How the Earth Was Made (2009)

S02E04 Sahara

The Sahara Desert spans an area as vast as the entire United States, earning its title as the world's largest desert and the hottest place on Earth. Yet beneath its scorching sands lies a hidden, radically different history. Geologists have uncovered whale fossils, freshwater shells, and traces of ancient human settlements—stunning evidence that this barren wasteland was once lush and alive. These discoveries piece together a story that shaped human evolution and ended with the most dramatic climate shift in the last ten thousand years.