Australia's pink lakes: The remnants of ancient rivers now teeming with microbes that make rosy pigments

Aerial view of Lake Hillier, a bright-pink lake in Western Australia.

QUICK FACTS

Name: Lake Hillier, Pink Lake and others

Location: Western Australia

Coordinates: -34.09487137998776, 123.20277096721424

Why it's incredible: Bacteria and microalgae turn these lakes bubblegum-pink.

Australia's pink lakes are bodies of water that harbor rare, pigment-producing microbes. The lakes are about 10 times saltier than the ocean, attracting algae and bacteria that churn out beta-carotene — a red-orange pigment that also gives carrots, crayfish and flamingos their characteristic colors.