All articles tagged with #sahara
Scientists analyzed 7,000-year-old mummified women from Libya, revealing a unique North African lineage with minimal Neanderthal DNA, suggesting isolated evolution and cultural diffusion of herding practices during the Sahara's Green period, reshaping understanding of early human migration and adaptation.
Archaeologists in Libya uncovered 7,000-year-old skeletons revealing a previously unknown human lineage that remained genetically isolated for tens of thousands of years, challenging existing ideas about prehistoric human migrations and interactions in Africa.
In 2024, the Sahara Desert experienced unusual rainfall, temporarily greening parts of the region, especially the Sahel, highlighting the desert's complex climate history and potential for change, despite remaining largely arid. NASA's findings reveal the Sahara's past as a lush landscape during the African Humid Period and underscore the importance of understanding Earth's dynamic ecosystems amid climate challenges.
A recent space photograph of Emi Koussi volcano in the Sahara reveals a salt-covered lake bed and erosion channels, indicating the region's wetter past and challenging the perception of the Sahara as a static desert, highlighting its volcanic and hydrological history.
Covering the Sahara Desert with solar panels could have severe environmental impacts, including increased local and global temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and disruptions to ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest. The project also faces economic and technological challenges, such as efficiency loss and high maintenance costs. Instead, experts recommend diverse, localized renewable energy solutions to avoid the potential catastrophic effects of large-scale geoengineering projects.
The Garamantes, an ancient civilization that thrived in the Sahara 2,400 years ago, managed to sustain their society by tapping into underground groundwater through angled tunnels. This innovative technique allowed them to irrigate their agricultural lands and thrive in an otherwise harsh desert environment. However, over time, the groundwater ran out, leading to the abandonment of their civilization. This serves as a warning about the unsustainable use of scarce resources, with implications for modern societies facing similar challenges.