Imagine a desert so dry that NASA tests Mars rovers there – now picture it exploding with white and purple flowers! 🌼 Chile’s Atacama Desert, often called Earth’s driest non-polar desert, is experiencing an unusually early bloom this year after heavy winter rains drenched its parched soil.
🌧️ Normally receiving just 15mm of rain annually, the desert’s hidden seeds and bulbs – evolved to survive decades underground – have awakened months ahead of their typical spring schedule. Scientists say this rare event, locally called \“desierto florido\” (flowering desert), usually happens every 5-7 years but has now occurred for the second time since 2022.
🧪 Why does this matter? The bloom acts like a natural climate tracker. While residents and tourists marvel at the pastel-colored landscape, researchers are studying whether shifting weather patterns linked to Pacific Ocean currents or broader climate trends caused the surprise showers.
