00:00This is one of the best stargazing spots on Earth.
00:03Meerkat National Park in South Africa.
00:05The region is remote, harsh and dry, which means almost zero light pollution.
00:10That's exactly why scientists built these.
00:12Giant radio telescopes, some of the largest ones in the world.
00:15They're so powerful, they can listen to signals from the beginning of the universe.
00:19But here's the unexpected part.
00:21To protect them from interference, the area had to stay untouched.
00:24So 135,000 hectares were turned into a protected national park in 2020.
00:29And nature started bouncing back.
00:31Plants that were once overgrazed, like the quiver tree, are recovering.
00:35Wildlife, like the kudu and springbok, are returning.
00:37And so is indigenous knowledge.
00:39Teachers are showing local students how their forefathers, the sun people of South Africa, interpreted the night sky.
00:45Now, ancient culture and modern astronomy are meeting here under the same stars.
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