Kola well. Discoveries that changed the world

Since ancient times people dreamed to find out what is under their feet. Not here, on the surface of the Earth, but there - deep in its bowels. Unfortunately, with the help of existing equipment it was possible to penetrate deep into only a few hundred meters.

Drilling operations on the Kola Peninsula began in 1970 and continued until 1992. During this time drillers made important discoveries. Still, because the earth's crust was "punctured" by more than 12 km!

Kola well confirmed many guesses of scientists, but also refuted a lot. It was assumed that the earth's crust is like a layered pie - at the very bottom are basalts, above - granites, and we walk on sedimentary rocks. This was not quite true. Granites are 3 km lower than scientists thought. And before the basalt layer drillers did not reach. The last kilometers were exclusively granite. At the International Geological Congress, which was held in 1984, even proposed to dig a well, as it refutes all the assumptions of scientists. Naturally, this was said in jest.

Initially, it was planned, by the way, that the well on the Kola Peninsula will be much deeper. It was believed that the temperature would be low kilometers to 15, and digging was assumed already up to 20 km, that is almost to the mantle itself. But the Baltic Shield presented a surprise. At a temperature of 12 km, the temperature was recorded at 1000 degrees Celsius higher than predicted. And scientists today do not know why this happened.

But these are not all the discoveries that the Kola well gave the world. Thanks to her, it became known that life on our planet arose much earlier than expected. Fossilized microorganisms at those depths where they should not be, according to scientists, and the huge concentrations of methane gas forced the scientific world to fundamentally change the theory.

What is the Kola well? Probably, many imagine a mine or something like that. But such fantasies are far from the truth. In fact, for our Earth, it is comparable to a needle, ruthlessly piercing its bowels. In the depth of the drill comes off, the diameter of which is slightly more than 20 cm. At its end are fixed numerous sensors, which allowed to make so many discoveries.

A lot of mysterious legends are connected with the well on the Kola Peninsula. Or not legends - who knows? Perhaps all this was happening. For example, drillers say that from the depths came sounds that sound like eerie cries. The most impressionable are assured that it is there that the netherworld is located.

When the mark of 10 km was reached, the Kola superdeep rained troubles - a chain of mysterious events, the explanation of which was never found. At the sight of a melted bore, scientists could only make a helpless gesture, because he can not withstand the temperature of the Sun! And once the cable broke. And later, his remains could not be found.

However, they stopped drilling not because of devilry. The official version is a lack of funds. By a mysterious coincidence, at the same time, an explosion occurred at great depths. Explanation of this incident is also not found.

Well, the Kola well has served the world with dignity. She stirred up the entire scientific world, and associated with her mysterious legends will long be worried by mankind.