The only place on Earth where no life can exist - Dallol
Life exists in extreme environments on Earth, from arid deserts and frozen tundras to thermal, toxic vents in the deepest reaches of the ocean floor.
But life can’t exist on every inch of the planet and scientists have discovered a place in Ethiopia where life can’t find a way - Dallol
In contrast with previous research, scientists conducted multiple tests and found that there is no life, not even microorganisms, in Dallo
One of Earth’s most extreme environments, Dallol is incredibly hot, salty and acidic.
Its ponds extend across a volcanic crater, in the Ethiopian Danakil depression, filled with salt, toxic gases and boiling water in response to extreme hydrothermal activity.
Even in winter, daytime temperatures can exceed 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of the hyper acidic and saline pools have negative pH values.
The Dallol ponds actually prevent life from forming because they contain chemical barriers like chaotropic magnesium salts that help break down hydrogen.
Combined with the salty, acidic and hot environment, life receives no encouragement in the pools.