effect on wildlife.
LAKE NATRON:
Lake Natron is located in northern Tanzania, near the border with kenya, in one of the hottest and hostile places on the planet earth. When you see this lake for the first time , it seems to be from other world. Its water often appear red or pink which gives it alien like appearence.
This color is caused by the presence of microorganisms that live in this lake despite its harsh and extreme conditions. These organisms produce pigments that make water to look red or orange which makes it beautiful but unsettling at the same time.
But its real mystery is not about its colors but its mystery lies in the fact what happens to the animals that come in contact with this lake?
"THE ANIMALS TURNING INTO STONES" phenomenon:
The world became aware of this weird lake by the work of a wildlife photographer "Nick Brandt". In his pictures he captured images of birds and animals that appeared to have turned into stone.
These creatures were found along the shores of the lake and preserved in lifelike positions which looks like frozen in time. Some looked like statues, perched on branches or lying on ground. The bodies of these creatures were stiff and calcified.
The images went viral and people began to believe that this lake had the ability to turn living organisms into stones.
It sounded to be a curse from folklores and also like a magical power.
SCIENCE BEHIND THIS:
we know that the images were real but the explanation for those stoned animals is given by science not by magic.
Lake Natron is one of the most alkaline lakes in world. Its water has very high PH level , sometimes its PH reaches to 10.5 or more.
For simple explanation we can say that it is almlost as alkaline as ammonia which is a strong cleaning agent.
The lake contains high amount of sodium carbonate and some other minerals which come into this lake from the nearby volcanic activity.All these substances make a harsh and extreme environment which is deadly for most of the life forms.
So when animals especially birds accidently come across this lake and then smash into the lake or the land on the lake's surface, they cannot survive in such harsh and extreme conditions. After some time their bodies become covered with minerals that are present in water. This process preserves there bodies in a way which is much similar to mummification.
Rather than decomposing , the bodies dry out and become hard which gives them stone like appearance.
So we can say that animals are not turned into stones promptly but their bodies are preserved in a way that they look to be turned into stones.
A TWIST: LAKE NATRON HAS LIFE
Altough lake natron is notorious for its deadly stories but it is not entirely lifeless. In fact it has a role in the survival of a species called flamingos.
Thousands of flamingos throng to this lake each year to breed in this lake. The harsh conditions which are deadly for many animals protect the flamingos from predators.Few creatures can survive in lake's environment, which makes the lake a safe nesting ground. The flamingos are adapted to such extreme conditions. They have tough and hard skin and a very different biology which allows them to survive in lake that is harmful for some other animals.
This is a fascinating thing to learn that a lake which seems to be deadly is full of life during some seasons.
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| Flamingos |
MYTH OR REALITY?
The story of animals turning into stones is true but is a little bit misleading. First of all if we think that animals turn into stone instantly when they touch the water of lake then it is false but the truth is that animal is slowly preserved in a way that it looks to be turned into stone.
In short we can say that the story that animals turn into stones in lake natron is true but the science behind it is different. So we should believe that the turning of animals into stones in lake Natron is not because of any magical power but it is because of the extreme conditions that are present there.
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| A picture which depicts turning of birds into stones |
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