Scientists Drill for Secrets Hidden Beneath Dead Sea

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Zvi Ben-Avraham, head of the drilling project, stands in front of a moored drilling platform on the shore of the Dead Sea, near Kibbutz Ein Gedi November 16, 2010. A group of engineers and scientists will analyze 500,000 years of geological history, deciphering patterns and using them to find the best way to manage the earth's resources and environment.

From a barge floating above the deepest point on earth, a research team hopes to drill through half a million years of history to uncover secrets of climate change and natural disasters. Boring into the bed of the Dead Sea, the group of engineers and scientists began extracting layers of the earth's core on Sunday, and will continue for about two months until they reach a depth of 1,200 meters below sea level.

"The sediments of the Dead Sea are the best climate and earthquake recorders for the entire Middle East," said project head Zvi Ben-Avraham of the Israel Academy of Sciences, standing at the water's desert shore, which is already about 420 meters below sea level. The Dead Sea, Ben-Avraham said, collects water run-off from Egypt's Sinai desert up to the Golan Heights, an area of about 42,000 square km, providing plenty of material for climate research. It is also on a fault line between two continental plates moving at different speeds, causing much tectonic activity.

The project is part of the International Continental Drilling Program, which has seen dozens of holes drilled across the globe in an effort to find the best way to manage the earth's resources and environment. Ben-Avraham said taking part in the Dead Sea project are members from around the world, including neighboring Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. The drilling falls within Israel's borders.

Source: www.foxnews.com...

Very exciting indeed, IMO. We need to be doing more of this type of exploratory drilling. I want it for another reason, or rather more than the one they are doing it for. I have always believed and said that we have not dug down far enough to find what may have been here before us.

I firmly believe that we will find something, if we go. So, I am really hoping they will be drilling along and the preverbal CLUNK..... What the heck was that? And the digging begins..... to what? who knows but I am sure hoping it won't be those craft that the aliens types had buried in the Tom Cruise movie (remake) War of the Worlds.

But, on a more to earth way of looking at it, a wonder chance to see what has occurred to our planet in natural terms-or not so natural. The more info the better. But just keep diggin boys.

the group of engineers and scientists began extracting layers of the earth's core on Sunday, and will continue for about two months until they reach a depth of 1,200 meters below sea level.

Wow, this is big news this is the first I have heard of drilling going down to the earths core. I hope no molten liquid comes shooting up.

reply to post by wiredamerican

Wow, this is big news this is the first I have heard of drilling going down to the earths core. I hope no molten liquid comes shooting up.

I think the earths core is a wee bit deeper than 1200 meters..
Still a fair way down and will be interesting to see the results though I'd guess that will be a bit of a wait..

reply to post by backinblack


Im surprised some Facttician didn't jump all over that one.

Good one with the Wee Bit... lol

reply to post by wiredamerican


You would have to drill about 200 miles deeper then what they are drilling to, to even get through the crust.