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Lake Salda, Türkiye
Of microbes and Mars
Though this crater lake is among the deepest in Türkiye, its crystal shallows are the main draw for most. Lake Salda's wide white-sand beaches are havens for swimmers and sunbathers – and have even caught the attention of NASA scientists. Much of the mineral-rich shore is encrusted with microbialites – fossilised microbe mats that represent some of Earth's earliest known life. Before the Perseverance rover was sent to Mars in 2020 to explore the Jezero Crater – once also a crater lake – researchers studied Salda's microbialites to better understand the shapes that extinct microscopic Martians might've taken.
Of microbes and Mars
Though this crater lake is among the deepest in Türkiye, its crystal shallows are the main draw for most. Lake Salda's wide white-sand beaches are havens for swimmers and sunbathers – and have even caught the attention of NASA scientists. Much of the mineral-rich shore is encrusted with microbialites – fossilised microbe mats that represent some of Earth's earliest known life. Before the Perseverance rover was sent to Mars in 2020 to explore the Jezero Crater – once also a crater lake – researchers studied Salda's microbialites to better understand the shapes that extinct microscopic Martians might've taken.
This lake's unique geology tells us a lot about ancient life on Earth – and maybe even on Mars.
© mrtekmekci / E+ / Getty Images 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :