t out numerous traces of the flooding still existent in various parts of the globe. They also believe that the salt-water lakes scattered around the land thousands kilometers away from a shoreline are the remainders of Noah's Flood.

The question is: Where did all that water come from? What was the cause of a catastrophic deluge sweeping across the planet in the days of Noah? According to the Bible, Noah had to build a large boat for himself, his family, and a pair of every kind of creature to survive the Flood.

Quite a few hypotheses aim to explain the Biblical event. Some researchers say that an asteroid or comet may have hit the planet, causing a colossal tsunami. Others claim that rivers iced over following a drop in temperatures. As a result, the sea level rose up catastrophically. Other researchers link the Flood with a sudden displacement of the earth's axis; the displacement is thought to have triggered a huge mass of water to spew around the globe.

Until recently there was not any solid scientific evidence to back various theories pertaining to the origins of the Flood. The situation changed in February following reports on a sensational discovery by U.S. researchers. According to their study, the water which flooded the planet came out from the depths of Earth. The researchers discovered immense bodies of water below the earth's surface.

Two underground oceans

Planet Earth is constantly monitored by seismographs, the instruments for measuring and recording the vibrations of earthquakes. The vibrations recorded in different parts of the planet enable researchers to obtain valuable data regarding the dispersion of shock waves in the earth's crust and mantle. Professor of Seismology Michael Wysession at George Washington University of Saint Louis and Jesse Lawrence, a postgraduate at the University of California in San Diego, joined forces to carry out an extensive research. Their work involved the analysis of 600 thousand seismograms. The findings really made them gasp in astonishment: there was evidence indicating that at least two large bodies of water were located underneath Eurasia and North America.

"The specific attenuation characteristics of the lengthwise seismic waves clearly indicate the presence of water. Those characteristics are pertinent to water," said Prof. Wysession.

The researchers also designed a 3-D model of the area on the basis of sounding data. They are confident that the underground oceans contain as much water as the Arctic Ocean does. The water is located at a depth ranging from 1,200 km to 1,400 km.

Academician Eric Galimov, director of Moscow-based Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, called Wysession's theory "quite credible." It is worthy of notice that British researchers at the University of Manchester claimed to have discovered sea water underneath the earth's surface some sixty years ago.

The Britons found the traces of water while analyzing carbon dioxide gushing from a depth of about 1,500 km. The scientific community ignored the discovery despite a publication in Nature magazine.

Underground water broke loose

It is still unclear how water came into being inside Earth. Perhaps it has existed from the very beginning. Many researchers suggest the underground water comes up to the surface periodically. Likewise, the ocean water seeps downward. Scientifically speaking, the size of the earth's hydrosphere is subject to change. The changes are most probably caused by the movements of the earth's crust and mantle.

Incidentally, there are strange holes discovered at the bottom of the ocean. The hot water reaching 400 degrees Celsius streams from the holes, which were dubbed "black smokers." Perhaps the water from the underground oceans is flowing through the holes.

It is possible that the underground floodgates may have broken down in prehistoric times. Consequently, millions of tons of hot salt water and vapor began to burst forth. The sea level around the globe went up dramatically. The water vapor condensed and fell down hard. The rain lasted for 40 days. All the above resulted in an event that was later described as the Flood. Eventually, the water was sucked back into the depths of the planet.

The findings released by the American researchers indicate that a catastrophic event may happen again, at least from a theoretical point of view. Prof. Wysession stresses the point that the areas located beneath the underground oceans have water too. He specifically refers to the parts of the mantle that have not been researched yet. Prof. Wysession believes there is plenty of water out there. According to his estimates, the amount of water may be five times as greater as that of all the oceans on the earth's surface.

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Translated by Guerman Grachev Pravda.ru