Sahara

Viac o knihe

"If you traveled across the United States from Boston to San Diego, you still wouldn't have crossed the Sahara," write de Villiers and Hirtle, vividly illustrating this extraordinary place. They explore the origins and paths of Atlantic hurricanes, many emerging from the Tibesti mountains in northern Chad, revealing the Sahara's significant influence on global weather patterns. The authors delve into the physics of windblown sand, dune formation, and the massive aquifers beneath the desert, some containing water that predates humanity. They marvel at jagged mountains and ancient cave paintings that indicate the Sahara was once a lush grassland 10,000 years ago—a cycle that has repeated several times and may do so again. This geographic tour highlights the rich history, diverse peoples, climates, and wildlife of the world's largest desert. Once a temperate grassland, the Sahara transformed rapidly due to a slight shift in the earth's axis, creating a vast desert with dunes that can form overnight. Over the millennia, various populations have adapted to this harsh environment. The authors chronicle the desert's nations and their legacies, including ancient stone circles, Roman aqueducts, and the remnants of great African empires. Illuminated by travelers' accounts, this work conveys the majesty, mystery, and richness of life in the Sahara, offering an evocative biography of the land and its people.