Amidst the harsh conditions of the dry valleys of McMurdo Antarctica lies a true natural wonder. Lake Don Juan surprises with a unique salinity that makes the water not freeze even at extremely low temperatures.
Lake Don Juan, located in the Dry Valleys of McMurdo, is the saltiest natural body of water on Earth. This lake is small and from a distance it can be mistaken for a large pond, as it has an area of only 0.03 square meters.
This lake is unique and the only one of its kind on Earth, because the water in it has a salt concentration of over 40 percent. This makes it 12 times saltier than regular seawater and nearly twice as salty as the Dead Sea, reports Noi.md with reference to .
Thanks to this unique property, the water in Don Juan does not freeze even at -50 degrees Celsius.
Brown University researchers have discovered that the main cause of the lake’s salinity is not groundwater, as previously thought, but moisture absorbed by the salts in the air. Salt-laden water seeps into the soil and collects as shallow water.
The dry valleys of McMurdo, where the lake is located, are considered one of the harshest places on the planet. There is practically no precipitation here, and the environment is so harsh that it resembles the conditions on Mars.
