The Dead Sea has long held the title of the saltiest natural body of water on Earth, a surreal landscape where swimmers float effortlessly due to its extreme buoyancy. Yet as climate change accelerates evaporation and industrial activities divert freshwater sources, scientists and adventurers alike are seeking alternative hypersaline lakes that replicate the Dead Sea’s legendary flotation properties. This quest has given rise to a fascinating global inventory of "Dead Sea substitutes"—lakes where the water is dense enough to make gravity feel optional.

The Science Behind the Float

Hypersaline lakes owe their buoyancy to salt concentrations far exceeding those of the ocean. While seawater averages 3.5% salinity, the Dead Sea hovers around 34%—nearly ten times saltier. This density creates a viscous, almost syrupy water column that supports human weight with ease. But the Dead Sea isn’t alone. From Australia’s pink-hued lakes to volcanic craters in Africa, other water bodies achieve similar salinity through unique geological processes. Understanding these alternatives requires examining not just salt content, but mineral composition, temperature, and even microbial life that influences water density.

Australia’s Outback: A Pink Paradox

In Western Australia, Lake Hillier and Hutt Lagoon defy expectations with their strawberry-milkshake hues—a result of salt-loving algae and bacteria. While their salinity levels rival the Dead Sea (reaching 30-35%), these lakes are far less accessible and lack the infrastructure for tourism. Yet their extreme environments offer something the Dead Sea cannot: a visual spectacle where bubblegum-colored waters collide with eucalyptus forests. Researchers note that the high gypsum content in some Australian salt lakes may alter buoyancy slightly, making floating feel "softer" compared to the Dead Sea’s sharper salinity.

The Volcanic Contender: Ethiopia’s Gaet’ale Pond

Tucked within the Danakil Depression—one of Earth’s hottest and most geologically active regions—Gaet’ale Pond boasts a staggering 43% salinity. This volcanic cauldron, formed by a 2005 earthquake, is fed by hydrothermal springs so toxic that only extremophile microorganisms survive. Unlike the Dead Sea’s magnesium-rich waters, Gaet’ale’s brine is heavy with iron and calcium chlorides, creating a sensation likened to "floating in warm oil." Its undisputed salinity crown comes with risks: hydrogen sulfide gases and near-boiling temperatures make it a floating experience for scientists in protective gear, not casual tourists.

North America’s Great Salt Lake: A Fading Mirror

Utah’s Great Salt Lake once offered a viable Dead Sea alternative in the Western Hemisphere, with salinity levels fluctuating between 12-28% across its basins. However, drought and agricultural diversion have shrunk the lake to a third of its 1980s volume, creating a cautionary tale. The remaining waters still provide buoyancy, particularly in the denser northern arm, but researchers warn that without intervention, the lake could reach "dead pool" status within years. Mineral companies harvesting magnesium and lithium here ironically accelerate the decline, even as their operations depend on the very brine they’re depleting.

The Andean Oddity: Bolivia’s Laguna Colorada

At 14,000 feet in the Andes, this shallow salt lake presents a paradox. While its 8-12% salinity is too low for effortless floating, its borax deposits create localized pockets of extreme density where buoyancy spikes. The lake’s rust-red waters, stained by algae and sediments, host vast flamingo colonies that thrive on its brine shrimp. What Laguna Colorada lacks in salt concentration, it compensates for in mineral diversity—its lithium-rich brines are now mined for batteries, drawing parallels to the Dead Sea’s industrial use. Climate models suggest rising temperatures may increase its salinity, potentially making it a future floating destination.

Preserving the Phenomenon

As these lakes face ecological threats, from mining to climate change, their role as Dead Sea analogues grows more precarious. Australia’s pink lakes suffer freshwater dilution from unregulated farming, while Ethiopia’s Gaet’ale may eventually evaporate entirely. The search for floating alternatives underscores a sobering reality: hypersaline environments are as fragile as they are extraordinary. Whether for tourism, science, or sheer wonder, protecting these liquid oddities requires balancing human curiosity with ecological responsibility—lest we find ourselves with fewer places where water lets us defy gravity.