In the holy book of the Catholic religion, Moses warns about the ten plagues of Egypt, of which the first is the first turns the water of the Nile into blood and kills all the fish and crops on the banks, the most important means of supplying the population.
Nowadays, Moses’ prophecy is often remembered, but scientific evidence shows that the color of the water has nothing to do with a flood of blood, but rather with a “red flood”.
According to Live Science, “the sudden appearance of red water can be caused by red algae blooms.” This “occurs when certain conditions allow it This type of microscopic algae reproduces in large numbers and makes the waters in which they live appear blood red.
[Já saiu: pode ouvir aqui o segundo episódio da série em podcast “O Encantador de Ricos”, que conta a história de Pedro Caldeira e de como o maior corretor da Bolsa portuguesa seduziu a alta sociedade. Pode ainda ouvir o primeiro episódio aqui.]
Even if it’s not blood, that doesn’t mean it can’t be harmful. According to the same website, “Algae contain a toxin that can accumulate in molluscs and poison the animals that feed on them.” In addition, the fumes they release can also spread through the air and “cause respiratory problems in residents.”
The water of the Grand Canal in Venice is phosphorescent green. Authorities are investigating causes (but this isn’t the first time it’s happened)
This phenomenon also occurred in the USA a few days ago. Known as “Barbie,” as CBS News called it, it took place on a lake in Hawaii Pink from day to night. The images were taken on October 30 at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui to analyze the evolution of the “pink sea.”
The water in a lake on the island of Maui, Hawaii, has turned pink.
This phenomenon can be caused by drought and the presence of halobacteria in the water. Scientists warn against coming into contact with and drinking this water. pic.twitter.com/OBPEc2xhdc— Mikhail Kulakov (@mikkulakov) November 13, 2023
In the case of Hawaii, the color comes from a Organism called Halobacteriawhich, according to the biologist responsible for the site, Bret Wolfe “arises in waters with high salinity”.
Experts still want to find out why Lake Kealia reached twice the salinity of seawater. However, everything indicates that the drought is to blame.
When it rains, water flows from Waikapu Creek into the main Kealia lagoon and then into the outlet area, which is now Russian colored. This could reduce the salinity of the water,” the North American broadcaster explained.
“This could cause it to disappear,” Wolfe believes, although he admits that nothing like this has ever happened in more than 70 years. At least not in this lake.
Although red and pink are the current protagonists, there were also bodies of water in other colors. In 2022 the Lake Haiyaha, in Rocky Mountain National Park (USA), suddenly turned “stunning turquoise after a landslide threw shattered rock into the lake.” And according to a study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, climate change will cause lake waters to become greener, and the same thing could happen in the oceans.
Haiyaha Lake 35° turquoise water
Backflips with @padenhodges_ A moment in which we have truly never felt so alive
Thank you, God, for this life?????????⛰️ pic.twitter.com/rAFhT8TP66
— Matt Moore (@MattSMoore_) September 4, 2023
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