About six million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea was a large salt lake, totally disconnected from other seas. Such a situation was possible when, after being isolated from the Atlantic Ocean, it dried up and its level fell by about 1.5 km, giving rise to what is known as the ‘Messinian salt crisis’.
About six million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea was a large salt lake, totally disconnected from other seas. Such a situation was possible when, after being isolated from the Atlantic Ocean, it dried up and its level fell by about 1.5 km, giving rise to what is known as the ‘Messinian salt crisis’.