[originaltext] When Iraqi troops blew up hundreds of Kuwaiti oil wells at th

When Iraqi troops blew up hundreds of Kuwaiti oil wells at the end of the Gulf War, scientists feared an environmental disaster. Would black powder in the smoke from the fires circle the globe and block out the sun? Many said "No way. Rain would wash the black powder from the atmosphere.’ But in America air-sampling balloons have detected high concentrations of particles similar to those collected in Kuwait. Now the fires are out, and scientists are turning their attentions to yet another threat: the oil that did not catch tire. It has formed huge lakes in the Kuwaiti desert. They trap insects and birds and poison a variety of other desert animals and plants.
    The only good news is that the oil lakes have not affected the underground water resources. So far the oil has not been absorbed because of the hard sand just below the surface. Nothing, however, stops oil from evaporating. The resulting poisonous gases are choking nearby residents. Officials are trying to organize a quick clean-up, but they are not sure how to do it. One possibility is to bum the oil and get those black powder protectors ready.