Blurs

In northern Tanzania, near the border with Kenya, lies a lake with an almost otherworldly reputation. Its waters can appear red, orange or pink, temperatures can become extreme, and its chemistry is hostile to most forms of life. Yet Lake Natron is not a dead lake. It is one of the most unusual ecosystems on Earth — and the apparent contradiction at its heart is what makes it so fascinating.  The same conditions that can preserve the remains of animals also create an environment where millions of flamingos can breed. Photographs of apparently petrified birds have helped create the legend that Lake Natron literally turns animals to stone. The reality is stranger, but considerably more scientific. A Lake in the Rift Valley Lake Natron sits in Tanzania's Gregory Rift, part of the enormous East African Rift system. It is a closed basin, meaning water enters the lake but does not flow out to the sea or into another major river system. Instead, water is lost primarily through evaporation...