Washington (eCanadaNow) - A new study has shown that the Sahara desert went from green to sand over a gradual period of time, which goes against a previous study.

A previous study stated that the Sahara region shifted from green to desert at a very rapid pace.

New research has shown that this did not happen.  According to the new study, the Sahara was filled with green trees, lakes, and more aorund 6,000 years ago.

Things began to change gradually though according to research attained by scientists from the U.S., Europe, and Canada.

To find out this information they studied layers of sediment in one of the largest Sahara lakes, lake Yoa.

They found the desert moved very slowly and gradually away from green, refuting the 2000 study.