Born to be Alive-inspired exhibit highlights plateau conservation

When the TV drama Born to be Alive concluded its story of Bai Ju and Duojie protecting the Sanjiangyuan area, the real-life efforts to safeguard the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau continued at Beijing’s National Natural History Museum.

The Tree of Life: Life and Guardianship on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau exhibition, organized by the museum and the drama’s production team, opened on Thursday and will run until Aug 31.

Through specimens, interactive displays and immersive experiences, the exhibition brings the plateau's landscapes, biodiversity and conservation stories from the screen into a public science space.

Centered on the "tree of life" concept, the exhibition presents the plateau's geological evolution, unique ecosystems and the stories of generations of conservation workers.

The exhibition features two sections. The first traces the region's transformation from an ancient ocean to the "roof of the world", highlighting the collision of tectonic plates, the plateau's uplift and its role as the "Asian water tower". It also examines ecological challenges such as glacier retreat, permafrost thawing, and grassland degradation.