Saudi Arabia’s Desert Reveals Ancient Green Past

Quick Summary

• A new study in Saudi Arabia reveals evidence of “Green Arabia,” indicating the region was lush and green for much of the last eight million years.
• The research suggests central deserts, including india’s Thar Desert, were productive savannahs during these humid periods, facilitating migrations of animals and hominins, including Homo sapiens.
• Conducted at seven caves in As Sulb near Riyadh, 22 stalagmite rock samples helped reconstruct climate history using uranium-lead and uranium-thorium dating techniques.
• Findings show at least six confirmed humid phases lasting tens of thousands to over a million years throughout Arabia’s history.These may correlate with Earth’s orbital shifts around the sun.
• Parallel research suggests decreased Sahara dust during wet periods across Africa and Eurasia validates these findings.
• Stalagmites reveal extensive climate data previously unavailable from sediment cores alone; scientists consider this groundbreaking for understanding desert climates globally.

Images:

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Read More: National Geographic Green Arabia Study Article