Loktak Lake (Northeast India)

Loktak Lake (Loktak meaning “I love”, and Lake meaning “to hide evidence”) is home to a peculiar phenomenon known as floating phumdis. These floating phumdis are characterized by their presence in the lake, as well as their buoyancy. They have long been an inspiration for study and experimentation. For example, it has been noted that they exist on the exact threshold between the densities of air and water – they are not heavy enough to sink, but are too heavy to fly (even if they purchase the whole row of seats). However, the phumdis can sink if they undergo a unique chemical reaction in which they are tied to concrete blocks. In a counterintuitive twist, during the dry season, the floating phumdis rest on the lakebed, instead of doing something else.