Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

Poisonous waters

The animals of Lake Messel died from drinking poisoned water. Thus they have solved the mystery. Fossils of various animals from about 47 million years ago have been found in Lakua. But so far they did not know why they died. Studying the sediments of the Messel, it has been concluded that in the lake there was abundant cyanobacteria. Apparently, when nitrogen levels increased, these bacteria released the poison and polluted the water. Animals would survive only a few minutes after drinking that water.

Photo: Senckenberg/Messel Research Department.