EARTH Taklamakan Desert -- 2005 -- The entire Taklamakan Desert is visible in this MODIS image. Covering a large swathe of Central Asia

EARTH Taklamakan Desert -- 2005 -- The entire Taklamakan Desert is visible in this MODIS image. Covering a large swathe of Central Asia, this desert was once an important part of the Silk Road. Mountain ranges visible in this image are the Karakoram, the Kun Lun, the Altai and the Tien Shan. The Tarim River and Lake Balkhash. These days most of the Taklamakan Desert is within Chinese Sinkiang, though with it's buried cities and mysterious past, it is still a lure for many explorers and archaeologists -- Picture by Lightroom Photos / NASA