The Real Reason There Is No Bridge Between Europe And Africa!

Let's find out the fascinating answer to the question: why is there no bridge between Europe and Africa?

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[Chichachillie]

the issue isn't the length but the depth of the ocean there.
the mediterranian wasn't always an ocean, so an event that had tectonic plates shift which led to open it up, created extreme currents and carved out the ocean floor in the strait up to 1km deep.

[spacecadet]

In purely engineering terms, the reason for no bridge is simple. The water is 300-900 meters deep and has massive currents. The longest single span on any bridge is 2km, so the bridge would need many piers driven into the bed rock. One could only build the piers for the bridge during slack water and that means you get one hour at a time, twice a day. The other 22 hours a day, very strong currents will try and wash that work away.

[Machines.In.Action]

It's wild to think just 14 km separates two continents, yet building a bridge here would be like fighting Poseidon himself — depth, seismic activity, and shipping lanes make this a real-life boss level for engineers! 🌊🌍

[anjealin]

Great topic! You mentioned lots of history I learned on an Iberian vacation to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. The ferry from Tarifa to Tangier was only 30 minutes and it took so much to get through customs that some people were in line practically the whole time.

[pprey]

There are protests already here in Spain against tourism. The proliferation of AirBNB apartments has pushed the price out of locals reach. The average income in Spain is about 27, 000€ but in Andalucia (the south west corner of Spain including Gibraltar) it´s only 24, 000€ and in some of the smaller tourist areas it is less than 20, 000€.

[yehudahekaru]

I really love this, lots of science and critical thinking involved plus a little history and humor. Very nice work, i learned so much, it makes me happy, thanks!

[GibbonHUN]

If we look at the current European situation, such a bridge would be catastrophic. A lot of migrants would head towards the bridge from Africa. And of course it could be closed. But then it would also be closed to tourists. Or at least traffic would slow down a lot due to the checks. And the police/soldiers guarding it would be under enormous pressure.

[sariatwilight]

It's like this in Canada too. A bridge can't be built between Vancouver and Vancouver Island due the width and depth of the Strait of Georgia. The strong currents, risk of earthquakes, and the strait having an active shipping channel also make the bridge impossible. It's cheaper to take the ferry or a sea plane/ plane then to build a bridge that would be extremely expensive. Great video. 😃

[grandpalarry]

Comparing ship traffic between the Strait of Gibraltor to the Panama Canal, is ridiculous. The strait is 14km wide while the maximum width of a Panaman Canal lock is only 51.2m.

[james]

Unfortunately, my parents went to Gibraltar for a holiday with friends, they talked with Spanish workers about working in Gibraltar, they said we English pay better wages for the same jobs, so while the Spanish government want Gibraltar back, the common folk want it to stay in English hands, of corse this was almost 10 years ago so I don't know if opinions have changed, make of it what you will.

[Sacto]

The engineering challenges mentioned in this video is kind of similar to the planned crossing between the Italian mainland and Sicily. That planned crossing has to deal with ferocious water currents beneath the bridge and the unstable geology of southern Italy with both earthquake and volcanic eruption dangers.

[dj-protoOfficial]

It's definitely possible with current technological levels, just stupendously expensive.

[Michele-otbh]

Being European, there’s a good reason a bridge has not been built, I’m afraid, also think of the height now of all the mega cruise ships.
I don’t think it would be feasible to build a bridge with enough height to clear them and also the depth from the sea bed.

[davidarundel]

It wont be made - bridge or tunnel - due to location, Location, LOCATION .
Techtonicaly, Water Currents, Depth, potential ship collisions , No Boarder, oh, and the Orca, disableling smaller vessels - even tipping them over .
Going down 900 meters, in a tunnel, would require some amazing ventilation technology, to enable safe passage .

Maybe at some future point, it will materialise , when the technology becomes available .

[LordDustinDeWynd]

Historically, possible invasion route. In 1980s, Army engineers wired the three international bridges in El Paso, Texas to Juarez, Mexico to drop them if expected border surge got out of hand. It didn't, bridges still there.

[dmau]

There has been two attempts to drill bridge foundations in the straits both times it failed, the water depth is one major issue the other is the massive current running through, I was the drilling Supervisor on both occasions.

[openmike]

So many reasons not to build the bridge. It would be wise not to. It would be the end of Europe.

[Alien_Bones]

We keep it open so the Sea Dragons can swim freely in and out of the Mediterranean.

[marybarry]

How about just leaving well enough alone? There are certain places that should maybe not be touched by technology and Gibraltar and Morocco bridge and or tunnel just shouldn’t be built.

[GelflingDX]

The video doesn’t address the insane water currents in the strait which would significantly impact the integrity to any structures with constant, changeable pressure. The fact that the strait is relatively narrow serves the amplify those natural underwater currents. Given all the natural roadblocks and the very real threat of ecological damage to a patch of ocean home to at least one species on the threatened/endangered list, I doubt any kind of connecting structure will be built in the foreseeable future.

That’s putting aside the fact that the vast majority of African nations have actually a negative view of European nations and their governments…. Generation of brutal colonial rule have ensured that, while happy enough to trade with European nations, most Africans would prefer the influence to end there. Keeping in mind how much conflict even those little bits of European territory still cause, it’s understandable. Africans know and make sure to remember how insatiable European greed can be.

Perhaps there are far better reasons not to link the two continents than there are for it. Europeans have not only raided African nations for centuries, they’ve destroyed ethnic heritages and made sure to continue to instigate and/or bolster instability to the benefit of European nations.