Why is the lake black?

That the lake appears black 

I give up.

I believe S.M may be trying to convey that if the lake consisted of black goo, it wouldn't possess this reflective quality. If I recall correctly, black goo has a dull opaque appearance which seems to absorb light, perhaps similar to the shade known as Vantablack.

Very true QES,but it's still a possibility.If not this lake,then perhaps another.

ninXeno426

The only way I think this lake's black appearance is the result of black goo is if the goo is settled in the bottom, separated from the water.

Either that or this once was a clean lake that was contaminated with goo which spread throughout and the water it is mixed with is causing the reflective quality.

I can't imagine it being pure black goo unless Ridley really doesn't care about details like this and made a lake of pure black goo this reflective simply for aesthetic considerations.

Once again very true.That's why i raised the possibility of a different lake.But a lake unseen is irrelevant.

ninXeno426

Make no mistake, I won't rule it out. This lake could be infected. You made a good point about it potentially being included in the trailer intentionally for this purpose.

This also brings me back to my curiosity about how black goo is interacting with the wind and rain cycles. Considering the pods and spores we see in the trailer, it has no doubt been released into the wild on this planet. It makes me wonder if we'll see a variety of goo accelerated wild life much like what was presented in Fire and Stone.

Queen Elizabeth Shaw:You raise an extremely interesting question regarding the weather.It's true if ther are lake's of black goo(potentially oceans)then yes then it could be drawn from these water source's and be fertilizing the planet with black goo.Like Fire and Stone,a very transformed eco system.

I suppose a good question to also raise is whether David would be responsible for the contamination(I've touched upon this in separate thread)or if it's been that way for centuries like Fire and Stone.

It's an interesting and scary angle. The juggernaut might have had plenty of ampules with mutagen in the cargo hold. What if David has poured many of them into rivers and lakes? If there is indigenous life in the lakes of "Paradise", what would they turn into? :)

That's what I'm thinking if David is responsible.

If David is responsible for the extermination of the engineers,then the water contamination is a likely angle.If not then a possible fall out from Waring engineer factions.

QES

With all due respect, the goo is not opaque at least in this major view:

that he believes the water may be black.

ali81

I was responding to QES's interpretation of SM's responses.

Thanks for the pic dk.Now we have something to work with.

sorry my phone is acting up, dam signal the site doesn't always load up correctly

Happens to me all the time.I use a phone as well.

the picture def gives the theory food for thought. I would say it could be either way. we do see the imo that the sunstance the goo is contained with doesn't mix with the goo and the goo def looks to settle on the bottom of the jar thing when david examines it. plus with the goo on davids finger reflecting the lights and other images it could be possible the lake is in fact infected

Hello, i am a newbie, it looks to be just reflections, but who knows? i could be wrong?

Hello and welcome.It's possible but you are correct who knows.Fire and Stone is an excellent example on how it could be.

thanks for the welcome ninXeno426, we will know for sure when AC hits the screens in may!

airshaft-

Welcome.

We either see reflections or we don't. If you are referencing David's finger, light and human/android figures can be seen. Thus, the goo is not opaque.

dk

This scene completely slipped my mind. I stand corrected.

If the weather was sunny the reflection would've been more clear. 

Personally I'm going to rule out the possibility of infected water for now, but on a second thought I really hope I'm wrong because the idea is fantastic and further builds upon the deceiving paradise factor. 

This is the Lake in question. I took the photograph in 2013 about 11 o'clock in the morning. I was with Alfie Speight the chief camera pilot for the LOTR and Hobbit. He dropped me down during the flight a couple of times and there is a broad area of  screed to land. As you can even with a good deal of light the water gives of a dense black luminescent glow.  

I think what is trying to be put forward is that however unlikely it is that it is a lake of goo, there is the possibility that the lake, for the plot of the movie, could be infected with the goo. as dk pointed out with his picture, the goo is reflective so could easily be in the water without affecting the texture and look of the lake.

Wow Michelle you've actually been on that planet, did you find David?

But seriously while I haven't actually been there it looks just like a Norwegian fjord surrounded by mountains casting shadows over it, and it does actually look more clear in broad daylight as opposed to weather with heavy rain clouds. 

there is the possibility that the lake, for the plot of the movie, could be infected with the goo

I hope this is the case in AC

based on this discussion....its relatively easy to deduce that we are really major Alien nerds....not that there's anything wrong with that of course :)