It hasn't happened for 10 years: the world's driest desert has woken up... in the snow
Steph Deschamps / June 27, 2025
In a statement, however, the observatory pointed out that snowfalls are a regular occurrence “on the Chajnantor plain”, higher up, at an altitude of over 5,000 meters and some twenty kilometers from the site affected by the snowfall, where it also has facilities.
Snowfalls like this are infrequent, but it's still early to say they're an effect of climate change, says climatologist Raul Cordero. However, “climate models suggest that this type of event, i.e. precipitation in the Atacama Desert, should increase over time”, he added.
Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest and most arid on the planet, is home to telescopes from over thirty countries, including some of the world's most advanced astronomical instruments, such as the ALMA observatory, the most powerful radio telescope on the planet.
Related Posts
End of an Era: Apple Turns to Hardware Veteran John Ternus to Succeed Tim Cook in the AI Age
Sylvie Claire / April 20, 2026
In a landmark announcement that answers long-simmering questions about succession, App...
Read More
Amazon Strikes $11.57 Billion Deal to Buy Globalstar, Escalating the Space Internet War Against Starlink
Steph Deschamps / April 15, 2026
In a blockbuster maneuver that fundamentally redraws the landscape of global space ...
Read More
The Digital Kitchen’s New Workforce: Can AI Save the Restaurant Industry From Itself?
Sylvie Claire / April 9, 2026
For years, the modern restaurant manager’s most formidable opponent hasn't been a deman...
Read More