Scientists have made a startling discovery where, according to the Bible, Moses parted the Red Sea: no chance of survival

Scientists have explored the Red Sea, where, according to the Bible, the prophet Moses parted the waters when he led the Israelites to the Promised Land. Experts discovered natural death traps on the seabed.

The study found brine pools at a depth of 1200 meters below the surface of the Gulf of Aqaba, which are 10 times saltier than ordinary sea water and lack oxygen, which effectively kills all living things that get inside. Scientists have suggested that these extreme conditions mimic the harsh conditions of the early Earth, especially in the deep seas, where life may have first appeared, writes DailyMail.

According to the researchers, brine pools are rare, with only about 40 found in the Red and Mediterranean Seas.

These basins also act as geological capsules, preserving records of the Gulf of Aqaba's past through undisturbed sediment, scientists say. After all, they will be able to see information about tsunamis, flash floods, and earthquakes that occurred thousands of years ago.

"The newly discovered NEOM brine basins, as we call them, extend the known geographic range of Red Sea brine basins and are a unique environment for preserving sedimentary signals of regional climatic and tectonic events," said Professor Sam Purkis.

It is known that the Gulf of Aqaba is considered mysterious due to its unique geological features, including extreme depths, volcanic activity, and unusual temperature fluctuations at depth.

According to experts, this region is an elongated strip of the Red Sea that separates the Egyptian Sinai from Saudi Arabia.

And it was here that Moses probably parted the waters, leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. After all, the Gulf of Aqaba is deeper and wider than other regions of the Red Sea, which may be consistent with the story of Moses in the Book of Exodus.

The Bible also describes how the Israelites traveled through the desert before reaching the sea, and some routes near Aqaba may fit this description.

But scientists from the University of Miami have uncovered another mystery while exploring the depths with a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). The device spotted "a deserted seabed thickly covered with silt," which led the researchers to the brine pools.

While most life forms there die when they swim in, the scientists noticed a thriving prokaryotic extremophile. These are single-celled organisms that live in extreme conditions such as high temperature, pressure, salinity, acidity, or radiation.

The research team also found sulfate-reducing bacteria that convert sulfate into energy. The scientists found that these bacteria reduced sulfate levels in the Gulf of Aqaba so much that the ratio of sulfate to chloride in the brine was the lowest ever recorded in the area.

This means that bacteria play a big role in changing the chemical composition of the water. Although most creatures cannot live in swimming pools, many linger near them because of the bacteria that create food sources for them. Eels, shrimp, and mollusks were spotted nearby.

The research team also believes that the pools may provide clues to life on other planets. Studying this community provides a glimpse into the conditions under which life first appeared on our planet and can guide the search for life on other "aquatic worlds in our solar system and beyond," scientists say.

Experts took core samples from the pools and the data painted a picture of weather events over the past 1000 years. It turned out that large floods from rain occur about once every 25 years, and tsunamis – once every 100 years.

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