Astonishing images from space. The Earth's 'bleeding' landscapes revealed

The pictures were taken in September of the current year by members of the crew on the International Space Station. The astronauts captured the Earth during a phenomenon that visually resembles streams of blood.

The first photo was taken on September 7, showcasing the Red Lagoon located on a plateau in the Bolivian Andes.

The second photo, captured on September 30, depicts Madagascar and the Betisboka River delta within it.

There has been no color manipulation in either of the images. A casual observer may draw the conclusion that the Earth is either inundated with blood or this is an indicator of severe pollution. However, this assumption would be very misleading.

Both photos represent somewhat uncommon but natural phenomena on Earth. Certain water bodies on our planet sometimes exhibit appearances akin to streams of blood, and this can be attributed to red algae, bacteria, or sediment.

The red coloration of the Red Lagoon owes its existence to algae. These shallow, salt-heavy waters provide a favorable environment for the rapid growth of algae, to such an extent that they seem to "overwhelm" the surrounding area.

This phenomenon can be observed in many salty and shallow bodies of water. Similar conditions can be found in Kazakhstan around Lake Aralso and in the Great Salt Lake in America.

The blood-like coloration of the Betisboka River has a separate cause – iron-rich sediments. When oxidized, iron adopts a red hue. High concentrations of iron in the water lead to its resemblance to blood.

This phenomenon is prevalent in many regions worldwide, but it occurs in its most extreme form in east Antarctica. Here, the Blood Falls appear to leak streams of blood from the edge of the glacier. In reality, this "blood" is water rich in iron oxide, sourced from a salt lake trapped within the ice for several million years.