PLANET EARTH Mountains

This one, Erta Ale（尔塔阿雷火山，地处于埃塞俄比亚东北部阿法尔州）, is today the longest continually erupting volcano on the planet, a lake of lava that has been molten（熔化） for over a hundred years. These same volcanic forces also created Ethiopia's highlands. 70 million years ago this land was just as flat and as deep as the Danakil Depression.



Molten lava rising from the earth's core（地核） forced up a huge dome of rock 500 miles wide, the roof of Africa. Over millennia, rain and ice carved the rock into a landscape of spires and canyons（山峰与峡谷）. These summits, nearly 3 miles up, are home to some very remarkable mountaineers Gelada baboons（狮尾狒狒）.



They are unique to the highlands of Ethiopia. The cliffs where they sleep are for expert climbers only, and Gelado certainly have the right equipment. the strongest fingers of any primate（这里指灵长类动物） and an utterly fearless disposition. But you need more than a head for heights to survive up here.