The Fascinating Science Behind The Gorgeous River Of Five Colors In Colombia

Jorge Ivan Vasquez Cuartas/Getty

BY GARRETT ETTINGER/OCT. 14, 2023 1:04 AM EST

When it comes to natural beauty, not many other bodies of water can compare with Colombia's Caño Cristales or the "river of five colors." Located a little over 100 miles south of Bogotá, this rare, naturally occurring phenomenon causes the river's crystal-clear water to light up in a wild array of beautiful rainbow colors during a specific time of the year.

Throughout most of the year, while still a naturally beautiful area with some of the most gorgeous waterfalls in the world, the green mosses make Caño Cristales appear like a relatively normal lake. However, the lake lights up from May to November, displaying a stunning array of natural colors, giving the lake its nickname, "liquid rainbow."

While you wouldn't be alone in thinking that something unnatural must be occurring in Caño Cristales to create the vibrant hues, you may be surprised to learn that scientists have studied the river and discovered that the rainbow effect is a result of a rare phenomenon found nowhere else on Earth.

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