Ancient 'Megalake' Was Largest in Earth's History, Held More Fresh Water Than All of Today's Combined
The Paratethys, the “largest lake ever” in all of the Earth’s history has secured its place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Knewz.com has learned that the body of water, first named by geologist Vladimir Laskarev in 1924, was larger than all present-day lakes combined and held 10 times more water.
The Guinness World Records crest. By: Facebook/Guinness World Records
The massive inland body, which formed 12 million years ago, extended from the European Alps (and existed mainly because these mountains blocked it from flowing into the sea) to Central Asia, covering an expansive 1.08 million square miles.
Scientific reports have since detailed that its staggering volume amounted to 424,000 cubic miles of water at its peak, per Guinness World Records.
During its heyday, the Paratethys was also home to a thriving ecosystem and a broad variety of species including the now-extinct Cetotherium riabinini, which is the smallest-known baleen whale, and a colossal elephant ancestor known as the Deinotherium giganteum, which lived in the surrounding swamplands, according to Utrecht University research.
The lake endured a tumultuous existence over a 350,000-year period 7.65 million years ago when the Paratethys lost more than one-third of its water and about two-thirds of its surface area.
Academics from the University Of Utrecht made the revelation. By: University of Utrecht
The profound transformation had a ripple effect, leading to a mass extinction among the species that inhabited the affected habitat.
The Paratethys filled up again around 6.9 million years ago, however, this time it would overflow and pour into the Red Sea and in so doing lose its status as a lake.
The remnants of this ancient lake are now represented by the Black Sea, Caspian Sea and Aral Sea which offer invaluable insights into the sensitivity of ecosystems to climate change.
The Black Sea is what remains of the Paratethys. By: Pexels/Dmitry Limonov
Earth scientist Dan Palcu from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, led the research.
“Our exploration of the Paratethys goes beyond mere curiosity. It unveils an ecosystem acutely responsive to climate fluctuations. By exploring the cataclysms that this ancient megalake endured as a result of climate shifts, we gain invaluable insights that can elucidate the path to addressing current and future crises in toxic seas, such as the Black Sea,” Dr. Palcu said.
Dr. Dan Palcu from the University of Utrecht. By: University of Utrecht.
What makes the Black Sea dangerous is that it holds both threats and benefits because trapped below its sediments are “frozen” methane pockets that are in danger of being released due to climate change.
On the other hand, the benefit of the Black Sea is that it also functions as a carbon sink by storing greenhouse gasses.
Dr. Palcu said the Paratethys broke more than one record when his findings landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Utrecht University noted: “For the first time ever, research led by one of Utrecht University’s earth scientists – Dr. Dan Palcu – has earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.”