The bright orange blotches in the picture are minerals formed from microbe poop. This picture was taken in the lava cave known as Gruta do Carvão in São Miguel, one of the Portugese Azores. The ooze is comprised of mats of the refuse of microbes that live in the caves.

For more microbe poop pics, check out National Geographic’s feature on the nasty mineral formations.

Tags: lava caves, microbe poop, national geographic caves, portugese azores

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