Ancient Lakes Exceed Million-Year Lifespans

Biologists define an ancient lake as one that has continuously carried water for more than one million years. One widely cited catalog identifies only 20 ancient lakes worldwide, with 12 surviving for more than 2.6 million years, the entire Quaternary Period. Their long existence and isolation allow them to support high biodiversity and species found nowhere else. Russia's Lake Baikal, estimated to be 25 to 30 million years old, remains the oldest lake supported by clear evidence.

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