Haveyoueverseenscientistslisteningattentivelytoresearchtalkswhilstsitting,standingorlyingonthesand?Well-knownscientificpersonalitiespresentingtheirresultsonanimprovisedblackboardleaningagainstafour-wheeldrivevehicle,oranacaciatree(weavoidedcamelswhichdefinitivelymovetoomuch)?Ifnot,youshouldhavetakenparttothefirstofsixinternationalmeetingson“RapidandcatastrophicenvironmentalchangesintheHoloceneandhumanresponse”.ThisconferencewasheldinMauritaniafrom4to18January2004,withthefirstweekalongthecoastoftheNatureParkofBancd'ArguinandthesecondoneontheAdrarplateau.Inattendancewere29participantsfrom17countrieswhoweredrawntheretoexamineinthefieldvariousphenomenalinkedtothethemeofthemeeting,
