You might be wondering where the volcano is in today"s photo, but that"s not lava. These are salt flats in San Francisco Bay—many of these tidal marshes have been developed into evaporation ponds for the harvest of sea salt. If you happen to be in the air and flying over this part of the country, you"ll notice pools of not just bright orange but green, blue, and even magenta among the famous salt ponds. The vibrant colors are determined by brine shrimp, algae, and other microorganisms and their responses to different levels of salt. This orange results from a mid-level saline concentration and the presence of tiny brine shrimp in the water. Green indicates low levels of salt, while pink or red are signs of high salt content in an algae-rich pond.
San Francisco Bay salt flats
Today in History
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International Day for Biosphere Reserves
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Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
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Perfect timing
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Staring down winter
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Paleontology meets art
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The buzz about bees
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Nothing plain about it
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International Day for Biodiversity
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World Octopus Day
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On this shore, history was made
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Gaztelugatxe at sunset, Basque Country, Spain
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Presidents Day
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Women s History Month
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A bohemian feline
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Uncommon clouds are gathering
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Chinese New Year
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Legacy mural in Philadelphia
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A bite of ancient history
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Falling for Rioja
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Ministry of Fun Santa School
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Have fun storming the castle
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A wonderland in winter
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Mount Hood, Oregon
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Square Tower House in Mesa Verde National Park
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Blue linckia sea stars in Papua New Guinea
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Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
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Honoring our fallen heroes
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