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The Driest Place On Earth Has Seen No Rain For 2 Million Years

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The driest region on Earth is Antarctica’s Dry Valleys, which haven’t seen rain in almost 2 million years.

This region receives no precipitation and covers an area of 4800 square kilometers with no water, ice, or snow. Lake Vida, Lake Vanda, Lake Bonney, and the Onyx River are all water features. There is no net water gain. The lack of rain in this area is attributed to Katabatic winds, which are winds from the mountains that are so heavy with moisture that gravity pushes them down and away from the valleys.

One feature of note is Lake Bonney, a saline lake situated in the Dry Valleys. It is always covered in 3 to 5 meters of ice. Scientists have discovered mummified seal corpses all across the lake. Lake Vanda, which is located in the area, is three times saltier than the ocean. Temperatures at the lake’s bottom may reach 25 degrees Celsius.

The Atacama Desert in Chile and Peru is the second driest area on the planet in terms of precipitation. Because there are no glaciers bringing water into this location, very little life can thrive. Some weather stations in this location have reported no rain for years, while another has an annual average of one millimeter.

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