Lop Nor（羅布泊）

　　Lop Nor [File photo]

Lop Nor used to be the largest lake in northwestern China before it dried up in 1972. Known as the "Sea of Death," Lop Nor is located in the southeastern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is now a boundless Gobi desert without any grass, stream, or bird, and its temperature in summer can reach 70°C.

This untraversed place is full of mysteries. The stories behind it are often tragedies along with missing cases and deaths. In 1980, Chinese scientist Peng Jiamu disappeared while walking into Lop Nur for an expedition. His body has never been found, and his disappearance remains a mystery. Sixteen years later, in 1996, Chinese explorer Yu Chunshun died while trying to walk across Lop Nur.