The Sahara Desert was once underwater

 

The idea that the Sahara Desert was once underwater is based on geological and paleontological evidence, which shows that parts of the region were indeed submerged during various periods of Earth's history, long before any biblical or mythical flood stories. The Sahara was once part of a shallow sea during the Cretaceous period (about 145 to 66 million years ago) and other prehistoric times when global sea levels were much higher.

However, regarding the biblical story of the flood, there is no direct scientific evidence to suggest that the flood caused significant changes in global sea levels in the same sense as those observed in ancient geologic times. Most scientists interpret the biblical flood as either a localized event (if historical at all) or a mythological story.

To address your question in terms of scientific evidence:

1. Geological Sea Levels: During the Cretaceous period, when much of North Africa, including the Sahara region, was covered by a shallow sea, sea levels were higher than today—by as much as 200 to 300 meters in some areas. This rise in sea levels was due to high global temperatures, causing polar ice caps to melt and the expansion of seawater.

2. Sahara’s Climate Change: More recently, during the "Green Sahara" period (around 10,000 to 5,000 years ago), the Sahara was a lush and fertile region with lakes, rivers, and abundant plant and animal life, rather than being part of a sea. This transformation was due to changes in Earth's axial tilt and orbit, which brought about periodic climate shifts in the region.

In short, while parts of the Sahara were underwater millions of years ago, there is no evidence of a sea-level change tied to the biblical flood. Rather, the ancient flooding of the Sahara relates to natural geological and climate events, with sea levels rising due to tectonic activity and climate change over millions of years.