Australian scientists say they have discovered “God’s bathtub”—a remote lake with clear waters that look to have the same chemical markup as around 7,500 years ago.
“It’s like God’s bathtub,” Dr. Cameron Barr told AAP about a remote Australian lake. “It is beautiful. It is absolutely beautiful.”
University of Adelaide scientists said that the water is so pure, one can see at least 30 feet below the surface to the bottom.
“We know that there have been variations in climate in the region including North Stradbroke Island over recent decades, but during that time the depth, shoreline and water chemistry of Blue Lake has displayed little variation,” Barr added.
“We also know that the region experienced a significant shift towards a drier climate around 4000 years ago.”
Barr said the lake is the only one of its kind in Australia.
“Australian freshwater ecosystems, by their nature and by the nature of the climate which affects them, are variable,” Barr told the ABC. "This place seems to be quite unique in that it shows such an amount of stability. So in that sense it’s a refuge for freshwater biota away from those variable environments.
He added: “And we would argue that it’s likely to be a freshwater refuge for some time in the future if managed properly.”
