UNCOVERED: Sahara | History Defined

Trans Sahara: satellite survey finds hidden Garamantian towns; reshapes ancient Africa

Recent advancements in satellite technology have unveiled a hidden Saharan civilization that had eluded historians until now. The Garamantes, an organized society, constructed fortified farms and walled villages dotted across the desert. This remarkable discovery reshapes our comprehension of early African civilizations, revealing them as more than mere nomadic tribes,…

The Times of India · Sep 22

Kamil Crater Meteorite Haul: Google Earth spot rewrites impact models; thousands of iron fragments mapped

In a remarkable find, an Italian scientist uncovered a wheel-like formation in Egypt's Sahara desert, leading to the revelation of the well-preserved Kamil Crater. Researchers subsequently unearthed thousands of iron meteorite fragments scattered around this impact zone. Thanks to the desert's dry conditions, the crater remains well-preserved, providing significant insights…

The Times of India · Sep 20

In 4000 BCE, a lake Mega Chad larger than all five Great Lakes covered roughly 360,000 sq km of what is now the Sahara. 6,000 years later, only a tiny fraction, well under 1%, of that ancient lake remains

Thousands of years ago, a vast lake covered an enormous area of what is now the southern Sahara. Known as Palaeolake Mega-Chad, the ancient lake may have reached roughly 360,000 square kilometres, with some estimates exceeding 400,000 square kilometres. Its existence was made possible by the wetter conditions of North…

The Economic Times · Aug 17

Thousands of African winter skiing tourists are flocking to snowy Lesotho

Lesotho's Afriski Mountain Resort attracts thousands of winter visitors annually. This unique sub-Saharan ski destination offers slopes for all skill levels. Artificial snow machines ensure operations throughout the Southern Hemisphere's winter season. Tourism contributes significantly to Lesotho's economy and provides employment opportunities. Visitors experience local culture and enjoy unique souvenirs…

The Economic Times · Jul 21

The African ski destination that you’ve probably never heard of

Thousands of people flock to sub-Saharan Africa’s only ski resort every year

The Independent UK · Jul 21

Quote of the day by Nico Williams: "I run very fast, but I can't run as fast as my mother. Because she once escaped death and…" - an emotional tribute to his mother, the extraordinary journey behind his success and the sacrifices that shaped a football star

Spanish footballer Nico Williams honored his mother after Euro 2024 victory. He gave his medal to her, recognizing her difficult journey. His mother escaped death and crossed the Sahara Desert from Ghana to Spain. This arduous migration paved the way for his and his brother's careers. Williams highlighted his mother's…

The Times of India · Jul 20

Every year, about 27.7 million tons of Saharan dust cross the Atlantic Ocean and settle on the Amazon rainforest, delivering phosphorus close to the amount the rainforest loses to runoff, meaning the world’s largest rainforest is partly fertilised by dust from the planet’s largest hot desert thousands of miles away

Mineral-rich dust travels from the Sahara Desert to the Amazon rainforest. This airborne dust delivers vital phosphorus nutrients annually to the forest. The Sahara dust compensates for nutrients lost through rainfall and river runoff. This natural nutrient exchange has sustained the Amazon for thousands of years. The desert and rainforest…

The Times of India · Jul 18

The world's loneliest tree had no other tree within 400 km across the Sahara Desert and roots over 30 metres deep to reach hidden groundwater, then one drunk truck driver knocked it down after 300 years of survival

Deep in Niger's Ténéré Desert once stood what was widely regarded as the world's loneliest tree, an umbrella thorn acacia that survived for around 300 years despite having no other tree within roughly 400 kilometres. Hidden beneath the scorching Sahara, its roots stretched more than 30 metres underground to reach…

The Times of India · Jul 14

In 1994, Italian ultramarathon runner Mauro Prosperi disappeared during the 155-mile Marathon des Sables after a massive Sahara sandstorm blew him off course; he survived nine days alone by eating bats and drinking his own urine before stumbling into Algeria

An Italian ultramarathon runner, Mauro Prosperi, vanished during the 1994 Marathon des Sables after a fierce sandstorm disoriented him. Stranded for nine days in the Moroccan desert, he survived by consuming bats and drinking his own urine. His incredible ordeal, battling dehydration and isolation, eventually led him to stumble into…

The Times of India · Jul 6

For thousands of years, this giant tortoise has been digging burrows across the Sahara, and scientists now think those tunnels may play a bigger ecological role than anyone realised

Across the harsh, sun-scorched edges of the Sahara and the Sahel, one of Africa's largest reptiles has been quietly doing something that scientists are only now beginning to properly study, digging burrows so extensive that they may be reshaping the very soil around it. The African spurred tortoise, known scientifically…

The Times of India · Jul 6