Reflecting on one of the world s strangest rivers Mar 5, 2021

Reflecting on one of the world s strangest rivers

If you like your landscapes on the surreal side, then this weird and wonderful river in the Andalusia region of southwestern Spain should be to your liking. The Rio Tinto (Red River) gets its name from the reddish hue of its water, caused by high levels of iron and sulfur, which make it very acidic. This unusual chemical makeup may or may not be a result of the area"s long history of mining, which dates back at least 5,000 years. Ancient residents like the Tartessians and Romans dug here for copper, silver, and gold, as well as the mineral pyrite, commonly referred to as "fool"s gold." Legend has it that the Rio Tinto was the site of the fabled mines of King Solomon.

© David Santiago Garcia/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 5, 2018Seattle Central Library, Seattle, Washington
Mar 5, 2019Stompin’ with the Big Chief
Mar 5, 2020The desert blooms
Mar 5, 2022Mont-Saint-Michel
Mar 5, 2023Cherry blossom season in Tokyo
Mar 5, 2024Bangkok, Thailand
Mar 5, 2025Khao Sok National Park in Thailand
Mar 5, 2026Evening over Göreme, Cappadocia, Türkiye

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 23, 2020Autumn comes to Old Town
Jun 6, 2020The long and wiggling path
May 18, 2018It’s Endangered Species Day
May 30, 2023Playa del Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico
Feb 28, 2023Atrani, Amalfi Coast, Italy
Mar 25, 2021There was gold in them there hills…
Jan 21, 2026Squirrel Appreciation Day
Jul 30, 2025International Day of Friendship
Dec 28, 202350 years of the Endangered Species Act
Feb 2, 2020Hut, hut, hike!
Nov 18, 2025Male hooded merganser, Oregon
Apr 10, 2018It’s Siblings Day!
Feb 27, 2018A polar bear near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Oct 18, 2022The Guggenheim Bilbao turns 25
Apr 18, 2026World Heritage Day
Apr 21, 2026European hedgehog, France
May 1, 2024Lei Day
Apr 26, 2025Redwood National and State Parks, California
Jun 8, 2020A day for the oceans
Feb 9, 2020Hollywood s big night
Feb 25, 2025Anniversary of Bryce Canyon National Park
Sep 13, 2018They’re grrrape!
May 6, 2021Why you should thank a nurse today
Mar 14, 2021Perfect timing
May 10, 2022Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Jan 27, 2020Thomas Edison s bright idea
Jul 24, 2025Happy Cousins Day!
May 7, 2021Deep in the North Woods wetlands
Apr 20, 2020In the Garden of Europe
Mar 21, 2020It s World Poetry Day