
Access to this video is a benefit for members through
Back to Show
The Desert Speaks
Medieval Drought In The Southwest
Season 16
Episode 1611
Between roughly 900 and 1260 AD there was a massive drought that severely impacted the plants, animals and people of the Southwest. David Yetman observes how scientists use tree rings to gather evidence from thousands of years ago. Examine the ruins of some of the people most affected by the drought, the Anasazi Indians. Trek through a “ghost forest” for a first-hand look at “yoda” trees.
Support Provided By

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Travel around Chihuahua, Mexico with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Jesus Garcia

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
This episode examines the life of the hummingbird.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Travel to the agrarian community of Loma Alta, Ecuador.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:21
Journey from Chiclayo upwards to the town of Cajamarca.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Ecologist Jim Cornett joins David Yetman for a look around Coachella Valley.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Travel through Michoacán to explore its coast, diverse habitats and local traditions.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Travel to a festival dedicated to cactus fruit in an area southwest of Guadalajara.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Travel to Jalisco, Mexico to explore how agave is gronwn, harvest and tequila is made

26:20
Discover a relatively unexplored area of northwestern Arizona.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
Visit one of the few inhabited islands in the Galapagos.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:19
Explore how scientists study the adaptability of desert plants to droughts.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:20
The Desert Speaks crew heads out to discover the secrets of Peru's Cloud Forest.