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France 24
France 24
Politics
Céline SCHMITT

Spain's Rio Tinto river offers scientists Mars-like conditions

FOCUS © FRANCE 24

In this edition we discover Spain's Rio Tinto, or Red River, in Andalusia. The waterway's unique purple and burgundy tints, as well as sometimes yellow or blue colours, are due to the significant quantities of iron in the river. This acidity and these conditions make its environment comparable to those on the planet Mars. Astrobiologists from around the world, even from NASA, use the river for their studies. Our correspondents Céline Schmitt, Julien Garrel and Sarah Morris report.

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