Lake Malawi is an African rift lake, formed as the earth's crust is slowly spreading apart. This lake is one of the deepest in the world and one of the lead geologists, Dr. Andy Cohen of the University of Arizona (go Cats!) says that the lake "acts like a rain gauge" and through their drilling expedition they have determined that the lake at one time dropped nearly 2,000 ft between 135,000 and 90,000 years ago. This drought in what is now a lush tropical part of Africa may explain why Man's early ancestors migrated from that continent. More after the break.

According to an article in the online version of National Driller Magazine, the lake is currently 1,942 ft deep, and drilling equipment normally used by ocean-going vessels was needed. But it was no small feat to get the equipment to the center of the African Continent. They managed to get the equipment there and loaded onto a barge. Once the rods were lowered to the lake bed below, they cored another 1,247 ft.

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