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The Sahara Desert, now the largest hot desert in the world, was once a lush green landscape teeming with lakes, grasslands, and wildlife. Approximately 6,000 to 9,000 years ago, during the African Humid Period, monsoon rains transformed the region into a thriving ecosystem. Ancient lakebeds, cave paintings of hippos, giraffes, and even human settlements still found in the desert today are striking evidence of this greener past.This dramatic shift wasn’t gradual—it was driven by changes in Earth’s orbit and tilt, which altered regional climate patterns. As those patterns shifted, rainfall declined, and over centuries, the Sahara transitioned from grassland to desert.It’s a powerful reminder that Earth’s surface is far more dynamic than we often realize. Source: Bjorn Cary, "Sahara Desert Was Once Lush and Populated", Live Science