The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
© Martin Rügner/DEEPOL by plainpictur
Where do those colors come from?
As National Park Week continues, we're turning our attention to the vivid colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. Its intense rainbow hues are formed by cycles of hot water rising, cooling, and falling—creating rings of distinct temperatures inside the spring. The clear, blue center is the hottest part, with almost nothing living in it. But the other rings are home to various microorganisms that produce bands of distinct colors ranging from green to orange to red.
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