Scientists who have been exploring the Red Sea have discovered natural death pools in the region now believed to be the location where Moses parted the waters.
The brine pools were found 4,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Aqaba, where the water is estimated to be up to 10 times saltier than normal seawater and a lack of oxygen causes the pools to kill or stun all marine life that enters it, according to a study published in Nature Communications.
The study also claimed larger predators lurk near the edge of the pools to grab the helpless prey after they have succumbed to the effects.
A research team led by Sam Purkis, a professor and chair of the Department of Marine Geosciences at the University of Miami, used remotely operated submersibles and deep-sea probes to explore the area of deep-sea trenches lying between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Red Sea deadly pools is an environment where life may have begun
The team speculates that the environment caused by these conditions also mimics the harsh conditions of early Earth and believes this is especially true for this location in the deep sea where they speculate life may have first emerged.
“Our current understanding is that life originated on Earth in the deep sea, almost certainly in anoxic—without oxygen—conditions,” said Purkis.
The study even suggested that these “death pools” could possibly provide clues to assist in the search for extraterrestrial organisms.
This unique ecosystem is one of the most extreme environments on the planet, the study said, and might resemble conditions found on distant “water worlds” beyond our solar system.
Because very few organisms survive in the brine pools, the sediment layers have remained undisturbed and have preserved an archive of past climate changes and geological events.
“Ordinarily, these animals bioturbate or churn up the seabed, disturbing the sediments that accumulate there,” according to Purkis. “Not so with the brine pools. Here, any sedimentary layers that settle to the bed of the brine pool remain exquisitely intact.”
He and his team hope the pristine conditions will allow them to better study ancient ocean conditions and assist them in reconstructing climate patterns and tracking the evolution of Earth’s ecosystems over millions of years.
Oceanographers have discovered similar formations in the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of America, and the Antarctic Ocean, but none at this depth.
The Bible story describing Moses parting the Red Sea
The Bible describes the event of Moses parting the Red Sea in the Book of Exodus, chapter 14. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, and after God sent a series of plagues upon the Egyptians, Pharaoh finally allowed them to leave. However, Pharaoh soon changed his mind and pursued the Israelites with his army.
The Israelites found themselves trapped between the pursuing Egyptian army and the Red Sea. They were terrified and cried out to Moses, who in turn cried out to God.
God told Moses to raise his staff over the sea. Moses did so, and God caused a strong east wind to blow all night, dividing the sea and making the seabed dry ground.
The Israelites walked through the parted sea on dry ground, with the water forming walls on either side of them. The Egyptians pursued them into the sea.
As the Egyptians followed the Israelites into the sea, God caused their chariot wheels to become stuck, throwing them into confusion. Then, as Moses stretched out his hand again, the sea rushed back together, engulfing the Egyptians and their entire army. None survived.
The Israelites witnessed the power of God and were filled with awe and gratitude. They believed in God and Moses, his servant. They sang a song of praise to God for their miraculous deliverance.