Millions of years huh? they know this how? Or is this a wild guess.? What was the source of this limestone?
The region's 7,000 to 8,000 cenotes were formed when caves collapsed in on themselves. The resulting sinkholes became a vital water source and a focus for Mayan sacrifices to honor Chac, the volatile, crocodile-like rain deity.
They know this how? Or is this another wild guess? Please, let us all see these Myan diaries. How about, these caves were formed when huge pools of limestone slurry settled, and as the limestone settled and compressed, the caverns were formed from the escaping water, a process called a "water lens". As has been learned from observation of the Carlsbad Caverns, stalactites do not take "millons of years" to form. From 1924 to 1988, there was a visitor’s sign above the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns that said Carlsbad was at least 260 million years old. ... In 1988, the sign was changed to read 7 to 10 million years old. Then, for a little while, the sign read that it was 2 million years old. Now the sign is gone. In short, geologists don’t know how long cave development takes. And, while some believe that cave decorations such as S.P.’s beautiful icicle-looking stalactites take years to form, through photo-monitoring, stalactites can grow grow several inches in a matter of days. In recent years, biologists delving into the underlying river systems, which unlike the sinkholes are jet-black because of the lack of sunlight, have identified 40 entirely new species, mostly blind shrimps and fish which have adapted to life in the system's harsh conditions, where dissolved oxygen and food are scarce.
Blind shrimp are not "a new species" they are simply shrimp which have gone blind from lack of sunlight, as are blind fish. They are found all over the world. If anything, it's an example of a loss of information, they have not "evolved" any new abilities, they have lost one.
Among the startling discoveries are microorganisms that live in the transitional zone where the fresh water rivers flow out into the Caribbean, and salt-water sponges which may contain anti-tumor compounds.
These are common in thousands of places all over the planet. What are these anti tumor compounds?
"Research is at an early stage, but it is quite possible that the bacteria and sponges may have potential biomedical applications including cures for cancer," Iliffe told Reuters in a telephone interview. "There is a great deal of scientific excitement about it."
If it's so great, why has nobody published it?
Other finds made by divers roaming the deep, dark corridors include the bones of giant jungle sloths, rabbits and even mammoths dating back beyond the last Ice Age.
The ice age of the jungles of Mexico? How did these mammoths servive in the ice? How did these mammoths get into these underground tunnels? Unless of course, these mammoths were washed into this big ponds of limestone, and as this slurry settled and harded, and water escaping it wia the water lens principle and forming these caverns left the bones exposed. They may be elephant bones from amuch younger age.
"When you come up and tell people there are elephants down there they really think you've gone crazy," said Sam Meacham, an underwater explorer and conservationist.
Indeed. Pehaps if you said they were elephant BONES, they wouldn't think you were nuts.
The hundreds of tourists who dive and snorkel each day in any of a dozen cenotes and caves open to the public are also unwittingly destroying the ecosystems before they can be properly understood, Iliffe says.
Of course. Everyone knows fish are too stupid to swim into places in search of food on thier own. They need directions. A better conclusion is they are "biologically sterile" because of the lack of oxegen in the stagnant water.
"When you consider that they could possibly lead to a cure for cancer, it is essential to conserve them."
Of course. Only "important people" such as yourself should be allowed in there. Not that there is anything to find in this "biologically sterlle" place.
Perhaps it's more like you don't want the place to get too crowded and the water stirred up, so you can have can have your own little fun place to dive., After all, only the "elite" should be allowed to stink up the earth.