The making of the Med

The Zanclean Megaflood: 3 illustrations showing Africa pushing into Europe, a giant rushing of the Atlantic filling the basin of the Mediterranean, and the map of how the Mediterranean sea appears today

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The Mediterranean Sea was formed kind of how you think it might have happened from just looking at a world map — the mighty Atlantic Ocean breaking free to fill up the giant basin from the African continent and pushing into Europe. Except that it was probably even more spectacular than you might think.

It's known as the Zanclean Megaflood, and Mike Sowden has a brief intro to it (and a longer one, too).

I imagine it somewhat like the footage of when the sea reclaimed a tin mine in Malaysia in a few short minutes. Or when the waves finally overcame the walls of my sandcastle, just at a staggering scale.

Don't miss the podcast episode on the Zanclean Megaflood with Mike Sowden and lots of other fascinating geological stories.

Published 23 Oct 2013

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