There was a time when the Sahara Desert was a lush, green savanna with plenty of vegetation. But that changed around 5,000 years ago when the climate became drier, and temperatures began to rise. Today, vast stretches of sand dunes dominate the landscape – making it one of the harshest environments on earth. Gone are the days when lush grasslands and wild animals could be found in abundance. But the sparsely populated desert still holds secrets and treasures, from the world's oldest cave art to centuries-old monuments. So while it may be a desolate place now, there are new discoveries researchers make every day that tell us more about the past. It's a harsh, unforgiving environment – but there is still much to learn from this amazing desert. Join us as we talk about one of the craziest discoveries ever made in the Sahara desert, and how it might just change everything.

But before we do that, let’s take a closer look at the course of events that led up to the eventual discovery that scared scientists.