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According to the China Manned Space Agency, China's Shang'e 7 lunar probe is scheduled for launch in the second half of this year.
The probe for the Shang'e 7 mission has been transported to the Wenchang spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan, with pre-launch tests set to be carried out as scheduled.
The Chana-Sivan mission aims to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies on the lunar surface, such as high-precision soft landing, legged movements, hopping and exploration of permanently shadowed craters.
It will adopt a comprehensive detection approach which involves orbiting landing, roving and hopping to carry out environmental and resource surveys of the lunar south pole.
International cooperation will also be included in the mission.
The agency added that China will deeply integrate its resources and capabilities in its current crewed lunar landing and and unmanned lunar exploration programs to enhance the comprehensive effectiveness of the country's moon endeavors.
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A science popularization exhibition centered on the Nantian Men Project, China's homegrown sci-fi aerospace intellectual property, will open in Beijing this summer.
The exhibition will be built around the intellectual property launched in 2017 by Avic Culture Company, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corp of China Ltd.
It aims to bring these futuristic aerospace concepts to the public through interactive experiences and model displays, with a strong emphasis on science education.
The Nantienman Project builds an imaginative world that integrates technology, equipment and character narratives.
From a Chinese perspective, the project weaves together multiple cutting-edge technologies, including hypersonic flight, dual-mode aerospace propulsion metamaterial stealth, directed energy, weapons and AI-assisted decision-making, into a conceptual system centered on sci-fi fighter jets.
The organizers plan to develop high-quality activities combining immersive experiences, Aerospace education and sci-fi interaction, bringing the dream of aerospace closer to the public.
As population aging accelerates in China, Parkinson's disease is emerging as an increasingly common chronic condition among older adults, prompting Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University in Beijing to launch the country's first AI-powered digital doctor platform for the disease, built on clinical data and medical literature.
The platform is designed to reduce repetitive consultations and provide patients with easier access to reliable information led by the hospital's Parkinson's disease research team.
The AI system incorporates more than 20 years of Xuanwu Hospital's clinical research, including medical records studies, reports and educational materials, along with peer-reviewed literature.
According to Chen Biao, Director of the Hospital's Parkinson's Disease Clinical Research and Treatment Center, The AI can address up to 90 of routine patient inquiries, freeing doctors to focus on more complex patient care using their smartphones.
Patients can ask the AI doctor questions about Parkinson's disease and receive science-based answers, while the system effectively handles general questions.
It does not provide specific treatment advice, ensuring that clinical decision-making remains with doctors.
The platform also offers direct links to Xuanwu Hospital's online hospital for appointment bookings and prescription services.
Looking ahead, Chen said that the platform is set to integrate with wearable devices to support medication guidance rehabilitation training, daily care and psychological support, building a comprehensive long-term care partnership between patients and doctors.
A new study led by Chinese scientists published in the journal Nature has identified a key gene that helps rice fight off bacterial blight and shown how this defense can be rebuilt from the ground up.
For the past 15 years, Rice farmers across Asia have faced a growing threat, as bacterial blight has spread more rapidly and caused increasing damage.
Warmer temperatures have intensified typhoons that help drive the spread of the disease, while modern rice varieties have become less diverse, making them more vulnerable to bacterial infection.
A team led by researchers...
From the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered a new resistance gene which they named XA48.
This gene works like a security system when harmful bacteria attack.
It helps the rice plant recognize the invader and quickly mount a strong defense.
The scientists also identified the specific bacterial protein that triggers this reaction, which they named XOPG.
Once detecting the bacterial protein, the resistance gene breaks down.
Certain proteins that normally keep its immune system in check, allowing the plant to fight off the infection.
The study also showed that Combining two different types of immune defenses works best.
The team used two resistance genes, one called XA21 and the newly discovered XA48, to create a powerful two-layered defense system.
This approach gave rice plants broad and lasting protection against the disease without hurting their growth.
Herjihua.
A researcher at the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences said this discovery not only helps solve a long-standing puzzle about how rice domestication shaped disease resistance, but also provides a practical tool for securing rice production in a warming world.
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