Climate change: a lush land has become a desert

One of the most arid and inhospitable places on the planet was, in the past, a green paradise with lakes and rivers. Climate change has turned everything upside down in this area. This is the conclusion of a new study published in the prestigious journal Nature, carried out by an international team of researchers, according to DPA.

• From the "Empty Quarter" to an ancient oasis

The Rub al-Khali, also known as the "Empty Quarter", is one of the largest sandy deserts in the world and a natural barrier that influenced human migration routes between Africa and Eurasia. But things were not always like this. According to the research, about 9,000 years ago, in the heart of this desert there was a vast lake, with an area of over 1,100 km² and a depth of up to 42 meters. In addition, the area was crisscrossed by rivers and shaped by a wide valley. "Our work highlights the presence of an ancient lake and river systems that supported rich vegetation and diverse fauna," says Abdallah Zaki, a researcher at the University of Texas.

• A green corridor for people and animals

The researchers say that the lush landscape of the Rub al-Khali, formed over a period of more than 8 million years, favored the development of grasslands and savannas, making it possible for hunter-gatherers, herders and water-dependent fauna to migrate. "There were crocodiles, hippos, horses and elephants in this area - species that could not survive here today," points out Michael Petraglia, a professor at Griffith University in Australia.

Along the ancient shores of the lake and along the routes of former rivers, archaeologists have discovered abundant traces of human habitation, evidence of a green past in an arid present.

• Climate Change Turned Everything Around

About 6,000 years ago, rainfall suddenly decreased, transforming this region into the desert we know today. This transition forced nomadic populations to migrate and radically changed the way people in the area lived.