September 29, 2008 | 23 comments

Birth of an Ocean: The Evolution of Ethiopia's Afar Depression

Formation of an ocean is a rare event, one few scientists have ever witnessed. Yet this geophysical nativity is unfolding today in one of the hottest and most inhospitable corners of the globe. Visit the site in safety through this extraordinary photographic essay

By Eitan Haddok

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HELLISH HEAT Birth of an Ocean: The Evolution of Ethiopia's Afar Depression :: Formation of an ocean is

HELLISH HEATThe mineral sulfur produces the lemon-yellow color in this earthly palette (left); blended with the signature red of oxidized iron, the sulfur stains turn orange (center). Only a few steps away from this vivid scene are drab, desiccated reminders of a hot spring's ephemeral nature (right). When an earthquake or other natural process clogs a vent's buried conduits, its minerals can lose their florid flush within a year.

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Slide Show: The Afar Depression Photo Essay
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