The Astonishing Metamorphosis of World Wonders Over Time

The mystifying transformation of Lake Urmia, Iran, is so unique that it doesn’t actually seem natural. On the contrary, this change in color is actually completely normal.  It is caused by a specific combination of bacteria and algae which turns the water from green to red and back again. This whacky occurrence typically happens once the heat of summer and dryness cause evaporation, which increases the lake’s saltiness.

This is similar to the phenomenon we’ve seen with Lake Lonar of India, but it’s always amazing to see these changes from a different angle. This year, it has been reported the lake looks particularly red, probably due to the increasing levels of salinity in the water.