Emerald terrace, a formation of sinter (type of sedimentary silica rock) in Orakei Korako Geothermal Park, New Zealand. The green colour is due to a layer of microbes that thrive in the warm, damp conditions created by the geothermal vents.

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Photo credit: © AYA OKAWA / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: -, algae, algal, australasia, australasian, biological, biology, emerald, formation, geographical, geography, geological, geology, geothermal, korako, mats, microbes, microbial, minerals, national, oceania, oceanian, orakei, park, polynesia, polynesian, rock, sedimentary, silica, sinter, steam, terrace, volcanic, volcanological, volcanology, zealand