Researchers Mapped Submerged Sicily-Malta Land Bridge
The study reveals details of a 90-kilometer passage that disappeared beneath the Mediterranean 13,000 years ago.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Geography
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In September 2026, researchers concluded an eight-day expedition using the vessel Gaia Blu to map a submerged land bridge between Sicily and Malta. The land bridge, which sits more than 100 meters underwater, last connected the two regions 13,000 years ago when global sea levels were 120 meters lower than they are today.
Why it matters
Mapping this area provides critical geological data to understand prehistoric migration routes and human habitation patterns in the Mediterranean. By analyzing sediment from this expanse, scientists aim to clarify how past climate shifts influenced the timeline of human arrival in Malta.
The expedition utilized high-resolution multibeam sonar to map the seafloor at 30-centimeter resolution. Scientists also used gravity corers to retrieve 10-meter sediment samples for climate analysis, providing a vertical record of the submerged bridge environment.
The players
Gaia Blu
A research vessel equipped with high-resolution multibeam and seismic sensors used for seafloor mapping.
The details
The research team aboard the Gaia Blu employed multibeam sonar—a technology that pulses sound waves toward the seafloor to create precise topographic maps—to chart the submerged bridge. Gravity corers—heavy, hollow tubes dropped into the seabed—were used to extract 10-meter sediment columns, allowing researchers to study ancient basin and lagoon structures. These samples are intended to reveal fossil and environmental data from the period when the land bridge was above sea level.
Timeline
16,000 years ago: Sicily was inhabited by early humans.
13,000 years ago: A 90-kilometer land bridge connected Sicily and Malta.
8,900 years ago: Humans are thought to have arrived in Malta.
6,000 years ago: Malta became permanently populated.
September 2026: The BRIDGES research campaign concluded.
The Tech Race
Researchers are comparing this submerged landscape to Doggerland, which sits at an average depth of 30 meters. This study marks a shift toward using advanced acoustic sensing to map deeper, formerly terrestrial sites in the Mediterranean.
The research team expects the analysis of collected sediment to continue for several months. Future expeditions may eventually employ autonomous underwater vehicles to map the remaining half of the land bridge.
The takeaway
This expedition provides a clearer picture of the prehistoric connections between Sicily and Malta, offering a template for how deep-sea sonar can reveal forgotten terrestrial history. Observers should track upcoming findings from the sediment analysis, which will clarify the timeline of human migration in the region.
Further reading
For more on how ancient terrain is reconstructed, explore the Geography section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Science.
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