El secreto del Sáhara

The Sahara Desert, covering 9 million square kilometers, formed due to intense solar heat at the Equator, causing air to rise and lose moisture. This dry air descends, creating the desert's harsh climate. In 1981, radar from a space shuttle revealed hidden mountains and river valleys beneath the dunes, indicating a wetter past. During the last ice age, increased rainfall brought life to the Sahara, but as ice sheets melted, monsoons shifted, reducing rainfall and turning the region into a desert. The Sahara has experienced multiple wet and dry cycles over hundreds of thousands of years, and future ice ages could transform it again.

What causes the Sahara Desert's hot climate?

• Frequent volcanic eruptions

• High levels of vegetation

• The intense heat of the Sun at the Equator

• The presence of large bodies of water

What did radar technology reveal about the Sahara Desert?

• It is the largest desert in the world

• It has no historical significance

• It has hidden mountains and river valleys

• It is entirely made of sand

How did the last ice age affect the Sahara?

• It made the Sahara colder

• It had no impact on the Sahara

• It increased rainfall due to melting ice

• It caused volcanic activity

What happens to the Sahara's climate over thousands of years?

• It alternates between wet and dry

• It becomes a tropical rainforest

• It remains consistently dry

• It becomes increasingly wet

What could potentially transform the Sahara again in the future?

• A large meteor impact

• Human intervention

• The next ice age

• A new volcanic eruption