The Dead Sea, one of the saltiest and most unique bodies of water on Earth, has revealed another secret.
While investigating the region's groundwater systems, a team of divers uncovered unusual chimney-like structures on the sea floor.
These mysterious formations, emitting plumes of briny fluid, are unlike anything seen before, according to WP.
Scientists were conducting studies to better understand the changes happening in the Dead Sea, which has been shrinking at an alarming rate of about one meter per year.
What they found instead were structures that resembled deep-sea “black smokers,” but with a crucial difference.
Indicates Potential Sinkholes
Dr. Christian Siebert from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research explained that these chimneys don’t emit hot, sulfur-rich water like their oceanic counterparts.
Instead, they release highly saline groundwater. When this briny fluid mixes with the Dead Sea’s already salty waters, it crystallizes, creating the chimney-like shapes.
These formations are located relatively close to the surface, unlike black smokers found thousands of meters underwater.
Their development is linked to ancient layers of halite rock, and the presence of chlorine-36 — a rare cosmogenic isotope — provides further insight into the geological processes at play.
But the discovery isn’t just about unlocking ancient secrets. Scientists believe these chimneys could serve as indicators of potential sinkholes, which have become a growing issue around the Dead Sea in recent decades.
Sinkholes threaten agriculture, infrastructure, and even safety in the region. Understanding the chimneys’ formation and behavior may help researchers predict and mitigate these risks.
This find is part of a broader international effort to study the Dead Sea’s geology and climate history.
Drilling projects reaching depths of 1,200 meters below sea level are underway to uncover information about past catastrophes and natural resource management.
