In Tanzania lies the remarkable Lake Natron, whose waters are lethally dangerous to living organisms due to their physicochemical properties.
Lake Natron in Tanzania is deadly to most living beings on Earth / © Getty Images
Tanzania is home to the unique hypersaline Lake Natron, where the water temperature can reach 60 degrees Celsius and its alkalinity level is extremely high. Most birds and small animals that enter this body of water perish and, over time, turn into eerie “stones.”
IFL Science reports on the specifics of this hazardous natural phenomenon. It is noted that the incredible aggressiveness of the body of water is linked to specific volcanic activity in this arid region.
A Deadly Chemical Cocktail
Lake Natron is fed by only one river and over two dozen hot springs. These channels carry a mixture of salts from the adjacent Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, located 20 kilometers away. Due to the very dry climate, the water evaporates rapidly, leaving behind a hypersaline liquid with a pH level that can sometimes reach 12 units.
Such metrics render the water as caustic as concentrated household bleach. Even brief contact with this liquid can cause severe third-degree chemical and thermal burns within seconds. Furthermore, the lake’s depth does not exceed three meters, allowing it to heat up incredibly intensely under the equatorial sun.
“Nobody would ever swim in this. It would be utter madness,” warned photographer Nick Brandt, who explored the area.
Illusion and the Process of Mummification
Despite the danger, the lake attracts flamingos, for whom this territory is the only regular breeding ground in East Africa. However, other migratory birds frequently fall victim to the perfectly smooth water surface. They mistake the reflection of the sky for reality and, at high speed, simply crash into the deadly reservoir.
The bodies of deceased animals do not immediately turn into actual stone, contrary to local myths about the Medusa Lake (a reference to the ancient Greek monster Medusa Gorgon). In reality, the salt mixture, known as natron, extracts all moisture and fat from them, while preserving remnants of feathers and flesh.
Subsequently, mineral deposits accumulate around the hollow remains of the animals, creating an absolute illusion of petrification. It was this natural desiccation process that ancient Egyptians once purposefully used to preserve the bodies of their deceased.
Recall that another African lake, Lake Nyos, once killed 1,800 people in a single night. This mysterious loss of life puzzled scientists for months until they discovered the deadly secret hidden at the very bottom of the reservoir.
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