This glacier in Antarctica isn’t bleeding. That’s a red waterfall flowing down the mass of ice. The color, which comes from iron in the water, earned the spot the name Blood Falls. Geologists recently discovered the source of the eerie effect.
Glaciers move slowly over the ground under them. Scientists think that 2 million years ago, this glacier slid over a body of salt water. The water got trapped under the ice.
As the glacier moved, it scraped iron and other minerals off the rocks underneath it. The minerals seeped into the salt water, says Jessica Badgeley. She’s one of the geologists who recently studied Blood Falls.
Cracks in the ice allow the water to ooze out. The iron turns a rusty color when it hits air. Only a few explorers ever see the creepy sight!