Beyond a delicate fissure in the rock, a narrow passage leads into the heart of the mountain. The caver's headlight dances where previously there had been total darkness. The path goes deeper and deeper, along a furrow carved out by an ancient stream, which leads to a black lake. The caver takes off his helmet, undresses, takes a deep breath and dives in, only to discover that there lies another passage beyond, an opening which invites him to continue. It doesn't matter how many caves he's encountered, the land of darkness continues to surprise him.
As the final frontier of terrestrial exploration, the world underground is a mysterious universe, a network of galleries in which one can stumble upon immensely high waterfalls, luminescent creatures, mysterious echoes, infernal vapours, primitive votive sculptures, abandoned skeletons and darkness: everywhere, always, the unknown, the darkness. A universe in which human beings must constantly come to terms with themselves and with the limitations of their bodies and their intelligence.
Francesco Sauro has been caving since he was four years old. Today, his passion is mingled with a scientist's thirst for knowledge and in this book he interweaves stories of his adventures with details of thrilling advances in scientific knowledge. Sauro vividly evokes a hidden cosmos which stretches across the world, from the Venezuelan Tepuis to the Dolomites and the Himalayas. The last continent – the one beneath our feet – awaits those who are brave enough to venture into its caves.
