Many have heard about boiling lakes feeding on hot springs. But the river in which boiling water flows is more like a myth or plot from Dante's works. But such a river really exists-it is called a shanai-hat and is located in the Amazon selva. It was discovered recently, and now scientists are studying this amazing and dangerous natural phenomenon.
Deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, a unique natural phenomenon is hidden-the Shanay-Mimpishka river, better known as the “boiling river”. Its water reaches a temperature of up to 100 ° C, which can cause serious burns in contact. This place is shrouded in both scientific riddles and local legends.
River from ancient legends
The Shanay-Mimpishka river flows in the region of Maiantuyak in Peru. Shanai-Mimpishka is the influx of the Pachitea River, which, in turn, flows into Ukyali-one of the main sources of the Amazon. The river extends about 6.4 km, reaching widths up to 25 meters and a depth of about 6 meters in some places.
For local residents, the river has a deep spiritual meaning. Shamans believe that boiling water is generated by Yakumama, a giant-ghost spirit, known as “Mother of Water”. The name “shanai-hat” is translated as “boiled by the heat of the sun”, although in fact the heat source is geothermal. The river proceeds in an inaccessible and poorly studied area covered with thick tropical forests. Therefore, it was opened only in 2011.
Unusual discovery
He discovered the boiling river Andres Ruzo, a researcher of geothermal waters, an ecologist and traveler. The scientist saw many miracles, as he traveled the whole world. But he admits that the Shanay-Mimpishka river is the most impressive phenomenon that he had to face.
“The highest temperature that I measured was 100 degrees Celsius. For comparison, the temperature of ordinary coffee, which can be easily drunk, is about 55 degrees. It is difficult to imagine – if you lower your hand into such water, then after a few seconds there will be burns of a second or third degree. ”
Ruzo stumbled upon a boiling river by chance. Locals have repeatedly told him legends about the stream in which you can cook meat. The researcher admits that he allowed the existence of a river with warm water. There are many geothermal sources in Peru, and this phenomenon is quite possible.
Deadly water
But stories about the boiling river seemed to him a strong exaggeration. For the lake, this is normal, but in order to maintain such a temperature in the flow of water at a considerable distance, you need a tremendous amount of geothermal energy. In addition, in the traditions, the Indians placed the river into the valley of the Amazon River, where volcanic activity is practically absent.
Going in search, Andres Ruzo was ready for the most cruel disappointment. But he found a real miracle, which has not yet been analogues on the planet. In 2011, the scientist found the Shanai-Mimpishka, conducted all the necessary measurements and tests and put the river to the map. In 2017, he returned to the Amazon Selva to make a documentary.
Frame from the documentary of Andres Ruzo. Water temperature 91.2 degrees Celsius
The researcher says that the water in the river is so hot that if you bend over the water, the temperature is felt like a boiling kettle. Ruzo saw how birds and reptiles accidentally fell into the river, which immediately died. In some places, the bones of animals are noticeable in the water, including rather large ones. Despite extreme conditions, some microorganisms adapted to high temperatures live in the river, which is of interest to scientists studying extremophils.
Why is the water in the river hot?
Andres Ruzo conducted the studies of the river and found that its high temperature is maintained, despite the absence of active volcanoes or geothermal sources nearby, which usually provide groundwater heating. The predominant theory is that the rainwater penetrates deep into the earth's crust through the deep faults, where they heat up, and then return to the surface through hot sources, heating the river over its length.
What is the Shanai-Mim warn about
The expedition of Andres Ruzo passed along the stream of Shanay-Mimpishki and found the source of the river. Boiling water breaks out of deep clefts in rocks made of porous rocks. The scientist and his colleagues from the University of Miami believe that their discovery is very important for humanity. The boiling river shows how nature can change where the air temperature is increased.
In 2022, the scientist Riley Fortier from the United States studied more than 70 different locations along the course of the Shanay-Mimpishki. He found out that the higher the temperature of the water, the lower the variety of vegetation in the area.
“In areas with high temperatures, the number of plant species is significantly reduced, and the composition of the forest becomes more monotonous.”
The conclusion is disappointing. In the event that global warming on the planet will continue, the biosphere will lose the species of plants. Seeed in the Amazon Selva shows that evolution will not help and we will simply observe how the flora gradually dies, and behind it the fauna.
A map compiled by an expedition of 2022. The closer to the source – the higher the temperature and the meager vegetation
The Shanay-Mimpishka river is a unique natural phenomenon that not only amazes the imagination, but also gives scientists an idea of the possible consequences of climate change. Can this phenomenon serve as a warning for humanity about what awaits us in the future? Do you think the science will find a way to use such geothermal processes for the good, for example, in energy? Share your thoughts in the comments!
See also – Hamilton Lake
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