Researchers discovered the body of water—now the largest known underground thermal lake in the world—while investigating a column of steam rising from limestone.

A team of scientists from the Czech Republic has discovered the world’s largest underground thermal lake, located in southern Albania. They first stumbled upon the lake (and the elaborate cave system it’s a part of) in 2021, but didn’t have the proper equipment to properly study it, according to a press release.

Four years after it was first discovered, a team of Czech scientists have finally confirmed that they’ve found the world’s largest underground thermal lake. Nestled within the limestone of Vromoner in southern Albania,

Researchers were able to confirm their findings four years after they first made the groundbreaking discovery.

Scientists have confirmed the world’s largest underground thermal lake, known as Neuron lake, inside a cave in southern Albania.