The Bosporus Sea in Turkey has attracted worldwide attention recently because of its color, which has turned from an almost dark color to an opaque tone of light blue. According to NASA, the color is caused by an unlikely growth of phytoplanktons in the water.
The Bosporus Sea changing its color is not surprising among residents in the area. Berat Haznedaroglu, an environmental engineer at the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Istanbul’s public Bogazici University, explained that this is an annual event that occurs after heavy rains washed nutrients from the Saharan desert into the Black Sea. These nutrients provided the right environment for the phytoplanktons to grow.
The result of these phytoplankton blooms dramatically changes the color of the sea. And in terms of oddly colored bodies of water, the Bosporus Sea is not alone. Here are more of these unique water bodies found all over the world.
Laguna Colorada, Bolivia
Found in the Eduardo Abaroa Andean National Reserve in Bolivia, the Laguna Colorada's red water spreads, in contrast, its white shores. The red color is caused by the red sediments and the pigmentation from algae found in the water.
Beppu Hells, Japan
Beppu Hells does not refer to only one but nine hot geothermal spots in Japan. They got their name because of its red-blood water and billowing steam with an overpowering smell of sulfur. To add more to its menacing name, geysers in the area blows out from time to time during the day.
Grand Prismatic Spring, United States
The Grand Prismatic Spring at the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming lives up to its name as one of the most colorful bodies of water around the world. Its water is like liquid rainbow ranging from red to blue. The burst of colors is caused by the pigmented bacteria that live in its water.
Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Plitvice Lakes in Croatia is a group of 16 lakes that are tiered with its water cascading and streaming one after another. Their colors vary from deep blue to pale green depending on the amounts of minerals or organisms that live in the water. Looking at these tiered paradise makes you feel like you're in paradise.
Salt Lakes, Tunisia
These are composed of three salt lakes located south of the Atlas Mountains at the edge of the Sahara Desert. The lakes vary in color - from rust to deep red when filled with water.
Lake Retba, Senegal
Lake Retba is nicknamed Lac Rose by the locals because of its rosy-pink color. It has a high level of salinity making it the perfect place for the Dunaliella salina algae, the organisms that give its pink hue.
