A group of correspondents from various international media traveled to the Atacama region together with Imagen de Chile and Sernatur to deepen in different subjects with world-class national experts.
Flowery desert, environment, paleontology and astronomy. These were some of the topics covered in the most recent trip organized by Imagen de Chile together with Sernatur to the Atacama region, to show the international press different areas in which Chile is creating the future.
Among the highlights of the visit was the natural phenomenon of the Desert Florido in the Atacama region, where the focus was on the effects of climate change and drought affecting part of the country, in addition to touring important landmarks of paleontology and astronomy, which position Chile as a global player in these matters.
From the contributions of Chile en Ciencia, a paleontological tour was conducted in an area of enormous scientific value: the Los Dedos Paleontological Park. Located in the vicinity of Caldera, the place comprises more than 2,500 hectares full of millenary fossils, which are surprising for their quantity and state of preservation, as well as the account of the scientists who are betting that this place will become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Finally, to highlight Chile's role as an astronomical pole and window to the universe, the tour included a visit and stay at the Las Campanas Observatory, where this 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the first observation of the Swope telescope. The site is currently under construction for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), which will be part of the next generation of giant ground-based telescopes that promise to revolutionize our vision and understanding of the universe.
Video: Night visit to Las Campanas Observatory (LCO).