Mud flat (IMAGE) Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology Caption Today a saline mudflat, the Chew Bahir Basin in southern Ethiopia once held an extensive paleo-lake during humid phases. Scientific deep drilling from the current playa surface produced a ~620,000-year long sedimentary record providing insights into the intense shifts of eastern Africa's highly variable hydroclimate. Credit Annett Jungiger, University of Tübingen Usage Restrictions Image use restrictions: Use of images is limited to editorial coverage of scientific topics relating to the activities of the Max Planck Society. Any kind of commercial use (including, in particular, the exploitation of images by means of sale or incorporation in image databases or image catalogues) as well as any promotional use/use for merchandise purposes, disclosure to third parties or granting of related rights to third parties is expressly not permitted. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.