The Sahara Was Green and Full of Hippos Just 5,000 Years Ago
Ancient rock art and fossilized pollen show rivers, lakes, and grazing animals across what is now the world’s largest hot desert. Shifting Earth’s orbit and ocean currents gradually dried the region into today’s arid dunes. This rapid climate swing is visible in sediment cores.
💡 Fun detail:
Satellite radar has revealed ancient riverbeds beneath the sand that once fed a massive lake the size of Ireland.
Source: NASA