The Rio Tinto, in Andalusia, Spain, gets its strange color from dissolving iron deposits in the highly acidic water. Beginning more than 5,000 years ago, this area was mined for gold, silver, and other treasures. And archeological evidence suggests that about 3,000 years ago this may have been the site of King Solomon’s legendary mines. Scientists believe that pollution from the mines contributed to the extreme ecological conditions we see in the Rio Tinto today.
The otherworldly red river
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Penn Station
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Tegallalang terrace farms in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
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International Rock Day
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Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC
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Nha Phu Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
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Guiding ships to safety
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Arambol Beach, Goa, India
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Celebrating Native American Heritage Day
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Tufa formations in Mono Lake, California
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’Chess on ice’
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International Mountain Day
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A field of English lavender
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When Death Valley blew its top
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Ready. Set. Snow.
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Working for that cliffside view
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Weaverbird nests at Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve
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Water colors
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It’s oh so quiet
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Frozen beauty
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Chapel of St. Michel on Lake Serre-Ponçon, Hautes-Alpes, France
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Pride Month
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Explorer of the sea
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Mitsumata blossoms
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Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
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Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
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Celebrating the UN’s International Day of Families
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Go climb a tree
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Squirrel Appreciation Day
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Christmas Eve
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