Australia is home to several pink lakes that have attracted tourists and scientists alike.
One of the most famous is Lake Hillier in Western Australia, but pink lakes exist around the world, from Senegal to Spain.
What these lakes have in common is salinity – the pink colour is caused by salt-loving microbes that produce red pigments to aid photosynthesis.
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Lake Hillier’s pink waters are caused by Salinibacter ruber, a bacterium that produces the pigment bacterioruberin. Other pink lakes harbour the algae Dunaliella salina, which makes beta-carotene.
Sadly, commercial salt harvesting has caused some pink lakes to lose their vibrant colour.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Ashton Mahoney, via email) 'Why is the pink lake in Australia pink?'
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