Ein Avdat, a canyon in the Negev Desert of southern Israel, as seen from Midreshet Ben-Gurion. Numerous springs at the southern opening of the canyon empty into deep pools in series of waterfalls. The water emerges from the rock layers with salt-loving plants like poplars and atriplexes growing nearby. Archaeological evidence indicates that the canyon has been inhabited for more than 80,000 years, dating back at least to the Mousterian culture.Photograph: Andrew Shiva