What surprises people the most about the Gobi Desert is that it is not all sand. The term desert conjures images of vast rolling dunes—and the Gobi certainly has these—yet this splendidly tranquil ecosystem covering more than half-a-million square miles contains fertile tracts as well. Perhaps more surprising still is that this arid landscape was covered in conifer forests and lush with lakes and streams about 80 million years ago. Read more “Geology of the Gobi Desert”