A man who tried to “hot pot” in Yellowstone National Park tragically dissolved after falling into a volcanic hot spring. Colin Scott, 23, had planned to briefly dip into the steaming water but slipped and fell in. The park, which sits atop a massive super-volcano, is filled with springs heated by magma beneath the surface.

While volcanic minerals are often praised for their “health benefits,” the water in these pools is deadly. Rangers rushed to the scene but were forced to delay recovery due to a thunderstorm. When they returned the next day, “Colin’s body was nowhere to be seen — only his sandals and wallet floating in the water.”

Deputy Chief Ranger Lorant Veress explained the grim reason: “In a very short order, there was a significant amount of dissolving.” The pools can reach 199°F (93°C) at the surface, becoming hotter and more acidic deeper down — an environment lethal to humans but survivable for certain bacteria.

Since 2010, Yellowstone has recorded 52 deaths, a reminder of the park’s hidden dangers despite its beauty.