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                    <title><![CDATA[ Latest from Live Science in Deserts ]]></title>
                <link>https://www.livescience.com/tag/deserts</link>
        <description><![CDATA[ All the latest deserts content from the Live Science team ]]></description>
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                                <item>
                                                            <title><![CDATA[ How can deserts form next to oceans? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/how-can-deserts-form-next-to-oceans</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Deserts are notoriously dry, so why do so many of them border oceans? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sara Hashemi ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6uFhgvaEcP4LG2z2c4RfPf-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[© Marco Bottigelli via Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The Namib Desert is next to the Atlantic Ocean.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A silver sedan drives on a dark sandy road with a towering desert dune on the left and a blue ocean on the right]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A silver sedan drives on a dark sandy road with a towering desert dune on the left and a blue ocean on the right]]></media:title>
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                                <item>
                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Why is this giant desert turning green? Scientists may finally know the answer. ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/climate-change/why-is-this-giant-desert-turning-green-scientists-may-finally-know-the-answer</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Many deserts face worsening droughts, but India's Thar Desert has become 38% greener in the past 20 years due to increased rainfall and expanding agriculture in the region, according to a new study. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:00:38 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 23:16:48 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Olivia Ferrari ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Rz5dGXRbih47UEjokjkQJA-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Royalty-free via Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A woman and her two children draw water from a well in the Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[a woman with two children drawing water from a well in the desert]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[a woman with two children drawing water from a well in the desert]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Why are deserts dry? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/why-are-deserts-dry</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Deserts are found around the world, including next to oceans. But why are these regions dry? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 23 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:01:06 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Laurel Hamers ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wGn3z97jSGqzHceeqxWnAc-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[StephanKlinkmller / 500px via Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The sun setting on a desert in Qesm Safaga, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A photo of a sunset in the desert. It is a flat sandy lanscape, with several small hills popping up here and there. You can just make out two people who have climbed up a mountain in the distance. The location is Qesm Safaga, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A photo of a sunset in the desert. It is a flat sandy lanscape, with several small hills popping up here and there. You can just make out two people who have climbed up a mountain in the distance. The location is Qesm Safaga, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Scientists solve mystery behind strange honeycomb pattern in salt deserts ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/scientists-solve-mystery-behind-strange-honeycomb-pattern-in-salt-deserts</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Physicists have finally uncovered the mechanism behind the spectacular patchwork of hexagons on salt flats. The answer lies hidden beneath the crust and works like a donut-shaped radiator. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Mar 2023 12:27:09 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:35:19 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Physics &amp; Mathematics]]></category>
                                                                                                <author><![CDATA[ sascha.pare@futurenet.com (Sascha Pare) ]]></author>                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sascha Pare ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c3E8BKofdJiMn3NUicR3ri-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[sara_winter via Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The world&#039;s largest salt desert is Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia, which boasts the spectacular honeycomb pattern found on salt deserts across the world.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The honeycomb pattern in a salt desert landscape.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The honeycomb pattern in a salt desert landscape.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 15 strange desert animals ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/strange-desert-animals</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Deserts are full of oddball animals. Here are 15 of the strangest. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:03:47 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:38:55 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S3ZmuDq7JGhbhvCE64SYEP-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[By Charlotte Roemer - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11191516]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[The desert long-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) is found in North Africa and the Middle East.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The desert long-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) is found in North Africa and the Middle East.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The desert long-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) is found in North Africa and the Middle East.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What's the largest desert in the world? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/largest-desert-on-earth</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The largest hot desert and cold desert in the world are anything but boring and barren. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 31 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:00:06 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Elizabeth Rayne ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oc7sF8KVDNYpioPRg4vAQP-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[copyright Jeff Miller]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Aerial view of US Air Force C-17 flying over mountains and glaciers of Victoria Land, Antarctica.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Aerial view of US Air Force C-17 flying over mountains and glaciers of Victoria Land, Antarctica.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Aerial view of US Air Force C-17 flying over mountains and glaciers of Victoria Land, Antarctica.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Death Valley hits 130 degrees, nearly breaking heat record ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/death-valley-heat-record.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Temperatures over 120 degrees Fahrenheit are part of a "heat dome" scorching the western United States. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 10 Jul 2021 21:14:32 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:20:27 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Weather]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jeanna Bryner ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wpA8pEYbrPQw63UmikBfZb-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Copyright Matt Kazmierski via Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The RaceTrack Playa in Death Valley National Park in California.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The RaceTrack Playa in Death Valley National Park in California.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The RaceTrack Playa in Death Valley National Park in California.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'Heat dome' scorches western US with record-breaking temps ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/heat-wave-death-valley.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Temperatures over 120 degrees Fahrenheit are part of a "heat dome" scorching the western United States. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2021 16:34:39 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:20:06 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Weather]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ntp2A5Ky32NqpRXy3qKSTo-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NPS / Kurt Moses]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The dramatic badlands of Zabriskie Point in Death Valley lit by the late afternoon sun.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The dramatic badlands of Zabriskie Point in Death Valley lit by the late afternoon sun.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The dramatic badlands of Zabriskie Point in Death Valley lit by the late afternoon sun.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Ninja Rat Drop-Kicks Deadly Rattlesnake in Epic Slow-Motion Video ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/65097-kung-fu-kangaroo-rat-kicks-snake.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ In the dark desert outside Yuma, Arizona, a showdown is about to occur. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2019 18:40:26 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:58:50 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Snakes]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Reptiles]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Brandon Specktor ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/o4GabTCHh7CCPAsRzVhnQ-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[San Diego State University and UC Riverside]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A kangaroo rat out-maneuvers a rattlesnake.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A kangaroo rat out-maneuvers a rattlesnake.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A kangaroo rat out-maneuvers a rattlesnake.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Miles-Long Lake Pops Up in Death Valley ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/64968-new-lake-death-valley.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A large lake just formed in the middle of North America's driest area ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:36:29 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 06 Aug 2019 22:27:51 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Yasemin Saplakoglu ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mPNYpdYUax3mEkudvSX8wn-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Elliot McGucken Fine Art]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Following a storm, a miles-long lake formed in California&#039;s Death Valley National Park.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Following a storm, a miles-long lake formed in California&#039;s Death Valley National Park.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Following a storm, a miles-long lake formed in California&#039;s Death Valley National Park.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Barren Desert 'Fairy Circles' Caused by … Rain? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/64856-desert-fairy-circles-rain.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Odd patterns of bare patches called "fairy circles" found in only two places on Earth may be the result of heavy rain and hot weather. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2019 12:45:09 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 06 Aug 2019 22:28:58 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QggQM7tVUQWtg9rNtk3KYj-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Stephan Getzin]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The Australian fairy circles (seen from above) form an additional source of water in this arid region, because the rainwater flows toward the grasses on the edge.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The Australian fairy circles (seen from above) form an additional source of water in this arid region, because the rainwater flows toward the grasses on the edge.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The Australian fairy circles (seen from above) form an additional source of water in this arid region, because the rainwater flows toward the grasses on the edge.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What's So Special About the Atacama Desert? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/64752-atacama-desert.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Northern Chile's dry and desolate Atacama Desert hosts the world's largest array of astronomical observatories. Scientists have called the largely lifeless region Earth's closest analogue of Mars. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2019 18:40:53 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 06 Aug 2019 22:27:47 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jennifer Leman ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2rDwTmgVgidSWnjXdpdjxU-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Shutterstock]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[In Chile&#039;s dry and desolate Atacama Desert, life stands still. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Atacama desert]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Atacama desert]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Will It Really Take Joshua Tree '200 to 300' Years to Recover from the Shutdown? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/64652-joshua-tree-national-park-damaged-for-decades.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The government shutdown lasted just 35 days. The damage that happened during it at Joshua Tree National Park could take decades to heal. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 31 Jan 2019 20:10:22 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 06 Aug 2019 22:30:31 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Brandon Specktor ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9UBABR2zPfTrJif8rvsK5e-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Shutterstock]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Joshua Tree National Park was damaged during the recent government shutdown. Exactly how long will it take to repair that damage? Nobody knows just yet.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[joshua tree]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[joshua tree]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Ancient Skeletons of Woman and Fetus Hint at Childbirth Death 3,700 Years Ago ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/64126-egypt-skeletons-pregnant-woman-fetus.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Archaeologists in Egypt recently unearthed a grim discovery: skeletons of a pregnant woman and her fetus. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 19 Nov 2018 21:41:24 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 06 Aug 2019 22:33:59 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Reproductive Health]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mindy Weisberger ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/StjBcgtyvjU2LZTkBKm6yQ-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Ministry of Antiquities]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A jar and a reddish pot lay in the grave next to the woman&#039;s remains.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Photos: White Sands National Monument ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/63121-photos-white-sands-national-monument.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A pocket within the largest desert in North America is covered in gorgeous white sand dunes, whose genesis began some 100 million years ago. Here's a look at the gorgeous landscape deep in the Central Plateau of Mexico. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Jul 2018 12:05:45 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:33:40 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yjGyH5tmCpTk48hXjALFoU-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NPS]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[White Sands national monument]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[White Sands national monument]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Quitobaquito — Photos of a Desert Oasis ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/61447-quitobaquito-desert-oasis-photos.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ One of North America's most unique desert oases is called Quitobaquito Springs. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:15:30 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:34:25 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Sw5JFgvBFvg9VQmad4VBTd-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NPS]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Quitobaquito, desert oasis]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Quitobaquito, desert oasis]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Quitobaquito, desert oasis]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The Sahara Desert Is Growing. Here's What That Means ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/62168-sahara-desert-expanding.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Since 1920, the Sahara Desert has grown by about 10 percent. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 29 Mar 2018 18:11:57 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:36:34 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mindy Weisberger ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S47rEuqdkhESPa8DGs6DHD-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Shutterstock]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Nearly a century of data shows that the enormous Sahara Desert is growing.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Underground Castles? How Desert Spiders Craft Vertical Tunnels ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/61238-spiders-build-sandcastles-underground.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Scientists have unearthed desert spiders' underground-tunnel-building secrets. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 20 Dec 2017 11:59:22 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:37:02 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Spiders &amp; Other Arachnids]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mindy Weisberger ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4CYtRStzpBQJmKSis6scs8-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Courtesy of Rainer Foelix]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A &lt;i&gt;Cebrennus rechenbergi&lt;/i&gt; emerges from its burrow. It carries a load of dry sand (left) and disperses the sand load close to the burrow entrance (right), where the seemingly compact ball of sand disintegrates into single grains.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Zigzagging Rodents Dodge Death with Unpredictable Moves ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/60342-jerboas-erratic-jumps-evade-predators.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Four legs good, two legs bad? Not if you're a jerboa, a tiny, bipedal, desert rodent. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 07 Sep 2017 19:10:42 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:07:09 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Land Mammals]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mindy Weisberger ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CaTtjSHjdMcrSjrGBQupGd-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Haydee Gutierrez]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Jumping jerboas rely on uniquely fancy footwork to evade predators.  ]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ See the World's Driest Desert Covered in Wildflowers ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/60303-atacama-desert-bursts-into-bloom.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ An unexpected rain has caused the world's driest nonpolar desert to burst into bloom. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 01 Sep 2017 19:00:37 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:07:24 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Plants]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                <author><![CDATA[ lgeggel@livescience.com (Laura Geggel) ]]></author>                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Laura Geggel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rVk7JQGHeZGydjx3tZt8th-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mario Ruiz/EFE/Zuma]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The dazzling blooms in Chile&#039;s Atacama Desert.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Atacama flower]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Photos: Colorful Blooms Sprout Across the World's Driest Desert ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/60289-atacama-desert-flower-bloom-2017.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the world's driest places, is now flush with flowers after an unexpected rain. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 31 Aug 2017 20:58:47 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:52:09 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Plants]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                <author><![CDATA[ lgeggel@livescience.com (Laura Geggel) ]]></author>                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Laura Geggel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B7ynZrfkR5FUef6sKjXDDX-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mario Ruiz/Zuma]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Yellow and black flowers fill the landscape like a lush, floral carpet.  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Research suggests that before the Atacama became an arid desert, it was &lt;a href=&quot;/57217-atacama-desert-once-wet-marshland.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;filled with marshes and lakes&lt;/a&gt;. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[desert blooms atacama desert]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ In Photos: Beautiful Butterflies of the American Deserts ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/58099-butterflies-of-the-american-deserts-photos.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ By mid-February in the three great hot and dry deserts of the American West, wildflowers turn stark desert landscapes into a sea of color. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 25 Mar 2017 14:31:12 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:32:25 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Insects]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eKTwhQt6o8wxcRvAzMwVwZ-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NPS]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The Queen butterfly, &lt;em&gt;Danaus gilippus&lt;/em&gt;, is a year- around resident in the deserts of the American West. It is a relative of the Common Monarch, &lt;em&gt;Danaus plexippus&lt;/em&gt;, but is darker in color. Adult Queen butterflies have a wing span of 2 5/8 - 3 7/8 inches (6.7 - 9.8 cm). The larvae of the Queen feed on the various species of milkweed species that grow throughout the desert. Queen butterflies are found throughout the American deserts and in the southern regions of the United States, south through Mexico, Central and South America to Argentina. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Butterflies of the American Deserts]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Butterflies of the American Deserts]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Stunning Images of a California Superbloom ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/58305-stunning-images-of-a-california-superbloom.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Color is popping up everywhere in the California desert, thanks to a wet winter after years of drought. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 20 Mar 2017 13:27:32 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:52:16 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Plants]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Tia Ghose ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9MB5eEdQgWz3GY5AzM2pZ9-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Sicco Rood]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Yellow flowers show a burst of color against the rocky landscape of Anza Borrego State Park in March 2017. The area is undergoing a superbloom, thanks to a wet 2017 winter season.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[yellow flowers]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Behold the Cactus Wren! Amazing Photos of the Desert-Dwelling Birds ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/57695-cactus-wren-bird-photos.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Across the desert regions of the southwestern United States southward into central Mexico, a feisty little bird called the cactus wren thrives. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2017 15:50:37 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:52:30 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Birds]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Yuh2DryHnoVRB3ZsB2hxpk-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Across the desert regions of the southwestern United States southward into central Mexico, a feisty little bird thrives. The sight and scolding sounds of the cactus wren, &lt;em&gt;Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus&lt;/em&gt;, is a daily occurrence for all who live among them in these large desert regions of North America.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[cactus wren]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Burn Scar from Massive Australian Wildfire Visible from Space ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/56256-australia-burn-scar-visible-from-space.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A burn scar left by a wildfire in Western Australia is so massive, it's visible from space, according to images captured by a NASA satellite. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2016 16:09:13 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:08:04 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Weather]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                <author><![CDATA[ lgeggel@livescience.com (Laura Geggel) ]]></author>                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Laura Geggel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HswK3x368gj2igDtkMDUqc-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA Earth Observatory]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Without regular burning in the Australian outback, a single fire from a lightning strike can leave a giant burn scar, like this one.  ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Australian burn scar]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Australian burn scar]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Photos: Oddball Bees Build Nests Out of Sandstone ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/56072-sandstone-bees-photos.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A new species of bee gets its name from the Pueblo dwellings it sometimes inhabits. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 13 Sep 2016 11:20:36 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:29:13 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Insects]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HAB4gs75KNJ9YAXFBE9CnX-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Michael Orr, Utah State University]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A new species of desert-dwelling bee, Anthophora pueblo, peeks out of its sandstone nest. These bees gnaw holes into the rock, a difficult process that leaves older bees with worn-out mandibles. New research published Sept. 12 in the journal Current Biology, however, suggests that these bees get benefits from building their homes to last.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[sandstone bee nests]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Scorpion Architects Build Lairs with Porches and Mating Rooms ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/55236-scorpions-burrows-revealed-in-3d.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The twists and turns of a scorpion's underground burrows are generally inaccessible to anything that isn't a scorpion — including scientists. That is, until now. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 29 Jun 2016 19:28:31 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:19:25 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Spiders &amp; Other Arachnids]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mindy Weisberger ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jswykv5HD79KMmHSv7n3s3-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[© Stuart Summerfield]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A scorpion, Scorpio palmatus, under ultraviolet light.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
                                                    <media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jswykv5HD79KMmHSv7n3s3-1280-80.jpg" />
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ In Photos: Mysterious, Giant Platform at Petra 'Hidden' in Plain Sight ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/55056-vast-structure-detected-at-petra.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Scientists investigate a massive and long-hidden structure at the ancient city of Petra. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 13 Jun 2016 20:02:18 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:44:56 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Archaeology]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mindy Weisberger ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tposPabDix7cv36msqLXNX-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Photo by I. LaBianca; graphics by J. Blanzy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Detail of monumental plaWorm from UAV composite, with architectural details and measurements shown.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Detail of monumental plaWorm]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Detail of monumental plaWorm]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ In Photos: Beautiful Cactus Flowers Signal Spring Is Here ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/50606-cactus-flowers-spring-blooms.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ When the cacti found in the deserts of North American begin to bloom in late March and April, spring has once again returned to these arid lands. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2015 12:58:06 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:32:01 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Plants]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jy3KLJQmzMKduuhuxaMZ4Q-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[One of the last of the North American Desert cacti to begin to bloom each spring is the majestic, giant sentinel of the Sonoran Desert, the Saguaro cactus, Cereus giganteus.  The beautiful, creamy-white waxy, 3-inch wide flowers with golden-yellow centers make for a spectacular display across the barren, Sonoran Desert landscape.  Saguaros typically bloom in May and June and their fruits ripen in late May through early July providing much needed food and moisture for desert creatures during the time of year when the Sonoran Desert receives little to no rain.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Saguaro cactus bloom, spring]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Saguaro cactus bloom, spring]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Africa's Dry Dusty Winds Seen from Space (Photo) ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/46677-africa-dusty-winds-space-photo.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The berg winds of southern Africa are seen blowing plumes of dust off the Namibian coast in a new astronaut image. These hot, dry winds originate from inland mountains and blow dust toward the sea. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2014 20:24:38 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:08:02 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aQv2bjNJ4BqdUioiwNqsQS-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Dust plumes are seen blowing off the coast of Namibia in an astronaut image taken June 21, 2014.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Dust plumes off Namibia]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Dust plumes off Namibia]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Dreamy Desert View Captured from Space (Photo) ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/46607-sahara-desert-space-photo.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Where the Sahara Desert meets the sea, winds sculpt the arid landscape in a series of parallel lines. Human activity in the form of mining is visible in a new astronaut photograph of the west coast of Africa. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2014 21:18:10 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:08:55 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jwQvDsi75vng5pqfn3HUxG-1280-80.jpeg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[This astronaut photograph of the Saharan coastline was captured on May 20, 2014, by Expedition 40 aboard the International Space Station.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[This astronaut photograph of the Saharan coastline was captured on May 20, 2014, by Expedition 40 aboard the International Space Station.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[This astronaut photograph of the Saharan coastline was captured on May 20, 2014, by Expedition 40 aboard the International Space Station.]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Bright Blue Mining Ponds Stand Out in Space Photo ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/46524-evaporation-ponds-utah-desert-photo.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Bright shocks of blue in the Utah desert are mining evaporation ponds, dyed the brilliant color to promote the absorption of sunlight. The mines produce potash, an ingredient in fertilizer. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2014 17:43:14 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:08:29 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RJqPh3MLYaFvWJwzUBeam-1280-80.jpeg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Bright blue evaporation ponds are part of a potash mine near Moab, Utah. This satellite image was taken on May 13, 2014.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Evaporation Ponds in Utah Desert]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Evaporation Ponds in Utah Desert]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                    <media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RJqPh3MLYaFvWJwzUBeam-1280-80.jpeg" />
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ China's 'Great Wall of Dust' Seen From Space ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/45153-china-great-wall-dust.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A massive east Asian dust storm is caught on satellite imagery on April 23, 2014. Dust storms are common in northern China and southern Mongolia during the late winter and spring, and pollution often affects Beijing and other cities. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2014 21:56:05 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:35:42 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stephanie Pappas ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cBE8kTx2zkDac8tGHUvLpH-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A massive dust storm marches east along the China-Mongolia border on April 23, 2014.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[dust storm in china]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[dust storm in china]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Blooming Desert Photos: Brittlebush Plants Thrive in the Dry Southwest ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/44641-desert-plants-brittlebush-photos.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Brittlebush is a common desert plant in the American Southwest. These medium-sized shrubs add a splash of yellow color to the dry, arid landscapes. ]]>
                                                                                                            </description>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 06 Apr 2014 21:23:14 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:40:17 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Plants]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VJE7gSuQ9KWbkqEsWgX5zS-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Linda &amp; Dr. Dick Buscher.]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The beautiful disk-shaped flowers rise several inches above the mounded cluster of leaves, giving the illusion of a layer of yellow color floating above the gray-green plant. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[desert blooms]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[desert blooms]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Super-Sized Sandbox Reveals How Dunes Grow ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/42506-how-dunes-grow-revealed.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ For the first time, scientists have watched Earth's winds give birth to dunes. Results from the giant Mongolian sandbox confirm long-held models of sand dune formation. ]]>
                                                                                                            </description>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:00:12 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:18:19 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Becky Oskin ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qePQPP5SuwVJgX6KUrv8md-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Clément Narteau]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Growing oblique dunes five years after the landscape was flattened in the Tengger Desert in Inner Mongolia, China. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[sand dunes]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[sand dunes]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Carbon Dioxide Greening Deserts ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/37055-greenhouse-gas-desert-plants-growing.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Desert plants leafing out as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 31 May 2013 20:26:02 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:51:58 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Becky Oskin ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3A7d6TCYHuVE2JcDo3ppkC-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Bruce Doran]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[New research links gradual greening of arid areas like Australia’s Outback to increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Australia Outback]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Australia Outback]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                    <media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3A7d6TCYHuVE2JcDo3ppkC-1280-80.jpg" />
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Stunning scenes: From the Himalayas to the Taklamakan Desert ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/28005-stunning-scenes-from-himalayas-to-asian-desert.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Geologist Aaron Putnam and colleagues led expeditions to Asia's high mountains and driest deserts to study the link between water and climate. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:05:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:41:55 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Tanya Lewis ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sU9grcVAj8YGni2QB3K62W-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[David Putnam]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    </media:content>
                                                    <media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sU9grcVAj8YGni2QB3K62W-1280-80.jpg" />
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Great Desert Garbage Patches ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/25147-great-desert-garbage-patches.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ In the desert, wind-blown plastic bags and balloons outnumber rattlesnakes. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:17:06 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:53:53 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Larry O&#039;Hanlon ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5LcsYH8zbgNwqkYqG9JAim-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Erin Zylstra]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Trash made up of balloons and plastic bags can prove hazardous to desert wildlife.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[garbage, pollution, desert wildlife]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[garbage, pollution, desert wildlife]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                    <media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5LcsYH8zbgNwqkYqG9JAim-1280-80.jpg" />
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Mysterious Grid Patterns in China's Deserts Explained ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/24497-chinese-sand-patterns.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The satellite images reveal traces of geological surveys done to mine the Chinese desert’s rich nickel reserves ]]>
                                                                                                            </description>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:42:31 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:32:19 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Geology]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Tia Ghose ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Hgh6GEwwtB9E6gekgDPdYU-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Amelia Carolina Sparavigna]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[While scouring satellite images for traces of a lost Silk Road kingdom in Western China&#039;s desert, an amateur archaeologist discovered a mysterious grid of dots laid out like a chessboard.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
                                                    <media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Hgh6GEwwtB9E6gekgDPdYU-1280-80.jpg" />
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Google Earth: Photos Reveal Mysterious Sand Dune Shapes ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/24498-mysterious-sand-dune-shapes.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ While looking for traces of a lost Silk Road kingdom in the western Chinese desert, a researcher came upon a mysterious grid of dotss ]]>
                                                                                                            </description>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:38:16 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:57:52 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Human Behavior]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Tia Ghose ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CwsuGncsbyRm3Ja8b5iagR-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Kiwi Mikex | Flickr]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The sand dunes of the Western Chinese Taklamakan desert were once filled with caravans traveling the Silk Road.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What Are the Santa Ana Winds? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/32150-what-are-the-santa-ana-winds.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Dry, hot winds that whip across southern California can fuel wildfires. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:16:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:55:36 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Weather]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Live Science Staff ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sYexR5o4t3KU5etxquHRJC-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NOAA/NASA.]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Santa Ana Winds blow through mountain ranges in southern California at over 28 mph.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[santa ana winds, southern California, desert]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[santa ana winds, southern California, desert]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Did Climate Change Spur Plants to Migrate Uphill? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/22239-plant-shift-climate-debate.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A study that concluded that changes in local climate cause plants to shift uphill is under attack. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 09 Aug 2012 18:54:19 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:22:58 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Plants]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Wynne Parry ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S5GB6jPReewKSZKJrEpPRH-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Anne Kelly]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A view of the landscape where scientists found plants have shifted uphill over 30 years. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A view of the landscape where scientists found plants have shifted uphill over 30 years. ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A view of the landscape where scientists found plants have shifted uphill over 30 years. ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Opposites Attract: Where Desert Meets Water ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/31481-caspian-sea-peninsula-satellite-image.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Desert-covered peninsula lies along the largest inland body of water, the Caspian Sea. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 30 May 2012 16:08:37 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:18:06 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Live Science Staff ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HiKv9XaCVS4dTZcE84b2Yf-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The Dardzha Peninsula of Turkmenistan, which is covered by desert sand dunes and juts into the Caspian Sea.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The Dardzha Peninsula of Turkmenistan, which is covered by desert sand dunes and juts into the Caspian Sea.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The Dardzha Peninsula of Turkmenistan, which is covered by desert sand dunes and juts into the Caspian Sea.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Image Gallery: Earth as Art ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/31203-image-gallery-earth-art.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Our own Blue Marble gives us some of the most amazing, unexpected art. Here you will find a few of its offerings. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:56:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:55:47 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Live Science Staff ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/E4eR9EyNj5TrJSdp5vxLx8-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth&#039;s surface taken on January 4, 2012.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Blue Marble Earth]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Blue Marble Earth]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Earth as Art: Sea of Sand ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/30973-earth-art-sea-sand-idhan-murzuq.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Dry winds shaped complex dunes in this extreme desert. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:03:38 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:57:51 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Rivers &amp; Oceans]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Live Science Staff ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7P7L7PAeDZ8mRqweXbFvyN-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Idhan Murzua is a large sand sea in southwestern Libya.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Idhan Murzuq sand sea Libya]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Idhan Murzuq sand sea Libya]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Afghanistan's Shifting Sand Dunes ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/30359-afghanistans-shifting-sand-dunes.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Crescent shapes formed by the wind. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:45:22 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:51:31 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Live Science Staff ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tKVdFTbwpFnKzdxQsJ8t77-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[registan-dunes-110421-02]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[registan-dunes-110421-02]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[registan-dunes-110421-02]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Ancient Herders' Walls Guided Gazelles to Mass Slaughter ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/13760-gazelle-ritual-slaughter-110418.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The use of these formations could have led to the local extinction of these grazing animals. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:01:50 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:28:32 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Middle East]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Archaeology]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jennifer Welsh ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JyXc6GRZywvhpjAMChALu9-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Stephane Ostrowski]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Gazelles running through the sand. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Gazelles running through the sand. ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Gazelles running through the sand. ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Contrasting Landscapes of the American West ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/30249-american-west-california-satellite-images.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Mountains, lush valleys and deserts are all present. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:49:24 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:51:34 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Live Science Staff ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bT6FiAnaUmzXgXagYS6cR9-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[ESA]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[united-states-west-california-110318-02]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[united-states-west-california-110318-02]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[united-states-west-california-110318-02]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Our Daily Planet: China's National Parks and Disappearing Lakes ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/29972-our-daily-planet-china-national-parks-disappearing-lakes-110106.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Today's Earth news headlines and links. ]]>
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                                                                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:18:16 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:51:50 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Brett Israel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                </item>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Sand Grains in African Desert 1 Million Years Old ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.livescience.com/8889-sand-grains-african-desert-1-million-years.html</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Sands provide look into climate change over millenia. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:22:40 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:33:01 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Planet Earth]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Charles Q. Choi ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8QrD4BviPdSJT67hNkvBFj-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Giles Wiggs]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Sand of Namibia&#039;s Namib Sand Sea is derived from the Orange River in South Africa and takes, on average, one million years to travel the 400km distance across the desert.]]></media:description>                                                    </media:content>
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