Death pool with 10x more saltier water found where Moses parted Red Sea – Interesting Engineering

University of Miami scientists believe the recently discovered deep-sea brine pools could offer a glimpse into Earth’s earliest life.a day agoa day agoa day agoa day ago2 days ago2 days ago2 days ago2 days ago2 days ago2 days ago2 hours ago2 hours ago3 hours ago3 hours ago3 hours ago4 hours ago4 hours ago5 hours ago5 hours ago5 hours agoGeorgina JedikovskaThe Sinai Peninsula separating the Gulf of Suez to the west and the Gulf of Aqaba, to the east.NASA/Wikimedia CommonsBrine pools are hypersaline underwater lakes that are lethal to most marine life. Created from ancient salt deposits sleeping on the sea floor, they are so dense that their surface is nearly impenetrable.Despite being completely devoid of oxygen, they are still believed to hold secrets about the formation of Earth’s oceans millions of years ago and may offer clues to life on other planets.Researchers from the University of Miami, who have been exploring the Red Sea, have identified such brine pools approximately 4,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Aqaba. The region which, according to the Bible, is thought to be where Moses “split the sea”, is now offering new insights into its extreme underwater environment.The brine pools were found to contain water up to 10 times saltier than regular seawater. In addition, their severe anoxic conditions make them so toxic, that any marine creatures that enter are killed or paralyzed instantly. Moreover, as the brutal environment and toxic waters further debilitate marine life, predators lurk at the edges, ready to snatch helpless prey. Led by Sam Purkis, PhD, a professor and chair of the Department of Marine Geosciences at the University of Miami, the team explored the area using remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) on the OceanXplorer, a highly equipped research vessel capable of navigating Earth’s most isolated regions. “We were very lucky,” Purkis says adding that the team was focusing on the deep-sea trenches between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. “The discovery came in the last five minutes of the ten-hour ROV dive that we could dedicate to this project.” The researchers suggest that these extreme environments mimic the harsh conditions of the planet’s past, in this deep-sea location, where they believe life may have first originated.“Our current understanding is that life originated on Earth in the deep sea, almost certainly in anoxic – without oxygen – conditions,” Purkis explains, emphasizing that these brine pools may offer valuable clues in the search for extraterrestrial life.“Until we understand the limits of life on Earth, it will be difficult to determine if alien planets can host any living beings,” Purkis adds. “Our discovery of a rich community of microbes that survive in extreme environments can help trace the limits of life on Earth and can be applied to the search for life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond.”With only around 40 brine pools identified in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, and the recently renamed Gulf of America, the team believes they could provide insights into the origins of life.The team highlights their importance as natural time capsules, claiming that due to their untouched sediment layers and the very few organisms that thrive there, they might be preserving not only the region’s historical records but also resembling conditions found on distant “water worlds” beyond our solar system.“Ordinarily, these animals bioturbate or churn up the seabed, disturbing the sediments that accumulate there,” Purkis concludes. “Not so with the brine pools. Here, any sedimentary layers that settle to the bed of the brine pool remain exquisitely intact.”Purkis and his team hope further explorations will help them better understand ancient oceans, climate changes, and how Earth’s ecosystems evolved over millions of years. The study was published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.Georgina Jedikovska Georgina Jedikovska, journalist, plant engineer, oenophile and foodie. Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Holds an MSc. degree in Horticultural Engineering, with a specialization in viticulture and oenology. Loves travelling, exploring new cultures, a good read, great food and flavorful wines. Enjoys writing about archaeology, history, and environmental sciences.Stay up-to-date on engineering, tech, space, and science news with The Blueprint.By clicking sign up, you confirm that you accept this site’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policya day agoa day agoa day agoa day agoPremiumIE PROFollow

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/science/death-pool-found-below-gulf-of-aqaba