Scientist Sun Honglie's Fieldwork Highlighted

Scientist Sun Honglie led China's first comprehensive scientific expedition to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in 1973. His work contributed to the 2025 November release of a comprehensive archive of the plateau, documenting over 3,000 new species. He led expeditions to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, including the Ali region where camps averaged 5,200 meters in altitude. He led expeditions in the Ali region, where the average camp altitude was 5,200 meters, and pushed towards 6,000 meters. Honglie advocated for interdisciplinary connections and practical field investigations to solve major scientific problems, said the need for broader knowledge beyond just reading books. Sun Honglie's expeditions, including one in the Ali region with an average altitude of 5200 meters, involved physical challenges. He led expeditions to altitudes of 6000 meters and conducted research in the Arctic in 2007. In 2007, at 75, he ventured to the Arctic, studying natural changes across vast areas and time. A 2025 report from the second Qinghai-Tibet expedition documented over 3000 new species. He advocated for long-term, continuous observation to understand larger ecological phenomena, contrasting with localized data collection. In the 1980s, he recognized the need for long-term, continuous ecological observation across different stations. His expeditions, often at altitudes above 5,200 meters, involved carrying equipment and advancing to 6,000 meters.