A stunning discovery 4,000 feet beneath the Gulf of Aqaba could shed light on the origins of life.

Scientists have identified **”death pools”**—brine-filled pockets in an oxygen-deprived deep-sea environment. These pools, teeming with extremophile microbes, resemble the conditions where life may have first emerged on Earth.

Sam Purkis, a marine geoscientist, explained that studying these pools could help in the search for life on other planets. Additionally, microbes in brine pools have yielded molecules with antibacterial and anticancer properties.

Unlike previous brine pools found miles offshore, the newly discovered **NEOM Brine Pools** are just 1.25 miles from land. These unique ecosystems attract marine life, with fish and shrimp using them for hunting—though any creature that enters is instantly stunned or kiIIed.

Beyond biology, these pools preserve ancient sediments, offering insights into past climate and tectonic shifts. This rare find may not only rewrite Earth’s history but also guide future exploration of **water worlds** beyond our planet.