[ad_1]
The lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, part of the Gobi Desert in north-central China, are very strange. They seem to be able to draw water out of nowhere, they have unusual colors, and the surrounding dunes can sing.
Scientists have now found answers to various questions about the unique desert and especially its natural spectacles.
Contradictory theories
According to Travelbook, the lakes, which never dry up, are likely fed by springs that run underground in the desert. The springs, in turn, obtain their water from the melt of the mountainous regions. Precipitation also does its part to ensure that the lakes never dry up.
But there are opponents to this theory, which they show in their study “Origin of water in the Badain Jaran desert”. According to this study, there are no clear facts that lakes feed underground. The theory that the lakes were created by meteorite impacts is much closer.
Colorful lakes, dunes with a talent for singing and biodiversity
Lakes not only never dry out, but they also have different colors. According to scientists, this coloration may be due to two things. For one thing, the special minerals found in the water could provide the dye, or the microorganisms responsible for the dye. The lakes also gave the desert its name: Badain Jaran means something like “wonderful lakes”.
The reason the dunes around the lakes make noises is that the grains of sand rub against each other. This creates a sound that can be heard from miles away. You can describe the sound as a kind of uniform hum.
At least as strange as the wonderful lakes is the fact that Badain Jaran has an unusual biodiversity for deserts: fish and mussels can be found in the lakes, various birds and many nocturnal animals on land.
Unesco is considering the possibility of designating the Badain-Jaran desert with its wonderful lakes as a World Heritage Site. (my I)
