标签 乌尤尼盐沼 下的文章

玻利维亚的乌尤尼盐沼 Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia (© Theo Allofs/Minden Pictures)

一小撮盐可不够 When just a pinch of salt won't do

玻利维亚乌尤尼盐沼

海拔超过2英里是自然界的一个异常现象，靠近安第斯山脉的顶峰，这是一个比许多国家都大的盐滩。玻利维亚的乌尤尼盐沼是世界上最大的盐沼，面积约4000平方英里。盐滩是一个古老湖泊的遗迹，它在很久以前就蒸发了，留下了厚厚的矿物外壳，这既是食用盐的来源，也是火烈鸟的重要繁殖地。但对于一个电池匮乏的世界来说，最大的财富可能就在地壳之下——一个富含锂的巨大卤水。

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

More than 2 miles above sea level is an anomaly of the natural world, near the crest of the Andes mountain range, a salt flat bigger than many countries. The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the largest salt flat in the world at about 4,000 square miles. The salt flat is the remains of an ancient lake that evaporated long ago leaving behind a thick mineral crust that is both a source of edible salt and a critical breeding ground for, of all things, flamingos. But for a battery-hungry world, the greatest riches might lie below the crust—a vast brine rich in lithium.

乌尤尼盐沼，玻利维亚 Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia (© Ignacio Palacios/Getty Images)

It's Star Wars Day

Does this area look familiar? If you're a 'Star Wars' fan you might recognize it as the planet of Crait, featured in 'The Last Jedi.' In reality it's Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, found in southwest Bolivia. This otherworldly landscape is near the crest of the Andes, nearly 12,000 feet above sea level. It was formed by the transformations of prehistoric lakes which dried up in this area, leaving behind a salt crust several feet deep. After a rare rainfall, a thin layer of perfectly still water will transform the salt flat into a giant mirror 80 miles across.

We hope you're having a good Star Wars Day—and, as the saying goes, 'May the Fourth be with you.'