KAZAKHSTAN & UZBEKISTAN: The Lost Sea

The Aral Sea was once the 4th largest lake in the world, which has been greatly diminished by the taking of water from its rivers for irrigation beyond the point of sustainability. This week join Dom & Lotta to hear this incredible story set in the western expanses of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The drying of the Aral Sea came with its own sea of consequences and loss that comes with increasing salinity, receding shorelines, and toxic dust storms. It’s not just about loss however, it’s a story of Mongols, secret soviet bases for developing biological weapons, insane irrigation projects in the desert, and the incredible resilience of nature. Lotta’s book recommendation: The Dead Wander in the Desert by Rollan SeisenbayevAcademic paper for ‘Lessons from the Aral Sea’The Future Aral: Hope and Despair by Philip Micklin