These great scars on the face of the Earth appear to be lifeless, 这些地球脸上的大伤疤看似毫无生机
In all of them life manages somehow to keep a precarious hold. 在所有沙漠中 生命总能以某些方式闪现
who knows how many Lechuguillas are still waiting to be discovered? 谁知道还会有多少个龙舌兰洞 等着人们去发现呢
But with half the world's limestone still to be explored, 但世界上仍有一半石灰岩洞尚未被开发
Extremofile bacteria were found to be feeding on the rock itself. 嗜极细菌在岩壁上自我生长
They were about to discover some of the most exquisite formations ever seen underground. 因为他们发现了一些 地底世界中最精美的构造
But even that was not going to be the biggest surprise. 即便如此 这也不能算是最大的惊奇
Without water one might not expect to find any caves, 没有水的地方似乎不可能有洞穴
but cave explorers were soon to make an even more astonishing discovery. 但是洞穴探险家们 很快又有了更惊人的发现