Ah, lakes!Greatforfishing,swimming,andpaddling.Or…maybenot.Fromcreaturefeaturestomelt-your-skinsalty,theselakesareamongEarth’sweirdestbodiesof water. 

SeeingSpots

TakeapeekatSpottedLake.It'sinBritishColumbia.Doesitremindyouofyourfavoritepolka-dot pajamas?


SpottedLakefillsalowspotinoneofCanada’sdeserts.Thelakeisadeadend.Waterrichinmineralsfromrainandmeltingsnowflowsin.Butverylittleflows out.


Insummer,mostofthewaterevaporates.Itleavesbehindarainbowofmineralpools.Onemineralformsawhitecrustthatsurroundsthepoolslikea patio.


Canada’sFirstNationspeoplethinkthelakehashealingpowers.Onelegendevensaysthatduringabattle,bothsidestookabreaktohealtheirwoundstogetherinthese waters!

SpottedLake,BritishColumbia, Canada

LakeNatron,Tanzania, Africa

flamingos

PoisonorParadise?

Don’tbothertakingadipinLakeNatron,Tanzania.Inthedryseason,mostofthewaterevaporatesanyway.What’sleftishotterthanbathwaterandredfrombacteria.It’salsosupersaltyfromminerals.Thewaterissoharshitwillburnyour skin.


Besides,you’dhavetocompetewithtwomillionloud,smellyLesserflamingos.Theyare athomehere.Littleislandsofsaltstickupfromthelake bed.Theislandsaregreatplacesfortheflamingostobuildnests.Thepoisonouswateraroundthemkeepsthenestssafe.Apredatorlookingforasnackcouldendupdead.Whatprotectstheflamingos?Theirleatherylegskeepthemsafefromthe water.

Extreme Lake

Big,bold,cold,andbeautiful.That’sLakeBaikal,Russia:Earth’sdeepest.It’smorethan1,000meters(3,280feet)deepand636kilometers(395miles)long.Morethan300riversfeedit.Thishugelakecontainsafifthoftheplanet’sliquidfreshwater.


Besidesbeingbig,LakeBaikalisalsoEarth’soldestlake.Itdatesback25 millionyears.Thelakeishometo1,500 species.Manyarefoundnowhereelseon Earth.


Thelake’smostfamousanimalisthenerpa.Thenerpaistheonlysealthatlivesonlyinfreshwater.Oneofitsfavoritefoodsisalittlepinkfish.Thisfishispartlytransparent!Lookclosely,andyoumightspotoneswimmingalong.LakeBaikalisoneofEarth'sclearestlakes, too.

LakeBaikal, Russia

nerpa