Scientists have recorded patches of delicate white and purple flowers in the world’s driest desert. The plants sprouted thanks to rare rains and rising temperatures that stirred dormant seeds and bulbs. The Atacama Desert is so dry that NASA scientists are using it to simulate conditions on other planets.

It’s midwinter in the southern hemisphere. Every few years, flowers from native species like Nolan’s Bell appear in the desert. Usually, this happens in late spring, but this year, the blooms are much earlier. Scientists attribute the early bloom to El Niño, a climate phenomenon that brings early rains to the Pacific region, causing drought-resistant seeds to germinate and bloom earlier than usual.

Chilean biologist Cesar Pizarro said that although there are currently few blooming areas in the desert, he and his colleagues consider this the official start of spring blooms in the Atacama. The last time such early blooming was observed was in 2015. Scientists suggest that could change if rainfall increases. This year’s forecast suggests that rainfall could increase, leading to more blooms.

Not only has El Niño helped the desert bloom by raising temperatures and causing rain, it has also made parts of the world from California to Europe extremely hot. El Niño, which began about a year ago, officially ended last month, but the heat, made worse by climate change, is still there. Source