A view of the Rub al-Khali quarter of the desert in Saudi Arabia in 2007.
| Photo Credit: Javierblas (CC BY-SA)
Even in a desert, early humans sought more than water
More than water alone guided humans in the ancient Arabian Peninsula. Scientists earlier believed human populations expanded across ‘Green Arabia’ wherever lakes formed. But after surveying a 1,500-km stretch in the Rub’ al Khali desert, researchers found evidence of 55 extinct lakes but no stone tools or signs of life. Since early humans relied on stone tools for survival, the team concluded human migration was guided by the availability of both water and toolmaking stones.
Published – November 02, 2026 07:00 am IST
