[Bernard Marx]

Apart from specific core data there's absolutely nothing in this expensive "study" I didn't already know. I studied geology at the U. of New Mexico long ago and my professors were well aware of periodic long-lasting droughts in the southwest. Of course there was none of this greenhouse gas "global warming" bullcrap those days.

There seems to be an enormous knowledge vacuum that started in the 1960s. This is one of any number of "scientific studies" I've read in the past few years that's just a rehash and technical update of long-established data.

[Cvengr]

Do you mean to say that dry lake beds indicate a lack of rain?

[muawiyah]

They have a dirt core and it apparently validated earlier studies.

Nothing wrong with that.

Let's hope they get their quick and dirty stuff out of the way and then carefully put it away where it's safe.

Future technology will make it possible to check through it to find DNA so we can identify the presence of various species.