Researchers Uncover Age of the World's Largest Sand Dunes

In a landmark discovery, researchers have finally determined the approximate age of the largest sand dunes in the world.

According to reports from the BBC, these massive dunes, known as 'Star dunes' or 'pyramid dunes,' have been named for their distinct shapes and towering heights reaching hundreds of meters.

These desert formations can be found in sand seas across Africa, Arabia, China, and North America, and they are even present on Mars and Saturn.

Professor Geoff Duller of the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth described these dunes as "extraordinary natural wonders," resembling pyramids from the ground and stars from above with their peak and radiating arms.

What is the estimated age of the Moroccan star dune?

For the first time, researchers have determined the estimated age of a specific star dune named Lala Lallia in Morocco.

Using a technique called luminescence, the researchers were able to calculate when the sand grains making up the dune were last exposed to daylight.

Travelling to the southeast of Morocco, the team studied the 100-meter-high, 700-meter-wide Lala Lallia dune, discovering that its base was approximately 13,000 years old, while the upper portion formed within the last 1,000 years.

The dune grew by 6,400 metric tonnes annually over 900 years with a period of stasis lasting for about 8,000 years before rapid expansion in recent millennia.

This recent study supports the hypothesis that changes in wind direction accompanied the formation of the star dune.

Charlie Bristow, a study co-author from Birkbeck University, explained that star dunes form in areas with complex wind patterns and sand accumulation, creating breathtaking landscapes that resemble mobile mountains of sand when viewed up close.