Imagine the stereotypical desert oasis: a small island of trees and precious water in the midst of an arid expanse. A glimmer of green amongst the rocks and sand.
Such oases do exist. And today we learned their origin. Aquifers often stretch below deserts, their life-giving water trapped by layers of impermeable rock or clay. But those layers sometimes break -- e.g., in an earthquake -- and water pushes its way to the surface. When that happens, cue the trees -- you've got yourself an oasis -- an oasis of palms growing around springs.
In short, Palm Springs owes both its name and its existence to the San Andreas Fault.
Interesting to know the history of the name Palm Springs. Looks amazing. Keep the stories coming.
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That is very interesting. So now we know one of the true reasons for earthquakes...hahahaha. Thanks for the pics.
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