- The sinkhole was found by scientists in the Leley Fengshan UNESCO Global Geopark.
- It is reported to be 306m long, 150m wide and 192m deep.
- Researchers say it could be home to previously unidentified animal species
A huge ancient forest world has been discovered 630 feet underground, in a sinkhole in China.
The underground mystery was found in a Chinese ‘Geopark’ by a team of cave exploration scientists, in May last year.
The phenomenon is also known in China as ‘tiankeng’ or ‘heavenly wells’.
The Leye Fengshan UNESCO Global Geopark, where the sinkhole was found, is located in southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The Geopark is described on the UNESCO website as “mainly sedimentary with more than 60% Devonian to Permian carbonate rocks 3000 m thick.”
It is known for being ‘the territory of the caves and the longest natural bridge in the world’.
The Geopark is described on the UNESCO website as “mainly sedimentary with more than 60% Devonian to Permian carbonate rocks 3000 m thick.”
Researchers have said the hole could harbor previously unidentified plant and animal species, The Washington Post reports.
The underground mystery was found in a Chinese ‘Geopark’ by a team of cave exploration scientists, in May last year.
Researchers have said that the primeval forest could be home to previously unidentified plant and animal species, reports Washington Post.
Giant sinkholes are not unusual in areas like this in China.
The Chinese government’s state news agency, xinhuareleased an official report stating that the new discovery brings the number of sinkholes in the county to 30.
Zhang Yuanhai, a senior engineer with the Institute of Karst Geology of the China Geological Survey, also told Xinhua that the site had “a well-preserved primeval forest at the bottom” and three caves on its walls.
They added that the sinkhole is 306m long, 150m wide and 192m deep, with a volume of more than 5 million cubic meters, meaning it can be officially classified as a large sinkhole.
Chen Lixin, leader of the Guangxi 702 cave expedition team, said the dense shade plants are shoulder-length and the ancient trees growing in the background are nearly 40 meters high.
The Chinese government’s state news agency Xinhua published an official report stating that the new discovery brings the number of sinkholes in the county to 30.
The expedition to the cave was completed by a team that rappelled down more than 100 meters and “walked several hours to reach the bottom of the shaft.”
Sinkholes are created by the dissolution of bedrock by groundwater, and are common in the area.
The expedition to the cave was completed by a team that rappelled down more than 100 meters and “walked several hours to reach the bottom of the shaft.”
The Geopark landscape is karstic terrain, which means it is made up of limestone.
Sinkholes are generally created by the dissolution of bedrock by groundwater and are common in the area.
However, the unique forest in the background is unusual: it looks like something out of a fantasy movie.
The forest was able to grow due to the shape of the hole, which allowed enough light to enter while still being deep.
