00:17No, no, no, they aren't some decoratives, but real animals turned into stones after coming in contact with this lake
00:37Yes, so in today's episode let us dive into the science of this mystical water by answering a stony question
00:47What if you jumped into Lake Nathan? Zoom in
00:53If you ever get a chance to visit Africa do come to Tanzania a
00:59country famous for its vast wilderness
01:03Consisting of giant animals like rhinos elephants hippos and more
01:09But far away from this nature's beauty lies a toxic red water body called
01:17Lake Nathan
01:18Which just like Medusa is known to turn any living creature into stone
01:25How well before we jump into that let us see what this mystical lake is made of?
01:34Unlike other lakes Nathan doesn't run into the ocean, but is locked into the desert region
01:41As a result the water coming from rain has nowhere to go, but to get accumulated and
01:50Once the stored water evaporates it leaves behind high concentrations of salt
01:56increasing its salinity
01:58This salt component serves as a perfect breeding ground for a type of poisonous algae called Arthur's spira which contains a red pigment that gives the lake its rosy red shade
02:14But what makes this lake more toxic is its close proximity to an active volcano named Altonio Lenggai
02:25This volcano erupts a strange kind of lava full of sodium and potassium carbonate called
02:34Nathro carbonate called Nathro carbonate or Nathrin from which this lake got its name
02:40This lava is constantly flowing into the lakes water
02:45Which has increased its acidic pH level to as high as 10.5 which is close to that of ammonia
02:54But the vital question is what if someone makes the mistake of entering this highly alkaline salty water?
03:05Well, first of all taking a high dive could be dangerous as the lake is shallow and contains sharp salty structures that could cause severe injuries
03:17Secondly, during certain times of the year Lake Nathrin's water temperature can rise up to 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit
03:31Which is hot enough to cause third-degree burns in less than five seconds
03:37On top of that in case someone swallows the bacteria rich water it will cause severe damage to the person's internal organs
03:47We know that because many of the birds and animals that drink from Lake Nathrin usually don't survive
03:56But the vital question is how can this lake turn someone into stone?
04:03Well, that happens due to the salty and alkaline chemical composition of this lake
04:11Which is pretty similar to what ancient Egyptians used to mummify or preserve a body
04:18However, the person won't instantly turn into stone like a magic trick
04:25But if they happen to drown and stay submerged over a long period of time
04:33Their entire body would harden up and get preserved like a mummy
04:38As Nathrin's super high alkinity stops the decomposition process
04:44So, if Lake Nathrin is on your touring list
04:49Then make sure to enjoy its serene beauty from a distance
04:54Trivia time!
04:56Do you know that Lake Nathrin's toxic water does not negatively affect the flamingos?
05:04Yes!
05:05That's because of their tough skin and scaly legs
05:09Which prevent burns
05:10And on top of that
05:12Their strong stomachs allow them to feed on harmful bacteria
