Deserts

Deserts

2004, Nature  -   27 Comments
6.87
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Ratings: 6.87/10 from 68 users.

A desert is a sandy or pebbly territory that lacks or has little vegetation because of an almost total absence of rain. It is also an unpopulated and undeveloped area. The word 'desert' is very present in the semantic range. It alludes to the most arid ecosystems on the planet but it also evokes historical, literary, philosophical and religious concepts.

The concept of a desert is intimately tied to mankind's destiny. It was the desertification process that converted dense tropical rain forests into African savannas, which in turn favored the first hominids to walk the land and the eventual appearance of the 'Homo' genus in primeval Africa.

It can be said that human beings are to a certain degree a consequence of both a primary desertification process and of the climate change that took place many hundreds of millions of years ago. Since the beginning man has learned to live in the desert and this is no coincidence. After the oceans deserts constitute the largest ecosystem on the planet - more than 50 million square kilometers of land constituting almost a third of the above water landmass, distributed among all continents alike.

The first civilizations arose along river oases in deserts. The Fertile Crescent that extended throughout Mesopotamia and Egypt saw the birth of the first stable communities based on agriculture and on animal domestication, destined to form pastoral societies. Thanks to the accumulation of man-made wealth, writing, government structures and organized religions flourished there... in other words, the pillars of contemporary society.

The three great monotheistic religions are linked to the desert and they refer to it when they speak of purification and retreat. Hermitism was born there as a way to encounter ones own interior and give oneself to God. Revealed truth and theophanies became manifest in those places. There is where Yahveh revealed the Mosaic Law, where Christ revealed the New Law, and it was there where Muhammad had his own revelation.

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Banjamin
Banjamin
4 years ago

Hi I am in 3 grade and we are studying the desert and I can’t wait to tell my class about the desert

Al Pigeau
Al Pigeau
5 years ago

The music is horrible, I had to turn it off.

Ike Kaiser
Ike Kaiser
6 years ago

Deserts are such intensely interesting places. Why couldn't this guy stick to the subject instead of yapping at supersonic speed about all sorts of side issues? Very disappointing! 3 in 10.

William Hoffmaster
William Hoffmaster
8 years ago

Try using human words so normal people can understand what your saying.

hum01
hum01
8 years ago

with how great indigenous tribes are how terrible civilization is... spare me all this lecture..

hum01
hum01
8 years ago

oh this is all about the bad stuff we do again. always a lecture how about just talk about deserts.

Nothing_Is_Real
Nothing_Is_Real
10 years ago

Way to much religious crap.

Nothing_Is_Real
Nothing_Is_Real
10 years ago

Already with the religious garbage, will try to watch a little longer. lol

dewfall
dewfall
10 years ago

So busy clinging to the galloping narration I for got to actually listen. I think i liked it though ;)

Fabien L'Amour
Fabien L'Amour
10 years ago

Some nice images with ok music, commentary is so so and in my opinion there is way too much of it. They also show tsunami images while talking about climate change which are totally unrelated. Gave it a 6.

John Defalque
John Defalque
10 years ago

This commie doesn't associate religion with advanced civilization.We all have a conscience and ethics trump religion.