Could flooding the Sahara be a feasible solution to climate change?

It may sound far-fetched, but creating a sea in place of the Sahara Desert has been a topic of discussion for centuries. Inspired by a massive flood that created the Mediterranean Sea as we know it, could we see a Sahara Sea project come to life in the future?

In recent weeks, the idea of flooding the Sahara desert to combat climate change has resurfaced in the scientific community. Yes, seriously.

Similar plans to flood the El Djouf basin in West Africa were first proposed by Scottish engineer Donald McKenzie in 1877, long before the world began rapidly warming.

McKenzie’s motivations for creating a water channel in this location were said to be rooted in boosting economic, social, and military advantages in Africa.

As we teeter along the tipping point of a global climate emergency, it’s becoming clear that even the most radical ideas aren’t completely off the table — so as long as they offer some kind of potential ecological salvation.

A few notable concepts we’ve covered require reflecting sunlight into space, turning to moon dust, and painting every…