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00:00A tiny speck of land off Brazil, inhabited by thousands of the most venomous vipers in the world.
00:06Not surprisingly, it's known as Snake Island, and it's probably the most dangerous place on the planet.
00:12What have you found yourself at the borders of a stunning landmass,
00:15but to be informed of the untold dangers lurking within?
00:19Would you still venture inside?
00:21Those are the kind of places we're uncovering today.
00:25Join us as we explore the most dangerous places in nature.
00:30Number 15. Danakil Desert, Ethiopia, Eritrea
00:34Let's start with the Danakil Depression, the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia and parts of Eritrea.
00:40Estimated to have been formed around 11 million years ago after shifts in the Earth's crust,
00:45this desert is a unique landmass on planet Earth,
00:48with geological and chemical compositions closer to what you'd expect on other planets.
00:53Next month it might be somewhere else.
01:00Sitting silently 330 feet below sea level, it is one of the lowest places on Earth.
01:05The region is on the northern part of the Afar Triangle,
01:09a location notorious for its lack of rain due to lying in a rain shadow between several mountain ranges.
01:15This lack of rain, its extremely low elevation, and proximity to the equator combine to make the Danakil Depression
01:23the hottest place on the planet as far as year-round average temperature is concerned.
01:28The Danakil Depression is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth,
01:33with heat ranging between 118 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
01:39Helped by the rampant volcanic activities in the area,
01:43dotted all over the Danakil Desert are hot springs like the Dalol and the Gayat Ale Pond,
01:48also known as Yellow Lake.
01:50While the Yellow Lake is the saltiest water body in the world,
01:53the Dalol is responsible for the stunning coloration that appears in the images of the Danakil Desert.
01:59The air contains hazardous chemicals that can be inhaled,
02:03while the fuels from volcanic activities have made most of the lands inhospitable.
02:08Although the general conditions of the region are fatal to humans,
02:12scientists have discovered organisms known as extremophiles,
02:16due to their ability to live in these extreme conditions.
02:19Figuring out how they survive could help us understand how to colonize planets like Mars.
02:25Number 14. Skeleton Coast, Namibia
02:28The Skeleton Coast in Namibia is notorious for being the location that has witnessed the highest number of shipwrecks in
02:35the world.
02:36It is so bad that the region was once littered with skeletal remains from the accidents.
02:41In truth, the Namibian coast goes by a couple of names.
02:44Portuguese sailors called it the gates of hell, but for the indigenous sand people, it is the land god made
02:52in anger.
02:53So, why is the region referred to by these fearsome names?
02:57And what caused the many shipwrecks on the Skeleton Coast?
03:00We can trace the lethality to the Benguela current and the desert air.
03:05The winds in this region blow from land to sea, and when this happens,
03:09it creates a cocktail of fog too thick to see through,
03:12and a current powerful enough to submerge the biggest vessels.
03:17It's been foggy all day today. Cold.
03:19You can't even see, like, maybe about 200-300 meters offshore, and that's about it.
03:24One of the earliest recorded shipwrecks in the region happened in the 1530s.
03:29In 1942, the famous British cargo ship Dunedin Star sank off the coast alongside the rescue aircraft and two rescuers.
03:38In 2018, a Japanese fishing vessel met a similar fate, and it was the turn of Zelia, India, in 2014.
03:46There have been many more accidents, and the coast is currently dotted with frames of the wrecked ships,
03:52including the Tongtao, Bengala Eagle, Edward Bolin, and Otavi.
03:57Not far away from the riverbed are lions, bush elephants, leopards, chakma baboons, brown hyenas, and other wild animals.
04:06Number 13. Valley of Death, Russia
04:09Welcome to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia,
04:12where a stratovolcano seriously threatens unsuspecting humans, animals, and birds.
04:18The volcano is called Kikpinich, but the danger comes from a small part known as the Valley of Death.
04:24At the foot of the Kikpinich volcano lies a small area measuring 1.2 by 0.3 miles.
04:31Harmful volcanic gases accumulate in this area and kill animals and birds that go near.
04:36According to research by scientists in the 1970s and 1980s,
04:40chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon disulfide escaping the volcano are gathering in this area.
04:51Under normal circumstances, these chemicals should be dispersed easily by the winds, but this place is far from normal.
04:58That's because the place has a predator trap keeping the chemicals in place, preventing them from being diluted in the
05:05wind.
05:05During the spring, when snow melts, the gases are released, contaminating the nearby river and killing birds and animals that
05:13drink from the water or consume other animals killed by it.
05:16The Valley of Death is another example of what happens when random natural forces come together.
05:22It is one of the most dangerous places in our world, which can't be more apparent from the name.
05:27Number 12. Grand Prismatic Spring, United States
05:32The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is one of the most beautiful water bodies in the world.
05:39It is also the third largest spring in the world and is located in the Midway Geyser Basin, one of
05:44the prominent geyser basins in Yellowstone.
05:47This spring was first discovered in 1871, and finding a name for the site was not a challenge, considering its
05:55striking coloration matched the rainbow dispersion of white light by an optical prism.
06:01Despite its beauty, you cannot go too close to the spring because of its harmful conditions.
06:10The Grand Prismatic Spring is a boiling water with temperatures reaching 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
06:17The stunning colors result from the minerals and the microbial mat consisting of thermophilic bacteria that consume them.
06:25The colors range from green to red, depending on the amount of chlorophyll and carotenoids present and the temperature.
06:32The red and orange colors are more prevalent in the summer, while chlorophyll's dark green takes over in the winter.
06:39Both the chemical and the biological characteristics suggest it may be an ideal, modern-day analog.
06:47In the middle of the water body, you'll notice the clear blue coloration of the water.
06:52That's because that part of the water is too hot for organisms.
06:56Hence, that part is sterile, retaining the original color.
07:00Number 11. Mount Washington, United States
07:04There is a group of meteorologists who make a living in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, at
07:08the top of Mount Washington.
07:10Standing tall and rearing its head in the misty sky is Mount Washington, located in New Hampshire, United States.
07:16With an elevation of only 6,000 feet, this ultra-prominent mountain may not be one of the tallest in
07:23the world.
07:23However, it still manages a reputation for being deadly, thanks to its erratic weather conditions.
07:30That's because of its location in the Presidential Range, where several storms from the Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and the
07:37Gulf region meet.
07:38This dangerous peak witnesses hurricane-level gusts for an average of 110 days yearly.
07:45According to the New Hampshire Magazine, at least 161 people had lost their lives around Mount Washington between 1849 and
07:542019,
07:55with many of the fatalities discussed in the book Not Without Peril by Nicholas Howe.
08:00The author added that many deaths stem from misunderstanding the mountain's weather, but it gets worse when you factor in
08:07the rocky and uneven terrain.
08:09On April 12, 1942, a wind speed of 231 miles per hour was recorded on the mountain, and this remained
08:17the record until 1966.
08:19In the winter, they told us there's a 50% chance of hurricane winds, and often cloud cover.
08:26Today, Mount Washington still holds the record for the most violent wind without a tornado or cyclone, daily wind exceeding
08:34100 miles per hour.
08:36Mount Washington's weather gets even more severe during winter months.
08:40It can get as cold as minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and hikers are warned to watch out for avalanches.
08:47Number 10. Lake Nios, Cameroon
08:51Located about 200 miles from Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital is Lake Nios, a crater lake on an inactive volcano.
08:59The volcano has a pocket of magma that seeps carbon dioxide into the lake, converting the water into carbonic acid.
09:06This gives Nios the possibility to release limnic eruptions, a rare natural disaster where carbon dioxide erupts into the atmosphere.
09:14This sad reality was evident in 1986 when a large cloud of CO2 was released into the atmosphere.
09:22It was a tragic incident that led to the death of 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock in the
09:30surrounding settlements.
09:31It's hard to imagine that this breathtaking landscape could cause so many deaths.
09:36One of the most affected places was Char, which has since been abandoned by the inhabitants.
09:41The eruptions of CO2 also had a severe impact on the water bodies.
09:46The aquatic life in the area was crippled with the death of fishes, amphibians, and crustaceans.
09:51It was the very first recorded large-scale natural disaster caused by asphyxiation.
09:56A tube was fixed to help the lake leak gases naturally, but the region remains a hazard waiting to happen
10:03with the weakening walls of the lake.
10:05Number 9. Nyiragongo Volcano, Democratic Republic of Congo
10:10Thanks to its activity, Nyiragongo Volcano is one of the most dangerous in the world.
10:15This active stratovolcano has a height of more than 11,000 feet, but the depth of the lava lake can
10:21vary, sometimes being the most voluminous lake in history.
10:24In conjunction with the Nyamuragia Volcano, this volcano has been behind 40% of the volcanic eruptions in Africa.
10:32Its lava lake is special.
10:33It has a high level of silica, which increases its fluidity and makes it flow faster than any other lava
10:40lake on the continent.
10:42Since 1882, the volcano has erupted 34 times.
10:46The eruptions in 2002 led to the evacuation of 400,000 people.
10:51Mount Nyiragongo could erupt again at any time.
10:54Once again, the people of Goma are looking for a safe haven.
10:58The earthquakes damaged houses, and 245 people lost their lives to asphyxiation by carbon dioxide.
11:05It killed more than 30 people in 2021 and continues to be a threat to nearby villages.
11:11Number 8. Mount Everest, Tibet
11:13Mount Everest is perhaps one of the more popular names on the list.
11:17Boasting a height like no other, this mountain is the highest mountain on planet Earth above sea level, measuring over
11:2429,000 feet from top to bottom.
11:27Mount Everest is located in the Mahalangur Himal region, on the border between China and Nepal.
11:33Mount Everest in less than a week.
11:36One of the fastest ascents in a place where every breath is borrowed.
11:41The tallest mountain in the world attracts people willing to experience its magnificent heights.
11:46With standard routes in Nepal and Tibet, the mountain does not present visible dangers.
11:51However, even experienced mountaineers have had to contend with dangers like altitude sickness, unforgiving weather, blistering wind, and avalanche hazards
12:00from the Khumbu Ice Falls.
12:02A total of 340 people have died trying to conquer this mountain.
12:07And among them, 200 have not had their remains recovered due to the severe conditions.
12:12The upper sections of the mountain are considered a death zone with frequent slips and falls.
12:18The temperature in this zone can fall dangerously low, causing frostbite to any exposed body part.
12:25The violent wind can knock people off easily.
12:27And the extremely low atmospheric pressure, around 337 millibars, eliminates two-thirds of the available oxygen.
12:42Anyone not acclimatized to the altitude could lose consciousness within two to three minutes.
12:48Mount Everest is so dangerous that anyone injured on the way will likely not make it.
12:53Helicopter rescues are impossible, and the steepness does not give room for carrying people.
12:58Number 7.
12:59McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
13:02Most of the dangerous places in the world have native microorganisms despite being life-threatening to humans.
13:09That's because many species of microbes develop special features that help them occupy the most deadly regions.
13:15But what happens when a place is so hazardous that even microbes run away from there?
13:20That's the story of McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica.
13:24The region is one of the world's most rigorous desert environments.
13:27The valleys are the only areas in Antarctica without snow, and the only place on Earth where humans have not
13:34found microbial life.
13:36It is surrounded by mountains that prevent the inflow of ice from the glaciers.
13:40Instead, it has low humidity.
13:43Rainfall is a myth in this region, with the only accounts being anecdotal.
13:47It features many small water bodies, but the entire area is free of any living organisms.
13:53The closest are photosynthetic bacteria, occupying moist areas in the rocks.
13:59There are also certain anaerobic bacteria that live off iron and sulfur.
14:03For scientists, these valleys provide a glimpse into terrestrial environments on Mars.
14:10Number 6.
14:11Fraser Island, Australia
14:13Fraser Island, also known as Kagari, is a 600-square-mile sand island in Queensland, Australia.
14:20As well as the island's name, 19 hectares of land has been returned to the traditional owners.
14:26The island receives around 500,000 visitors yearly, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
14:34However, behind the bubbling nature of the island and its historic relevance,
14:38lies a disturbing past and presence that make it one of the most dangerous places you can visit.
14:44Formed in the Pleistocene era 700 years ago, Fraser Island was once connected to the mainland
14:50before rising sea levels caused a separation as the last ice age was winding down.
14:55Captain James Fraser, a European settler, wrecked his ship on the island and died there in 1836.
15:01Hence, the name Fraser Island, even though it has been renamed as Kagari by the state government.
15:07Shipwrecks were common around Kagari.
15:09One of the major ones was the SS Maheno, a Scotland-built luxury ship which broke down on its way
15:16to Osaka, Japan.
15:17Bushfires are also rampant.
15:19A 2020 fire from a campfire burned rapidly, endangering nearby settlements until it was stopped with tanker aircraft.
15:27The bushfires are the main front and the most concerning for authorities is in the west near Kingfisher Bay.
15:33Kagari is also home to the last species of dingoes that have not been cross-bred with dogs.
15:40These wild dogs are reported to have attacked humans, killing a boy named Clinton Gage in 2001.
15:46Also posing a threat are the 18 species of snakes, one-third of which are venomous.
15:52The lakes and swamps on Kagari are acidic, and the surrounding water bodies are also unsafe.
15:57They contain shark species, such as great white, tiger, and bull sharks.
16:02Survival on this island requires extreme care and following all instructions.
16:08Number 5. Death Valley, United States
16:10Take a moment to think about your skin burning under a relentless sun with no escape in sight.
16:16Excruciating, yes, but it is likely nothing compared to Death Valley's summer days, which can climb over 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
16:25If you look at the top temperatures on record, Death Valley is all over that list.
16:29It has the highest air temperature ever recorded, with 134 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10, 1913.
16:37While this temperature has not been officially verified, close measurements of 130 degrees Fahrenheit were also recorded in August 2020
16:46and July 2021.
16:48You'd expect things to simmer down in the night, but that isn't the case for the death, where overnight temperatures
16:54range between 82 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
16:58Located in the northern Mojave Desert, eastern California, this desert valley got its name from an unfortunate event that happened
17:05between 1849 and 1850.
17:08A group of European-American settlers was traveling through the region, looking to take a shortcut to California's gold fields,
17:15when they got lost.
17:17It was a devastating experience for the crew who had reconciled with the fate of meeting their ends there.
17:23They eventually lost one group member, but Death Valley already showed how dangerous it could be.
17:29Twelve lives were lost in the valley between 2007 to 2023.
17:33The valley is usually dry because it's located in the rain shadow of four mountain ranges, like the Sierra Nevada
17:40and Panamint Range.
17:42Scientists say the heat is a result of multiple geographical and topographical factors.
17:47The clear and dry air ensures the surface is intensely heated.
17:51Warm air cannot escape due to steep valley walls, and heated air travels inside the valley from nearby desert regions.
17:59Number 4. Lake Natron, Tanzania
18:01Lake Natron in Tanzania's Ngorongoro district of Arusha region is an alkaline lake like no other in the world.
18:09The lake's alkaline content is easily noticeable from the bright red coloration of the water.
18:14Tanzania's Lake Natron isn't exactly a pleasant place for a swim.
18:18The water is alkaline.
18:20Water in the lake travels from the southern Iwasongiro River and other mineral-rich hot springs.
18:26Over the years, the conditions surrounding Lake Natron have helped it become a distinct water body that's beautiful and dangerous.
18:33For instance, the lake is shallow, less than 10 feet deep.
18:37The rainfall in the area is irregular, and the temperature is usually above 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
18:43This means the lake evaporates easily, leaving behind Natron, also known as sodium carbonate decahydrate, and Trona, sodium sesquicarbonate dihydrate.
18:53These chemicals give Lake Natron its characteristic pH, greater than 12, an alkaline level that is harmful for organisms without
19:03the required mechanisms.
19:05Alkaline lavas deposited during the Pleistocene era have also helped the surrounding areas form a caustic alkaline brine due to
19:12the high carbonate level and low amounts of calcium.
19:15Aside from salt-loving microorganisms that can thrive in such water, Lake Natron remains harmful to humans and other animals.
19:23Number 3. Mount Sinabung, Indonesia
19:27Earning its place as one of the most dangerous places in nature is Mount Sinabung in Indonesia.
19:33Located in North Sumatra, 25 miles away from the Lake Toba supervolcano, it is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano of
19:41andesite and dacite.
19:43That means it has existed for a long time, as far back as over 2.6 million years ago during
19:49the Ice Age.
19:50Andesite and dacite are volcanic rocks formed from slow-moving lava.
19:54They build up pressure as the lava flows, resulting in dangerous eruptions.
19:58Mount Sinabung is what you can refer to as a sleeping giant.
20:02It is said to have erupted 1,200 years ago, between 740 and 880 CE.
20:08The next eruption of lava, steam and gas happened in 1912.
20:13The volcano remained in place for many centuries, before the recent eruptions in 2010, 2013 and 2014 when it claimed
20:22the lives of 23 individuals.
20:25Since then, Mount Sinabung has been active with eruptions that have displaced over 10,000 people from more than 10
20:31nearby villages.
20:32Mount Sinabung has erupted again, forcing more than 25,000 villagers to flee their homes.
20:40The eruptions in 2016 killed seven people and continued posing a threat in the following years.
20:47On the 7th of May 2019, Mount Sinabung released a massive ash and smoke column that reached 6,500 feet
20:55in the air.
20:56The same thing happened in June, but the eruptions climbed up to 23,000 feet this time, covering the skies
21:03and sending materials flying everywhere.
21:06Since then, it has sent several eruptions between 11,000 and 16,000 feet into the air, sometimes making it
21:13impossible for people within a three-mile radius to step outside.
21:18Indonesian volcano Mount Sinabung erupted early this morning.
21:22The region is one of the most volatile locations on the planet, with constant observation in place.
21:29Number 2. Snake Island, Brazil
21:32Snake Island's official name is Ilha da Queimada Grande.
21:36Still, it is pretty easy to see why it is popularly referred to by the nickname, considering the abundant population
21:43of snakes it boasts.
21:44Characterized as a part of Sao Paulo in Brazil, it is a small island measuring only 106 acres with different
21:52terrains from Rocky Roe rainforest.
21:54As lands formed different shapes during the end of the last ice age, rising ocean levels ensured the disconnection of
22:01the island from the mainland,
22:02trapping some members of a venomous snake, the golden lancehead viper, also known as Bothrop's insularis.
22:09What followed was an unchecked level of growth, with the snakes taking over the whole island.
22:15The island is believed to house at least one snake per 11 square feet, which is one square meter.
22:21However, it wasn't an easy task.
22:23First, they had to adapt their lifestyle and feeding mechanism to ensure survival on the island.
22:29They had to carefully select their food, opting for only two species of birds from the available 41 on the
22:36island.
22:36Their venom is one of the most potent on the continent.
22:40It is believed to be five times more potent than those of their related species on the mainland.
22:46The golden lancehead snake's venom allows them to easily subdue their prey.
22:50On humans, their venom can cause brain hemorrhaging and multiple organ failures, with a mortality rate between 3 and 7
22:58percent.
22:59They are currently labeled critically endangered, and the island is off-limits to anyone who wasn't cleared to visit by
23:05the Brazilian Navy
23:06and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
23:10Number 1. Naica Crystal Cave, Mexico
23:13In Mexico, Naica Cave, also known as Cave of the Crystals,
23:17is an enclosed chamber containing some of the largest natural crystals on Earth.
23:22The giant selenite crystals can be as large as 37 feet with an estimated mass of 12 tones.
23:29Nestling quietly in Chihuahua, Mexico, and connected to the Naica mine 1,000 feet below ground level,
23:35this cave remained hidden for many years until its discovery by two brothers.
23:40In April, year 2000, Juan and Pedro Sanchez, two siblings, were drilling the mines when they came across the cave.
23:48Scientists say the cave was formed by the coming together of limestone and groundwater, containing anhydrite.
23:54When the anhydrite broke down, it produced calcium and sulfate,
23:58which combined with other chemicals to form selenite gypsum crystals at the right temperature.
24:02The result is a beautiful cave with crystals protruding in all directions.
24:07I've just returned from a spectacular and perilous journey to the center of the Earth,
24:12to a magical place known as the Crystal Cave.
24:15However, the cave is also perilous.
24:18The temperature can reach 136 degrees Fahrenheit, rivaling Death Valley.
24:23This cave is even worse due to conditions that prevent cooling via sweating.
24:27Every minute spent in this cave is life-threatening, and people cannot stay longer than 10 minutes.
24:33It is largely unexplored, mainly because it is currently flooded and closed.
24:38Our planet is filled with mysterious places, and some of them pose different threats to humans.
24:44Nature's way of warning us that we're not in charge.
24:48If you've enjoyed this video, we've got other related ones lined up just for you.
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