A giant forest has been discovered underground in China
In China, scientists have discovered a vast hidden forest more than 200 meters underground. It is located inside a karst sinkhole and is remarkable for its size and state of preservation. It is a unique natural “time capsule” where plants have thrived in isolation from the surface for an extended period, according to DailyGalaxy.
During an expedition in southern China, a team of cave explorers stumbled upon a massive underground forest located deep within a karst sinkhole near the village of Pinyue in Lele County. The karst sinkhole is one of about 30 similar formations in the region, which locals call tianken, or “heavenly pits.” They form when water gradually dissolves limestone underground, creating cavities that eventually collapse and form deep chasms.
Researchers descended to a depth of about 192 meters and discovered a dense, nearly pristine forest covering an area comparable to several football fields. Trees up to 40 meters tall grow in this underground environment, and the ecosystem appears stable and isolated.
Chen Lixin, head of the expedition from the Chinese Geological Survey, noted that the discovery may conceal plant and animal species unknown to science. “I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that species have been found in these caves that have never before been described or recorded by science,” he said. Experts explain that such karst systems create unique conditions for the development of life, as isolation allows species to evolve separately from surface ecosystems. Such environments are viewed as natural laboratories where one can study how biodiversity forms under conditions of complete isolation.
Scientists also note that China’s karst landscapes are among the largest in the world, and such discoveries help better understand the hidden processes occurring beneath the Earth’s surface.
Additionally, two tourists near Mount Zvíčina in northern Czechia discovered a treasure trove of pure gold items weighing over five kilograms, for which the state will pay them a record reward of 11.7 million crowns.
