The Lowest Spot On Earth {was: Re: [Rockhounds] Re: As a Rockhound, do you know your home's elevation?}

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

pmodreski at aol.com wrote:
> But continuing on the theme of lowest places, here is a very interesting website, from geology.com, a tour of the lowest (below sea level) "dry land" places on earth.  It notes that "a total of 33 countries have land below sea level", and if you're up for a quiz, try naming the 10 lowest places (of dry land, not lake or sea bottoms) on the planet before you look at the answers:
> http://geology.com/below-sea-level/
> (hint, two of them are in the U.S., and the lowest one worldwide should be easy to guess...)
> 
> happy New Year to all,
> Pete Modreski


Happy New Year Pete (and to all)!

The January/February 2008 issue of 'Biblical Archaeology Review'
(www.biblicalarchaeology.org) has an interesting article on page 34 by
Tina M. Niemi titled "The Life of the Dead Sea". The summary states...
	
	Millions of years ago, seismic forces where two tectonic plates 
	came together formed the Great Rift Valley. Millions of years later, 
	the Dead Sea was created in that valley -- the lowest point on 
	earth. Thus begins the story of the life of the Dead Sea. That life 
	is now imperiled. Can the Dead Sea be saved?

The article traces over 70,000 years of geology, the impact of local
geology on Biblical times, the current potash industries using the Dead
Sea resources, and the issues surrounding water diversion that are
lowering surface levels as much as a meter a year. The floating asphalt
found in the 'sea' is also covered (it used to be known as Asphalt
Lake). Proposed hydrology solutions are also discussed, but the
(political) outlook is uncertain.

Please allow me to recommend an unusual current source for an answer to
part of your question.

Kreigh