KAUST Research Uncovers Ancient Lakes and Meadows Beneath Rub' al-Khali

General News

2025-04-09

Jeddah, SPA: A recent scientific study conducted by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has revealed that the Rub' al-Khali, or Empty Quarter—the world's largest contiguous sand desert—was once a thriving landscape of freshwater lakes, rivers, grasslands, and green meadows. Far from being the barren expanse it is today, the region supported rich ecosystems that enabled human expansion across the Arabian Peninsula.The study attributes this transformation to a humid climatic phase known as "Green Arabia" period, which spanned from approximately 11,000 to 5,500 years ago, during the late Quaternary period. This era of ecological abundance was driven by intensified monsoon rains originating from Africa and India, triggered by orbital shifts. These conditions fostered the growth of plant and animal life across what is now an arid desert.Led by Professor Abdulkader Al-Afifi of KAUST's Energy Resources and Petroleum Engineering program, the research was conducted in collaboration with several international universities and institutions. The team discovered a vast ancient lake in the heart of the Empty Quarter, estimated to have covered around 1,100 square kilometers and reached a depth of 42 meters. Evidence suggests that increased rainfall during this period caused the lake to overflow, carving out a 150-kilometer-long valley through the desert.The findings are based on detailed geological and topographical analyses covering more than 1,000 kilometers, enabling researchers to reconstruct a vivid portrait of a once water-rich landscape that shaped early human settlement and migration.