From The Guardian:
The Great Wall of China , built to withstand raiding hordes from the steppes, is now in peril from a far more insidious threat: sandstorms generated by desertification in the country’s north-west.
The Great Wall of China, built to withstand raiding hordes from the steppes, is now in peril from a far more insidious threat: sandstorms generated by desertification in the country’s north-west. The wall was built over several dynasties and despite its failure to prevent invasions, it has become a national symbol. Each dynasty favoured different construction methods, and a 40-mile section built during the Han dynasty , which used mostly packed earth bricks, is now being swept away. [Full Text]
[Image: A man walks past the remains of the western-most tower of the Great Wall of China, by Greg Baker from AP.]
