Science & Technology

Legendary boiling river turns out to be real

By T.K. Randall
February 17, 2016 ·  11 comments

The river stretches for over four miles. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Angelsharum The idea of an entire river filled with boiling water might seem preposterous, but for Andres Ruzo, a geoscientist whose grandfather had told him stories about the river when he was only twelve years old, the legend would go on to spark a lifelong interest culminating in a remarkable discovery.

As it turns out the boiling river is actually the sacred geothermal healing site of Mayantuyacu situated deep within the Peruvian rainforest. At 82ft wide, 20ft deep and stretching for over four miles, this remarkable natural wonder is powered by geothermal heat rising up from deep below.

The water is so hot in fact that anything unfortunate enough to fall in is killed immediately."You're surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest," said Ruzo who has detailed his findings in a new book entitled "The Boiling River: Adventure and Discovery in the Amazon".

"You feel this water surging past you and plumes of vapor coming up. It's truly a spectacular place."

While at the moment little is known about the boiling river on a scientific level, further expeditions to the region over the coming years should help scientists to slowly unravel its mysteries.

"The planet's gotten small and natural wonders like this are few and far between," said Ruzo.

Source: Gizmodo | Comments (11)

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