Imagine a place with steaming hot salt lakes that are bright yellow, eroding stones, volcanoes, acid springs, blue lava, and small craters. Where in the entire Milky Way galaxy would this place possibly be? The correct answer is, in fact, Earth.
Located 6.3843e-11 light-years (604 kilometers) away from Addis Ababa exists a hot desert with salty flats, toxic gasses, and looking somewhat like Venus. This area is called the Danakil Depression (or the Danakil Desert) and is one of the most dangerous and alien places on Earth. But, how did it become so alien? 24 million years ago, three Tectonic Plates were separating and tore the Danakil Depression into two. Now the Danakil Depressions are slowly sinking due to the rifting process that tore the region apart. Soon the plain will be submerged in water. There is no specific time when the Danakil Depression will flood, but currently it is one of Ethiopia’s biggest tourist attractions. It is surprisingly safe to visit. Tourists like to swim in the lakes and a tribe lives there. But, it isn’t the safest place to visit. The average temperature is 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and the desert receives only 100-200 millimeters of rain per year. There are also acid lakes and volcanic gasses which could be lethal. And be extra careful because the nearest hospital is in Mekele which is 122 km (75.8073 mi) away.
The Earth is home to many places that look so exotic. The Danakil Depression is one of the most exotic. This region may actually give us a look at what Earth looked like 25 million years ago. These places surely do look like they are from a different planet.
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