Focus on Antarctica

Author: Zhang Jimin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Expedition to the Antarctic continent, immersion in the Arctic snowfields, crossing the Taklamakan Desert, trekking through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, and circumnavigating the Qaidam Basin. The scientific exploration photo-essays "Adventure Around the World" are compiled by Zhang Jimin, a senior journalist of Xinhua News Agency, and published by Social Sciences Academic Press. This series of photo-essays, titled "Focus on Antarctica," "Exploring the Arctic," "Crossing the Canyon," and "Scanning the West," consists of nearly 700 photographs and approximately 200,000 words. In many chapters of this series, helpless danger permeates the narrative: encountering a massive snow avalanche in the Antarctic ice region, nearly causing the ship to be destroyed and the crew to perish; reluctantly flying multiple times close to the peaks of the Svalbard Islands in the Arctic in a small plane; trekking through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, where the annoying leeches not only cause tension but also demand a blood price, yet an infinite passion is unleashed: under the dead branches, the wedding of the desert people is equally filled with song and dance, but why is the bride hidden? The penguins of Antarctica are gentle and lovable. However, if these creatures get stubborn, they can also make you laugh or cry; what if you encounter a polar bear? Shouting, throwing clothes, pushing a bullet and firing a gun—"Arctic Etiquette" gives you tips.
Additionally, to meet the intellectual needs of teenagers, popular science is woven throughout the series. Why is the southeastern Tibet lush and green? How long do icebergs last? How was the yardan landscape formed? The series answers these questions from a scientific perspective, illustrated vividly. Since 1987, Zhang Jimin has traveled to remote places such as Antarctica, the Arctic, the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, the Taklamakan Desert, the Nansha Islands, and the Qinling Mountains to conduct scientific exploration and reporting. In 1994, he collaborated with scientists to discover the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon as the world's Grand Canyon, becoming one of its discoverers. In the history of Chinese polar exploration, which was the most dangerous? It was precisely the "Polar Star" expedition ship encountering a massive ice collapse in Antarctica. To save their teammates, some members even knelt on the ground and prayed to the icebergs. The perilous journey also included the research ship being stranded in ice-covered seas and a teammate falling into the water. Placid penguins, colorful rock patterns, and affectionate puppies are also interwoven into the book, fully showcasing the multifaceted life of Antarctic exploration.