Local geologist studies million-year-old fossils | 与相隔亿年的古生物对话

　　Yin Jiayi, 28 years old, is a second-year doctoral student at the School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). She has traveled all over the country to study fossils.
　　28岁的尹家一是中国地质大学(武汉)地球科学学院古生物学与地层学二年级的博士生。为了研究化石，她的足迹遍布祖国大江南北。


　　▲ Yin Jiayi looking for fossils Photo by Hu Sheng
　　Yin's affection for fossils began during a field trip in her sophomore summer vacation. After searching for hours, she discovered a fossil — the first she ever found — thus receiving high praise from her teacher. This fossil became a symbol of pride for Yin.
　　尹家一对化石的感情源于大二暑假的一次野外实习。当时她找了好几个小时，发现了一块化石，因此得到老师的赞扬。对尹家一来说，那不止是一块化石，而是她的荣誉和骄傲！
　　Following her post graduate studies, Yin went to work in a pharmaceutical company in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. Engaged in a career that was not really to her liking, she confided all her unhappiness to the fossils she collected. After a year's struggle, she decided to follow her dream — to pursue a doctorate in geology.
　　研究生毕业后，尹家一去了苏州一家药企工作。从事着自己不喜欢的职业，她将所有的不愉快都向“化石”吐露。一年的挣扎之后，她决定继续深造攻读博士，研究地质学。
　　In her quest to discover fossils, Yin has gone to places as far away as the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. As most fossils are located in remote regions, Yin often has to carry several kilograms of "stones" while walking through mountainous areas. Back in the lab, she spends a lot of time consolidating her field work and piecing fossils back together.
　　为了寻找化石，尹家一最远去过新疆。化石所在的很多位置非常偏僻，她经常背着几十斤重的“石头”在山间行走，徒步翻越好几座高山才能到达大路。回到实验室，还得耐心修复。
　　"In restoring fossils, we can figure out the evolution of ancient species of animals, which is the meaning of my work," Yin said.
　　“我们用这些化石讲述上古神兽的物种演化，这是我修化石的意义所在。”尹家一说。
　　(Edited by Ye Shiyu)