Thousands years ago, Sahara wasn't a desert.

1. WHAT DID THE SAHARA LOOK LIKE SIX
TO TEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO ?
Wendy Bintner
Sahara Irrigation Mega-Engineering Project
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2. SAHARA TODAY
Description of Sahara Today
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 Sahara : sand, sun, scorcher temperatures

3. GREEN SAHARA
 What ? Wet and rainy conditions in the northern
Africa
 When ? 9 000 and 6 000 years ago
 How ? Climate change
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Green Sahara

4. GREEN SAHARA
Water
• Rivers
• Lakes
Life
• Fertile conditions
• Animals
Humans
• Humans
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5. GREEN SAHARA
 Crocodiles, elephants, giraffe, hippos, antelopes,
fish, …
 Civilization used rivers : boat, raft, fishing (hook,
harpoon, line, …)
 Civilization learned a lot : cooking (porridge, soup,
…), pottery,
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6. HOW DO WE KNOW ?
 Sediment : evidence of water
 Cave painting : evidence of civilization and animals
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How Earth Made Us - Sahara

7. WHAT’S HAPPENED
After 2 thousands years, the drier conditions that
prevailed prior to the Green Sahara returned.
Desertification advanced, and the Sahara
desert formed (or re-formed). Arid conditions have
continued through to the present day.
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8. A NEW GREEN SAHARA SOON ?
 Computer model simulations : an expansion of the
vegetation cover in the Sahara Desert ( human-driven
climate change leads to aggressive global
warming)
 Sahara won’t actually become greener than it is
today, as the simulations do not account for the
influence of human activity in this area.
Science Daily 8

9. Thanks for listening.
Do you have any questions ?
The best engineering school 9
wendy.bintner(at)etu.emse.fr