Lencois Maranhenses National Park

NASA

The Paradox of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

The coastal dune system in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in northeastern Brazil is among the most surreal landscapes on Earth. At first glance, the park looks like a desert, but it is far from it. This place receives about 125 centimeters (50 inches) of rain per year—slightly more than Seattle and double what falls in London.  The result is a paradox: rows…