Me And My Girlfriend Were Walking In The Woods And Saw A Rainbow Pool For The First Time

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Have you ever seen a rainbow swamp?

Yes just something like this:

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“Me and my girlfriend were walking in the woods the other week and saw a rainbow pool for the first time in First Landing State Park, Virginia. Picture by Ross Brenten via Reddit

This baffling phenomenon was captured in First Landing State Park, Virginia.

But what kind of toxic-spill hell is this?

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Another rainbow swamp in Tallahassee, Florida? Picture by Michael Hussey

Really baffling indeed! But this is no (or let say not always) toxic spills… 

rainbow swamp, rainbow swamp pictures, rainbow swamp phenomenon, colored water, Why this rainbow swamp has got people talking, Natural oils create a rainbow effect in First Landing State Park virginia
The rainbow sheen in is a result of decomposing leaves releasing tannins. Picture by Kate Scott

The rainbow sheens found as a thin film on top of pooled water in swamps and marshes are the result of natural oils released by decaying vegetation or the biological processes of anaerobic bacteria reducing iron in soil.

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Rainbow colors on the surface of the cypress swamp in First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Picture by Realest Nature

If it doesn’t rain for a couple of weeks the colors and the phenomenon become more pronounced.

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The rainbow swamp is not magic and it’s not someone’s leaky fuel tank. Picture by Kate Scott

Do you feel the magic?

rainbow swamp, rainbow swamp pictures, rainbow swamp phenomenon, colored water, Why this rainbow swamp has got people talking, Natural oils create a rainbow effect in First Landing State Park virginia
Rainbow puddles formed by rotting vegetation with the subsequent release of natural oils and bacteria that destroy iron in the soil. Congary National Park, South Carolina, USA. Picture: US Department of the Interior

Hopefully we will soon be able to experience this rainbow swamp phenomenon in real in a few months. While staying at home, it’s time to discover even more amazing natural phenomena occurring just at your corner! Be patient and still curious. [Reddit]

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1 Comment

  1. A very strong Magnitude 6.5 earthquake has struck Idaho. The quake was VERY WIDELY felt from its shallow depth of only ten kilometers.

    According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 7:52 PM East Coast US time.

    Word of damage or injuries is not yet in, but this was a very strong and very unusual earthquake for this area of the USA.

    The Shake Map from the USGS:
    International Reporter

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