The hottest place on earth.

• Position: THE BIG PICTURE - Dallol, Ethiopia in Africa - Brief article

This image may look extraterrestrial, but it's actually from one of the most inhospitable places here on Earth: Dallol, Ethiopia, in East Africa.

Located near the equator, Dallol has an average annual temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than anywhere else inhabited by people.

An underground volcano is responsible for its unusual appearance. The volcano causes the salt water beneath the surface to boil and gurgle up, mixing with volcanic minerals like sulfur to form alien-like formations and glowing green and yellow pools. You wouldn't want to take a dip in these ponds--they're scalding hot and very acidic.

Dallol's extreme heat and...