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Because the excess of salt in its waters makes life practically impossible there. With the exception of the bacterium Haloarcula marismortui, which manages to filter out salts and survive in this maritime graveyard, all organisms that reach the Dead Sea die quickly. Another curious feature is that no one can sink in its waters, thanks again to the high saline concentration, which makes it much denser than the human body. The oceans have an average of 35 grams of salt per liter of water, while the Dead Sea has almost 300 grams. This is basically due to its location – on the border between Israel and Jordan. The region is hot and dry, which accelerates evaporation and prevents the replacement of water by rain – in one year it rains as much as a rainy day in São Paulo. In addition, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on the planet: some points are more than 400 meters below ocean level. This means that a large part of the particles that are released from the terrain around them flow towards them. To make matters worse, the Jordan River, which helps to feed it, has been diverted in several parts to irrigate crops. In other words, pardon the pun, the Dead Sea is dying. The director of the Israeli Geological Institute, Amos Bein, guarantees that it is not at risk of drying out completely, but, just in case, the “Canal of Peace” is already in the planning phase, an aqueduct of more than 80 kilometers that would draw water of the Red Sea to save this “dead man”.
A sea of your own
Create a mini Dead Sea inside a glass and understand why it makes everything float
1. To test the effect of the Dead Sea, dip a boiled egg in a glass of water. It will sink in time
2. Then, add portions of kitchen salt until the solution is saturated. When the water becomes denser than the egg, it will float