{"id":849079,"date":"2025-05-17T19:13:08","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T00:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/17\/why-scientists-say-this-stunning-ancient-lake-in-turkey-might-as-well-be-on-mars\/"},"modified":"2025-05-17T19:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T00:13:08","slug":"why-scientists-say-this-stunning-ancient-lake-in-turkey-might-as-well-be-on-mars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/17\/why-scientists-say-this-stunning-ancient-lake-in-turkey-might-as-well-be-on-mars\/","title":{"rendered":"Why scientists say this stunning ancient lake in Turkey might as well be on Mars"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

With its vivid turquoise, green and blue waters, it\u2019s no surprise Lake Salda is often promoted as the \u201cMaldives of Turkey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Extraordinary to look at, peaceful and surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, it\u2019s little wonder if has become a significant, if lesser-known attraction, located deep in the country\u2019s southwest.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s so much more to this gorgeous body of water and its white-sand beaches than just beauty to get tourists excited. According to scientists, Lake Salda is the only place on Earth that\u2019s analogous to the Jezero Crater on Mars.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fact that has piqued the interest in space scientists at a time when humankind is increasingly turning its attention to the Red Planet as a possible destination for a crewed mission.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also helped increase environmental awareness around this fragile treasure, which is facing existential threats from pollution and decreasing water levels.<\/p>\n

Briony Horgan, a professor at Purdue University\u2019s Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, traveled to Turkey in 2019 with NASA\u2019s Perseverance rover team to study the mysterious lake, and was struck by its resemblance to a distant planet.<\/p>\n

This photo of a Martian vista in Jezero Crater, made from smaller individual images, was taken by NASA\u2019s Perseverance rover in 2021. NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really just an incredibly unique place,\u201d she tells CNN Travel.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd in many ways, it actually felt like standing on the shores of ancient Lake Jezero on Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n

In space exploration, a planetary analog<\/a> is a place on Earth that\u2019s considered similar or comparable to the conditions found on another planet or moon. Horgan says finding a Mars analog here is particularly challenging because of the high levels of iron and magnesium that make up the composition of the Red Planet, and \u201cthey\u2019re very primitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, she says Lake Salda\u2019s basin is \u201cof that composition that was created at the bottom of an ocean when the oceanic crust ripped apart and made new crust straight out of the interior of the Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

This process, says Horgan, is to credit for Lake Salda\u2019s Mars-like environment.<\/p>\n

Last year, the International Commission on Geoheritage (IUGS) announced the inclusion of Lake Salda on its list of the world\u2019s Top 100 geological sites.<\/p>\n

Balc\u0131 was among the major contributors who presented evidence to support its addition to the list.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe prepared a file (showing) that Salda contains important information about Mars and the early Earth and that if they are lost, we will have difficulty finding and understanding such information,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

In recent years, environmentalists and lawyers have been vocal about the need to increase protections and awareness about the value of the lake beyond its physical beauty.<\/p>\n

While some experts are optimistic that being on the IUGS list will have a positive effect on these efforts, others are still skeptical, like retired lecturer Erol Kesici of S\u00fcleyman Demirel University\u2019s E\u011firdir Water Resources Faculty. Founder of the Turkish Water Institute, Kesici is also a scientific advisor to two environmental associations, the Association for the Protection Of Turkey\u2019s Nature and the Nature and Sustainability Association.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite Lake Salda having numerous sensitive and protected areas, such as natural conservation areas and other conservation statuses, there are serious issues in practice,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe excessive pollution and contamination caused by the construction of ponds and dams are causing the lake\u2019s ecosystem, turquoise water, and (endemic) species to disappear gradually.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Horgan expressed similar sentiments, noting that Lake Salda is \u201ca wonderful location that I hope many people get to see. But it\u2019s the kind of place we should make sure we appreciate responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lake Salda is home to 301 plant species, two of which are endemic and grow in the lake basin, as well three endemic fish species, and over 30 water bird species, among more common animals like wild boars and foxes. These make Lake Salda among the best places in Turkey for nature photography and hiking.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best season to visit Salda is spring and early summer,\u201d notes Hasan G\u00fclday, a tour guide based in western Turkey.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe harmony of the green trees around, the white shores of the lake, and the turquoise color emerges best in this period.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, you can visit Lake Salda at any time of the year, including the winter. In fact, the road to the nearby Salda Ski Center offers the best panoramic view of Lake Salda and its surroundings, so stunning many assume images taken there were photoshopped.<\/p>\n

If you plan your journey around July and early August, you can admire the purple lavender fields southwest of the lake, where locals make lavender-scented soap and fragrances, some of the best souvenirs to bring back home.<\/p>\n

People are permitted to swim in the lake, and many do, but opinions on how to best protect the body of water from these visitors are mixed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want time restrictions and capacity limits to be set for activities like swimming,\u201d says guide G\u00fclday.<\/p>\n

Scientific advisor Kesici, meanwhile, is entirely against people getting into the water because \u201cit\u2019s a closed lake, all waste remains within (it).\u201d Also, he says some people take mud baths, believing it can help heal some skin conditions, but this can damage the lake\u2019s delicate ecosystem as well.<\/p>\n

Exploring the area<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Lake Salda is located in Burdur, close to the city borders of Denizli, which hosts another gem of Turkey, Pamukkale<\/a> \u2014 only about a 1.5-hour drive northeast. The region is referred to as the Turkish Lake District or Turkish Lakeland.<\/p>\n

G\u00fclday also recommends visiting the ancient cities of Kibyra and Sagalassos, both of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.<\/p>\n

Kibyra is a settlement that dates back to the early Iron Age, about a 1.5-hour drive south of Salda. The city has been at the crossroads of important trade routes for centuries, and Hellenistic, Roman, Lydian, and Pisidian cultures influenced the settlement.<\/p>\n

Sagalassos\u2019s history dates back some 12,000 years, and it was left to its fate after the 6th century due to epidemics, raids and natural disasters, such as earthquakes.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of the best-preserved archeological sites in Turkey because its remote location prevented it from looting, and the settlement was quickly covered by vegetation and soil due to erosion.<\/p>\n

Getting there: <\/strong>Many travelers opt to rent a car to better explore the area\u2019s scenic drives. The trip from Antalya to Lake Salda takes about 2.5 hours. Tour companies also offer tours of the area, including the lake.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

CNN
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With its vivid turquoise, green and blue waters, it\u2019s no surprise Lake Salda is often promoted as the \u201cMaldives of Turkey.\u201d Extraordinary to look at, peaceful and surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, it\u2019s little wonder if has become a significant, if lesser-known attraction, located deep in the country\u2019s southwest. But there\u2019s so much more<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":849080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3807,22557],"tags":[10539,5880],"class_list":{"0":"post-849079","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-scientists","8":"category-stunning","9":"tag-scientists","10":"tag-stunning"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=849079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849079\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/849080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=849079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=849079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=849079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}