Many times in life it is said that reality is stranger than fiction. And it is that in nature there are exceptional cases of places with incredible or very special beauty due to their characteristics, exotic flora and fauna or because the strangest natural phenomena in the world occur in them.
In this case, I'm going to talk to you about Lake Baikal. This lake is the most famous in the world for many reasons. It's of great importance to scientists and to tourists as well. Do you want to know why it's so important and how incredible it can be?
Origin and characteristics of Lake Baikal
This lake has a tectonic origin. This means it was formed by the movement of tectonic plates within the Earth (to learn more about tectonic plates, read The Earth's Internal Layers ). It is located in southern Siberia, Russia, between the Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and Buryatia to the southeast, near the city of Irkutsk. It is known as the "Blue Eye of Siberia" and the "Pearl of Asia."
It is estimated that Lake Baikal formed approximately 25-30 million years ago . Geologically speaking, it is the oldest lake in history.
Such is the importance of this lake that it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. It is one of the lakes with the lowest turbidity in the world (hence its nickname, the Blue Eye). Turbidity is measured using Secchi disks. These disks allow us to determine the amount of light radiation that penetrates the water and thus its radiance. The amount of light reaching the depths has been measured, and light signatures have been recorded at depths of up to 20 meters.
This lake is also notable for containing approximately 20% of the planet's unfrozen freshwater (around 23.600 km³). It can hold such a large volume of water due to its great depth and the fact that it is fed by 336 tributaries. Lake Baikal's dimensions are: 31.494 km² in area, 636 km in length, 80 km in width, and 1.680 m in depth.
Another feature that makes it so special is that it is the only lake whose sediments have not been affected by continental glaciers, despite being a high-latitude lake. Studies have been conducted on the lake's sediments, and it has been estimated that if all the sediment that has accumulated over these 25-30 million years could be removed, the lake would reach depths of up to 9 km.
The lake is completely surrounded by mountains (hence the high sediment content), which are technically protected as a national park for their conservation, and it has about 22 small islands. The largest island is called Olkhon and is about 72 km long.
Olkhon Island
Importance of Lake Baikal
This lake, as I have mentioned before, has a great importance focused from two points of view: as a place to visit and do tourism or as scientists where you can discover the unique characteristics that make it so special.
The first characteristic that makes it so important to the scientific community is that a single lake like this one holds 20% of the planet's freshwater reserves. If its 336 tributaries were to stop feeding it, the lake would take approximately 400 years to empty due to evaporation. One of the most intriguing calculations made by scientists is that if the entire world population were supplied solely by this lake, they could live for 40 years without experiencing water scarcity.
The water's clarity, mentioned earlier, also makes it special. Its low turbidity is due to the presence of microorganisms that purify the water and perform a thorough cleaning process . Studies have been conducted to explore the possibility of using these microorganisms to clean up oil spills in other bodies of water, given their high purification rate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru2otj5q4TA
The crystal-clear water is used in some medical treatments, especially for diets low in minerals. In ancient times, Asians considered Lake Baikal a sacred place. Even today, the remains of buildings used by ancient tribes for rituals in which they imbued themselves with the lake's energy can be seen along its shores.
Another characteristic that makes it so special to the scientific community is the extreme climatic conditions in which it is found. In winter, the lake's temperatures can reach -45 degrees Celsius. However, Lake Baikal is a paradise for flora and fauna. It is home to 1.600 genera of animals and 800 genera of plants that have been cataloged to date . Numerous endemic species thrive there, such as the Baikal seal and sturgeon, the golomjanka fish, and the epishura crab (a tiny animal whose role is fundamental to the food chain, as it filters water through its body). The epishura's role is so important because it is such an abundant species. There are up to 3 million of these crabs per square meter of surface area. They are very small, only about 2 millimeters long, but their ability to filter water is incredible. Thanks in large part to them, the lake is so clear. In 1976, a factory that made cellulose dumped its waste directly into Lake Baikal and endangered the survival of these crabs and other endemic species.
Lake Baikal Crab
This lake grows by about two centimeters every year. This causes numerous earthquakes due to the continuous movement of tectonic plates. Each year, the lake can hold more water.
Curiosities of Lake Baikal
At the bottom of the lake lies a stainless steel pyramid bearing the Russian coat of arms. This commemorates the first expedition to reach the lake's bottom on July 29, 2008.
This lake also became quite famous not too many years ago thanks to a phenomenon that occurred on its surface and was first observed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) . This phenomenon consisted of a large mark on the surface of the lake (which was frozen at the time), very similar to the water droplet left by a glass on a table. The mark was about 4,5 kilometers in diameter. People involved in paranormal phenomena said it could be the result of UFO landings (following the same logic as crop circles).
Lake Baikal Circle
On the other hand, the scientific community gave a somewhat more coherent explanation of this phenomenon. It was a darker circle caused by the convection of the water. The warmer and less dense water rose to the surface and when it encountered the cold of the environment it froze forming a thin layer of ice. The most superstitious said that if you navigated the edges of that circle it would happen to you the same as with the phenomenon of the Bermuda triangle, you would be engulfed by very turbulent currents coming from the depths of the lake.
Tourism in Lake Baikal
To visit and enjoy Lake Baikal, you can take a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway. This train circles the lake completely, crossing approximately 200 bridges and 33 tunnels . Smoked omul fish is sold in shops around the lake, and you can enjoy it while admiring the beautiful scenery.
The southeastern part of the lake is, without a doubt, the most touristy since the northeastern part is practically abandoned.
Lake Baikal and climate change
Many scientific studies have shown that the effects of climate change and global warming could make this lake a much less interesting place. One such study was published in the journal BioScience. The author of this research, Marianne V. Moore , noted that the lake's climate has become much milder, with a range of temperatures not as extreme as before. In winter, the lake remains frozen for much less time than it used to. This could cause damage to the ecosystem and to the most vulnerable fauna, such as the Baikal seal. This endemic seal is the only freshwater seal in the world and can only mate and give birth on the ice of Lake Baikal. With the ice remaining frozen for a shorter period, the chances of reproduction are much lower, causing the seal population to decline. Human activity also contributes to this problem. Humans, of course, poach these seals on a massive scale, as they are a vital part of the region's economy.
The nerpa seal needs ice for its reproduction. Source: http://www.rdrusia.com/rusia-el-lago-baikal/
Finally, one of the interesting facts about this lake is that it's the only place where neutrinos can be found . These are particles that are very rare on Earth and provide us with a wealth of information about life on other planets and galaxies, and about what happens in outer space.
As you can see, this lake, from start to finish, is a wonder for both scientists and tourists. So you can start packing your bags and planning your next trip