The Mediterranean Sea once dried up, creating a massive salt desert roughly the size of a small continent. This occurred around 7 million years ago when the African plate pushed against the Eurasian plate, blocking the sea's connection to the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, the Mediterranean's water level dropped by nearly 1,000 meters, exposing the seafloor and creating a vast, arid landscape.
The drying up of the Mediterranean had a profound impact on the environment and life in the region. Many species that relied on the sea for survival were forced to adapt or migrate. However, the exposure of the seafloor also created new habitats for certain species, such as giant rabbits that evolved on the islands in the Mediterranean.
The absence of water in the Mediterranean also had a significant impact on the Earth's geology. The reduced pressure on the Earth's crust allowed for increased volcanic activity, which lasted for nearly 700,000 years.
Eventually, around 5.3 million years ago, the Strait of Gibraltar was reopened, allowing water from the Atlantic to flood back into the Mediterranean. This event, known as the "Zanclean flood," was a catastrophic and transformative moment in the region's history.
Today, the remnants of this ancient landscape can still be seen in the geological layers and fossils found in the Mediterranean region. The story of the Mediterranean's disappearance and rebirth serves as a reminder of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our planet.
Here are the key facts:
1. The Mediterranean Sea was once isolated from the Atlantic Ocean due to tectonic forces.
2. The isolation of the Mediterranean Sea led to its water level dropping by almost 1000m.
3. The sea's water level dropped so low that the ocean floor was exposed, creating a salt desert.
4. The salt desert was approximately 2000 meters below the average level of the oceans.
5. The desert existed for almost 700,000 years.
6. The Mediterranean Sea is supplied with water by the rains, rivers, and waters coming from the Atlantic.
7. The sea's water level was maintained by the water supply from the Atlantic.
8. When the Mediterranean Sea was isolated, the rivers and precipitation were unable to compensate for the evaporation.
9. The evaporation process extracted 3000 cubic kilometers of water from the Mediterranean each year.
10. The water level of the Mediterranean dropped, exposing the ocean floor and creating a salt desert.
11. The ancestors of the Rhone and Nile rivers continued to flow into the Mediterranean, creating deep canyons.
12. The canyons were later buried under several thousand meters of seawater.
13. The presence of ancient river beds currently buried under seawater testifies to the drying up of the Mediterranean.
14. The evaporation of the Mediterranean led to the accumulation of salt, which was deposited in layers up to 2000 meters thick.
15. The salt deposits are estimated to be nearly a million cubic kilometers in volume.
16. The salt deposits represent 6% of the total stock of salt dissolved in the world's oceans.
17. The disappearance of the Mediterranean led to the formation of land bridges connecting Africa to Europe and many islands.
18. Giant rabbits, known as "Nuralagus rex," were found on the island of Minorca in the Mediterranean.
19. The Nuralagus rex was unable to jump or swim and weighed around 23 kg.
20. The giant rabbits evolved in isolation on the islands, where they had access to abundant resources and no predators.
21. The absence of water in the Mediterranean reduced the pressure on the Earth's crust and mantle.
22. The reduced pressure led to the partial melting of the mantle, forming deep bubbles of magma.
23. The magma rose to supply lava to numerous volcanoes piercing the crust on the edges of the dry sea.
24. The geological layers of the period show a renewal of volcanic activity lasting nearly 700,000 years.
25. The Mediterranean was reborn from its ashes around 5.3 million years ago.
26. The passage of a gigantic river with a flow rate equivalent to 1000 times that of the Amazon is still visible today in certain regions of the strait.
27. The global level of all the oceans on the planet had fallen by almost six meters after the flood.
28. The return of the weight of water on the Earth's crust led to the return of normal volcanic activity.