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Photography: Michal Roche-Ben Ami, Tel Aviv University

The Dead Sea Region

The Dead Sea is a unique region with seminal global importance. It is the lowest inhabited place on earth, about 430m below sea level. It is also the most saline lake known to humankind, with about 32% w/v of a salt mixture. The region is part of the Great Rift Valley which extends from Western Syria to the East African Lakes, comprising the longest geological phenomenon on the face of the earth and the pathway of civilization.

 

This area is inimitable in its extraordinary combination of nature’s basic elements - Air, Sun, Earth (Mud) and Water - unparalleled anywhere else on earth. This yields a unique micro and macro biological environment, geography, geology, climate, minerals, flora, fauna, life in extreme conditions, as well as the cradle of human culture, ancient industry, therapeutic and cultural heritage.

 

The Dead Sea Research Institute was established in Masada to explore and study all the aspects of this unique region. So far, more than 30 areas of research and technology have been identified based on active research groups, publications, applied research, and ongoing R&D. However, we have only begun to identify the wealth of possible topics.

 

The Fisrt Scientific Summit

The purpose of our global scientific summit, held on 8-10 Jan 2018, was to assemble diverse experts and intellects from around the world to identify, verify, and discuss research and technology development for the region. Topics included new materials, extremophiles biology, nanotechnology, energy, geophysics, seismology, sociology, anthropology, disaster mitigation, environmental studies, health and microbiome, etc. 

 

Participants brainstorming at this special place at this point in time focused on Life in Extreme Conditions - new understandings translated for the wellbeing of the planet and humanity as a lesson from nature.

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