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The Earth is a place of endless wonder Where landscapes are often created from mere dust.
地球上总是能找到匪夷所思的存在小到一颗尘埃 大到一片陆地。
The Loess Plateau is such a place.
黄土高原就是这样的存在。
It is located in the north of central China, and contains 70% of the loess on the planet.
它地处中国中部偏北汇集了这颗星球上70%的黄土。
It is hard to imagine a time when it did not exist.
难以想象 它原先并不存在。
But this yellow land was created by particles carried by the wind.
这片黄土地是被风吹来的。
The entire mega landscape has a total area of 620,000 square kilometers.
整个巨型场景总面积达到62万平方公里。
Even seen from above, it's hard to comprehend the sheer size of it.
即便从空中俯瞰也只能看见它的局部。
The loess dune is dozens of meters high, and 300 metres at its thickest.
它的厚度少则几十米最厚处超过了300米。
Eight million years ago, super strong winds blew sand and dust here.
八百万年前超级大风将沙尘吹到这里。
The entire process of dust carrying and stacking took more than 2.6 million years.
整个搬运堆积的过程超过了260万年。
Scientists can tell the wind direction by the thickness of the loess.
人们通过沙土的粗细判断出了风向是东南风。
Because tiny dust particles are carried the furthest, they came to test in the southeastern most part of the plateau.
因为最细小的粉尘飞得最远集中落在了东南方位 。
The sand in the northwest part of the plateau is much rougher.
而西北部的土壤沙粒则更加粗粝。
Where the river crossed, an alluvial plain was deposited.
河流经过的地方沉积出了平坦的地带。
People gradually started to settle around these fertile areas.
人们见缝插针聚集生活。
They farmed in the valley, and built roads between the ravines.
在河谷地带开垦农业在沟壑之间修建道路。
Finally, they made this ancient land their home and prospered generation after generation.
扎根在这片古老的大地上生息繁衍。
