Deadly brine pool discovered under Red Sea can kill anything that swims into it

In the latest discovery, researchers have found a deadly pool at the bottom of the Red Sea that practically kills every creature which swims inside it. According to a Live Science report, researchers from the University of Miami have discovered a "brine pool" that instantly kills or paralyses anything that swims into it. Further, according to recent research, the rare deep-sea brine pools found in the Red Sea may provide information on long-term environmental changes in the area and potentially provide insight into the beginnings of life on Earth. 

A brine pool is a "Hypersaline" lake that occurs on the seafloor, making it one of the most hostile environments on Earth, according to the Live Science report. These uncommon pools are loaded with chemical components along with highly concentrated saline water that is three to eight times saltier than the ocean below, CNBC TV18 reported. 

Deadly brine pool

At a depth of 1,770 metres, the pool has been found at the Red Sea's bottom. In addition to this, on a 2020 voyage to the northern nook of the sea, University of Miami researchers used a remote-operated underwater vehicle to find the pool, which is 107,00 square feet in size. 

The revelation of the brine pool was found at the end of a ten-hour dive to the Red Sea's bottom.  

Professor Sam Purkis, the University of Miami team member, noted that because the brine pool lacks oxygen and has fatal salinity levels, any fish or other living thing that swims within will be quickly stunned or killed. He told Live Science that the pool also includes toxic compounds like hydrogen sulphide. 

Sea Predator utilises the deadly brine pool for hunting

Lead researcher Purkis told Live Science that "any animal that strays into the brine is immediately stunned or killed".  According to Purkis, "predators" hide near the fatal pool to "feed on the unlucky" species that accidentally swim into it. Fish, shrimp, and eels appear to exploit the brine to hunt. Even though a pool beneath the water with a 100% death rate may seem horrifying, these pools are ideal for a sea predator. 

Professor Purkis describes that brine pools have a wide variety of microbes living there and are quite diverse. These microbes can endure such inhospitable conditions, and by studying them, scientists can learn more about the limits of life on Earth. He also highlights the importance of these findings in determining if life may exist on other planets with comparable adverse environments. 

Yet, this is not the first brine pool that researchers have found; during the past 30 years, oceanographers have found "a few dozen" dangerous pools in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, The Independent reported. 

However, Scientists were startled by this discovery, because the pool is located very near to the ground. Researchers claim that the Red Sea has the greatest known concentration of brine pools. According to the Live Science report, they are believed to have developed from mineral pockets that were deposited up to 23 million years ago and are now dissolving.  

(Image: Shutterstock/Representative)