Situated deep in the often frozen wasteland of Siberia, Lake Baikal has enchanted locals and visitors for generations. Come there in the summertime and you'll see nothing out of the ordinary: families picnicking, people fishing, and hikers going for long walks to see the wildlife. But there's something far more special to the lake than just its landscape - and it could be one of the world's greatest secrets.
It's hard to imagine anything as flashy as an alien base just hiding out in a little old lake. But while Lake Baikal might be old - positively ancient, in fact - it's certainly not little. From end to end it's just under 500 miles and it covers an area of 12,000 square miles. Not only that, but it's the deepest freshwater lake in the world, reaching a massive 5,400ft down. If that's not enough to squeeze in a hideout, we don't know what is.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.