Interesting Mother Nature Facts: Land and Water
From raging rivers to links to the ancient past, Mother Nature is responsible for a great number of interesting feats, milestones, and record-breaking natural elements. In this article, you will encounter information regarding the saltiest lake, oldest seawater, and the oceans of the world.
Saltiest Lake
You don’t want to open your mouth if you take a dip in Don Juan Pond in Wright Valley, Antarctica. The salt content of this body of water is so high that it remains a liquid even when temperatures are as low as ,63.4 degrees. When the lake is at its saltiest, the percentage of salt by weight measures 40.2 %.
The Dead Sea is also known for its saltiness, but salt only comprises 23.1% of the water. However, the Dead Sea holds the record for being the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. Located on the Israel/Jordan border, the lake is the deepest salty body of water in the world. It reaches a maximum depth of 1,240 feet with an average salinity that is more than 8 ½ times salty than seawater. Many people have made the trip to the Dead Sea to come in contact with its mud. There is a notion that the mud possesses healing properties that work wonders when rubbed on the skin.
Largest Crater Lake
On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, Lake Toba is known for being the site of a supervolcanic eruption that took place about 75,000 years ago. It is believed that this event was the largest that had taken place on Earth during the last 25 million years. A crater formed in the region and is now filled with water , hence Lake Toba. The lake measures around 60 miles by 18 miles and is 1,656 feet deep when at its deepest point.
Largest Waterfall
Many people envision the romantic mist and beautiful sight when they think of a waterfall. The largest in the world when measured by vertical area is Victoria Falls , located on the Zambezi river , between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Interestingly, it is not the tallest waterfall or the widest in the world, but it does hold the title for being the largest by vertical area. Its measurements are 5,604 feet wide and 354 feet high. When the water falls down, it creates an area of about 1,984,000 feet squared.
Oldest Seawater
The waters found at the bottom of the Canada Basic have remained untouched for several thousand years. The seawater reaches a depth of 12,400 feet and is found north of Canada and Alaska. The waters are connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Bering Strait, which measures 230 feet deep.
Warmest Ocean
If you’d like to surround yourself with warm ocean water, then the Indian Ocean is the body of water that offers the warmest surface temperature of all the oceans in the world. All of this luxurious water is thanks to its location in the tropics. The lowest that the surface temperature reaches is 72 degrees, but can reach as high as 82 degrees the further east you travel.