Slide 12 of 43 - Click on image for larger version

SIGNS OF WATER

Essential to all life, the presence or absence of water fundamentally alters the look of a region. Here in the Atacam ,the lack of blue lakes and active rivers with their borders of green vegetation show an area with little active water. In fact, the Atacama Desert is the driest spot on Earth. As we shall learn however, the presence of numerous dry lake beds show that this has not always been the case.

For an excellent multi-grade level lesson on the role of water in life and the water cycle of the planet visit Windows to the Universe:

http://windows.ivv.nasa.gov/   (enter site>our planet>water and life)