Atacama surprise: The world’s driest desert is teeming with hidden life
Science Daily
March 2, 2026
Even in the ultra-dry Atacama Desert, tiny soil-dwelling nematodes are thriving in surprising diversity. Scientists found that biodiversity increases with moisture and altitude shapes which species survive. In the most extreme zones, many nematodes reproduce asexually — a possible survival advantage. The discovery suggests that life in arid regions may be far richer, and more fragile, than once believed.
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Originally published on Science Daily on 3/2/2026