Town's fate is truly out of this world

Science project brings location known for its harsh climate in from the cold, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

Legend has it that the town of Lenghu, literally, "Cold Lake", got its name in 1956, when an oil exploration team arrived in the desolate region. A team member washed his hands in a lake and found that the water was freezing cold, hence the name.

Cold weather is one of the key features of the town lying in the city of Mangya, Northwest China's Qinghai province, along with little rain and strong winds that resulted in the formation of ridges of compact sand called yardangs through erosion.

In the latter half of last century, the town prospered from oil mining, which then declined as a result of resource exhaustion. However, science-related projects that have been initiated in recent years are helping the town regain its former glory.