So many people think those bright colors of the infamous Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone’s Midway Geyser Basin are doctored with Photoshop. Granted, these days, no one believes any photograph lives in it’s captured state but this one is for real.
There are tiny, heat-loving bacteria, called thermophilies that help create the bright colors we see. They actually use the heat as an energy source. Some even produce their own sunscreen to guard again those intense UV rays that arrive during the summer. Different bacteria product different colors with names longer than I can spell.
These bacteria attract insects which then attract birds. So, these bacteria help produce food for some of our tiniest creatures. This bacteria has been known to help our medical researchers too as they look for clues to cure cancers and other nasty human diseases.
Meanwhile, the waters in this spring are about 203 degrees and can be very acidic. While some very special bacteria can make this their home, humans would not survive here.