science 🏝️ Mauritius has natural seven-colored sand dunes
A strange patch of dirt with seven distinct colors was found in the Chamarel village of Mauritius. This unique feature is a result of a geological reaction on the volcanic island. Over millennia, tropical weather broke down basalt rock, leaving iron and aluminum behind. These heavy metals naturally repel each other, keeping the stripes sharp even when mixed. The packed particles also make the dunes surprisingly resistant to heavy tropical rain.