Daniel Garcia-Castellanos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Garcia-Castellanos
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Born | 1968 Kuwait City
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Education | University of Barcelona |
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Thesis | (1999) |
Daniel Garcia-Castellanos was born in 1968 in Kuwait. He is a Spanish scientist who studies the Earth's physical processes, a field called geophysics. He is famous for his ideas about a huge flood that refilled the Mediterranean Sea millions of years ago. This event is known as the Zanclean flood. He also studies how the Earth's surface changes because of deep movements inside our planet.
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Exploring Earth's Secrets
Daniel Garcia-Castellanos works at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). He helps us understand how our planet works. His research connects what happens deep inside the Earth with changes on its surface. These changes include how mountains and valleys form.
The Mediterranean Sea's Big Flood
One of his most important studies is about the Mediterranean Sea. He believes that about 6 million years ago, the sea became separated from the world's oceans. This happened because huge land plates, like Africa and Eurasia, slowly moved and crashed together.
When the Mediterranean Sea was cut off, it began to dry up. This period is called the Messinian salinity crisis. It means the sea became very salty and much of its water evaporated.
Then, about 5 million years ago, something amazing happened. Water from the Atlantic Ocean burst through the Strait of Gibraltar. This created a massive, fast flood that refilled the entire Mediterranean Sea. This huge event is what scientists call the Zanclean flood.
His Work and Discoveries
In 1998, Daniel Garcia-Castellanos received the Garcia-Siñeriz Prize. He earned this award for his important research on how sedimentary basins form. Sedimentary basins are large dips in the Earth's surface where layers of rock and sediment collect over time.
Today, he teaches and leads research projects. These projects are funded by Europe. They focus on how the Earth's surface changes and on flooding processes. He works at the Institute of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera in Barcelona, Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Daniel García-Castellanos para niños