Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Themes
  • Videos
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Themes
Videos
App & Extension
  • United States
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. United States
  3. 2021
  4. March 05
  5. Mineral-laden water in the Rio Tinto, Minas de Riotinto mining area, Huelva province, Andalusia, Spain
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Mineral-laden water in the Rio Tinto, Minas de Riotinto mining area, Huelva province, Andalusia, Spain

March 05, 2021

Mineral-laden water in the Rio Tinto, Minas de Riotinto mining area, Huelva province, Andalusia, Spain

© David Santiago Garcia/Getty Image

Reflecting on one of the world's strangest rivers

If you like your landscapes on the surreal side, then this weird and wonderful river in the Andalusia region of southwestern Spain should be to your liking. The Rio Tinto (Red River) gets its name from the reddish hue of its water, caused by high levels of iron and sulfur, which make it very acidic. This unusual chemical makeup may or may not be a result of the area's long history of mining, which dates back at least 5,000 years. Ancient residents like the Tartessians and Romans dug here for copper, silver, and gold, as well as the mineral pyrite, commonly referred to as 'fool's gold.' Legend has it that the Rio Tinto was the site of the fabled mines of King Solomon.

Because of the river’s extreme acidity, almost nothing can live in it. Only a thriving community of unusual microorganisms—classified as extremophiles—can survive the water's acidic mix, by feeding on the minerals alone. The strangeness of Rio Tinto's ecology has even attracted the attention of NASA, which studied the bacteria that have adapted to this highly acidic environment because the conditions resemble those on the surface of Mars.

water abstract map painting

Related Images

Fannette Island surrounded by Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, CaliforniaFannette Island surrounded by Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, California
The Acraman crater, AustraliaThe Acraman crater, Australia
Scuba diver exploring the underwater cenotes near Puerto Aventuras, MexicoScuba diver exploring the underwater cenotes near Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
Stari Most in Mostar, Bosnia and HerzegovinaStari Most in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Surfers catching waves at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaSurfers catching waves at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Seungseon Bridge at Seonam Temple in Jogyesan Provincial Park, South KoreaSeungseon Bridge at Seonam Temple in Jogyesan Provincial Park, South Korea
Elephant walking in the Okavango River, BotswanaElephant walking in the Okavango River, Botswana
Cliffs of the Sierra Ponce and Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park, TexasCliffs of the Sierra Ponce and Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Today on Bing

The island of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France

The island of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France

Mar 05, 2022
Saguaro cactus flowers, Coronado National Forest, Arizona

Saguaro cactus flowers, Coronado National Forest, Arizona

Mar 05, 2020
Members of the Wild Red Flame Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans, Louisiana

Members of the Wild Red Flame Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans, Louisiana

Mar 05, 2019
Seattle Central Library, Seattle, Washington

Seattle Central Library, Seattle, Washington

Mar 05, 2018
A glasswing butterfly perched on a leaf

A glasswing butterfly perched on a leaf

Mar 05, 2017
Hot air balloon inflating for the Winthrop Balloon Festival in Washington State

Hot air balloon inflating for the Winthrop Balloon Festival in Washington State

Mar 05, 2016

Related Tags

water lake outdoor nature tree surrounded reef swimming river sky mountain landscape cloud canyon valley map painting ocean floor waterfall bridge
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
Download 1920x1080
  • © 2022 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.