The saltiest lakes on Earth usually appear in closed basins where water cannot flow out to the ocean. Rain, snow, and small streams bring dissolved minerals into the basin.
As water evaporates, salt stays behind and builds up over time. The result is a hypersaline lake with extremely high density water where only specialized life can survive.
Researchers often study these lakes because their harsh chemistry may mirror conditions on other planets. Understanding how microbes survive in salty water on Earth could help scientists search for life elsewhere in the world.
We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.
