Death of the Dead Sea
The Dead Sea might finally live up to its name by 2050, scientists say. Four decades ago, the water level was 80 feet higher than it is today. Now it’s losing a meter of depth with each passing year. At current rates of exploitation, we can expect its holy waters to dry up in a few decades. Because the landlocked Dead Sea is a terminal body of water, the only way that water can escape is by evaporation. As water evaporates from its surface, the lake is naturally resupplied by the Jordan River. But with 90 percent of those headwaters now being diverted to sustain large human populations, the lake is evaporating faster than it can be replenished.
Bonus Facts To Arouse Your Curiosity
•Swimming in the Dead Sea is quite difficult because the water is so full of salt, it’s denser than the human body. As a result, most visitors just float on their backs. The waters provide a feeling of weightlessness, so you don’t have to work very hard to stay above water.