Recently, according to media reports, a research team from Tarim University has discovered for the first time the halophilic crustacean "Saltwater Shrimp" on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Experts say that trial breeding of this species will be conducted in different areas in the future. If successful, it can provide local reference for the development of saline alkali aquaculture industry in Xinjiang and even the whole country. This science news quickly attracted attention in cyberspace. Saltwater shrimp, also known as "brine shrimp", is one of the oldest surviving species on Earth. Its survival history can be traced back to 400 million years ago and it has extremely strong salt tolerance. Their dormant eggs can be stored for several years in a dry and anaerobic state. Once soaked in seawater, they can hatch into larvae in just 24 hours, earning them the nickname "Trisolarans" by netizens. The imagination in science fiction literature is reflected in the western desert, and the "taste buds" on people's tongues are quickly activated. The understanding of "vast land and abundant resources" in their minds is once again "concretized". All of these have become the reasons why this small softshell organism has sparked heated discussions. However, behind the miracles of life and romantic narratives lies the arduous search for the development and utilization of saline alkali land in the local area. According to the data, Xinjiang is the province with the widest distribution of saline alkali land in China, accounting for 40.6% of the national saline alkali land area and 37.7% of the total cultivated land area in Xinjiang. The former saline alkali land can be described as' planting whatever doesn't grow '. In the cooperation between the East and the West, generating economic value from saline alkali land has become a key focus of targeted assistance. With the efforts of industry, academia, and research, various technological models for improving and utilizing saline alkali land have been developed, including cotton planting, rice washing, fish farming and soil improvement, fish grain rotation, and crop breeding cycles. Nowadays, the discovery of "brine worms" has brought new opportunities for saltwater aquaculture in the western region. Saltworms are an ideal bait for shrimp and fish fry due to their high protein content. In Dingbian, Shaanxi, scientifically desalinated "artificial seawater" has been extensively used for saltwater aquaculture, and the protein content of the raised South American white shrimp has been tested to be 20% higher than that of ordinary sea shrimp. This time, the "brine bug" was found to survive in the natural saltwater of Taklamakan, indicating that the species has the ability to survive in extremely high salinity environments. If it can be widely cultivated in the southern Xinjiang region, it will not only provide new development directions for the local traditional agricultural forbidden zone, but also help further enhance China's strategic position in the global aquaculture market. It may also provide new ideas and paths for the development and utilization of the eastern saline soil area. The various prospects are indeed worth looking forward to. For a long time, China has been exploring the path of characteristic development of the western agricultural industry. From the latest released "Catalogue of Encouraged Industries in Western Regions (2025 Edition)", it can be seen that agricultural characteristic industries such as "development and deep processing of characteristic agricultural and forestry products", "production and deep processing of flowers, aromatic plants, and sand plants", and "breeding, promotion, and planting of salt alkali resistant characteristic varieties" have been mentioned multiple times. Thanks to the adherence to the development path tailored to local conditions, the achievements of agricultural development in the western region have repeatedly amazed people. This spring, the roses planted in the Taklamakan Desert have bloomed into a sea of flowers; Last year, "the farthest place from the sea" ushered in a "Dafengshou (Salad of assorted fresh vegetables) of fishery", and the scene of "farming in the clouds" and gold flowing in the sand became daily. With the support of technology, people have witnessed the new appearance of this land, where poverty and abundance coexist, and natural vitality and human productivity work together. This time, people are glad to see the arrival of "brine shrimp", and whether this species can reproduce in this Xintiandi still needs to be comprehensively considered in combination with the local ecological environment. Whether natural advantages can be transformed into industrial advantages also requires reasonable planning and scientific development in every link of the industrial chain upgrade, such as biological source research, industrial infrastructure construction, logistics processing, etc. In the future of the West, people may exclaim that there are not only more miracles of life, but also more miracles of development. (New Society)