Overview

• Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research found towering salt chimneys on the Dead Sea floor, some reaching over seven meters high.
• The chimneys, composed of halite crystals, form when extremely saline groundwater interacts with the Dead Sea's saltwater.
• The Dead Sea has been losing about one meter of water per year for over 50 years due to reduced inflows and high evaporation rates.
• These salt chimneys could serve as early warning indicators for sinkholes, which pose significant risks to surrounding communities.
• Mapping these chimneys with autonomous vehicles could help identify regions at risk of future collapses.