Darfur Hopes Lie in Hidden Lake

A giant lake discovered beneath Darfur could lead to resolution of the conflict in the region, where genocide has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Darfuris and 2 million people have been left homeless since 2003, the BBC reports. Radar revealed the ancient body of water, comparable in size to Lake Erie, which could supply 1,000 wells, researchers say.

Sudan has consented to drilling the wells, and they're expected to supply enough water to quell the tensions between Arab nomads and black African tribesmen that lie at the heart of the conflict. "Much of the unrest in Darfur and the misery is due to water shortages," the geologist who led the project tells the AP. (More Darfur stories.)