Hottest River in the World that boils animals

Beneath the lush Amazon of Peru is a river that reaches 212 ° F, hot enough to boil any animal that crosses its path. But even so, these boiling waters are full of life.

Andres Ruzo, geoscientist, conservationist, writer, communicator and educator of Peruvian-Nicaraguan-American nationality, National Geographic explorer, and who was the first scientist to obtain permission to study this river, says, the total system of the Shanay-timpishka ("that boils with the heat of the sun"), in the Peruvian Amazon, extends for about 9 kilometres. It's just the last six, in the lower part of the river, where it's really hot. 

Hottest River in the World

A young scientist, Andres Ruzo, believes he has discovered in Peru in South America the largest thermal river in the world, the Shanay-Timpishka, which flows for more than 6 kilometres, and whose name means “boiled with the heat of the sun”.

"Just as people have warm blood running through our veins and arteries, the Earth has hot water running through its cracks and faults," said the Peruvian scientist. "When they reach the surface, geothermal manifestations take place: fumaroles, hot springs or, in this case, boiling rivers."

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This week, an oil spill affected several rivers in the Amazon, which has caused a movement to promote conversation and care for all the rivers in the region.

Why does it boil?

Unlike other hot springs, there is no nearby volcano in the region. According to Ruzo, the phenomenon of the boiling river is due to the thermal waters fed by faults. The deeper the water enters the Earth, the more it heats up. "Just as we have hot blood running through our veins and arteries, the Earth has hot water running through its cracks and faults," explained the young Peruvian in a TED talk this month.

Following its discovery, Ruzo created The Boiling River Project, an organization that seeks to research and protect the river and its surrounding areas, including its very diverse flora and fauna. Surrounded by legends, spirituality, and mysticism, the Boiling River is considered a sacred place for local communities.

In that area are also the Huistin and Mayantuyacu Sanctuary, two groups of native healers who for a long time have considered the river as a sacred place with a lot of spiritual power, which was only visited by the most powerful shamans to "communicate with the spirits and learn healing rituals from their ancestors."

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The main threat that the area currently faces is deforestation caused by local inhabitants, which would lead to its total extinction if it is not protected.

A deadly temperature

If a normal cup of coffee is at 54ºC, this river reaches 97ºC at its hottest point. According to Ruzo, the magic number is 47ºC: “Above that temperature, you don't want to bathe in those waters. It can be deadly. "

Ruzo has witnessed the death of several animals that fall into the river and die boiled: “The first thing they lose is their eyes, which apparently cook very quickly; they acquire a whitish and milky colour. The animals are then carried away by the current, and try to swim out, but their meat is already cooking. They lose strength until a point is reached where the hot water enters their mouth and they cook from the inside”.

In addition to making temperature measurements, Ruzo has also studied the living beings that live in and around the river, where he has found new species of microorganisms until now unknown. (Hottest River in the World)

Now the river area is threatened by deforestation, and Ruzo is fighting for the preservation of the ecosystem, which could disappear completely. “During my research, I discovered that this river is a natural wonder. And it's not going to last forever unless we do something to prevent it."

Where does water for this boiling river come from?

Herein lies the great mystery of the Shanay Timpishka River. Although it would be normal for this hot water to come from a nearby volcano, the reality is that in this case it is not the case.

The geologists who study the area, among whom Andrés Rizo stands out, have a theory: the boiling river water comes from Andean glaciers and penetrates into deep areas of the earth, where it reaches this temperature.

But like all mysteries, the boiling river of Mayantuyacu also has its own mythological story that explains its origin.

According to the inhabitants of the area, who attribute numerous healing powers to the river, this water was created by a huge snake called Yacumama (mother of the waters), an animal that is represented by a large rock on one of the river's limits. Be that as it may, the origin of these hot waters is still not known with certainty and experts on the subject continue to study this unique river.

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