The Taylor Glacier is one of the most jaw-dropping travel destinations of all time.
Hidden in the depths of the Antarctic tundra, a crimson steam runs through the icy mass.
The red waterfall has been dubbed Blood Falls due to its sinister appearance.
For decades, scientists couldnt work out the reason behind this natural occurrence, but now they believe theyve cracked it.
Blood Falls is located in Antarcticas McMurdo Dry Valleys.
It was first discovered in 1911, when little was known about the natural phenomenon.
A century ago, experts believed that the algae in the water had altered its colour.
But now, researchers believe theyve got to the bottom of the mystery.
In order to establish what was in the briny liquid, scientists took samples from the location.
These collections were analysed by experts who noted that the water has a high iron content.
The presence of this chemical element is likely to be because the lake has little access to light or oxygen.
Iron-rich fluids oxidise as they come into contact with the air, causing them to rust.
It is this process that causes the waterfall to obtain a reddish hue.
These findings were published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences on February 2.
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