Consider the narrow strait between northern Morocco and southern Spain, known as the Strait of Gibraltar. Although only about 13 kilometers (8 miles) apart, the two continents have never been connected by a bridge, despite centuries of speculation.
In fact, longer bridges have been built, such as the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, USA, which is 38.6 kilometers (24 miles) long — three times the distance of the hypothetical bridge between Africa and Europe.
So why would building a shorter bridge be so difficult? First of all, the value of a bridge connecting the two continents is enormous. Africa is rich in resources such as diamonds, oil, and minerals that Europe is willing to buy.
A bridge could boost trade between the two continents, making it easier and faster to transport goods than it is today by plane or ship. However, the natural conditions in the Strait of Gibraltar pose many challenges.
First, the area has strong currents and frequent earthquakes under the sea, which can cause large waves and damage the entire structure.
In addition, the seabed here has uneven terrain, with depths of up to nearly 1,000 m (3,000 ft). This makes the construction of the bridge foundation extremely complex and requires advanced technology.
Another issue is the environmental impact. The Strait of Gibraltar has a rich marine ecosystem, home to whales, dolphins and many other marine species.
Construction can pollute the water environment, affecting food sources and ecological balance. If this happens, the consequences can be widespread, affecting the fishing industry and coastal communities.
Although the idea of building a bridge or tunnel across the Strait has been proposed since the early 20th century, so far, these projects have been postponed due to financial and technical reasons. Perhaps in the future, when technology is more advanced, people will realize this dream.
Interestingly, in the past, Europe and Africa were connected by land.
About 6 million years ago, a strip of land separated the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, causing the Mediterranean Sea to dry up. Then, when the strip of land collapsed, the sea water flooded in and created the Strait of Gibraltar as it is today.
