1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to Stuff you Should Know? 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: From House Stuff Works dot com? Hey, and welcome to 4 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: the podcast. I'm Josh Clark, There's Charles W. Chuck Bryant, 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: and you put us together and throwing a couple of microphones, 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: little jar pot pourri, and you've got stuff you should know. 7 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 1: If you get my chocolate and your peanut butter, then 8 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: we make a delicious extra large pieces cup extra large 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: with a lot of body hair. Yeah, you can pick 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: that out, though you can eat around it. You want 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: to pick it up before you eat them because of 12 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: getting up the chest here, Chuck. Yes, are you familiar 13 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: with the Dead Sea? I am, and I really really 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: want to go get in it one day. Okay, I 15 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: would like to too, um, especially because I am particularly 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 1: interested in what I've come to term geographical ironies. And 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: there's no greater geographical irony than the Dead Sea because 18 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: it's called the dead Sea but it's dying. Yeah, that's 19 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: pretty ironic, it is. And sad well yeah, I mean 20 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: that may not have come across my flipped tone, but 21 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: I think it's sad. Yeah, and it's not called the 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,639 Speaker 1: dead Sea because of its properties. I mean, I'm sorry, 23 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: it is called the Detchy because properties. It's not called 24 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: the Etchy because it's dying. No, but which makes it 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: irun After thousands and thousands and eons of years, people 26 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: have been going to this awesome little spot forever. Um. 27 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: It's in real danger and it's of course thanks to humans, 28 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: and we'll get to that. But the Dead Sea is 29 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: an example of a vanishing tourist attraction. Um. There's a 30 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: lot of places that are um have been listed and 31 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: identified as this place isn't gonna be around fifty years, 32 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: so like, if you're interested, you better go now. The 33 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: Dead Sea is definitely one of them. They think that 34 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: by it's possible it won't be there. Whatever it is 35 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: there is not going to be anything worth visiting. Yes 36 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: you want to go cry, I think there is, uh 37 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: and fill it with your salty tears. Maybe that's what 38 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: we should do. UM. I don't even have the stat 39 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: from me, but I believe I read today that it's 40 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: it's following by about a meter per year. Yes, that 41 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: is correct, right, yeah, um, which is scary because as 42 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: everyone who doesn't live in the US knows a meter 43 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: is um almost three ft, it's over three ft. It's 44 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: a certain amount of feet, it's more than a yard. 45 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,679 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk about the Dead Sea as a whole. Well, yeah, 46 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: there's a reason why you should care about this. This 47 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: is a really interesting, unique place that has some really 48 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: awesome qualities to it. So here and we're going to 49 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: describe why you should be sad that the Dead Sea 50 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: is dying. That's right, Uh it is. First of all, 51 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: you're some unique properties of the Dead Sea. It is 52 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: feet three below sea level, and its shores that surround 53 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: it are literally the lowest points on planet Earth, the 54 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: lowest dry point. Yeah right, yeah, sure, it's not like 55 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: the bottom of the ocean. But you're basically bathing in 56 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: a lake feet below the ocean. And it is a lake. 57 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: It's a terminal lake. It's not a sea terminal, meaning 58 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: that water flows in and it doesn't flow out. The 59 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: only way that water leaves it is by evaporation, which 60 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: is super interesting. Well that's what gives it it's um 61 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: it's amazing properties. Could tell break the news? Can I 62 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: for people that don't know this, thank you very much. 63 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: So you have water flowing in its main tributary is 64 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: the Jordan River, or for Biblia Files, I guess Bibbla 65 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: Files the river Jordan's at the Jordan River. They like 66 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: to flip that um. And like you said, it comes in, 67 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: but it doesn't go out, but it evaporates. Well, the 68 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: Jordan River doesn't just bring fresh water into the Dead Sea. 69 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: It brings a lot of salty, brackish water. Okay, So 70 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: because this is in one of the hottest places on Earth, 71 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: the water evaporates pretty quickly, right, Yeah, otherwise it would 72 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 1: be overflowing, which would be kind of awesome exactly. But 73 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: because of this evaporation, the salt crystals are left behind, 74 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: mineral salts um and so water that comes in, whether 75 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: fresh or otherwise, it just increases in more and more 76 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: and more concentration, which is why the Dead Sea is 77 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: one of the saltiest places on Earth. Yeah, and have 78 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: you seen the photos of the huge accumulations of these minerals, 79 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: I guess, just various salt minerals. They like they look 80 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: like sculptures almost in places, it looks like crystal outcroppings. 81 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: It's about two fifty square miles. It is surrounded by 82 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: the West Bank Israel and Jordan's which also makes it. 83 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: You know, they're trying to get these neighbors to agree 84 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: on how to best manage this place, and it's hard 85 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: to get that area to agree on a lot, so 86 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: they That's one of the reasons I think that there 87 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 1: are issues. It's hard to get these folks to the 88 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: table sometimes agreed. All right, we'll put thank you. Um. 89 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: So you've got you've got water coming in, you have 90 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: water staying terminally. Did you know? Also Atlanta's original name 91 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: was terminus um so, which makes the Dead Sea terminal lake, 92 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: like you said, um. And the salt that's coming in 93 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 1: it's not like table salt or anything that it's actually 94 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: well known for thirty five mineral salts um that the 95 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: sea boasts like calcium, bromi, potassium, magnesium, iodine. But the 96 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,799 Speaker 1: thing that makes the Dead Sea so so significant salt wise, 97 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: is that the concentrations of this because of the unique 98 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: setup of the water flowing in in a vap reading, 99 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: it's so salini sealini selin honest um that compared to 100 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: an ocean, it just endorfs the salinity of any ocean. Yeah, 101 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: I think they the saltiest ocean. Um is somewhere between 102 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: three to six um salty and I generally see about 103 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: in the dead sea, So, which is six percent for 104 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: the saltiest ocean, like the kind of ocean where like yeah, 105 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,600 Speaker 1: on the highest level, on the high end, and like 106 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: five times that five six times that for the dead sea. Yeah, 107 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: it's amazing. As a result of this, so, um, people 108 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: are like, well, this is this is just great, this 109 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: is healthful. What does this mean? It means a bunch 110 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: of things. First of all, it means proven through physics 111 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 1: and just general observation. You float like with no trouble 112 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: whatsoever because of the incredible density of the sea water 113 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: in the dead sea. And another fun thing you can 114 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: do is go to Google images and google dead sea 115 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: float and you will see lots of pictures that people 116 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: laying virtually on top of the water reading books and newspapers. 117 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: And it's pretty funny. It's like it looks like an 118 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: illusion almost, it does. It looks like it's been photoshop. 119 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: That's right. Um, so you've got the fact that you 120 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: can float, But there's a lot of people who claim 121 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: like healthful benefits of the dead sea. Um, and I 122 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: was looking this up, like there's there's entire companies UM 123 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: like UH was the name of it, the Dead Sea 124 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: Research Center, dead Sea Works. There's a lot of like cosmetics, 125 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: skin care products, all this stuff that are associated with 126 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: the Dead Sea and that used dead sea minerals and 127 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: all that UM, and they all boast all sorts of 128 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: what appeared to be snake oil properties. Emilyash to sell 129 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: dead sea mud masks, so but she doesn't anymore. I 130 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: think the cost of getting the dead Sea mud was 131 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: cost prohibitive for and it wasn't a big seller. It 132 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: was it was an economic decision. So, but it wasn't 133 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: because it was like fraudulent. Okay, so is it? Well? 134 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: I was looking and I couldn't find a lot, but 135 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: I did find some stuff where there have been studies 136 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: on like Utah Salt Lake UM the effects of that 137 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: UM and there's been some studies on the Dead Sea 138 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: and they found UM that it does have effects, demonstrable 139 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: effects on things like arthritis, arthritis, It reduces UM, the 140 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: symptoms of that fibromalogic yes, xema. It's it's been shown 141 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: to reduce that UM and UH basically just generally improving 142 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: the health of your skin. Yeah, any kind of skin 143 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: like psoriasis or anything going on with your skin. It 144 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: should help, right, And these were studies that were carried 145 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: out by UM Like, they were published in pure viewed journals, 146 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: So I mean they're legitimate studies. What's got thirty five minerals, 147 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:06,719 Speaker 1: it's got to be good for you, right, and in 148 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: very very high concentrations, so it's not just the minerals. 149 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: And in in the dead sea um itself. Like the mud 150 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: is well, like you're saying, Emily so Sol the mud 151 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: pack mud mask, Yeah, um, Like that's you can just 152 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: walk up on the shore in some places and scoop 153 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: up the mud and then bam, there's your mud mask 154 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,319 Speaker 1: um rich and nutrients. So it's not much of a 155 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: surprise that people have kind of flocked to this as 156 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: a natural spa for a very very very long time. Yeah. 157 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: And I think even before, I mean they did it 158 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: back in biblical days, even before we had all these studies, 159 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,559 Speaker 1: I think they realized some of the properties. And apparently 160 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: the sun there is filtered. The UV rays are filtered 161 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,719 Speaker 1: because of the atmosphere. Yeah, is that right? The atmospheric 162 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: pressure because it's so far below sea level. Um, it's 163 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: it filters a lot of the UV rays out, so 164 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: laying out, Um, is I guess better for you laying out? 165 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: I remember that back in the day, Go lay out, Yeah, exactly, 166 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: work on the dan that's still lay out. Do you 167 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: lay out? I believe it. But which is basically just 168 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 1: like napping or reading in the sun exactly, that's what 169 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: it amounts to. Yeah, like I don't have like little 170 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: goggles baby oil. So what they suggest if you go 171 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 1: to the Dead Sea and you want to revitalize yourself 172 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: a bit, um, take a swim or a float, get 173 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: in there, get get in the water like itself and 174 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: just spend some time in there. Um, apply some of 175 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: the some of the mud maybe that you can scoop 176 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: up or they're probably selling stuff. Um, thermomineral bath they 177 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: say exists there as well. Is that right? Yeah? That 178 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: place is amazing it is and um. Then they of 179 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 1: course also suggest optional psychological counseling and follow up consultation 180 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: with a medical professional. So that's like a seventh step 181 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: special right, it's like good for the mind and body, right, 182 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: that's what they say. Um, but yeah, you can apparently 183 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: travel to the area and there are plenty of places 184 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: where you just show up and you're like, I have 185 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: rumored toroid arthritis, and they say, okay, well come with us, 186 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: and we're gonna take you to the to the Dead 187 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: Sea and put you through these this procedure for bath 188 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: salt baths. Yeah. I think it's a lot like um 189 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: going to Battle Creek in the nineteenth century. Oh yeah, 190 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: you know and hanging out with Dr Kellogg. Oh yeah, 191 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: that Battle Creek. Yeah, okay, sure, yeah, they'd be kind 192 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: of cool. Yeah, because that means we have a time 193 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: machine exactly what we do um another property of the 194 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: Dead Sea. And what this um mineral and salt content 195 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: does that we haven't mentioned is it kills everything, which 196 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: is why it's called the Dead Sea. It kills almost everything, 197 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: almost everything. Yes, you're right, Like there's no seaweed in there, 198 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: there's no fish in there, and there's no it's scumb 199 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: on the top of it. There's no nothing like when 200 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,839 Speaker 1: you walk in the Dead Sea like you are one 201 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: of the only the only other living beings in there. Yeah. 202 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 1: What does it support like tiny a me butter or something. 203 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: Bacteria halophilic bacteria which means salt loving um. And they're 204 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: considered extreme of files because the the um. The environment 205 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: they live in is so inhospitable to any other life 206 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: that the fact that there's this type of bacteria that 207 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: can live in there is pretty amazing. But they're they're 208 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: like akin to the same types of um life that 209 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 1: live near like sulfuric three D degree undersea events. That 210 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: that's an extreme of file. We should do an extreme 211 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: file podcast. We totally should, and we will. I think 212 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: we should. Uh. I have some other little factoids I 213 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: drew up, not myself, but I found UM. When we 214 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 1: said thousands of years, what we really meant was millions 215 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: of years. I said, Okay, it's been around for about 216 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: three million years. Uh and uh. In the Bible they 217 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: actually say that the Dead Sea will one day come 218 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: alive and be full of marine life. That would be surprising. 219 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: I'm not so sure if that's gonna happen considering the 220 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:14,719 Speaker 1: sailing content. UM, unless what they meant was one day 221 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: it's going to dry out completely and they will open 222 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: a marine park there or something, because that's about the 223 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: only way it's gonna happen. It's really bitter, it's not 224 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: gonna taste salty like table salt, and it's kind of stinky. 225 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: They used to call it the stinky Sea hundreds of 226 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: years ago. Apparently that's what it says. And the Greeks 227 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: called it lake uh lake a saphilite as full tight 228 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 1: teas because asphalt will rise to the surface at times, 229 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: the natural asphalt, not roads that were built underneath three 230 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,239 Speaker 1: million years ago. And Cleopatra was a big fan. Cleopatra 231 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: and King Herod built the town of Masada as like 232 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 1: a little dead sea playground for himself, a little resort. 233 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: And um, so nothing's living there except people, and it 234 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: is dying itself though, And this is when we come 235 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,199 Speaker 1: to I guess a sad portion. Well not yet. You 236 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: mentioned the Bible. Yeah, um, it definitely has ties to 237 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: the Bible. Obviously it's in a pretty biblical region. Um. 238 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: But it's a It's also well, the River Jordan is 239 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: supposedly where John the Baptist baptized Jesus um and uh, 240 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: it's also where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Of course, 241 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: so um. From ninety seven and nineteen fifty eight, this 242 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: amazing goat Herder found a bunch of Hebrew manuscripts the 243 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: same guy who invented cheese. No, this is a different 244 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: one that was France. What if it was the same 245 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: dude Tim that that invented cheese. Um, this guy is 246 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: a different one, although I wonder if he's related to 247 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: the rope forts of France. Um. Anyway, he found a 248 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: bunch of scrolls of Hebraic scrolls that were written from 249 00:14:57,560 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: the third century BC to the second century A d 250 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 1: um and they basically were just like, hey, here's what's 251 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: going on in this area right now. Uh, we'll just 252 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: write it down and hide them for posterity. And apparently 253 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: it's like one of the greatest archaeological finds ever as 254 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: far as people are concerned, because it gave a real 255 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: peek into this time when Christianity was starting out. And 256 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: I've read recently there's a lot of controversy over who 257 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: they think wrote the Dead Sea scrolls. Um, And I'm 258 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: not sure where they've landed on that, but of course 259 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: there's controversy anything that old. It's not gonna have a 260 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: little author signature on it, right, So Chuck, Now we 261 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: get to the depressing part. I know, I just I 262 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: was almost excited, but then I remember what we were 263 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: talking about. The Dead Sea is actually dying, uh, meaning 264 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: the River Jordan's is being diverted along the way, uh, 265 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: because they need water in that area to support people 266 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: in agriculture. Um, just being diverted via damns and things 267 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: like that. To the extent that the Dead Sea is 268 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: evaporating more than it's filling up these days, we'll consider this. Um. 269 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: In the fifties, the Dead Sea used to get like 270 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: one point three billion cubic meters of fresh water a day. 271 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: Now it's fifty million. Yeah, that's a sharp drop. Fifty 272 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: million compared to one point three billions. That's a lot 273 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: of a drop off. So yeah, it's starting to dry 274 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: up really really fast. Yeah, and luckily, um, well we'll 275 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: see what happens. But luckily there are people and organizations 276 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: that are on this big time because of the you know, 277 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: not only the cultural significance, but the Dead Sea, despite 278 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: it being dead in the water, supports like a really 279 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: vast ecosystem around it. And if the Dead Sea went away, 280 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: that would not be good for this ecosystem. Yeah. But again, 281 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: it's a it's a tough that's a tough one. I mean, 282 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: like people people neither drinking water. Yeah, Like we've done 283 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: a podcast on how long can you survive without food 284 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: and water? And you can go a long time with 285 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 1: out food, but water gets you in a couple of days, 286 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: you know. Um, So that's a tough one. And a 287 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: lot of people have said, hey, you know what, let's 288 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: just build a canal the red seas over there, the 289 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: dead seas right here. All we needs like a hundred 290 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 1: and thirty five miles a canal and we'll just flood 291 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 1: the dead sea with red sea. And people want, no, no, 292 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: hold on, let's come with something else because the dead 293 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: seas um salt content, mineral content would be disrupted at 294 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: that point and just wouldn't be what it is. Yeah, 295 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: it almost sounds like they're like, well, we'll just let 296 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: it die. Well, like we'd rather it die than become 297 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: less salty. Yeah, just another inland sea. Like look at 298 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: all those people out there float and read their newspaper, 299 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden they dropped the moment that 300 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: what are we gonna do that? So what does the 301 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: canal slash pipeline? The projects called the Two Seas Canal, 302 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: and it is fairly controversial on uh several fronts Um. 303 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: One is that it's gonna cost about five billion dollars, 304 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: which is not cheap. Uh um it would include a 305 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: desalination plant to generate fresh water. And the good news 306 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 1: it would be, you know, it would be a symbol 307 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: of cooperation between these often warren warring countries that surround it. 308 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: So that would be good. But a lot of environmentalists 309 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: are saying that, you know, it's a threatened lake. In 310 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and six, it was the threatened Lake of 311 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: the year. They didn't know they had such a designation. 312 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: But I guess it's good they do well. The Global 313 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: Nature funded Yeah, and they're one of their project directors said, 314 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: we call it the threatened Lake of the Year in 315 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: two thousand six, and we could easily do it again 316 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 1: for two thousand ten. Like, don't even don't even make 317 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: us right, right. I guess they didn't know because it's 318 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve. Yeah, um, But they are proposing some 319 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: alternative alternatives. They're saying that the spokesperson for what is it, 320 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 1: Friends of the Middle East, Yeah, Front of the Earth 321 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 1: in the Middle East, Friends of the Earth in the 322 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: Middle East. Um, the Israeli branches saying, you know what, 323 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: we can actually return um a lot of water to 324 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: the river Jordan's through conservation and less agricultural use. So well, 325 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: that's the that's the case everywhere. I mean, remember we've 326 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: talked about this before, like of agricultural water uses, um 327 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: uh yeah, it goes to evaporation or runoff, like just 328 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: it's so inefficient. Agricultural water use is so inefficient. And 329 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: then like even like here in our dear town of Atlanta, 330 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,239 Speaker 1: like we have the leakiest sewer system in the um 331 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: developed the world, and we lose tons of water every 332 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: day to it, and it's just like, well it's lost, 333 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah. So a lot of environmentalists are saying 334 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: some huge engineering solution is not always the best solution. 335 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,679 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'd love 336 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 1: to see the Dead Sea saved, but also want the 337 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: people in the Middle East to grow crops. Well yeah, 338 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: you know and live agreed. Uh. So, I guess right now, 339 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 1: as it stands, um, no one's quite figured out what 340 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,239 Speaker 1: to do. Yeah. I think this year actually, um, they 341 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: have sunk quite a few million dollars into a pretty 342 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: vast study UM on this canal pipeline project and seeing 343 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 1: if it's the best alternative. Cool. So I guess we'll 344 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,439 Speaker 1: find out maybe later this year what they're gonna do well, 345 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: I would say, get you to the Dead Sea A 346 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: S A P. Because if nobody does anything, cut off date, yeah, 347 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: and it's just gonna get sadder and sadder. If there's 348 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: like if it's like the size of a swimming pool 349 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: eventually and there's like two dudes floating in it, yeah, 350 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: that would be sad. Um. Okay, well, that's it for 351 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: the Dead Sea, right, we got to explain everything. That's 352 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: it for the Dead Sea. Potentially, let's it for us 353 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: in the Dead Sea. Um. If you want to learn 354 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 1: more about the Dead Sea, you can type dead and 355 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: see into the search part how stuff works dot com? 356 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 1: And uh does that bring up? What does that bring up? Man? Uh? 357 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: We got a few quick things to plug and then 358 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: we will get to listen. Okay, like what all right? 359 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: So now listen to maim Yuh Josh, I'm gonna call 360 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: this uh Antarctic reply. And it's not about penguins and 361 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: polar bears, although she did put that in there, but 362 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: I raised that part. Um. Shannon actually lived there for 363 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 1: three summers. I was a technician at a terrestrial Arctic 364 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: base in Alaska, and several of my coworkers spent in 365 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: the northern Hemisphere working on Antarctica. Actually she was Alaska, 366 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: set back the arttic. Yes, that's north, that's right. The 367 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: Antarctic is south, that's right. We know that she had 368 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: friends that worked in Antarctica. On Antarctica. Man, it's so 369 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: picky people, that's so pick uh. From that experience, I 370 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: can personally tell you that while life at the polls 371 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: is basic, it is far from primitive. Antarctica has stores, bars, saunas, 372 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: and even a pair of a t m s. While 373 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: many of these amenities are not liable to tourists, doesn't 374 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 1: change the fact that Antarctic bases are designed for comfortable, 375 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: long term habitation. Also, there is actually a fair amount 376 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: to do there. Every community has trails for walking, skiing, 377 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: or snowshoeing. Uh. The larger base just basically the three 378 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: kinds of walking. We have three kinds of walking to 379 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: do here in the snow. The large bases have exercise areas. 380 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: Scientists host lectures, holiday celebrations, and game tournaments. I imagine 381 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: they probably play this is the little slide game, shuffle board, 382 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 1: the shuffleboard on ice uh, hockey, yeah, curling, curling, thank you. 383 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 1: The permanent bases have libraries and Honestly, there's always someone 384 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: who has an interesting story to tell. The temporary basis. 385 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: When they abandon them, they just set the library on fire. 386 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: I think so. Um. There, then, the most important part 387 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: of polar life is the food. And this doesn't surprise Usually, 388 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 1: when you're stuck like that, you take your food pretty 389 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: seriously because it's like the one thing that you can have. 390 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 1: That's what she says. Actually, no food is the lifeblood 391 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 1: of any Antarctic camp or base, and the staff does 392 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 1: our best to make sure that every meal is plentiful 393 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: and delicious. UM. On the medical front, at least on 394 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: the American side of things, it's not nearly as basic 395 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 1: as you described. Um. In fact, many Antarctic communities have 396 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: medical support that is comprehensive and available at towns the 397 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: same size, uh that that is available at towns of 398 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: the same size in Canada or Alaska. The bases have 399 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: equipment to do emergency surgery if needed, and they have 400 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: ic us capable of treating everything from burns to hypothermia. 401 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: And if you need extra stuff then it can be 402 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: air dropped, she said. In the dead of winter, even 403 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: you just want to look out that's right, look out ahead. 404 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,680 Speaker 1: Above above all right. That is from Shannon Um who 405 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: has spent time in Alaska. Knows a bunch of people there. 406 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: That's awesome. Knows a bunch of people in Antarctica. That's right. 407 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,199 Speaker 1: Thanks a lot for that channel. We appreciate it. UM. 408 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: Let's see if you know something about something we've talked about, 409 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 1: that we didn't talk about, or just something you want 410 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: to supplement something we've spoken about. If you floated on 411 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,479 Speaker 1: the dead seat, I'd like to hear that. That's go one. UM. 412 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 1: You can tweet to us at s y ESK podcast. 413 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 1: You can join us on Facebook dot com slash stuff 414 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: you Should Know, or you can send us an email 415 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 1: at stuff podcast at Discovery dot com. For more on 416 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,160 Speaker 1: this and thousands of other topics, visit how Stuff works 417 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 1: dot com. M brought to you by the reinvented two 418 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: thousand twelve camera. It's ready. Are you