This isn’t a giant geothermal spa, but rather a strange river that flows deep through the Amazon rainforest in Mayantuyacu, Peru. It has been known to boil small animals instantly, with temperatures ranging from 50-90 °C (122-194 °F), and in at least one area, it almost reaches the boiling point of 100 °C (212 °F). The locals have known about the “Boiling River” for centuries, and ancient legend has it that the hot water is unleashed by a giant serpent named Yacumama (mothers of the waters). The river’s existence was officially documented in 2011 by geothermal scientist Andres Ruzo. Click here for more pictures of the boiling river. Continue reading for an in-depth video explaining how it was discovered.
“It feels like I’m in a sauna inside a toaster oven. Dipping my hand into the river would give me third-degree burns in less than half a second. Falling in could easily kill me. The first thing to go are the eyes. Eyes, apparently, cook very quickly. They turn this milky-white color. The stream is carrying them. They’re trying to swim out, but their meat is cooking on the bone because it’s so hot. So they’re losing power, losing power, until finally they get to a point where hot water goes into their mouths and they cook from the inside out,” according to Ruzo.
