r/NatureIsFuckingLit • u/RBZRBZRBZRBZ • 1d ago
š„ Beautiful salt formations of the dead sea
Credit Moshe Bernstein
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u/SashSegal 1d ago
While the undersea vents shown in the video are not proper hydrothermal vents (like the black smokers along the mid-ocean ridge), they are just as interesting. The saline groundwater coming out of these chimneys is not boiling hot, just warm. But where is the salt coming from? The groundwater from the surrounding aquifers penetrates into the saline lake sediments, leaching out extremely old and thick layers of rock consisting mainly of the mineral halite. It then flows into the lake as brine. Because the density of this brine is somewhat lower than that of the water in the Dead Sea, it rises upwards like a jet. It looks like smoke, but it's a saline fluid.
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u/_theletterF 1d ago
Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't walking on those formations kinda frowned upon? Can't imagine they heal themselves particularly quickly. That said, my knowledge on this subject matter is like 1/10.
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u/Bebilith 1d ago
Yea. Post is about the beautiful formations, then first part of clip is walking on them like an asshole.
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u/kristhed 17h ago
Salt creates crystalline formation, so itās basically walking on glass in very salty water, so Iād advise against walking on them barefoot, also they are very hard so it doesnāt really destroy them,but the Dead Sea has bigger issues than formations healing themselves, beauty companies are pumping the hell out of the area bringing it to the verge of destruction
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u/_theletterF 15h ago
This sounds familiar. The
GreatSalt Lake is basically in my back yard. Devastated to hear that the Dead Sea isn't getting any more respect.Fuck all those who allow this to happen.
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u/kilobitch 1d ago
Whoa, I had no idea there were hydrothermal vents in the Dead Sea! Wild video
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u/RBZRBZRBZRBZ 1d ago
They are freshwater or less-salty water springs!
The Dead Sea is so low that freshwater from deep surrounding desert aquifers bubbles up within it, sometimes as salty water that is fresher than the dead sea itself
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u/Aaberon 1d ago
Iāve never seen a diving mask like that
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u/kimbo-wang 1d ago
It is very easy to drown with masks like that unfortunately. Tourists get them on vacation and arenāt trained how to use them. Their only purpose is for floating really, not sure if/how the guy is diving with it.
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u/nortstar621 1d ago
I dont know how that guy is diving in the Dead Sea PERIOD. The DS is a wild experience, but 1. You couldnāt sink if you wanted to and 2. That salt BURNS. If you shaved recently, itās going to sting like hell. You have to keep the water out of your nose, eyes, and mouth. You couldnāt really tolerate it past 10 min or so.
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u/J_Bazzle 1d ago
Yep, bought my first one in Thailand for $40 AUD in 2018. They are terrible at sealing on the face with any amount of facial hair. The only means of fixing this is shaving or caking Vaseline on your face.
You cant dive with them very well. The pressure as you go down messes with the seal and just let's water in with or without Vaseline.
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u/CptBonkers 1d ago
Also, people have literally died using them because if the snorkel doesnāt seal when submerged it lets in far to much water to clear the mask with one blow. It would make sense to just take it off and surface if that happens, but for people with out much water experience, blowing to clear then breathing in a lungful of water and panicking even a few feet underwater is a very possible death sentence. These masks should be banned worldwide.
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u/Background-Agent-854 1d ago
not to mention plenty incidents of carbon dioxide poisoning with these masks. sneaky shit.
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u/glumanda12 20h ago
There are some serious skill issues here.
Iām using masks like this since 2018. The snorkel seals immediately after it touches water. No water comes inside if you donāt inhale it, and it opens as soon as the snorkel leaves water to breathe freely.
Iām bearded man, I never used Vaseline or anything else to stick it on my face, if you dive with it, the pressure seals it on your face, it wonāt let the water come in.
Lastly, I used masks like this for hours without removing (I really love snorkeling) and never had any issues with co2 poisoning. I travel a lot, I see a lot of people having them and never really heard about co2 poisoning.
Those masks are awesome, ten times better than standard snorkel (which fills full of water if you go under) and goggles.
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u/Difficult_Steak54 2h ago
COĀ² poisoning happens because some people don't breathe strong enough to clear the mask properly. Anxious swimmers, who breathe short quick and shallow, children and at risk population have the highest chance of getting COĀ² poisoned. If you are an experienced swimmer/snorkeller who is healthy and strong the risk is much lower because you can clear the large volume of the mask easily.
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u/oldSchoolBiking 1d ago
Some look like petrified monsters
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u/TadhgOBriain 1d ago
You can really see why people in the region have myths about people being turned into pillars of salt
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u/TheDovahofSkyrim 21h ago edited 21h ago
What they donāt tell you about the Dead Sea: you can only swim in it for like 5-10 min max before your body feels like itās being soaked in acid. Good luck if you have the tiniest cut in the world.
Gentlemen, literally get ready for your balls to feel like they are on fire, and it doesnāt just disappear as soon as you get out of the water.
That said, itās a once in a lifetime experience like nothing else.
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u/Redcole111 15h ago
Dude, that is not a common experience... I have hung out in the Dead Sea for an hour or so without issue... no burning, nothing.
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u/TheDovahofSkyrim 14h ago
Our guide said it was pretty common, but I guess it doesnāt happen to everyone for one reason or another.
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u/Redqueenhypo 19h ago
Dead Sea fact: if you try to pee underwater you WILL have to go in the hospital.
Other Dead Sea fact: many men hear this, and then end up going to the hospital because ācouldnāt be meā
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u/dylandavey1991 1d ago
Can someone please tell me what the background song is?
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u/WanderingAstronaunt 17h ago
As your question had been answered, Stjerner by Judah Earl is another great one!
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u/shaggy237 1d ago
Why so salty?
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u/RoxnDox 1d ago
Because the rivers flow into the Dead Seaās basin, but nothing flows out. The water evaporates and leaves dissolved minerals behind, so the basin gets saltier and saltier. Plus, those warm springs are carrying even more dissolved salts as the groundwater comes up thru buried layers of halite (salt).
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u/Subsurface_screening 15h ago
There are also very thick salt formations in the Dead Sea Basin. The explanation for that and the source for all the accumulated salt deposits, is that the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea used to be connected millions of years ago.
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u/leonzolotenkov 12h ago
I wonder how the heck people could dive if the salinity and densiness of the water causes the body to float super easily
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u/benji___ 5h ago
What a dickhead! His snorkel looks like a penis and if I was there I would tap him on the shoulder to tell him how much destruction he was causing. Then wish him a paper cut. Let the salt do its job anyway. I hope all the governments audit him and his friends.
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u/Yellowscourge 1d ago
Looks like what we'd assume is an alien planet. But nah, it's just right here on Earth :)
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u/qualityvote2 1d ago edited 21h ago
u/RBZRBZRBZRBZ, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...