The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest freshwater lake, is down to just 10% of its peak capacity. NASA released dramatic photos showing its rapid disintegration over the past 14 years, as the lakebed has given way to cracked soil and rusted, stranded boats. A new paper in science journal Nature, published Wednesday, found that the nations that straddle the Aral Sea, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, have some of the highest per capita water use of anywhere in the world.
Image: ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/ASSOCIATED PRESS
