European Space Agency (ESA) on Saturday shared a mesmerising video of a volcanic lake that spews bright blue lava. The video was shared as a part of a Halloween special episode. Calling it the ”’spookiest place on Earth”, the woman in the video reveals the location of the video as Kawah Ijen Lake in East Java, Indonesia. It is a volcanic crater, full of acid that also spits blue flames.
Notably, geologists call it the largest acid barrel on Earth”, due to its high concentration of sulfuric acid and various minerals, which also give the lake its stunning blue-greenish colour.
”One of the most spectacular phenomena at Kawah Ijen is its famous blue flames. These eerie blue flames are ignited by sulfuric gases escaping from the cracks in the volcanic crater, creating a surreal nighttime spectacle,” ESA wrote while sharing the stunning video.
Watch the video here:
The gases burn day and night at this spectacular volcano in the extreme east of Java island, but its characteristic blue hue can only be observed once darkness has fallen. By day, traditional miners brave the highly toxic gases to extract huge chunks of sulphur from the shores of a large turquoise lake within the crater.
Hundreds make the exhausting and dangerous journey every day to fill their wicker baskets with chunky blocks of the bright yellow, naturally-occurring element. Some wear protective masks but others, too poor to afford such safety precautions, simply cover their faces with wet cloth, their eyes stinging from the thick acrid smoke. The sulphur is bought by local factories and used to refine sugar or make matches and medicines.
Internet users were left fascinated with the video and posted a variety of comments. Some also talked of their own experience of visiting the location.
One user wrote, ”Been there. Be careful with the sulfur plumes, you can hardly breathe even with the protection mask on.” Another said, ”Given the whole “fire and brimstone” rep that Hell has, this acid pool might just be the true Hell on Earth.”
”Spectacular spooky stuff,” posted a third. ”Very interesting,” added a fourth.
