The Mystery Of Antarctica’s ‘Blood Waterfalls’ Solved; Here’s What It Is

The Blood Falls that flows from the Taylor Glacier is one of Antarctica’s most fascinating and mysterious features, which has kept scientists baffled for over a century. The fall that discharges extremely bright red water was first discovered by an Australian geologist, Griffith Taylor, who thought that it was made up of red algae. Later on, in 2003, that explanation was overturned when scientists suggested that the rusty tinge was due to oxidized iron, and the water was perhaps the last drops of a 5-million-year-old salt water lake.

However, what really had scientists puzzled for all these years was the origin of the waterfall. Now, a new study published in the Journal of Glaciology has revealed that the Blood Falls can be traced to a large lake that has been trapped under the ice for 1 million years. Furthermore, the fall gets its blood-like appearance from iron-rich salty water, since the iron turns the brine red when it meets the air.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado and the University of Alaska. The team took the help of radio-echo sounding to transmit and receive electrical pulses on the glacier. Subsequently, the group of researchers was able to see what was taking place under the ice. The research showed that liquid water can exist for a long duration of time beneath frozen glaciers, even for as long as million years.

“While it sounds counterintuitive, water releases heat as it freezes, and that heat warms the surrounding colder ice,” glaciologist Erin Pettit said, according to Mashable. “Taylor Glacier is now the coldest known glacier to have persistently flowing water.” The researcher also said that salty water has a lower freezing temperature that is also helpful for liquid water to stay that way. Co-author of the study, Jessica Badgeley, added that the discovery opens the doors to knowing the part played by liquid water -- fresh or salty -- in other exceedingly cold glaciers or permafrost environments.