Expedition of Russian Scientists Discover Never-Before-Seen Island in the Caspian Sea

Russian scientists have captured a new development in the Caspian Sea. They spotted the findings in the northern part of the world's largest inland body of water, according to Live Science. Moreover, researchers believe this new development was facilitated due to long-term fluctuations in the levels of landlocked waters. The development in question is an island spotted 19 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of another island called Maly Zhemchuzhny.

Moreover, experts claim this newly found island was just slightly elevated above the water level. Furthermore, they detected the surface to be damp and mostly flat. A Russian research expedition has witnessed the island's presence and noted it to be enveloped by sand ridges. Speculations regarding the island's existence first came to notice when it was spotted on satellite images in November 2024, stated IFL Science. The expedition has now confirmed its existence. Researchers in the expedition were hopeful that they would be able to land on the island, but weather conditions, along with shallow waters, prevented them from doing so.

Based on the observations, experts believe more of the island will soon be visible above the water. Researchers claim that even though the Caspian Sea at present is receiving a higher-than-normal amount of water from the River Volga, a time will come when the supply returns to typical levels. At that juncture, the Caspian Sea's water levels would drop further, and the island would get more elevated. After the emergence of satellite images, there was a lot of debate about the formation's identity, according to the Greek Reporter.

Some experts had doubts whether the landform was an island or something else. Evidence collected from the expedition confirmed that the discovery was indeed an island. Researchers took the help of drone cameras to capture the site. The images gave experts some vital insights regarding the island's size and surface features. Experts are keen to revisit the island as they believe more needs to be understood about the island's structure and stability. 

Stepan Podolyako, a senior researcher at the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, believes that the unnamed island is "awash." He further explained that such islands are submerged under the water and come to the surface in phases when the sea levels are falling. Such a drop has previously occurred in the Caspian Sea during the 1930s and 1970s. After that, the water levels recovered for a while before again falling in 2010. Since then, Caspian Sea levels have been on a decline, resulting in several consequences, like the appearance of this previously unknown island. 

Experts believe that climate change and tectonic shifts under the water could be responsible for the decline in the Caspian Sea's water levels, according to Live Science. Podolyako claimed that a second visit is planned for the second half of 2025, when the team will also decide on a name. They will investigate the island and name it after any notable feature they observe, and if nothing of that sort happens, then the island will be named after an individual who has made significant scientific and cultural contributions to the area.