This is the second time we have had a post on the Atacama desert in Chile. In this post we learn that the desert hosted lakes during the last Ice Age and these may have survived long enough to provide sustenance for humans in their journey from NE Asia to the tip of South America. See http://phys.org/print400939325.html
Remnants of fresh water plants and patches of dry salty soil are the tell tale signs of a former lake and it is remarkable as this evidence seems to support the fact Lake Titicaca, to the north, was apparently close to the sea shore at the same point in time. You can see the same story discussed (with comments by climate sceptics) at https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/15/ancient-climate-change-at-agu16-a… … but not everyone's cup of tea.