'Large pile of blood' spotted in US desert sparks 'biblical omen' panic
Disturbing images of the desert in New Mexico have sparked fears online of a biblical, plague-like phenomenon.
Google Earth users have honed in on the coordinates 35°39′11″ N, 106°08′49″ W, which point to a remote area of northern New Mexico just northwest of Santa Fe.
Some users have claimed the imagery shows a 'large pile of blood' seeping through the ground.
While the images have alarmed some viewers, others have identified the feature as a cinder cone, a volcanic formation made of ash, cinders and rock that accumulated around a vent during past eruptions.
Geologically, the cone predates the Valles Caldera, meaning it formed during an earlier phase of volcanic activity in the region.
Its deep red color comes from iron-rich volcanic material that has oxidized over time, a process preserved by the area's arid climate, which limits erosion and mineral leaching.
However, the post circulating on X that has been viewed more than two million times featured the caption: ''Growing increasingly concerned about the large pile of blood in the desert.
The viral post has raised questions about whether the site could be connected to end-times Bible prophecies describing bodies of water turning red.
@stupidtrashboy posted the image on X, saying: 'Growing increasingly concerned about the large pile of blood in the desert'
The post has hundreds of comments on X, with users joking it could be everything from a mob farm to the blood of titan.
One user asked: 'Isn't this in the Bible?' The comment was likely referring to the Book of Exodus that details the ten plagues God inflicted on the Egyptians in the biblical narrative of Exodus.
According to scripture, the curse saw the Nile’s waters struck by Moses’ staff at God’s command, turning them to blood in a divine act of judgment.
'Thus says the Lord: By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood,' Exodus 7:17-21 reads.
However, there is a far less supernatural explanation. The red coloration is naturally occurring oxidized red scoria formed by local volcanic activity, and its prominence is heightened because the material is actively mined for use in road construction, landscaping, and water treatment.
Any runoff from the area is naturally occurring and poses no risk, though its color can create the visual illusion of a dark red liquid emerging from the ground.
In August, the biblical Sea of Galilee turned a vivid blood-red, leaving locals rattled and warning of a 'bad omen.'
Stunned visitors watched crimson waves roll onto the shore, with some comparing the eerie transformation to the ten plagues of God.
GoogleEarth users have honed in on the coordinates 35°39′11″ N, 106°08′49″ W, which point to a remote area of northern New Mexico just northwest of Santa Fe
The Book of Exodus describes the Ten Plagues of God. The first the curse saw the Nile’s waters struck by Moses’ staff at God’s command, turning them to blood in a divine act of judgment
The Sea of Galilee in Israel mysteriously turned red this month, sparking fears of biblical omens. However, officials confirmed a bloom of green algae turned the waters red
The apocalyptic spectacle set social media ablaze, with many calling it a sign of the End Times, but scientists said there is a far less supernatural explanation.
Israel's environmental ministry confirmed that the transformation this month was caused by a bloom of green algae in the freshwater lake, which turns red when a natural pigment builds up under intense sunlight.
The pigment is harmless, officials stressed, and tests show the water is safe for swimming, despite its unsettling hue.
Tests by the Kinneret Research Laboratory found the algae in the affected areas are harmless, with no health risks or allergic reactions reported among those exposed.
The discoloration was caused by Botryococcus braunii, which is found in various aquatic environments like freshwater and brackish water bodies worldwide.
