Lonar lake turned pink due to ‘Haloarchaea’ microbes: Probe
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News: According to the Agharkar Research Institute, the colour of Lonar lake water turned pink due to a large presence of ‘Haloarchaea’ microbes.

Facts:

  • Haloarchaea or Halophilic archaea: It is a bacteria culture which produces pink pigment and is found in water saturated with salt.
  • However,the colour of the lake is returning to original as the rainy season has started allowing dilution of the water.

Additional Facts:

  • Lonar Lake: It is a notified National Geo Heritage Monument located at Lonar, Maharashtra.
  • Formation: The lake is believed to have been formed when a meteorite crashed into Earth around 50,000 years ago.
    • The lake sits inside the Deccan Plateau—a massive plain of volcanic basalt rock created by eruptions some 65 million years ago.
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