A member of Guizhou provincial mountain resources institute observes the rock formation inside a branch cave of Shuanghe Cave in Suiyang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 23, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

A recent scientific expedition has extended the known length of the world's third-longest cave from 409.9 kilometers to 437.1 kilometers, scientists involved in the expedition said on Thursday.

The finding was announced after the conclusion of the 23rd joint international scientific expedition into the Shuanghe cave in southwest China's Guizhou Province. Shuanghe is Asia's longest known cave and the world's longest dolomite cave.

The latest research has established that the Shuanghe cave network has 115 connected openings, an increase from the 107 that had previously been recorded. It has also led to further discoveries of animal fossils, including two fossilized giant pandas.

Previous scientific expeditions into the cave network have identified dozens of giant panda fossils, with the oldest dating back 100,000 years, proving that Guizhou was once a habitat for giant pandas, which are today known to live in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu.

Jean Bottazzi, the French caver who led the most recent expedition, said that they used 3D laser scanning to improve measurement accuracy. They also found a large underground river, the study of which could lead to yet another extension of the cave's known length.

French caver Anne Cholin describes Shuanghe as a special cave system which holds high value for paleontology and the study of ancient climate change.

Explorations of the deep sea, outer space and caves are scientific ways to understand the planet we live on, she said. "We look forward to constantly pushing the boundaries of human cognition."

Scientists from countries including China, France, Portugal and Belgium took part in the expedition, which began in early October.

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