60 Then-and-Now Photos That Show Us How Different Places Have Changed Over the Years

Lake Urmia, Iran’s mystifying transformation, is so unique that it doesn’t 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 seeing these changes from a different angle is always amazing. This year, it has been reported that the lake looks particularly red, probably due to the increasing salinity levels in the water.