00:00And long before the emergence of human civilization, the Chinese city of Xiaoyang was home to an extraordinary diversity of
00:07life.
00:08Today, our correspondent Bruno Farchi is at one of the world's largest paleontological complexes with this report.
00:17In the city of Xiaoyang, in China's Liaoning province, there is a theme park that brings together some of the
00:24world's largest facilities
00:26dedicated to the research and preservation of dinosaur fossils and other prehistoric species.
00:33The complex includes a paleontological museum, an excavation area, and a fossilized forest.
00:41These remains make it possible to reconstruct the life that existed in this region millions of years ago.
00:51The Xiaoyang National Bird Fossil Geopark is home to the world's largest Mesozoic geological corridor
00:57and the world's largest indoor fossil excavation site.
01:00It also contains the world's largest protected fossilized forest,
01:04with 1,0353 fossilized trees spread across an area of 50,000 square meters.
01:09Its paleontological museum displays more than 2,000 fossils and preserves another 10,000 in its collections.
01:15In addition, this region is one of the main fossil sites of the Jeholbiota.
01:19The park was built directly on the fossil site itself.
01:25Opened to the public in 2007, the park underwent a comprehensive renovation lasting more than seven months
01:33between 2024 and 2025.
01:37The project expanded its exhibition areas and incorporated new technologies
01:42to bring its paleontological heritage closer to visitors.
01:46By early August 2026, more than 450,000 people had visited the park,
01:53making it one of the leading tourist destinations in Liaoning province.
02:0125 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period,
02:05this region had abundant vegetation and a favorable climate.
02:09The fossils found here reflect the richness of prehistoric life at that time.
02:14Taoyang is considered the place where the world's first flower bloomed,
02:18a discovery that marked the beginning of the age of flowering plants.
02:22It is also recognized as the place where the first birds emerged
02:26through the evolution of small dinosaurs.
02:29Excavations have uncovered nearly 1,000 types of fossils belonging to 11 major groups,
02:34ranging from plants to animals.
02:44In May 2026, the Jehou biota fossil sites in the city were added to UNESCO's tentative list
02:53for world heritage.
02:55Discoveries made in this region have helped expand scientific knowledge
03:00about the evolution of life on earth.
03:02It is an important place for Chinese people and for world history.
03:08But in this area, this archaeological park,
03:12a very interesting place with a big history.
03:15The researchers can open new historical, archaeological points in this area.
03:23The preservation and promotion of cultural heritage are part of state policy promoted by the Communist Party of China.
03:32National guidelines define museums as space for protection, research, education and cultural outreach.
03:40In 2025, the country's 7,188 registered museums received more than 1 billion and 1,500 million visits.
03:52Bruno Fauci, Chao Yang, China, for Telesur.
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