Yellowstone National Park served up an unfortunate reminder of just how wild “the wild” can be when a bison took a wrong step and ended up in the scalding waters of Grand Prismatic Spring. Onlookers were stunned as the bull slipped into the 160-degree pool and sadly couldn’t escape. Despite popular myths, the spring isn’t acidic enough to melt things—just hot enough to turn anything that wanders too close into an unintentional stew. Nature can be brutal, for sure.
It turns out, it’s not acid that gets you in Yellowstone—it’s the burn. Scientists say the pools cook like a slow-cooker, not a sci-fi death trap. It’s a sobering lesson for anyone tempted to wander too close. For more on the science (and the scary reality of a boiling hot spring), check out the full story at Cowboy State Daily.
Photo credit: Louise Howard via Yellowstone Through the Lens
