Canada's Smoking Hills have been smoking for about 7,000 - 10,000 years due to chemical reactions, making the surrounding air toxic.
A boat approaches the Smoking Hills in Canada's Northwest Territories. Photo: Se Mo/Flickr
The Smoking Hills may look like they originated from strange volcanic or geothermal activity deep below the Earth's surface, but they are actually the result of a chemical reaction that has been going on for thousands of years, IFL Science reported on May 15.
The Smoking Hills are located on the east coast of Cape Bathurst, Northwest Territories, Canada, not far from the Arctic Ocean. The smoke is produced by the spontaneous combustion of oil shale within the layers of the cliff. Sulfur minerals, such as pyrite, and lignite react with the air as the rock erodes, igniting and creating a steady stream of smoke. As a result, the surrounding area is filled with sulfur dioxide, making the air toxic and difficult to breathe.
Smoking Hills is also dotted with ruby red pools of highly acidic, sulfur-rich water. The high sulfur content also means the area smells like rotten eggs.
"It's like hell on Earth. Everything is horrible. You have to wear full protective gear, otherwise your eyes and throat will burn. It can kill you instantly if you get too close," said Steve Grasby, a scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada who studies the geochemistry of sedimentary rocks.
Experts are not sure when the Smoking Hills began smoking, but Grasby said the reaction may have begun about 7,000 to 10,000 years ago, when the region's glaciers retreated and exposed the rock face.
The cliffs have been mentioned in Indigenous cultures for centuries, but they were first recorded by Europeans in 1826, during the voyage of British explorer John Franklin. In 1850, Irish explorer Robert McClure and his crew set out from the Canadian Arctic to search for the missing sailors of the Franklin Expedition. When they saw smoke from the Smoking Hills, they were disappointed, mistaking it for a signal from the missing men.
The Smoking Hills environment has been studied extensively by many scientists, who believe its strange features could help us understand more about Mars's potential for supporting life.
Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )
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