The driest desert on the planet is blooming.

The Atacama Desert is known as Disierto Florida (the desert of flowers) because every few years it is covered in flowers when the right amount of rain and temperature awaken the dormant desert seeds.

Desert flowers typically bloom in the spring, but this year's unusually heavy rainfall has caused them to bloom early. Photo: Reuters

This usually happens in the spring. However, the current bloom is unusually early – in the middle of winter in the Southern Hemisphere – thanks to rainfall brought by El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that affects global weather.

The flowering phenomenon often coincides with El Niño, when warmer temperatures in the region lead to increased evaporation, resulting in higher rainfall.

According to a 2022 analysis by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, there have been approximately 15 instances of the Atacama Desert blooming profusely over the past 40 years.

Deserts bloom every few years when rainfall and temperatures are just right to awaken dormant seeds. Photo: Reuters

Cesar Pizarro, head of biodiversity conservation at the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), a Chilean government- run organization, said the current bloom is not yet widespread enough to be officially considered part of a "flower desert."

However, he added that more rain is expected, meaning the flowers could spread over a larger area.

In 2022, the Chilean government announced the establishment of a new national park in the Atacama Desert to protect these rare flowers along with the wildlife that lives alongside them, including reptiles, birds, and insects.

Ngoc Anh (according to CNN, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/sa-mac-kho-can-nhat-hanh-tinh-dang-no-hoa-post302896.html