World's lowest (dry) point, Jordan, 1971 (en.wikipedia.org)
We know more about outer space than our own oceans, we have promising maps of Mars and Venus than the seabed on our Earth. There are untouched lands under the ocean and limited divers boldly reaching where no scientist has gone before, the most unusual territories in the deep blue seas which enclose great secrets within their depths. While many of these mysteries have been explained by scientists and analysts, they still manage to intrigue us with their enigmas. A mixture of strange ocean phenomena has been discovered and endured by sailors around the world, but one isolated and bizarre ocean stands beyond every typical oceanic behaviour, and that ocean is recognized as “The Dead Sea”.
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth at 1412 feet below sea level. It is also known as the salt sea, but it is actually a salt lake. It has a single source, the Jordan River, and is not connected to the ocean. It is a spectacular and mysterious looking lake with salt crystals extending out of it, and golden-brown hills surrounding it. The dead sea is situated in the heart of the Great Syrian-African rift valley that spans throughout Israel and beyond and is flanked by the Judean Mountains on the west, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Mountains of Moab on the east.
Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org
The mortal history of the Dead Sea belongs all the way back to remote oldness. In numerous languages, the Dead Sea is referred to by various names, all reflective of its characteristics. The Greeks knew the Dead Sea as Lake Asphaltites, due to the naturally surfacing asphalt. In the later Roman era, salt was highly valued. The Roman armies were paid in salt, rather than hard currency, they established a series of fortresses to dominate every entry and exit ravine for the movement of Dead Sea salt, guaranteeing the payments of tax by the traders. The Latin word for salt, “sal,” creates the source of the word ‘salary’ from this same meaning.
Image Credit: deadsea.com
The Dead Sea is also the territory of the Qumran community which created the Dead Sea scrolls. These historical articles conserved in sealed caves near the shore of the Dead Sea, provide outstanding knowledge on the religious and social beliefs of 1st-century Jews. The Dead Sea origins in the past clarify the matter even better. In the days when the Jordan river flowed south from the sea of Galilee with enormous pressure in the wet season, one could witness stems and fish swept down with the river flow into the highly salty water of the Dead Sea. As neither fish nor algae can probably survive in water, which is nearly 10 times saltier than most blues, it was a death-trap for all of them. However, a small tree in the dead sea has caused attraction to many visitors.
Though the tree is lonely standing in the dead sea, it is always surrounded by tourists. Factually, a local lifeguard has intentionally planted the tree and cares for it daily by putting a suitable soil to sustain it. It is named also as “Dead Tree in the Sea of Life”.
Image Credit: deadsea.com
Besides the historical aspect, the Dead Sea is famously recognized for being one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, and actually the deepest hyper-saline in the world, at a depth of 304 meters (997 feet). And the reason behind its high salinity is a terminus for the cycle of rain and surface water, which means water flows into it but doesn’t flow out, its water has no release but is bound to evaporate. The water has been losing its H2O content for 65,000 years, with the minerals becoming more and more concentrated and salt prominent among them. The water of the Dead Sea is saltier than any other body of water on earth. The concentration of salt reaches 34%. The extremely high concentration of dissolved mineral salts in the water causes the water to be denser than that of plain fresh water.
But except its saltiness, one of the most unique experiences the Dead Sea has to offer is fun and free floating in the water is a natural phenomenon of this place. The minute your feet and legs are in the water you feel as if they are being pushed up and as you go deeper you feel your body become lighter and more spirited. Because of the lightness, you can’t swim and because of the salt, you can’t dive deep in the water. The water of the Dead Sea is denser than any other body of water on earth. Since our body weight is lighter than the density of the water, our body is softer in the Dead Sea, making it easy to float.
In the ocean, you begin realizing lightness and you float a bit, in the Dead Sea the water is so dense you float easily even to the point that it’s hard to stand on two feet. Many people moreover claim that this lake is a heaven for healing, and its mud is used in a premium of beauty products.
Image Credit: israel-travel-secrets.com
With a higher atmospheric pressure, low allergen counts, and slightly higher oxygen content than at sea level, the Dead Sea is literally a breath of fresh air, involving the large mineral content of its waters. The black mud at dead sea has been shown to bear antibacterial and hyperemic values.
The dead is full of marvels, but its saltiness makes it a “dead place” for several big organisms. The lake's saltiness means that broader organisms such as fish and frogs can't survive in the Dead Sea. So, no one expects a wonderful oceanic life in the Dead sea. The salt content of the water is far too high for any plants or animals to survive, but scientists have discovered microbial life at the bottom of its dark waters. According to a published report of ‘Scientific American,’ several biologists have known since the 1930s the lake is "not dead yet". Rather, it's ample of microbes that get along very merrily in the salty soup, for it keeps out competitors that would take over in a more infirmary environment.
In general, the water contains 1,000 to 10,000 Archaea per ml. Periodically, when situations are right, the sea blooms red with life. This happened in 1980 and 1992. Recently, when divers from Israel and Germany braved the waters to know more about the sea and they were not disappointed. The divers found a few freshwater fountains deep under the Dead sea. And similarly, some salt-loving microbes, which are able to withstand the wicked shifts in salinity.
The death sea holds a lot more in the depths and it still survives as an incredible natural spectacle. Mermaids may not exist, but these oceans are still full of mysteries. Those massive, elegant bodies of water are home to an infinite number of uncommon phenomena. All of this reminds me of the tales of deep blue seas and its unknown mysteries. The beings in the deep sea must overcome the large shifts in temperature and environment, and as Jeff Goldblum says, "Life finds a way."