【推荐2】When I first set foot in Western Australia’s Pilbara, a landscape holding 3.5-billion-year-old clues to the beginning of life, I was very disappointed. The year was 1994. I drove excitedly out of the west coast town of Port Hedland, but all I saw for the first 150 kilometers were a few dead trees and smoky dust across the burnt, flat plain. And the heat!! I’d never experienced anything this terrible before. Or breathed air so thick with biting flies.

But as we continued to head south on the highway to. Marble Bar—the hottest town in Australia—some low, broad hills started to rise from the horizon. As we continued down a dirt track into the hills, the burnt plains gave way to grass-covered hills. This grass is called spinifex, an amazing but cruel creation. It grows as bushes up to one meter in diameter (直径), with round, fine leaves with needle-sharp tips. The tips will go through just about any piece of cloth. My guide wore thick gaiters (护腿) to protect his legs. But he had failed to inform me of the risk. Without any gaiters, my skin was covered with needle tips that remained in my legs for months.

The land, ultimately, proved worth the discomfort. Here I was walking over some of Earth’s oldest, best-preserved rocks that contain evidence of life from almost the very beginnings of time on our planet.

This area had changed much from when it was first formed 3.5 billion years ago. Back then it would have been a black volcanic land, with no color from vegetation. Over the hills I might have seen a green, iron-rich sea under an orange sky heavy with carbon dioxide and without oxygen. Several billion years after that, the world would turn cold and become covered in a global ice sheet, destroying almost every living thing. When it melted away, oxygen levels rose again. Life really got going. Animals slowly occupied the land, so did new types of plants. The greening of our planet began, and a wide variety of organisms (有机体) appeared including. unfortunately for me, spinifex.

【推荐1】No matter what kind of vacation you are looking for, the world is full of interesting and exciting places to explore. So, start planning an amazing getaway! The following are some of the most fantastic destinations for you.

Amsterdam

From its exciting city life to its distinctive canals (运河) and historical sites, Amsterdam is home to a variety of cultural experiences.

Why not explore the city by foot or by bike and take in the sights? You could even take a cruise along the canals for an entirely new perspective. For those who are looking to relax, take a leisurely walk through the parks and gardens. So, why wait – come to explore the charms of Amsterdam!

Dominican Republic

With its amazing beaches, striking landscapes and dynamic culture, the Dominican Republic has something for everyone. It has a longstanding musical culture. Make sure to check out some live music to experience this fantastic part of Dominican culture. It’s also home to beautiful natural wonders. Nature lovers can explore the country’s thick mountainous rainforests. If you’re feeling adventurous, try hiking or rafting through the country’s incredible rivers.

Costa Rica

From its impressive landscapes to its unique wildlife and culture, Costa Rica is sure to have something to suit your taste. If you’re a nature lover, you’ll be in for a treat. Costa Rica is home to an abundance of wildlife and many species of plants in the world. For the adventurous traveler, Costa Rica offers plenty of activities, such as rafting, zip lining and surfing. If you’re looking for a little bit of culture, visit one of Costa Rica’s museums, galleries and churches.

【推荐3】An interactive online map allows you to type in your home address and see where it falls during any given time period.The map tracks how the earth has changed over 750 million years.

The love-labor of software engineer Ian Webster, the map tool is attached to the world’s largest digital dinosaur database, also created by Webster, who drew on geographical data from another resource called Ancient Earth.Ancient Earth was culmination (顶点) of work called the Paleomap project.

The project allows users to enter most towns, cities and countries into the search bar.A 3D globe will show you approximately where they were on a 750-million-year timeline.Ancient Earth comes with a variety of tools that allow you to learn interesting information, or select a time period based on the emergence of specific features, such as the first flower to ever bloom on Earth.

Given that Webster is an expert in dinosaurs, any location you enter in the search function will also provide you with a list of dinosaurs that would have been your neighbors — all with inline links to that particular dinosaur’s profile on Webster’s database.This represents an incredible educational resource for children and adults interested in geography.

Even with modern GPS technology and programs like Google Maps, globes and 2D paper maps continue to shape our understanding of Earth.Ancient Each is a very good educational tool especially for kids, as they get to see their very own homes move around in the tectonic (构造的) dance that’s been going on billions of years.

“I'm amazed that experts collected enough data to actually build my home 750 million years ago, so I thought you all would enjoy it too, ”Webster wrote in a comment.“I chose this particular model because it covers the greatest length of time.”