10 Wonderfully Weird Pink Things in Nature (3 of 6)

4. Lake Hillier, Australia

If someone tells you that the land down under is all desert and there’s nothing special, tell them about this giant blot of Pepto-Bismol spilled across the landscape. That’s the legendary Lake Hillier, famous for its neon-pink water. As it usually happens when a weird color is involved, this shade of pink comes from algae and certain bacteria that thrive in super-salty water. Unlike other pink lakes, Lake Hillier stays pink all year long, even if you scoop some into a bottle as a souvenir.

5. Pink Katydid

While most katydids are green, scientists were shocked to discover that pink is actually the dominant genetic trait, not a rare mutation. It would be like saying that cats who can bark are the norm, and those meowling furry babies are a genetic abomination. Here’s the problem, though: you can’t really survive for too long being a hot-pink bug among green and brown foliage. This is why you don’t see them as often, but when you do, it’s believed to be a sign of good luck.