A California lake that vanished 130 years ago has suddenly reappeared. Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley was once one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the United States. However, the greed for more farmland led colonists to drain its waters, effectively killing the lake. But in 2023, this lake made a reappearance. Researchers stated in a press release that Tulare was more than 160 kilometres long and 50 kilometres wide in the 19th century. Vivian Underhill of Northeastern University said, it was 'the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi River”. But with the landscape of the San Joaquin Valley being largely arid in the 21st century, it is almost impossible to believe that such a water body once existed in the region. But this lake once carried “agricultural supplies from the Bakersfield area up to Fresno and then up to San Francisco”, a total distance of nearly 500 kilometres.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/china-is-building-an-even-bigger-dam-than-the-one-that-slowed-earth-s-rotation-1776092251258">China is building an even bigger dam than the one that slowed Earth's rotation</a>&nbsp;The researchers said that these “ancestral lakes” and connecting waterways vanished because of man-made irrigation. The Tulare Lake was once called “Pa’ashi” by the indigenous Tachi Yokut tribe, and its water came from the snowmelt out of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Fresno does not receive much rainfall, yet in the 1800s, “Fresno was a lakeside town,” Underhill said. Based on the findings, she says that the lake started disappearing in the late 1850s and early 1860s. This was because of “the state of California’s desire to take [historically indigenous] land and put it into private ownership.” Whoever could drain the land would be granted ownership of that area, and this became a major incentive, she said.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/major-north-american-river-was-missing-for-5mn-years-scientists-just-solved-the-mystery-of-its-disappearance-1776931428267">Major North American river was missing for 5mn years. Scientists just solved the mystery of its disappearance</a><h2>California lake returns</h2>The lake fully disappeared by 1890, only to make a comeback in 2023. This happened because of "snow in the winter and then rain in the spring,” Underhill explained. This rain and snow event meant that the snow melted really fast, and the water moved to the depression that was once the Tulare Lake. This led to "birds of all kinds — pelicans, hawks, waterbirds” making a comeback as well. Underhill said that the Tachi have also seen "burrowing owls nesting around the shore," a species classified as vulnerable or imperilled by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The rainfall and flooding also brought with them fish and amphibians. Meanwhile, for the Tachi, the return of the lake has been an "incredibly powerful and spiritual experience."&nbsp;The lake is now already shrinking and covers merely 2,625 acres right now. Efforts have started to drain it once again, and experts say its disappearance is imminent.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley of California vanished because of human greed in the 1890s. But it reappeared decades later, at least three more times. It is here once again, but is expected to die a slow death. 

A California lake that vanished 130 years ago has suddenly reappeared. Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley was once one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the United States. However, the greed for more farmland led colonists to drain its waters, effectively killing the lake. But in 2023, this lake made a reappearance. Researchers stated in a press release that Tulare was more than 160 kilometres long and 50 kilometres wide in the 19th century. Vivian Underhill of Northeastern University said, it was 'the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi River”. But with the landscape of the San Joaquin Valley being largely arid in the 21st century, it is almost impossible to believe that such a water body once existed in the region. But this lake once carried “agricultural supplies from the Bakersfield area up to Fresno and then up to San Francisco”, a total distance of nearly 500 kilometres. Also Read: China is building an even bigger dam than the one that slowed Earth's rotation The researchers said that these “ancestral lakes” and connecting waterways vanished because of man-made irrigation. The Tulare Lake was once called “Pa’ashi” by the indigenous Tachi Yokut tribe, and its water came from the snowmelt out of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Fresno does not receive much rainfall, yet in the 1800s, “Fresno was a lakeside town,” Underhill said. Based on the findings, she says that the lake started disappearing in the late 1850s and early 1860s. This was because of “the state of California’s desire to take [historically indigenous] land and put it into private ownership.” Whoever could drain the land would be granted ownership of that area, and this became a major incentive, she said. Also Read: Major North American river was missing for 5mn years. Scientists just solved the mystery of its disappearance California lake returns The lake fully disappeared by 1890, only to make a comeback in 2023. This happened because of "snow in the winter and then rain in the spring,” Underhill explained. This rain and snow event meant that the snow melted really fast, and the water moved to the depression that was once the Tulare Lake. This led to "birds of all kinds — pelicans, hawks, waterbirds” making a comeback as well. Underhill said that the Tachi have also seen "burrowing owls nesting around the shore," a species classified as vulnerable or imperilled by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The rainfall and flooding also brought with them fish and amphibians. Meanwhile, for the Tachi, the return of the lake has been an "incredibly powerful and spiritual experience." The lake is now already shrinking and covers merely 2,625 acres right now. Efforts have started to drain it once again, and experts say its disappearance is imminent.

The Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley of California vanished because of human greed in the 1890s. But it reappeared decades later, at least three more times. It is here once again, but is expected to die a slow death.&nbsp;

A California lake vanished in the 19th century and reappeared 130 years later

China has turned a vast area of arid desert into a forest, and after decades of effort, it is today a huge carbon sink, according to new research. The Taklamakan Desert spans 337,000 square kilometres and is surrounded by high mountains that do not let moist air reach the area. This makes the condition unfavourable for any kind of vegetation. Yet, China started a project nearly 48 years ago to slow desertification. The Three-North Shelterbelt Program yielded results, and this desert now absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits. Billions of trees were planted around the Taklamakan's edges as part of the ecological project. Study co-author Yuk Yung, a professor of planetary science at Caltech, told Live Science, this is the first time they have seen that 'human-led intervention can effectively enhance carbon sequestration in even the most extreme arid landscapes." This achievement shows that it is possible to turn a desert into a carbon sink.<h2>“Great Green Wall” project and its success</h2>The Taklamakan Desert has long been considered a &nbsp;"biological void" because over 95 per cent of it is covered in shifting sand. China started facing a problem in the 1950s when the country witnessed massive urbanisation. Natural land was converted to suit the changes, which led the desert to expand. This created conditions for more sandstorms, which blow away soil and deposit sand instead. The Three-North Shelterbelt Program, also known as the "Great Green Wall," was kick-started in 1978. It targeted planting billions of trees around the margins of the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts by 2050. By 2024, it had sown more than 66 billion trees in northern China. Researchers say the vegetation has stabilised sand dunes and grown forest cover in the country. In 1949, this cover stood at 10 per cent of its area, and today it is at more than 25 per cent.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/turkey-north-anatolian-fault-marmara-sea-mega-earthquake-1770805526312">'Invisible' fault line silent for centuries could trigger the next mega earthquake in THIS region</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;Recent research indicates that the Taklamakan Desert is acting as an unexpected carbon "sink," with the green cover absorbing more CO2 than the desert releases. By analysing 25 years of ground observations, satellite data, and NOAA’s Carbon Tracker models, scientists have mapped a significant shift in the region's carbon cycle. They published their results on January 19 in the journal PNAS. "Based on the results of this study, the Taklamakan Desert, although only around its rim, represents the first successful model demonstrating the possibility of transforming a desert into a carbon sink," Yung said.&nbsp;Scientists think the Great Green project can be a valuable model for other deser regions in the world. In comparison to the Taklamakan Desert, which spans 337,000 square kilometres, the Thar Desert in India is 264,091 square kilometres. Could trees turn Thar into a carbon sink?

The Taklamakan Desert in China is today surrounded by billions of trees, and it has transformed into a valuable region on Earth which is soaking more carbon dioxide than it is releasing. China began this initiative 48 years ago and has finally tasted success.

China has turned a vast area of arid desert into a forest, and after decades of effort, it is today a huge carbon sink, according to new research. The Taklamakan Desert spans 337,000 square kilometres and is surrounded by high mountains that do not let moist air reach the area. This makes the condition unfavourable for any kind of vegetation. Yet, China started a project nearly 48 years ago to slow desertification. The Three-North Shelterbelt Program yielded results, and this desert now absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits. Billions of trees were planted around the Taklamakan's edges as part of the ecological project. Study co-author Yuk Yung, a professor of planetary science at Caltech, told Live Science, this is the first time they have seen that 'human-led intervention can effectively enhance carbon sequestration in even the most extreme arid landscapes." This achievement shows that it is possible to turn a desert into a carbon sink. “Great Green Wall” project and its success The Taklamakan Desert has long been considered a "biological void" because over 95 per cent of it is covered in shifting sand. China started facing a problem in the 1950s when the country witnessed massive urbanisation. Natural land was converted to suit the changes, which led the desert to expand. This created conditions for more sandstorms, which blow away soil and deposit sand instead. The Three-North Shelterbelt Program, also known as the "Great Green Wall," was kick-started in 1978. It targeted planting billions of trees around the margins of the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts by 2050. By 2024, it had sown more than 66 billion trees in northern China. Researchers say the vegetation has stabilised sand dunes and grown forest cover in the country. In 1949, this cover stood at 10 per cent of its area, and today it is at more than 25 per cent. Also Read: 'Invisible' fault line silent for centuries could trigger the next mega earthquake in THIS region Recent research indicates that the Taklamakan Desert is acting as an unexpected carbon "sink," with the green cover absorbing more CO2 than the desert releases. By analysing 25 years of ground observations, satellite data, and NOAA’s Carbon Tracker models, scientists have mapped a significant shift in the region's carbon cycle. They published their results on January 19 in the journal PNAS. "Based on the results of this study, the Taklamakan Desert, although only around its rim, represents the first successful model demonstrating the possibility of transforming a desert into a carbon sink," Yung said. Scientists think the Great Green project can be a valuable model for other deser regions in the world. In comparison to the Taklamakan Desert, which spans 337,000 square kilometres, the Thar Desert in India is 264,091 square kilometres. Could trees turn Thar into a carbon sink?

The Taklamakan Desert in China is today surrounded by billions of trees, and it has transformed into a valuable region on Earth which is soaking more carbon dioxide than it is releasing. China began this initiative 48 years ago and has finally tasted success.

66bn trees in 48 years: China turns desert larger than Thar into a carbon sink

The world's longest underwater cave system dwells under Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Known as the Ox Bel Ha, Mayan for "Three Paths of Water", it consists of grand chambers and twisting tunnels, forming a water web. Scientists have now found that it extends for a much longer distance than previously believed. There are giant sink holes and huge crystal chambers known as ice palaces in this tunnel network, besides 38 unique species of cave–dwelling animals. The research group, El Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Quintana Roo, has been exploring this cave. Since 2018, 175 kilometres of unexplored cave have been scanned. However, the team believes it extends even more expects to find 600 kilometres more of unexplored regions in the cave.&nbsp;The cave is submerged in a mixture of salt and freshwater. It is a complex web of tunnels and chambers, and scientists think this is because of the way it was formed. Ox Bel Ha came to be millions of years ago when rainwater and dissolved carbon dioxide filtered through a thick layer of limestone on the Yucatan Peninsula. It then reacted with the limestone, forming vast channels and tunnels. They were submerged around 18,000 years ago when climate change led to ocean levels rising and flooding the caves. This is exactly how the caves have continued to dwell since then.&nbsp;The first time someone entered this cave system was in 1996 when an entrance inside one of the area's natural sink holes, known as cenotes, was found. This cave system has a layer of fresh water flowing faster and sitting on top of a nearly static saltwater layer. It forms what is known as a "halocline", a layer where salt and fresh water mix. This has made exploring the cave system tricky. Besides, underwater explorers also need to manage their limited oxygen supply. The cave system has narrow passages, and they need to not only manage their limited oxygen supply, but also carry the equipment through them, making it tough. The team's quest to uncover further areas of this tunnel network might take a lot of time, considering the forces.&nbsp;

The Ox Bel Ha cave system under Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is a complex network of chambers and tunnels filled with ice palaces and sinkholes. Researchers say there is a larger unexplored area yet to be discovered.

The world's longest underwater cave system dwells under Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Known as the Ox Bel Ha, Mayan for "Three Paths of Water", it consists of grand chambers and twisting tunnels, forming a water web. Scientists have now found that it extends for a much longer distance than previously believed. There are giant sink holes and huge crystal chambers known as ice palaces in this tunnel network, besides 38 unique species of cave–dwelling animals. The research group, El Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Quintana Roo, has been exploring this cave. Since 2018, 175 kilometres of unexplored cave have been scanned. However, the team believes it extends even more expects to find 600 kilometres more of unexplored regions in the cave. The cave is submerged in a mixture of salt and freshwater. It is a complex web of tunnels and chambers, and scientists think this is because of the way it was formed. Ox Bel Ha came to be millions of years ago when rainwater and dissolved carbon dioxide filtered through a thick layer of limestone on the Yucatan Peninsula. It then reacted with the limestone, forming vast channels and tunnels. They were submerged around 18,000 years ago when climate change led to ocean levels rising and flooding the caves. This is exactly how the caves have continued to dwell since then. The first time someone entered this cave system was in 1996 when an entrance inside one of the area's natural sink holes, known as cenotes, was found. This cave system has a layer of fresh water flowing faster and sitting on top of a nearly static saltwater layer. It forms what is known as a "halocline", a layer where salt and fresh water mix. This has made exploring the cave system tricky. Besides, underwater explorers also need to manage their limited oxygen supply. The cave system has narrow passages, and they need to not only manage their limited oxygen supply, but also carry the equipment through them, making it tough. The team's quest to uncover further areas of this tunnel network might take a lot of time, considering the forces.

The Ox Bel Ha cave system under Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is a complex network of chambers and tunnels filled with ice palaces and sinkholes. Researchers say there is a larger unexplored area yet to be discovered.

Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is hiding world's longest underwater cave filled with ice palaces and sinkholes

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A California lake vanished in the 19th century and reappeared 130 years later

66bn trees in 48 years: China turns desert larger than Thar into a carbon sink

Mexico’s secret underwater cave with ice palaces might extend over 700km