The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is the driest place on Earth, sustained by aqueducts and ingenuity. Astronomers benefit from crystal clear skies, while farmers use drip irrigation to grow crops. The area’s frequent fog nurtures plant communities called lomas, but in the harshest areas, nothing grows. Chile’s main export used to be nitrate from […]
The driest place on Earth is Antarctica’s polar plateau, with the McMurdo Dry Valleys being the driest known place. The Atacama Desert in Chile is also extremely dry, with some areas receiving no rainfall for centuries and the high coastal ridge being the driest place of all. Both areas have been compared to Mars. The […]
