Blood Waterfall: All About Antarctica's Mysterious Natural Phenomena

Antarctica is one of the most unknown places on planet Earth. It has long been a place of intrigue and adventure. Even today, scientists continue to be captivated by the wonders held within Antarctica's icy plains. One of the most intriguing phenomena on the frozen continent is the Blood Falls, a red-coloured waterfall that flows from Taylor Glacier into the West Lake Bonney. The waterfall is a striking feature against the white landscape, and it's been fascinating observers since its discovery by geologist Thomas Griffith Taylor in 1911.

Here's everything to know about the Blood Waterfalls 

According to Forbes, Blood Waterfall was discovered over 110 years ago by geoscientist Griffith Taylor. Mr Taylor gave his name both to the glacier where he found the spewing red water and to Taylor Valley, into which the glacier flows. 

Initially, researchers believed that the colour of the waterfall could be because of red algae content in the water. However, new research recently explained that the waterfall is rich in iron, which reacts with oxygen in the air when the water emerges from the glacier, staining it a bloody crimson colour. 

Another thing that left scientists baffled was the temperature in the area, which is almost minus 19 degrees Celcius. So, the fact that the water was running and not frozen solid was surprising. 

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However, in 2003, it was revealed that the running water has an extremely high salt content, which is double the levels they saw in seawater in the area. The high salt content pushes up the water's freezing point, which explains why it's still liquid at such cold temperatures.

The seawater is home to a diverse community of bacteria which have adapted to the harsh conditions of the subglacial environment, where they have no light, no oxygen, and limited nutrients. They survive by using a process called chemosynthesis, in which they obtain energy by breaking down the sulfate and iron in the water.

The origin of the water is also fascinating. Researchers explained the existence of the water after delving back into history 1.5 million years ago, as per Indy 100. Back then, the salt water was contained in a lake. A glacier then moved over the lake and contained it there for thousands of years, before it spurted from underneath the ice at Blood Falls, researchers explained.