00:00So, look at this narrow passage between the north of Morocco and the southern part of
00:05the Spanish region.
00:06It's called the Strait of Gibraltar.
00:09There are only 8 miles between the two continents, but for some reason, there's no bridge,
00:15despite people having been dreaming for centuries about connecting these two regions.
00:20There are places in the world where a bridge over water stretches for a much greater distance.
00:25For example, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway near New Orleans, Louisiana, goes for 24 miles,
00:32which is three times the length of the hypothetical bridge between Africa and Europe.
00:37That's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest continuous bridge passing
00:42over water.
00:43It consists of two parallel bridges and connects the urban area of New Orleans with small settlements
00:49in the north of Lake Pontchartrain.
00:519,000 concrete piles hold more than 1,000 decks above the water.
00:56This large-scale structure was built in the middle of the 20th century.
01:00It only took 14 months from the start of construction to its completion.
01:05American engineers created a unique technology for attaching concrete piles to the base of
01:10the bridge.
01:11And this bridge is still functioning.
01:13So, what's the problem with building a shorter bridge to connect Africa and Europe?
01:19Let's first find out the value of the 8-mile bridge that could connect two continents and
01:24the reason why everyone is talking about it.
01:27In fact, the value of such a bridge would be enormous.
01:30Diamonds, oil, minerals…
01:33Africa is full of valuable materials, and Europe is happy to buy these things.
01:38This theoretical bridge could allow people to transport things for trade quickly and
01:42comfortably.
01:44Right now, the exchange of goods between Africa and Europe is only possible thanks to airplanes
01:49and cargo ships, and airplanes are extremely expensive because of hefty fuel price tags.
01:56In addition, air travel is often delayed because of bad weather.
02:00There are long customs procedures and transportation from the airport to the destination.
02:06Ships can also be a problem.
02:08The narrow area of the Mediterranean Sea, where the two continents are closest to each
02:12other, is a dangerous place because of storms and strong currents.
02:17The transportation of your diamonds is highly dependent on weather conditions.
02:22The second advantage of such a bridge would be the creation of tens of thousands of jobs.
02:28People from Europe and Africa would build hotels, ports, parks, and even small towns
02:33for each other.
02:34The coastal parts of both continents would become a new economic center.
02:39And just imagine how much investment those places would attract!
02:43Europe and Africa would be much closer than ever before.
02:47You could drive from a small Spanish town to a safari park in northern Morocco, buy
02:52Moroccan tea, get some argan oil, and go home for the evening.
02:57Or you could take a high-speed train across the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.
03:02People would open hundreds of restaurants, amusement parks, shopping malls, and a museum
03:07next to this bridge.
03:09Unfortunately, it's impossible to build such a bridge, at least at the moment.
03:14And here's why.
03:16The main problem is the Strait of Gibraltar itself, because of its strong current and
03:21seismic activity.
03:23How can you start large-scale construction if, in a couple of days, an underwater earthquake
03:29can trigger giant waves and take all the ships underwater?
03:33Even if you build a bridge, rapid streams of water that constantly change direction
03:38can shake the entire structure and tear the connecting parts of the construction.
03:42The bridge over the Strait of Gibraltar must have a strong, sturdy system that will withstand
03:47seismic activity.
03:49Huge resources are required to create such a complex structure.
03:54Despite the dangerous passage between the two continents, it remains one of the busiest
03:59points in the world.
04:00It's the only place on the planet connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
04:06300 ships pass through this area every day.
04:10Not only merchant ships, but also fishing vessels and tourist boats.
04:15There are not so many places in the world where you can watch whales coming out of the
04:19water.
04:20Not only people, but also marine creatures often visit this passage because of the peculiarities
04:25of the sea currents.
04:27But we'll talk about that later.
04:30Another problem is the depth of the Strait.
04:32In simple words, any bridge over the water is built on long metal piles.
04:38Builders and engineers stick piles into the seabed and use them as a holding base for
04:43the whole construction.
04:45But installing such piles firmly enough is a difficult task because of the uneven seabed.
04:51The seabed has a unique geological landscape, irregularities, and different densities of
04:56the Earth's rocks.
04:58There are also reefs, rocks, and pits.
05:01Any seabed requires extensive geological studies before piles are installed.
05:07However, the bottom of the Strait of Gibraltar is especially difficult because of its depth
05:12– almost 3,000 feet.
05:15It's one of the deepest straits in the whole world.
05:18Just imagine, you'll need the height of 10 Statues of Liberty to reach the surface
05:22of the water from the bottom of the Strait.
05:25What kind of piles should be used there to hold the entire bridge?
05:29Most likely, one pile will have to consist of several parts connected into one large
05:34metal rod.
05:36And don't forget about seismic activity.
05:38Let's say you've installed perfectly strong piles, but the next day, an earthquake occurs
05:44and destroys the entire structure, and a strong current is carrying fortifications all over
05:50the Mediterranean Sea.
05:52The next problem is probably the most important one because it concerns marine life.
05:58The Strait of Gibraltar has a high salt content.
06:01This natural element makes water heavier and makes it descend to the bottom of a deep Mediterranean
06:06basin.
06:07Then, this saltwater pushes up cold water from the seabed into the Atlantic Ocean.
06:13These changes in water density, as well as fast currents, create sea vortices and turbulence.
06:20It's like a raging cauldron of cold water that raises a lot of nutrients to the surface.
06:26The hollows and hills of the Strait of Gibraltar are filled with different substances and sunlight.
06:32This creates ideal conditions for the formation of phytoplankton.
06:36Whales, dolphins, and other marine creatures adore this delicacy.
06:40That's why you can see about 7 species of whales and dolphins in this place.
06:46What might happen to phytoplankton after the start of global construction?
06:50Carbon dioxide, crushed rock, tons of dust and ashes, falling building materials – all
06:56of this could significantly pollute the environment.
07:00Without phytoplankton, many fish would go extinct.
07:03Without fish, thousands of fishers wouldn't be able to get food and earn money.
07:08But even if the bridge was built, cars and trains would continue to pollute the air and
07:13water.
07:15This disruption of the delicate balance in this narrow strait can lead to larger-scale
07:20environmental disasters.
07:22Dolphins and whales may leave to look for food elsewhere and, thus, take resources from
07:27other marine inhabitants.
07:29Like falling dominoes, one problem can follow another.
07:33And all this because of one bridge.
07:36In 2007, the Spanish Ministry of Environmental Protection introduced speed limits for all
07:41ships sailing through the strait in order to not disrupt the delicate balance of nature.
07:47At the beginning of the 20th century, a French engineer proposed a project of a bridge, but
07:53it was rejected because it was too complicated and costly.
07:57People also tried to develop a 23-mile-long tunnel, but this project also faced financial
08:03and technical difficulties.
08:05People are still dreaming of a bridge over the Strait of Gibraltar.
08:09Perhaps, in the future, when we develop cooler technologies, we'll be able to build this
08:14thing.
08:15Oh, by the way, there hasn't always been water between these two regions.
08:20In the distant past, the two continents were connected.
08:24The entire Mediterranean Sea is the remains of the Titus Sea that existed before the era
08:30of dinosaurs.
08:31Then, the African and Indian plates collided with the Eurasian one, and the Titus Sea completely
08:37disappeared.
08:38In its place, a land bridge was formed that separated the Mediterranean Sea from the ocean.
08:45Without access to water, the sea dried up about 6 million years ago.
08:50But then, when the bridge came down, the water began to fill the dried-up pool.
08:55For tens of thousands of years, the narrow plate sank lower and lower, and the Mediterranean
09:01Sea eventually got its current water levels.
09:05That's it for today!
09:06If you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
09:11Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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