The Randall Carlson
@therandallcarlson·632K subscribers·2.1K videos
The Sahara Was Covered in Rivers
Posted
August 25, 2026
Views
22,575
Likes
1,180
Comments
29
Engagement
5.36%
August 25, 2026
22,575
1,180
29
5.36%
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0:43Now PlayingThe Sahara wasn't always a desert. During the early Holocene, it was covered by a dense network of rivers, lakes, and inland deltas that channeled water and wildlife across what is now barren sand. Species that today are confined to isolated pockets once ranged freely across the entire region. The evidence is written in the landscape: massive alluvial fans, ancient river channels, and sediment deposits that tell the story of a radically different climate regime. This wasn't a gradual shift. The transition from a verdant, interconnected waterway system to one of the driest places on Earth happened within the span of a few thousand years. Understanding these rapid climate swings within the Holocene is essential if we want to grasp the full range of what Earth's climate is capable of doing, and what human civilizations have already survived.
Last Chance to sign up for the Finger Lakes Tour, August 30th to September 5th, and walk these landscapes to see the evidence firsthand
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