Yellowstone is Like Another Planet

A lot of people think Yellowstone is about landscapes, or geysers, or wildlife. It isn't: it's about hot springs. These aren't the type of hot springs that you sit in (they'd kill you); rather, these are the sort of hot springs you marvel at. Flourescent oranges, greens, and blues bubble up from the deep. You have to see it to believe it. It's the only place I've ever been where I felt like I was somewhere in outer space-- these mysterious pools truly look otherworldly. These pictures don't do it justice; I wish Mary was here.

But they aren't just for looking at. Every time you hear about DNA testing in a criminal case, think of Yellowstone's hot springs. The methods are only made possible by Thermus Aquaticus, a rare bacterium found living here. If these pools hadn't been preserved, DNA testing as we know it wouldn't exist.

The springs (and geysers) are the real reason that the Yellowstone area was preserved in the first place generations ago. There are more 'thermal features' in Yellowstone than the rest of the world combined. At the time of it's preservation, abundant wildlife and pristine wilderness were run-of-the mill in the American west; what made Yellowstone special were the crazy pots of boiling, shooting, and color-changing mud and water. Now, generations later, the preservation of wilderness and wildlife is a side-effect, made notable by their new scarcity.