Did the Dead Sea used to be part of the ocean?

Ages ago, a saltwater lagoon was connected to the Mediterranean Sea. The movement of the African and Arabian tectonic plates shifted the land between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean rose. Consequently, this cut-off the ocean water supply for the Dead Sea, thus leaving it landlocked.



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The Dead Sea is a lake fed by the Jordan River and in ancient times it was known by many names such as the Salt Sea, the Eastern Sea, and the Sea of Sodom. Most of the names reference the fact that its salt and mineral content is 30% to 40%, while the oceans salt content is around 6%.

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Approximately two million years ago, the land between the Jordan Rift Valley and the Mediterranean Sea rose to such an extent that the ocean could no longer flood the area. Thus, the long lagoon became a landlocked lake.

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Despite its name, the Dead Sea is actually not a sea, but a hypersaline lake. Why is it called the Dead Sea? Because no life forms (plants or living creatures) could survive in its waters, although it does contain microbial life.

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If you think that water's high salt and mineral content will not let you drown, making it safe to swim in the Dead Sea, then you are wrong. The water will keep you afloat, but if you try to swim in it, then it is almost impossible. Also, the salinity of water will lead to eye irritation way worse than in ocean water.

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While full of therapeutic minerals, the water is toxic to ingest. That didn't stop 28 swimmers from swimming nine miles (14.5 kilometres) across it, from Jordan to Israel, in the first-ever Dead Sea Swim.

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ESTRIN: That could take over 100 years. Some researchers are optimistic that, as the Dead Sea level drops more and more, an urgency will grow to save it with desalinated water. The question is how long the natural wonder that's existed for millions of years will keep disappearing - 4 feet a year.

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While full of therapeutic minerals, the water is toxic to ingest. That didn't stop 28 swimmers from swimming nine miles (14.5 kilometres) across it, from Jordan to Israel, in the first-ever Dead Sea Swim.

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Why is the Dead Sea so salty? Much of the salt content of the Dead Sea comes from the rocks eroding on the shores. The shores are made up of rock salt and other rocks with a high mineral content. As the rocks and the salt erodes from the shores the stuff that makes up the rocks ends up in the water.

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Whilst boats can easily float in the Dead Sea like a human body, the water's buoyancy makes it impossible for boats to effectively move through the lake.

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You can't walk on the water of the Dead Sea. The water is rich in salt and minerals, so it has a silky, thick consistency that will keep you afloat if you're swimming. But the buoyancy is not enough to walk on. You can, however, walk on large slabs of solid salt that form in the water, and along the shore.

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Go swimming in designated areas only The reason you should swim in a designated area is so that there are life guards on duty. On the plus side, there are no sharks or other nasties to worry about. Nothing lives in the Dead Sea except for small micro organisms.

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The Dead Sea is fed mainly by the Jordan River, which enters the lake from the north. Several smaller streams also enter the sea, chiefly from the east. The lake has no outlet, and the heavy inflow of fresh water is carried off solely by evaporation, which is rapid in the hot desert climate.

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It is not possible to swim in the Dead Sea. But if you try, the water will push you upwards, not letting you sink. As the salinity of the Dead Sea is more than 34% and it is way denser than freshwater, you will float effortlessly. Do not let your head go underwater as this highly salty water is dangerous to your eyes.

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As the lake dries up, salt deposits dissolve underground, and cavities along the shore open up into sinkholes — large craters in the earth. One popular beach was closed because a sinkhole swallowed up the parking lot. The shore remains eerily littered with beach chairs, a mini barbecue set and an abandoned bar.

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