The salinity of the Dead Sea is about 10 times saltier than the ocean and is considered an extremely hostile environment that bars the existence of any plants or animals in it. Said intense salinity is the contributing factor to the floating phenomena which people from around the world have flocked to witness and try firsthand for many centuries. Widely regarded as the oldest naturally occurring spa, the salinity allows for the presence of a unique mineral content in the waters and muds of the Dead Sea which have been long regarded as potential treatments for many topical ailments. Additionally, being so low below sea level, airborne allergens and pollen are hardly present and the reduced ultraviolet component of the sunlight along with a higher atmospheric pressure have been noted to improve respiratory function.