Silent but lovely

An epic Rocky Mountain setting and status as Alberta's biggest reservoir are only secondary claims to fame for Abraham Lake. Its main attraction? Well, look closely at the iced-over lake: See the bubbles embedded within? They're pockets of methane, a main ingredient in flatulence—in this case, it's gas passed by bacteria feeding from the lake bed. Each winter, a great bounty of these bottom burps are frozen in place by the bitter cold while making their way to the surface. Luckily, methane is odorless—contrary to popular belief—so even come the thaw, what's been dealt here won't be smelt.