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 factors contribute to the hot and dry climate of the Sahara Desert?

What did the radar technology reveal about the Sahara's past?

How did the melting ice sheets affect the climate of the Sahara?

Describe the changes in rainfall patterns in the Sahara over time.

What could potentially happen to the Sahara in the next ice age?