What is the driest place in the world

Image - S 

We live on a planet where there is everything: regions where it rains so much to the point that floods are one of the main problems, others where it rains moderately, and others where it does not fall more than a few centimeters ... and not all the years. This variety of places and climates make Earth an incredible home.

But Have you ever wondered where it rains less? If so, don't miss this article. Let's find out which is the driest place in the world.

The driest place is María Elena Sur (MONTH). Located in the Yungay region, in the Atacama desert (in Chile), the MES is the driest point on planet Earth. With a mean atmospheric relative humidity (RH) of 17,3% and a RH in the soil with a constant 14% at a depth of one meter, we might think that life cannot subsist here ... but we would be wrong.

The characteristics of this enclave are analogous to those of our neighboring planet, Mars, but scientists have found bacteria that live in these extreme conditions, according to data published in the journal Environmental Microbiology Reports.

Image - Armado Azúa-Bustos

These microorganisms found through molecular biology techniques can help us understand the relationship between life and water. Not only do they survive in the driest region of the world, but they also have a high tolerance to ultraviolet radiation.

If there is life in MONTH, could there be life on Mars? Well, it is a possibility. Chilean scientist Armado Azúa-Bustos said that "if there is an analogous environment on Earth in which we have detected viable microorganisms, the conditions of water availability seem not to be limiting for life on Mars", which is amazing, isn't it? you think?

Understanding the molecular bases of high tolerance to drought could help us develop more resistant plants, so who knows, maybe we could have fruit trees or garden plants that do not need as much water.


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