10 creepiest lakes on our planet

Thousands of lost lives, mysterious inhabitants, poisonous waters - this is all about the terrible reservoirs of our planet. Even nice-looking lakes with clear water sometimes pose a great threat to those who decide to swim in them or even settle with a tent on the shore. We have selected the ten most terrible lakes on our planet.

1. Nios (Cameroon)

Lake Nyos can be called a mass killer. It became known throughout the world because of the terrible event that occurred on August 21, 1985. A cloud of asphyxiating gas rose from the lake, killing 1,746 residents of neighboring villages. Along with people, all livestock, birds and even insects died. Scientists from all over the world who arrived at the scene of the tragedy found that the lake was located in the crater of a volcano, which everyone considered to be dormant. Carbon dioxide entered the water through cracks from the bottom. Having accumulated a maximum concentration, the gas began to break out to the surface in huge bubbles. The wind carried the cloud of gas to the settlements, where it destroyed all living things. Scientists say that carbon dioxide continues to flow into the lake and another release can be expected.

2. Blue Lake (Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia)

Blue karst abyss in Kabardino-Balkaria. No river flows into the lake from the outside; it is fed by underground springs. The blue color of the lake is due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the water. What makes this lake creepy is the fact that no one has been able to figure out its depth. The fact is that the bottom consists of an extensive system of caves. Researchers have still not been able to figure out what the lowest point of this karst lake is. It is believed that under the Blue Lake is the largest system of underwater caves in the world.

3. Natron (Tanzania)

Lake Natron in Tanzania not only kills its inhabitants, but also mummifies their bodies. On the shores of the lake there are mummified flamingos, small birds, and bats. The creepiest thing is that the victims freeze in natural poses with their heads raised. It was as if they froze for a moment and remained that way forever. The water in the lake is bright red due to the microorganisms living in it, closer to the shore it is already orange, and in some places it is a normal color. The evaporation of the lake scares away large predators, and the absence of natural enemies attracts a huge number of birds and small animals. They live on the banks of the Natron, reproduce, and after death they are mummified. A large amount of hydrogen contained in water and increased alkalinity contribute to the release of soda, salt and lime. They prevent the remains of the inhabitants of the lake from decomposing.

4. Brosno (Tver region, Russia)

Not so far from Moscow, in the Tver region, there is Lake Brosno, in which, according to local residents, an ancient lizard lives. Like the famous Nessie, who gained worldwide fame. As in the case of the inhabitant of the Scottish lake, the Brosno monster was often seen, but no one managed to take a single clear photograph. Research into the reservoir did not lead to anything concrete. Scientists suggest that the reason for the emergence of legends about the ancient monster was the unusually large depth for a small lake and decomposition processes at the bottom, which sometimes lead to the formation of huge bubbles of hydrogen sulfide. The escaping gas can easily capsize a small boat, which can be mistaken for a monster attack.

5. Michigan (USA)

Lake Michigan is one of the five great lakes scattered across the United States and Canada. Few people know that this reservoir has destroyed hundreds of lives. No ancient monster was seen here, the water here is far from dead, but nevertheless the lake is very dangerous. It's all about unpredictable undercurrents. They pose a huge risk for those who come to swim on the shores of Michigan, and there are many of them in the warm season. Undercurrents carry people away from the shore, and if a person falls into its power, then it is almost impossible to cope with it. In autumn, the lake becomes especially dangerous. Due to spontaneously occurring currents, huge waves arise on the surface of the water, from which sailors primarily suffer.

6. Dead Lake (Kazakhstan)

A lake with a creepy name is located in Kazakhstan. Local residents have long tried to avoid it, considering the reservoir cursed. Here, anyone will tell you several scary stories about the mysterious disappearances of people, and not even necessarily in the lake itself. According to locals, there are countless drowned people at the bottom. Moreover, all the missing are visiting tourists who know nothing about the notoriety of the Dead Lake. By the way, this name does not come from mysterious disappearances, but because of the unusual properties of water. There is no life in the lake. No fish, no frogs, nothing. In addition, the water remains extremely cold even in the hot season, and the size of the lake does not decrease. And this is at a time when other reservoirs in this region are drying out almost twice as much due to the heat.

7. Lake of Death (Italy)

We know about Sicily thanks to the famous Sicilian mafia and Mount Etna, located on the island. But there is another (no less dangerous) attraction here - the Lake of Death, the water of which contains a high concentration of sulfuric acid. Life here is impossible by definition. Any organism that gets into local water dies within minutes. According to rumors, the Italian mafia used this lake to destroy unwanted people. The bodies of those who rejected the Offer That Cannot Be Refused now form part of the Lake of Death. No one can say whether this is true or not, because the water dissolved all the evidence.

8. Karachay (Russia)

Lake Karachay in the Urals is considered one of the most polluted in the world. Staying on the lake shore for a couple of hours is enough to receive hundreds of roentgens of radiation and die a painful death. The once living lake was destroyed in the fifties, when it began to be used as a storage facility for liquid radioactive waste. Now the water level has dropped significantly, revealing vast contaminated areas of the lake. The state annually allocates large amounts of funds to reduce the level of radiation in the reservoir. They plan to completely fill it up in the coming years, but this does not solve the problem of groundwater contamination.

The unusual lake is located next to the Red Sea, on the Sinai Peninsula. It is separated from the sea itself by a thin strip of fossilized shell rock. The flora and fauna of this lake is very simple, but the temperature is quite surprising. In the upper layers, the water temperature is +16°C almost all year round, and at a depth of 6 meters or more it ranges from +48°C in winter to +60°C in summer. Therefore, all animals, fish and organisms live closer to the surface. In addition, the layers of water differ in the level of salt content. The salinity at the top is 42-43 ppm, and near the bottom this value is twice as much. On Earth, of course, there are other lakes with high temperature and salinity, but none of them have such an unusual vertical distribution of these parameters.

The warmest reservoir in the eternal frost zone is located in Antarctica; its ice thickness is 4 meters. This is Lake Vanda, which has fresh water directly under the ice, and at depth it is already salty. Even in the coldest weather, when the air temperature reaches -50-70°C, the water maintains a temperature of no lower than +6°C, and at the bottom (at 70 meters depth) - +25-28°C, as if in some southern sea . The most amazing thing is that there are no hot springs at the bottom of this sea. This phenomenon appears to be due to the fact that Wanda is a giant thermos. Its purest water, which contains no microorganisms, is heated by the penetration of the sun's rays through the thickness of the ice. The deepest layers of water are the warmest, which, due to their density and salinity, do not mix with the water that is located on the surface.

In the Republic of Ghana, in the tropical African forests, 30 km from the city of Kumasi, there is one of the most beautiful lakes - Bosumtwi. It is the most unpredictable body of water on the entire globe. The shape of Bosumtwi is presented as regular around, as if someone specially drew a circle here with a compass and dug a hole 400 meters deep and 7 km in diameter. The water in it is bluish in color, along the banks there are jungles, which often part, revealing entire clearings with small settlements. Several small mountain rivers flow into Bosumtwi, but not a single river originates from it. In this regard, the water level in the lake is constantly rising, thereby flooding the villages located on its shores. However, what shocks people more is that this lake is endowed with an explosive temper. As a rule, it is very calm, silent, but it can suddenly explode at any moment. In its depths, it’s as if a huge bubble of air is bursting, as a result of which a countless amount of water is thrown up, the surface of the lake begins to boil and rage. After this it calms down again.

As a result of these explosions, many fish die, which the indigenous people subsequently collect with nets. Researchers believe that the reason for these phenomena is that there are sediments at the bottom of the lake in which organic matter decomposes, accompanied by the release of gas. This gas accumulates to a certain limit, and then it explodes inside the water column.

For geographers, Lake Bosumtwi is mysterious and enigmatic. Some argue that it was formed as a result of a huge meteorite falling on our planet, while others think that it was an explosion of antimatter that did not leave behind any traces in the form of debris and fragments. The most plausible version is that Bosumtwi was formed as a result of volcanic activity. It is likely that the lake is located on the site of a destroyed volcanic cone that existed in the distant past.

The Great Lakes are the largest accumulation of fresh water on Earth (22.7 thousand sq. km). The system includes five bodies of water: Lake Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. The Great Lakes have long been used as natural waterways, even though travel along them was fraught with danger.

Today, the bottom of the Great Lakes is literally covered with the skeletons of ships that were once shipwrecked in their waters. Among local diving enthusiasts, even a special trend has emerged - wreck diving, during which divers find and explore sunken ships.

We are accustomed to the fact that most shipwrecks occur in the ocean. Disasters are usually caused by storms, icebergs and coral reefs. However, those who live near the Great Lakes are no strangers to storms, mysterious waves, and even... their own “version” of the Flying Dutchman.

Storms on large lakes are a phenomenon of the same order as storms on small seas. But they are much less often reported in newspapers, and only a few, the most outstanding disasters make it into the news pages of major newspapers. According to the latest data provided by American divers, between six and ten thousand shipwrecked ships rest at the bottom of the Great Lakes. Every year this list is replenished with a dozen discovered ships. About every fifth one can be identified - water and time do not spare either the logbooks or the hulls.

The story of one of these ships, lost during a storm in 1912 and discovered sixty years later, formed the basis of the musical “The Christmas Schooner.” The fact is that the main cargo of the ship was Christmas trees. In vain the residents eagerly awaited the arrival of the holiday cargo - the Christmas trees remained at the bottom of the lake, bringing no joy to anyone. For a long time, the schooner was listed as missing in action until it was discovered by scuba divers.

Another story is completely mystical. They readily tell it to tourists. On September 18, 1679, the ship "Griffon", owned by the French traveler Rene Robert, Chevalier de La Salle, was supposed to arrive in Niagara (New York). This ship was built here, and it was well known to local residents. When it became clear that the Griffon was delayed, at first no one attached much importance to it - ships were often several hours behind schedule. But since the ship did not appear either after a day or a week, it became clear that another shipwreck had occurred. There were no witnesses to the tragedy that took place on the Griffon; it simply disappeared without a trace. Its wreckage was discovered and identified only in 1955. But this is far from the strangest thing. Many strangers claim that on foggy nights the Griffon is often seen sailing silently across Lake Huron. At night it is impossible to see all the details of its equipment, but the outline of the vessel is easily recognizable.

The Great Lakes have become accustomed to such ghost ships. Mentions of them are found in chronicles dating back to the middle of the 17th century. For example, in New Haven (Connecticut) in 1648, many people simultaneously saw a ghost ship. Moreover, he not only sailed by, but showed the amazed spectators the scene of a shipwreck. This extraordinary event was interpreted as a sign sent by God, shedding light on the mystery of the death of one of the missing ships. However, those who have encountered ghost ships note that they quite often depict scenes of their crash, repeating them at every meeting with observers.

If in the distant 17th century. The appearance of ghosts and mysterious shipwrecks were explained by the play of supernatural forces; today scientists have taken on the solution to this phenomenon. There were plenty of hypotheses.

The most rational researchers explained what happened as storms of enormous force. They still happen today - for example, in 2003, a storm erupted over the Great Lakes, accompanied by snow and rain. The wind speed reached 100 km/h. The disaster destroyed hundreds of buildings and left more than one and a half million people without electricity. Of course, modern communications helped transmit the storm warning to everyone in the area, so only two people died. But two or three centuries ago, ship captains had to rely only on omens. Hurricanes and storms on the Great Lakes are many attributed to the influence of El Niño (El Nino in Spanish - “Christ the Child”). This warm, seasonal surface current in the eastern Pacific Ocean occurs at intervals of two to seven years and has an adverse effect on the climate. Hurricanes, tornadoes and storms caused by El Niño are extremely powerful and unpredictable. However, not in all cases the loss of ships occurred due to a storm.

The Indians living on the coast of the Great Lakes have preserved many ancient legends, which are based on real facts. In particular, local tribes are well aware of one natural phenomenon that has so far remained almost unexplored - the “Three Sisters”. “Three Sisters” are three huge waves that completely unexpectedly appear on the smooth surface of the lake and rush towards the shore, sweeping away everything in their path. The legends of the Chippeza tribe explain the appearance of the “Three Sisters” by the movement of a giant sturgeon, supposedly living in the Great Lakes. Modern Americans are also familiar with this phenomenon, but they call it “session,” which means “level fluctuations.” On June 26, 1954, the session hit the shoreline of Lake Michigan between the cities of Whiting (Indiana) and Wakegen (Illinois), destroying dozens of buildings and killing 50 people, of whom 8 drowned. Many of the fishermen sat calmly on the shore of the lake with their fishing rods. The weather was beautiful and the lake looked completely calm. Suddenly, a water shaft about three meters high collapsed onto the shore. It happened so unexpectedly that no one had time to escape.

A similar phenomenon was observed on Lake Superior. Jay Gawley, who wrote a book about the mysteries of the Great Lakes, described the disaster that occurred with the Sames E. Davidson cargo ship with a displacement of six thousand tons. If the disappearance of ships that plied the waters of the Great Lakes in the 17th century can be explained by their technical imperfections and the lack of meteorological service, then the death of a modern cargo ship seems inexplicable. The wave effortlessly destroyed a ship that could withstand an ocean storm. Its power must be colossal! The wind, no matter how strong, could not impart such energy to the wave. Where then do such waves on the Great Lakes come from? The most likely version seems to be that the “Three Sisters” and similar phenomena were caused by tremors. In this case, both the sudden formation of waves and their amazing energy are easily explained. But if this were really the case, then seismic stations in the USA and Canada would easily compare data on tremors with the frequency of occurrence of huge waves. The Great Lakes phenomenon would be explained, even predicted, based on seismic activity data. However, there is no direct correspondence between earthquakes and waves.

Even more mysterious, planes are disappearing over the Great Lakes. There was no way a three-meter wave could knock them down! But the fact remains that there are many more plane crashes over lakes than over the rest of the surrounding area. This area is gradually gaining fame as an anomalous zone, no less famous than the Bermuda Triangle.

Among the hypotheses explaining the “strange behavior” of lakes, there are the most incredible. In particular, ufologists are convinced that anomalous phenomena are either caused by aliens or are the object of their interest. According to Jay Gawley, observers over the Great Lakes have repeatedly noticed strange objects that can move completely silently and have extreme maneuverability. In this regard, it was suggested that in the Great Lakes region there is a kind of “gate” through which aliens enter our world. Their use creates a disturbance in nature, as a result of which huge waves appear on the lake, and planes lose control and fall.

Scientists believe that the myth of flying saucers is of the same dubious value as the Indian legends about the giant sturgeon. In any case, attempts to explain the inexplicable should be based on facts, and not on blind faith in the existence of “brothers in mind.” However, we must admit that modern science is able to explain only part of the phenomena observed on the Great Lakes. In particular, according to experts, the main culprits of shipwrecks are not mythical aliens or even the “Three Sisters,” but the most common storm waves. The fact is that lakes, no matter how large they are, are still much smaller than the ocean. That's why the storm waves are different there. Long and relatively gentle waves are formed in the oceans, which only rock ships. Only those ships that find themselves in close proximity to the shore are at risk. They may wash up on rocks or reefs. It is no coincidence that captains, having received a storm warning, took their ships out to the open sea. In large lakes and small seas, a different effect is observed: the waves there are short and very steep. They are capable of not only rocking the ship, but also turning it over. This insidious property of storms on lakes is well known to everyone who sails on the Caspian Sea, Baikal and Lake Ladoga.

But the appearance of ghosts of sunken ships and the disappearance of planes so far has absolutely no scientific explanation. Perhaps these phenomena are somehow related to the geological structure of the area. But it will still be a long time before the mystery of the Great Lakes is solved.

Probably, many of you have seen names on a geographical map that mention colors: Black, White, Yellow, Red Sea, Belukha Mountain and others. And some names, although of foreign origin, when translated also mean color. For example, Cape Cabo in Africa is “Green”, Greenland is “Green Country”, the Black Forest mountains are “Black Forest”... But there are especially many so-called colored lakes on our Earth. And these lakes really have a variety of unusual shades of water: red, crimson, blue-green, blue, yellow, white and even black. Not only Europe or Asia can boast of such wonders - colorful lakes are scattered throughout the globe!

There is, for example, in the Carpathian Mountains near the city of Svalyava at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level, Lake Sinyak. Sulfur compounds dissolved in it give the water an intense blue color. Many similar lakes are also located in the Caucasus Mountains, but the queen of blue lakes is Lake Gek-Gel (“Blue Lake”), located in Azerbaijan at an altitude of 1576 meters in the Asgun Gorge.
There are more White Lakes in the world. There are about twenty of them in Russia alone. At first glance, there is nothing unusual in such lakes. But as soon as the wind begins to whip up waves, the mirror-like surface of the water becomes covered with white caps. This water, eroding the clay banks, acquires a whitish color.
But on the island of Kunashir - one of the Kuril Islands - there is a milky-white lake, and... boiling. It is filled with a concentrated solution of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids; hot volcanic gases rise all the time from its bottom, which heat the water to a boil.

In Western Siberia and Central Asia there are many lakes with a purple-red color. During sunset, they change their color slightly and look like bowls filled with molten gold.

There are truly unique raspberry lakes near Astrakhan, which are named so not only for their color, but also... for their smell, which is very reminiscent of the smell of ripe raspberries. By the way, the salt extracted from these lakes retains a persistent aroma of raspberries or violets and was once very valued at the royal court.

Another Raspberry Lake, located in the south of Siberia in the Kulundinskaya steppe, attracts not only its beauty. In the water of this lake, saturated with magnesium salts and soda, stones are constantly forming and growing (to the delight of the local population, who widely use this extraordinary building material).

Lakes with red water are also found in the Italian Alps, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Western Europe, in Bolivia, and Japan.

By the way, on the Japanese island of Kyushu there is a unique two-color lake. One half of it became yellow due to sulfur impurities, and the other half became pink due to iron oxides.

Three colored lakes lie in the crater of the Keli Mutu volcano on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Two of them are painted in different shades of green, and the third is black and red. The internal forces of the earth and... chemistry are to blame for this. The lakes were formed in different craters of the volcano, rich in various minerals. All three lakes have romantic names. Ti-voye Ata Polo means “Lake of Enchanted People.” Tivoe Noea Moe-ri Koo Fai is translated as “Lake of Youths and Girls”, the third is Tivoe Ata Mboepoe - “Lake of Drowned Hopes”.

Many lakes have the name Sarykul or Sarikol, which means “yellow lake”. The largest of them is located in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia. The color of the water in this lake resembles highly diluted coffee due to the fact that many particles of clay are dissolved in it as a result of the constant erosion of the shores.

There are many black lakes on Earth. The color of the water in them is explained not only by the presence of peat. For example, in the “very, very” black lake in the world - Lake Kakhinaidaakh, located in Yakutia, the water is a kind of solution of soot, ash and soot. The phenomenon is explained by the fact that this lake is located in a depression where a fire raged several thousand years ago (coal burned there for several years). Later the fire was flooded with water.

A natural lake filled with real ink is located in Algeria, near the city of Sidi Bel Abbes. There are no fish or plants in the reservoir, since this ink created by nature is poisonous and is only suitable for writing with. For a long time, people could not understand how a substance so unusual for a body of water appeared. And recently, scientists, after conducting research and analysis, found out the reason for this phenomenon. It's all about the composition of the water of the two rivers flowing into this lake.

One of the rivers contains a huge amount of dissolved iron salts, the other contains all kinds of organic compounds, many of which are borrowed from peat bogs located in the river valley. Merging together into a lake basin, the streams interact with each other, and in the course of constantly occurring chemical reactions, the amount of ink is increasingly replenished.

Local residents have mixed feelings about this attraction. Some consider the lake a devilish obsession, others, on the contrary, try to benefit from it. That’s why it has half a dozen names. Among the most famous are “Eye of the Devil”, “Black Lake” and “Inkwell”. And ink from it is sold in stationery stores not only in Algeria, but also in a number of other countries.

A real asphalt lake is located on the island of Trinidad, located fifty kilometers from the northern part of Venezuela.

It is, of course, impossible to swim or swim in it. The lake is located in the crater of a former mud volcano, its depth is 90 meters, and its area is 46 hectares. A few kilometers away there is the settlement of La Brea. Coming out of the bowels of the earth through a volcano, oil lying at great depths loses volatile substances under the influence of evaporation, as a result of which it turns into asphalt. All this happens in the center of the lake basin. The place where more and more new portions of asphalt are born has been called “Mother Lake” for many years. It is thanks to him that Lake Trinidad retains its reserves, despite the fact that every year up to 150 thousand tons of asphalt are extracted from it, which is used for construction needs. Most of what is mined is exported to the USA, England and many other countries. During the development of the deposits, more than five million tons of asphalt were extracted. At the same time, the lake level dropped by only half a meter.

On the surface of Lake Trinidad, except for its center, a person can safely move without the risk of getting stuck and going into the depths.

However, if, for example, someone dares to stay in one place for a long time and does not move, he will begin to slowly sink into the thickness of the asphalt. Almost any object left for a long time on the surface of the lake, some time later disappears into the black abyss. Scientists studying the deep depths of the “reservoir” discovered a whole cemetery of prehistoric animals, including the bones of mastodons, which became extinct during the Ice Age and, apparently, once lived in the area. It is likely that new amazing discoveries will be made in the miracle lake.

There are also reserves of asphalt in the Dead Sea, famous for its healing salt reserves, located on the border of Israel and Jordan. Many people know about the extreme salinity and special composition of its waters, but not everyone has heard about asphalt deposits. Accumulations of asphalt, resembling resin in appearance, periodically float to the surface of the water, surrender to the will of the waves and often wash ashore in large masses. Asphalt has been extracted from the Dead Sea since ancient times. It is used in a variety of industries: for road construction, tarring ships, producing all kinds of chemical products... Until the middle of our century, it was believed that the Dead Sea region was practically the only supplier of asphalt in the whole world. And only in the 50s new deposits were developed.

And the “deadest” body of water on the entire planet is rightfully considered the Lake of Death, on the island of Sicily.

Not only are its shores and waters devoid of all vegetation and living creatures, but swimming in it is also deadly. Any living creature that falls into the waters of this terrible lake dies instantly. A person who plunges an arm or leg into the water feels a strong burning sensation and then watches in horror as the skin becomes covered with burns and blisters. The chemists who analyzed the contents of the lake were quite surprised. Water contains... sulfuric acid in quite high concentrations. In this regard, scientists have put forward several versions - for example, that the lake dissolves some unknown rocks and due to this is enriched with acids. However, research has confirmed another hypothesis. It turned out that concentrated sulfuric acid was released into the lake from two sources located at its bottom.

But the mystery of the Russian Empty Lake, located among many other lakes of the Kuznetsk Alatau, has not yet been solved. All the lakes around are teeming with fish, but in Pustoy it’s like a ball of water, despite the fact that rivers flow from these fish lakes and flow into a fishless lake.

Researchers have repeatedly tried to populate the strange reservoir with various species of fish, giving preference to the most unpretentious ones. However, nothing came of this - all the fish fell asleep, and the Empty remained empty. But what is most surprising is that chemists who analyzed the water for the possible content of toxic substances in it proved that it does not contain anything of the kind. The water of Empty Lake turned out to be almost the same as in neighboring lakes. And no one can still explain or at least put forward a plausible hypothesis about the phenomenon of this strange body of water. Whether it will be possible to solve this seemingly simple riddle - time will tell.

When we hear the word “lake”, a picture appears in our imagination - a wonderful place to relax, where you can swim and fish. However, this is not always the case. Some lakes inspire fear and horror. And there are reasons for this.

Lake Pustoe (Russia)

Its location is the Kuznetsk Alatau region located in Western Siberia. Lake Pustoe is a fresh and environmentally friendly reservoir of continental origin, because it is completely free of chemicals. Many scientists have repeatedly conducted studies of water from the lake, which have never confirmed the presence of any toxic components in it.

The lake has clean water that is suitable for drinking and resembles champagne, as it is dominated by completely safe bubbles of natural gases. However, researchers were unable to determine the reason why there was no fish in the lake.

In the vicinity of Lake Pustogo there have never been environmental disasters or extraordinary technical incidents polluting the reservoir. The chemical composition of its water does not differ from the nearest reservoirs of the reserve, which are distinguished by an abundance of fish resources. Moreover, the reservoir feeds several fresh, clean reservoirs in the vicinity; the fact that there is fish in them will add special mystery to what is happening in these dreams.

There have been several attempts to introduce unpretentious fish species such as pike, perch and crucian carp into the reservoir. Each of them ended in failure, the fish died, the aquatic plants rotted. And today there is no grass or birds on the banks of the reservoir, there are no fish or fry in the water, the lake guards its mysteries.

Why are there no fish in the lake?

Samples from the Kuznetsk reservoir were studied by chemists from the USA, Great Britain and Germany. However, no one was able to put forward a sensible version explaining the lack of fish in the reservoir. Scientists are not yet able to answer the questions of ordinary people about what is happening to the Kuznetsk reservoir.

However, scientists repeat attempts to explain the extraordinary phenomenon of Empty Lake with enviable frequency. There are many people who want to visit the shores of the unusual lake; tourists come here and stay overnight. Some of them dream of touching the mystery of nature and unraveling it.

Lake of Death (Italy)

Our world is amazing and beautiful, its nature can be endlessly admired and enjoyed. But besides this, there are places on our Earth that sometimes lead us to bewilderment. Among such places is the Lake of Death on the island of Sicily. This lake can be considered one of the phenomena and unique natural phenomena. The name itself suggests that this lake is deadly for all living things. Any living organism that gets into this lake will inevitably die.

This lake is the most dangerous on our planet. The lake is absolutely lifeless and there are no living organisms in it. The shores of the lake are deserted and lifeless; nothing grows here. Everything is connected with the fact that any living creature that enters the aquatic environment immediately dies. If a person decides to swim in this lake, he will literally dissolve in the lake in a few minutes.

When information about this place appeared in the scientific world, a scientific expedition was immediately sent there to study this phenomenon. The lake revealed its secrets with great difficulty. Water analyzes showed that the lake’s aquatic environment contains a large amount of concentrated sulfuric acid. Scientists were not immediately able to figure out where the sulfuric acid comes from in the lake. Scientists have put forward several hypotheses about this.

The first hypothesis stated that at the bottom of the lake there are rocks that, when washed away by water, become enriched with acid. But further study of the lake showed that at the bottom of the lake there are two sources that release concentrated sulfuric acid into the lake’s water environment. This explains why any organic matter dissolves in the lake.

Dead Lake (Kazakhstan)

There is an anomalous lake in Kazakhstan that attracts the attention of many people. It is located in the Taldykurgan region, the village of Gerasimovka. Its dimensions are not large, only 100x60 meters. This body of water is called Dead. The fact is that there is nothing in the lake, neither algae nor fish. The water there is unusually icy.

Low water temperatures remain even when there is intense sunshine outside. People drown there all the time. For some unknown reason, scuba divers begin to choke after three minutes of diving. Locals do not advise anyone to go there, and they themselves avoid this anomalous place.

Blue Lake (Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia)

Blue karst abyss in Kabardino-Balkaria. Not a single river or stream flows into this lake, although it loses up to 70 million liters of water every day, but its volume and depth do not change at all. The blue color of the lake is due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the water. There are no fish here at all.

What makes this lake creepy is the fact that no one has been able to figure out its depth. The fact is that the bottom consists of an extensive system of caves. Researchers have still not been able to figure out what the lowest point of this karst lake is. It is believed that under the Blue Lake is the largest system of underwater caves in the world.

Boiling Lake (Dominican Republic)

The name speaks for itself. Located in the beautiful Caribbean of Dominica, this lake is actually the second largest natural hot spring on earth. The temperature of the water in the boiling lake reaches 90 degrees Celsius and there is hardly anyone who wants to test the temperature of the source on their own skin. Just look at the photographs and it becomes clear that the water here is practically boiling. The temperature cannot be regulated because it is the result of a crack in the bottom of the lake through which hot lava erupts.

Lake Powell (USA)

Despite its common name (Horseshoe), located near the town of Mammoth Lakes, Lake Powell is a terrifying killer. The city of Mammoth Lakes was built on top of an active volcano, which is not the best location. However, for many years the lake was considered safe. But about 20 years ago, the trees around Horseshoe suddenly began to dry out and die.

After ruling out all possible diseases, scientists decided that the trees were being suffocated by excessive levels of carbon dioxide slowly seeping through the ground from underground chambers of cooling magma. In 2006, three tourists took refuge in a cave near the lake and suffocated from carbon dioxide.

Lake Karachay (Russia)

Located in Russia's beautiful Ural Mountains, this deep blue lake is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world. During a secret government project, the lake was used as a dump site for radioactive waste for many years beginning in 1951.

This place is so toxic that a 5-minute visit can make a person sick, and a longer visit of an hour is guaranteed to be fatal. During a drought in 1961, the wind carried toxic dust that affected 500,000 people - a tragedy comparable to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It is definitely one of the most polluted places on Earth.

Lake Kivu (Democratic Republic of Congo)

This lake lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, with large layers of carbon dioxide at the base of the volcanic rock, as well as 55 billion cubic meters of methane at the bottom. This explosive combination makes Lake Kivu the deadliest of the world's three explosive lakes. Any earthquake or volcanic activity could pose a lethal threat to the 2 million people living in this region. They can die from both methane explosions and carbon dioxide suffocation.

Lake Michigan (Canada)

Of the five Great Lakes on the border of Canada and the United States, Lake Michigan is the deadliest. The warm, attractive lake is a popular holiday destination for many tourists, despite its dangerous underwater currents, which claim at least several lives every year.

The shape of Lake Michigan makes it particularly susceptible to dangerous currents that arise spontaneously and abruptly. The lake becomes more dangerous in the fall, October and November, when sudden and significant changes in water and air temperatures occur. The height of the waves can reach several meters.

Mono Lake (USA)

One of the most developed ecosystems in the world, Mono Lake is located in the county of the same name in California. This ancient salt lake has no fish, but trillions of bacteria and small algae thrive in its unique waters. Until 1941 this strikingly beautiful lake was healthy and strong. But Los Angeles, which was just beginning its giant growth spurt, stepped in. The city drained the tributaries of the lake, which began to dry up.

This scandalous destruction of natural resources continued for almost 50 years and when it was stopped in 1990, Mono Lake had already lost half its volume and its salinity had doubled. Mono has become a toxic alkaline lake filled with carbonates, chlorides and sulfates. Los Angeles has decided to correct its mistake, but the restoration project will take decades.

Lake Manoun (Cameroon)

Located in the Oku Volcanic Field in Cameroon, Lake Monoun appears to be a completely normal body of water. But its appearance is deceiving, as it is one of three explosive lakes on earth. In 1984, Monun exploded without warning, releasing a cloud of carbon dioxide and killing 37 people. Twelve of the dead were riding in a truck and stopped to watch the aftermath of the explosion. It was at this moment that the lethal gas did its job.

Lake Nyos (Cameroon)

In 1986, Lake Nyos, located just 100 kilometers from Lake Monun, exploded following a magma eruption and released carbon dioxide, converting the water into carbonic acid. As a result of the massive landslide, the lake suddenly released a giant cloud of carbon dioxide, killing thousands of people and animals in local towns and villages. The tragedy was the first known major suffocation caused by a natural event. The lake continues to pose a threat because its natural wall is fragile and even the slightest earthquake can destroy it.

Natron (Tanzania)

Lake Natron in Tanzania not only kills its inhabitants, but also mummifies their bodies. On the shores of the lake there are mummified flamingos, small birds, and bats. The creepiest thing is that the victims freeze in natural poses with their heads raised. It was as if they froze for a moment and remained that way forever. The water in the lake is bright red due to the microorganisms living in it, closer to the shore it is already orange, and in some places it is a normal color.

The evaporation of the lake scares away large predators, and the absence of natural enemies attracts a huge number of birds and small animals. They live on the banks of the Natron, reproduce, and after death they are mummified. A large amount of hydrogen contained in water and increased alkalinity contribute to the release of soda, salt and lime. They prevent the remains of the inhabitants of the lake from decomposing.