Russia’s turquoise lake, a popular selfie spot, is a toxic waste dump

The man-made lake in Novosibirsk, Russia, has attracted hundreds of Instagram users thanks to its vibrant blue hue. But, it’s actually an ash dump from a coal plant. The bright colour of the water, which has led some to dub it the “Siberian Maldives”, comes from calcium salts and metal oxides dissolved in it which gives it a high alkaline content.