The work is part of a joint venture led by Shell (40% stake), Saudi Aramco and Total, which will explore 81, 000 square miles of desert, half the size of California.

FORBES: Magazine Article

As of Thursday, 157 U.S. and British troops had died in the war, less than half the 358 coalition deaths in Desert Storm.

CNN: Coalition deaths fewer than in 1991

Around half of these died in the Sonora desert.

ECONOMIST: Mexico's northern border

One winter morning, Robbins and I drove four and a half hours north from Las Vegas, through the desert, to the Tonopah Conservation Camp, a minimum-security prison, where a pickpocket named Gary Scott was serving time.

NEWYORKER: A Pickpocket��s Tale

HAWTHORNE, Nev. (AP) A mortar shell explosion killed seven Marines and injured a half-dozen more during mountain warfare training in Nevada's high desert, prompting the Pentagon to immediately halt the use of some of the weapons worldwide until an investigation can determine their safety, officials said Tuesday.

NPR: Mortar Explosion In Nev. Kills 7 NC Unit Marines

This desert is far from worthless: Catellus is in talks to sell half to a conservation group.

FORBES: Acreage plays

One of the Middle East's most scenic and ancient routes, the 280km-long highway is often overlooked in favour of the modern Desert Highway, which marches through Jordan's flat and sandy core in a speedy three and a half hours from the capital, Amman.

BBC: Travelling the slow route to Petra