NASA Captures a 10-km Pink Heart Over Argentina's Salt Flats
NASA's Earth Observatory released a striking image of a roughly 10-km-wide pink heart in Salinas Las Barrancas, Argentina, photographed from the International Space Station on January 16, 2024. The pink color comes from carotenoids produced by the microalga Dunaliella salina under intense light and high salinity; as evaporation raises salinity, dying cells feed halophilic archaea and bacteria that intensify the hue. The lake is an active salt-extraction site and the heart's shape is a geological accident, reflecting seasonal changes in this shallow brine environment.