&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Big red splotch seen on Google Maps in US desert triggers apocalypse chatter. It is nothing but...")
Netizens think that a Bible prophecy could be coming true in the deserts of New Mexico after spotting a big, red spot on Google Maps. Coordinates 35°39′11″ N, 106°08′49″ W point to a remote region of northern New Mexico northwest of Santa Fe, where some of them think they can see a "large pile of blood". An X user shared a photo of the phenomenon, while others commented with all kinds of possibilities that could have caused it. One of them asked, "Isn't this in the Bible?" Notably, the Book of Exodus in the Bible talks about "ten plagues God inflicted on the Egyptians", and the user seems to be hinting at that. The prophecy is about a curse that will bring an end to the world, with rivers turning red. "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.
Volcanic activity created a cinder cone?
The original X user who posted the photo has been able to grab more than two million eyeballs till now. ''Growing increasingly concerned about the large pile of blood in the desert," he wrote. While this makes for a sensational angle, others presented a clear explanation. According to some users, it is a cinder cone which has been around since even before Valles Caldera. It is a volcanic formation made of ash, cinders and rock that collected over time near the vent from past eruptions. The iron-rich volcanic material sitting on top oxidised over time, giving the spot a deep red colour. Erosion and mineral leaching are minimal because of the dry climate.
What the photo specifically shows is naturally occurring oxidised red scoria triggered by volcanic activity. It is mined for construction purposes. It also spreads around in the vicinity, which is why the deep red colour creates the illusion of a red liquid. In 2025, the Sea of Galilee in Israel, mentioned in the Bible, also turned blood-red, creating panic among people. Several people on social media said it was a sign of an impending apocalypse. However, a bloom of green algae in the freshwater lake was to blame for the red hue. Experts said the water posed no threat to humans.
