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Here is the news. China has hit another milestone in the development of its next generation artificial sun, with one of its key systems passing expert review and acceptance procedures recently, achieving an internationally advanced development and operational capability standard.
The one eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Plasma Physics, ACIP.
It is one of the 19 key subsystems of the comprehensive research facility for fusion technology or CRAFT, a platform on which engineers develop and test the key components of fusion energy reactors.
Resembling an orange slice, the newly approved system, features a D shaped cross section with a double layer shell and stands 20 meters tall.
The vacuum chamber shell, made of ultra -low -carbon stainless steel weighs 295 tons.
In the future, eight of these orange slices will form a complete structure housing plasma at temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius.
Leeu Zhihong, a researcher at ASIP and the system's lead scientist, explained that the vacuum chamber serves as the closest nuclear safety barrier to a reactor core, requiring extreme precision in terms of welding, structural integrity and magnetic permeability.
The research team spent a decade overcoming technical challenges in their development of the system, securing more than 40 invention patents along the way.
The ultimate goal of an artificial Sun is to create nuclear fusion, like the Sun. Providing humanity with an endless clean energy source and enabling space exploration beyond the solar system.
China is making significant strides in fusion energy with its experimental advanced superconducting Tokamak or EAST, continuously upgrading experiments and setting new world records.
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Since the first iceholes of the season were carved into Lianhuang Lake in Heilongjiang in December last year, the northernmost Chinese province has been buzzing with action.
waves of tourists, eager to experience the region's winter tradition of ice fishing, and reel in bumper catches.
Meanwhile, the promotion of ice fishing in Heilongjiang's neighbouring province of Jilin has also given a boost to winter agri -tourism.
For centuries, people have been ice fishing on Jilin's Chagan Lake.
The tradition was recognised as part of China's intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
The recent surge in tourism has breathed new life into this age -old practice.
There are three big lake.
The local authorities estimate that revenue from the ice fishing festival brought an income averaging 16 ,000 yuan per person for the residents this winter.
Besides the spectacle of net fishing, tourists were drawn by a wide array of fun activities such as ice skating and ice cart racing.
Xiu Dongfang, owner of a lakeside fish restaurant, said people had made reservations more than two weeks before the start of the winter fishing season.
Long winters used to see a seasonal hibernation in the frigid north -eastern region.
However, with the booming ice and snow travel trend, tourism has been promoted through a array of sectors such as fishing, culture promotion and sport with Heilongjiang's capital of Harbin hosting the 9th Asian Winter Games in February.
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Three New Jade Dragons unearthed in 2024 from the Hongxian culture, a Neolithic civilisation that emerged around 6 ,500 years ago in North China.
have offered new evidence of the brilliance of ancient Chinese civilization.
These discoveries mark the largest number of such artifacts found in recent years.
They also coincide with the 70th anniversary of the naming of the Hong Shan culture, a significant milestone for Chifeng City in North China's inner Mongolia autonomous region.
One of the findings includes the largest jade dragon ever discovered, providing valuable new insights into the study of this ancient civilization.
Alongside the dragon, more than 100 other jade artifacts, including rings, disks, silkworms and owls were also found.
The Hongxian culture entered the stage of ancient state civilization approximately 5 ,800 years ago.
It is considered a crucial part of research into the origins of Chinese civilization.
Chufeng, the birthplace of the Hongshan culture, has more than 700 known Hongshan sites.
sites. The discovery of the Yuan -Bao Shan site adds to the region's rich archaeological heritage.
According to Deng Yu, a researcher at the Regional Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Yuan -Bao Shan site dates dates back about 5 ,000 years and represents a late Hong Shan culture burial and ceremonial complex. The site features a unique architectural layout with a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, the only such structure discovered in inner Mongolia to date.
Dung Yu said this excavation provides valuable clues about the social structure and ritual systems of the late Hong Shan culture.
For the eager student Chen Hong Han, the journey to school has transformed from a treacherous three -hour trek through rugged mountains to a swift thirty -minute trip that feels like soaring through the clouds, thanks to the cloud -school bus.
For years, Chen and her classmates navigated muddy, precarious roots and makeshift stone steps to reach their school high atop the cliffs.
It is no wonder that the parents were in constant fear for their children's safety on the dangerous path.
However, the once challenging journey has now been transformed into a picturesque sight -seeing tour.
They first ride a six -minute scenic bus.
Then take a lift that climbs about 250 metres vertically.
Next, they take a cable car ride that climbs over 200 metres.
After a brisk one -kilometre walk, they arrive at the school in just under thirty minutes.
With the cloud school bus, Chen can now take her younger siblings to school on her own.
The village parents have organised a schedule to accompany the children, with one parent taking them every ten days.
The Cloud School Bus not only safely transports the village children to school, but has also attracted more and more tourists to the area.
Chen's mother, Pu Yun, opened a small snack shop and business has been thriving.
Once an overlooked mountain village, Niger has now become a thriving tourist attraction.
In 2024, the scenic spot in Niger Grand Canyon attracted 300 ,000 visitors, generating almost 20 million yuan in local revenue.
The tourism boom has improved villagers' lives with many starting businesses like farmstays, coffee shops and guesthouses.
Additionally, some Some individuals have returned to their home towns to contribute to this growth.
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In China, breakfast is considered one of the most important meals of the day.
Back in ancient times, Chinese people used to eat just two meals a day.
They only started having three meals when the Song Dynasty came into the picture, which was about a thousand years ago.
to. Now, Chinese people's selection of how much to eat at each meal comes from a very familiar proverb you might have heard that goes a little something like this.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.
We always see people rushing about, grabbing bread, fast food, or anything they can in the morning.
Sitting down and having a nice breakfast during weekdays doesn't easily fit into their schedules.
There are just too many varieties to choose from for the first meal of the day.
And in different cities you will be flooded with totally different menus.
It's said that Century Every egg porridge is the most popular morning food in north -eastern and eastern China.
In terms of breakfast, porridge can go with steamed buns, pies, fried dough sticks, and eggs.
There is only one thing everyone agrees about.
If you are looking for real Chinese breakfast culture, you should definitely visit Wuhan, known by some as China's capital of breakfast.
Local people use a unique term to describe the act of eating breakfast, guizhou, which literally means passing the morning.
It actually refers to having breakfast outdoors, a traditional custom of Wuhan people.
It actually makes sense, as it's super easy to buy a great variety of breakfast food at a huge number of street stalls across the city.
One of the most iconic dishes of Gözal is hot, dry noodles, which are alkaline in nature and tossed with sesame sauce.
Another one is dough pea, a treat filled with glutinous rice and minced pork with a fried bean paste covering.
There are also tang bao, soup -filled steamed buns, and traditional fried rice doughnuts called mian war, and a large medley of dishes for you to choose from.
Well, if Wuhan is the paradise for those who love to tuck into delicacies for the first meal of the day, then Guangdong is is the perfect place for those who expect a slow -paced and relaxing morning eating experience.
Having zau cha, which literally means morning tea, is a traditional practice and social activity among Gwangdong residents.
Known also as Yum Cha, it is like a brunch, but you can eat and drink, non -stop, from morning to noon.
For the Cantonese, going to a teahouse with friends and having a cup of tea with an array of different flavoured dim sum is the best way to kickstart a day.
Another popular choice for breakfast among Chinese people is eating rice noodles.
You and meet you prefer.
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That is the end of this edition of Special English.
To recap, I'm going to read one of the news items again at normal speed.
Please listen carefully.
Three new jade dragons unearthed in 2024 from the Hongshan culture, a Neolithic civilization that emerged around 6500 years ago in north China, have offered new evidence of the brilliance of ancient Chinese civilization.
These discoveries mark the largest number of such artefacts found in recent years.
They also coincide with the 70th anniversary of the naming of the Hongshan culture, a significant milestone for Chufeng city in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
One of the findings includes the largest jade dragon ever discovered, providing valuable new insights into the study of this ancient civilisation.
Alongside the dragon, more than a hundred other jade artefacts including rings, discs, silkworms and owls were also found.
The Hongxian culture entered the stage of ancient state civilisation approximately 5 ,800 years ago.
It is considered a crucial part of research into the origins of Chinese civilisation.
Tchufeng, the birthplace of the Hongshan culture, has more than 700 known Hongshan sites.
The discovery of the Yuanbao Shan site adds to the region's rich archaeological heritage.
village. According to Dung Yiu, a researcher at the Regional Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Yuan Bao Shan site dates back about 5 ,000 years and represents a late Hong -Shan culture, burial and ceremonial complex. The site features a unique architectural layout with a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, the only such structure discovered in Inner Mongolia to date.
Dungu said this excavation provides valuable clues about the social structure and ritual systems of the late Hongshan culture.
That is the end of today's programme.
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