How a 4,000-Mile Tear in the Earth Created Us

[00:00:00]A single natural disaster is the reason why you're here today, and that is the Great Rift Valley. Millions of years ago, earthquakes ripped East Africa apart. The ground sank and the mountain ridges rose up. This created a giant wall that blocked rain clouds coming off from the ocean. These new peaks intercepted the wet monsoon winds, starving the land behind them of moisture. This brutal rain shadow effect choked out the lush paradise jungles, turning it into a dry, sun-baked savanna traps. Those mountains literally suffocated the forests, leaving our ancestors with only one choice: adapt to the desert or go extinct. So, how did our ancestors adapt to this new environment? To find out, stay tuned.