Facts about the Mediterranean Sea
- It was filled in under 2 years. Based on the massive size of the Mediterranean Sea, it might seem unfathomable that it was created in less than two years. However, the results of scientific studies have shown that an ancient flood filled the area in that little of time.
- The Mediterranean is over 5 million years old. The Mediterranean Sea is not quite old enough to remember the dinosaurs, but it is still really old. A massive flood that occurred about 5.33 million years ago created what is now known as the Mediterranean Sea.
- There are 3.7 million cubic kilometres of water. There is more than a cup or two that is for sure. It is estimated that there are approximately 3.7 million cubic kilometres of water within the Mediterranean Sea.
- The water is much darker than normal. The Mediterranean Sea has become iconic for many things, one of which is its abnormally dark blue waters. The sea lacks many nutrients that lead to plant growth, meaning it appears darker than the average ocean waters and produces an instantly recognizable color.
- There are very few tides. Unlike other extremely large bodies of water, the Mediterranean Sea has very limited tides. This is due to the area being almost entirely landlocked and only being connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar.
- Its name means “Center of the Earth”. The name “Mediterranean” comes from two Latin words “Medius” (Middle) and “Terra” (Earth as in soil). To the ancient Romans, the Mediterranean was the center of the Earth as they knew it.
- .The Mediterranean once went completely dry. It is hard to believe that such a large body of water could completely disappear, but that is exactly what recent research suggests. It’s believed that about 6 million years ago the Messinian Salinity Crisis caused the Mediterranean Sea to temporarily disappear for a few hundred thousand years. That flood mentioned earlier is ultimately what refilled it.
