As the world's first national-level exhibition themed on supply chains, the fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) is being held in Beijing from June 22 to 26. Please answer the following questions and share your views.

(Cover: The 4th China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) opens in Beijing, China, June 22, 2026. /VCG)

A male Yangtze finless porpoise calf born at the Institute of Hydrobiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has reached one month of age and is developing well. Nicknamed "Xiao 26 (Little 26)" by researchers, the calf was born on May 22 to an 18-year-old female porpoise named Fujiu.

The birth marked the first recorded head-first delivery among the managed Yangtze finless porpoise population.

While tail-first birth is generally considered the typical delivery mode for toothed whales such as porpoises and dolphins, head-first births have also been documented in species including killer whales and bottlenose dolphins.

Researchers said the newborn measured about 70 centimeters in length and weighed around 5 kilograms at birth. Now more than one month old, Xiao 26 has grown to over 80 cm in length and weighs about 9 kg, nearly double its birth weight. The calf remains active and healthy, swimming independently and exploring its surroundings.

Fujiu was introduced from the wild in 2011 and has successfully raised two calves, making her an experienced mother. The calf's father, Taotao, is the world's first Yangtze finless porpoise born under human care. Xiao 26 is the third offspring produced by the pair.

The advance excavation section of the new shipping channel at the Three Gorges Project has surpassed the halfway point, according to China Three Gorges Corporation.

The company said more than 56% of the total planned excavation work has been completed, with the advance excavation section expected to be finished by October this year.

Construction of the Three Gorges new waterway project, the first major national landmark project launched during China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), officially began on June 8. The project includes a new shipping channel at the Three Gorges Project and navigation capacity expansion works at the Gezhouba Dam. It is designed to accommodate vessels of up to 10,000 tonnes.

Located north of the existing Three Gorges ship locks, the new channel will have a planned length of 6,680 meters. The waterway consists of three sections – an upstream approach channel, a five-stage ship lock system serving as the core of the project, and a downstream approach channel.

Once completed, the new channel is expected to significantly improve navigation efficiency and transport capacity along the Yangtze River. The Three Gorges transport hub's annual two-way shipping capacity is projected to reach 336 million tonnes.

The advance excavation area is located at the end of the future upstream approach channel. Work there includes excavation of a pilot section of the channel, slope stabilization and drainage works, as well as construction-related testing and other preparatory tasks.

The project is expected to further enhance the Yangtze River's role as a major transportation corridor and support the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

As artificial intelligence (AI) moves beyond laboratory breakthroughs into large-scale industrial deployment, it is rapidly transforming China's manufacturing system across production, decision-making, human-machine collaboration and supply chain coordination.

Large-scale industrial application

Located in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, the smart eco-factory of China's GAC Aion New Energy Automobile operates more than 600 industrial robots across stamping, welding and assembly processes. In the final assembly workshop, vehicles pass through more than 200 processing stations, many of which are fully automated and operated entirely by robots. Every 53 seconds, a vehicle advances to the next workstation, which means that at the same interval a new car rolls off the line.

As a recognized "Lighthouse Factory," the plant integrates AI, big data, robotics, advanced process engineering, quality management and intelligent logistics systems, enabling more than 100,000 vehicle configuration options to meet customized demand at scale.

The transformation has delivered measurable gains: production efficiency has increased by 50%, delivery time shortened by 33%, first-pass yield improved by 8%, and manufacturing costs decreased by 58%.

Meanwhile, in Procter & Gamble's Huangpu factory in Guanghzou, technologies including AI, flexible automation and digital twin systems have been integrated into the supply chain operations, contributing to a 30% reduction in inventory and 15% in logistics costs, while maintaining a 99% on-time delivery over three years.

Flexible manufacturing

In China's Yangtze River Delta region, industrial AI is evolving toward higher flexibility and autonomy.

In a textile factory in Taicang, Suzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province, over 500 air-jet looms have been connected to a centralized AI system that continuously monitors yarn tension, insertion speed and motor temperature. Through digital twin modeling and real-time optimization of 128 process parameters, fabric weight deviation has been controlled within 1.2%, while order response speed has been improved by 40%. The factory has also used AI to optimize its sizing process, cutting steam consumption by 300 kilograms for every tonne of yarn produced.

In advanced equipment manufacturing, SANY Group's heavy machinery smart factory in Kunshan has built a highly flexible production system, in which its AI-driven scheduling system decomposes global orders into thousands of process nodes, and allocates tasks across multiple production lines. Automated guided vehicles, connected to a cloud-based manufacturing execution system, automatically plan routes based on order priority. The factory even supports "one-unit order," with customization rates reaching 75% for mini excavators.

Expanding industrial intelligence

The impact of AI is extending beyond individual factories into broader industrial ecosystems.

According to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), by the end of 2025, more than 30% of manufacturing enterprises with annual revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about $3 million) had adopted AI technologies. Industrial intelligent agents covered over 70% of business scenarios in pioneer-level smart factories, accumulating more than 6,000 vertical domain models.

The MIIT, together with six other departments, recently issued an action plan to promote coordinated development among large, medium-sized and small enterprises in the platform economy from 2026 to 2028.

The platform economy is a new form of economy built on internet platforms.

The plan emphasizes strengthening innovation, ecosystem coordination, and openness across these enterprises, while deepening the integration of the real economy and the digital economy. It calls for greater openness in technology and data sharing, and encourages platform enterprises to strengthen AI innovation, improve algorithm governance and promote algorithm transparency.

By 2028, China aims to significantly improve the level of coordinated development among platform enterprises, form a number of replicable models for collaborative innovation, and cultivate a group of leading firms specializing in niche manufacturing segments in the platform economy.

When Moldovan sailor Stanislav Lungu arrived at Shanghai's Changhai Hospital, he was facing a medical emergency in a country far from home. Yet as doctors explained the treatment plan, his anxiety began to ease.

"I trusted them because they said I wasn't the first patient they'd treated this way. They had performed this procedure many times before," he said.

The encounter lasted only a few moments, but it captured something that vascular surgeon Xiao Yu has come to understand over years of medical practice: trust can transcend language. For Xiao, an attending physician at Changhai Hospital and a Communist Party of China (CPC) member for nearly two decades, that sense of responsibility recently took her far beyond the operating room.

From a hospital ward to the high seas

In April, she returned from a deployment aboard the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's Silk Road Ark, China's second domestically designed and built hospital ship. The voyage, known as Mission Harmony-2025, took medical personnel across the South Pacific and Latin America, delivering free healthcare services, conducting medical exchanges and building people-to-people ties.

The mission marked the first overseas deployment of the Silk Road Ark since its commissioning in 2024. Over the course of eight months, the ship traveled more than 36,000 nautical miles, visiting countries including Brazil, Chile, Fiji, Tonga, Jamaica and Nauru. The medical team completed more than 26,000 outpatient consultations and over 2,700 surgical procedures.

For Xiao, however, the significance of the journey cannot be measured by the distance travelled alone. As a CPC member, she saw the mission as an opportunity to answer a call to serve. And as a member of a team pushing the boundaries of modern medicine, she carried with her some of China's latest advances in vascular treatment.

Bringing Chinese innovation to the world

One of the mission's most memorable stops came in Brazil, where Xiao participated in academic exchanges with local medical professionals. There, she introduced Chinese innovations in vascular surgery, including an endovascular assistant robot developed by her team at Changhai Hospital.

The technology is designed to help surgeons perform delicate procedures inside blood vessels with greater precision. Built on years of clinical research and practical experience treating complex vascular diseases, the system represents a shift toward smarter surgery that can improve outcomes and shorten recovery times.

Leading the effort is Lu Qingsheng, director of Changhai Hospital's Department of Vascular Surgery.

"We have now entered an era of precise, intelligent and minimally invasive surgery, which is aimed at a higher success rate. Promoting this from China to the world demonstrates China's leading role in this field," Lu said.

For Xiao, sharing those achievements overseas was as important as the treatments themselves.

"After our robot is officially launched, it won't need to invite our Director Lu over. By using 5G signals, Director Lu can perform surgery on patients in Brazil from China. This is a leap forward," she said.

A journey of duty and growth

While the mission showcased China's growing medical capabilities, it also became a deeply personal journey. When the ship crossed back into the Northern Hemisphere, Xiao began drawing a map by hand, tracing the route of the Silk Road Ark across oceans and continents.

"It was all for the children. I wanted to go home and let them know where I had been, which countries I had visited, and what my journey had been like," she said.

The map would eventually become a keepsake for her family, a way of explaining months spent away from home. The 234-day deployment is longer than any previous mission by a Chinese naval hospital ship.

"I have a new understanding of my country. Patriotism has become tangible for me, and I can influence my children," she said.

Back at Changhai Hospital, Xiao has resumed the rhythm of daily clinical work. As a member of the CPC, she remains guided by the belief that professional excellence carries with it a broader responsibility to serve society.

"As our generation went out, we also learned that each generation has its own responsibilities. The task of Mission Harmony is to implement a community with a shared future for humanity, and it reflects our responsibility," she said.

From a hospital ward in Shanghai to ports across the Pacific and Latin America, Xiao's journey has connected people with different languages, cultures and homelands. What they do share is the trust in a doctor, in a treatment and in the possibility that care can travel across oceans.

(Li Siqi, Bai Jin and Tang Lei also contributed to this story.)

A punishing heatwave sweeping across much of Europe has triggered widespread disruption, including a partial alcohol ban in France, nationwide heat warnings in Germany and the closure of a football fan zone in Spain, as temperatures climb towards record levels.

Alcohol restrictions to ease healthcare strain

In France, authorities have issued a red alert for more than a third of the country for Sunday, with 35 of its 96 departments placed under the highest heat warning. Temperatures are expected to reach 39 to 40 degrees Celsius from the southwest through the Paris region and into Burgundy, with some areas possibly hitting 41 degrees Celsius.

The ferocious heatwave, which began earlier this week, has already disrupted the country, forcing the cancellation of dozens of trains and the suspension of school classes. According to French weather service Meteo-France, "Very high temperatures are settling in for the long term across the country." It warned that the duration of the heatwave remains "uncertain," adding that from Monday, temperatures could reach 41 degrees Celsius in some areas, while the national average could rise to its highest level on record.

As authorities brace for the impact on public health services, the government on Sunday limited alcohol consumption during the annual Fete de la Musique celebrations. Following a crisis meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, officials said alcohol will be banned in public spaces in the departments under red alert, and state-organized events have been instructed not to offer alcohol.

The limits on alcohol consumption are intended to ease pressure on emergency and healthcare services and allow medical staff to focus on caring for the most vulnerable. To help residents and tourists cope with the heat, authorities have also ordered parks and gardens to remain open around the clock.

Countries in the grip of the heatwave

Heat alerts were declared across most of Germany, with temperatures approaching 38 degrees Celsius. The German weather service DWD warned that a combination of heat and humidity could trigger severe thunderstorms.

In some Italian cities, temperatures expected to reach 36 to 37 degrees Celsius are transforming daily life and tourism. In Rome, visitors queued under a blazing sun outside the Colosseum, while some sought relief in the cooler underground spaces beneath the ruins of the Temple of Claudius. In Bologna, one of the hottest cities in the country, people splashed water on their faces at the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune and sheltered in the shade of the porticoes.

In Spain, authorities have closed a large football fan zone in Madrid's Plaza de Colon, where giant screens had been set up for supporters to watch Spain's World Cup match against Saudi Arabia.

Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves across Europe, raising the risk of health emergencies and economic disruption during the summer months.

The economic toll of extreme heat is also drawing attention.

Bank of France Governor Emmanuel Moulin said short-term effects on growth were "somewhat ambiguous," citing both reduced productivity and increased energy use, but warned that over the medium term, heatwaves weigh on economic activity.

(With input from agencies)

Researchers have demonstrated a new quantum sensing technique that effectively eliminates a major source of background noise, a breakthrough that could improve future searches for dark matter and gravitational waves.

The study, published in Nature, describes a prototype device that uses two atom interferometers operating at different locations but sharing the same laser source. By comparing measurements from the two instruments, the system can cancel out laser noise that would otherwise overwhelm extremely weak signals.

To test the approach, the researchers deliberately added strong noise to the laser. The device continued to operate successfully, with measurements limited primarily by the atoms' own quantum randomness rather than external interference.

Atom interferometers measure tiny disturbances by tracking the wave-like behavior of atoms and are considered promising tools for probing fundamental questions in physics. Their sensitivity, however, has long been constrained by noise in the laser pulses used to manipulate and measure atoms.

The team also applied oscillating signals designed to mimic those expected from primordial gravitational waves and ultralight dark matter. Even when operating together under noisy conditions, the paired interferometers were able to detect the signals clearly.

Scientists say the technique could help future detectors search for faint signals from the early universe, probe the nature of dark matter, and shed light on how supermassive black holes formed less than a billion years after the Big Bang.

Smart mobility and intelligent vehicle technologies are taking center stage at the 2026 Chongqing International Auto Exhibition, which is running from June 13 to June 21 and bringing together more than 100 global automotive brands, including BYD, Changan, and Tesla.

Beyond the showcases of traditional automakers, the exhibition also features the 2026 Auto AI Expo, a dedicated section for technologies powering the next generation of smart vehicles. Covering batteries, autonomous driving, chips, and smart cockpits, it convenes industry leaders such as Bosch, CATL, and Huawei to showcase innovations shaping the future automotive ecosystem.

Intelligence has become an inevitable trend in global technological development, according to Zhu Huarong, chairman of Changan Automobile. New energy vehicles (NEVs) have opened the prelude to a new era, while digital and intelligent vehicles will define the future, he said, adding that cars of the future will be self-evolving, intelligent robotic vehicles.

Several new products are making their debut at the show. AVATR's concept car, VISION XPECTRA, appears for the first time in Chongqing, drawing crowds with its futuristic design. Volvo has unveiled two new electric models, further expanding its EV lineup in the Chinese market. Changan has introduced the SDA Pilot 2.0 intelligent driving system, an upgraded version set to roll out in new models this year and gradually across applicable vehicles.

In the cockpit domain, automakers are pushing toward deeper integration. The focus is on two fronts: upgrading the in-cabin experience by combining sound, lighting and electronics for better user-vehicle interaction, and cockpit-driving integration that brings different vehicle domains together for a unified intelligent experience.

Electrification remains a major focus as traditional automakers accelerate their shift towards new energy. According to the China Passenger Car Association, China's fuel car retail sales fell 39% year on year in May, while the retail penetration rate of NEVs exceeded 60% – meaning more than six in every 10 new cars sold were NEVs.

The data sends a clear message: the center of gravity in China's auto industry has decisively shifted.

(Luo Huxin contributed to the story.)

Chinese LEO satellite operator Spacesail has successfully completed the country's first direct-to-cell voice calls using unmodified commercial smartphones, with voice quality matching terrestrial 5G networks.

The test was made possible by the Spacesail DTC 01, a dedicated trial satellite launched earlier this month. The company's earlier 200-plus satellites, launched since the constellation's formal inception in 2021, were designed for broadband coverage and lacked direct-to-cell capabilities.

Two systems, two approaches

Huawei and Xiaomi phones launched satellite calling in 2024, but they connect to Tiantong-1 – a geostationary system at 36,000 kilometers, operated by China Telecom. Spacesail's low-earth orbit constellation sits much closer to Earth, delivering stronger signals and enabling standard 5G phones to connect without hardware modifications.

Spacesail roadmap

End of 2026: 324 satellites, initial service capability

End of 2027: 648 satellites, first phase completion

Final: Over 15,000 satellites for full 6G integration

The constellation entered its formal deployment phase in August 2024, and recent launch cadence has accelerated significantly. In May 2026 alone, Spacesail conducted three launches within 11 days, bringing its in-orbit satellite count to 162 by May 17.

By comparison, SpaceX's Starlink had deployed approximately 9,600 satellites in orbit as of March 2026, accounting for roughly three-quarters of all active satellites globally. Its approved constellation size is planned for up to 42,000 satellites.

Starlink's broadband subscriber base reached 10.3 million as of the first quarter of 2026, covering 164 countries and territories. Its direct-to-cell service is now active in 30 countries, with 7.4 million monthly active devices. However, average revenue per user (ARPU) has declined to $66 in Q1 2026, reflecting aggressive global expansion into lower-income markets. 

(Cover via VCG)

China wants humanoid robots to enter "work mode" across more than 100 real-world application scenarios before the end of this year. Here are three reasons why that target may be achievable sooner than many expect.

Skywatchers will have a chance to see Venus appear near the Beehive Cluster after sunset on June 20, creating a striking pairing between one of the brightest objects in the night sky and a nearby open star cluster.

The Beehive Cluster, also known as Messier 44 (M44), lies about 600 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cancer. One of the nearest open star clusters to Earth, it contains hundreds of stars and takes its name from its resemblance to a swarm of bees.

Venus has been a prominent object in the western evening sky for much of this year. Earlier this month, the planet drew attention when it appeared close to Jupiter before both sank below the horizon.

According to Song Yuanyuan, an astronomy outreach expert at the Tianjin Science and Technology Museum and a member of the Chinese Astronomical Society, the Beehive Cluster lies along the apparent path followed by the planets across the sky. As a result, planets occasionally pass near the cluster and sometimes even move through it.

On June 20, Venus will appear close to the Beehive Cluster in the western sky shortly after sunset. The cluster will be positioned below the planet and shine at about magnitude 3.1.

Despite its brightness, the cluster may be difficult to spot with the naked eye because of atmospheric effects near the horizon and glare from the much brighter Venus. However, observers using binoculars or a small telescope should be able to see both objects together.

The close encounter also offers an attractive target for astrophotographers. Song recommends using a telephoto lens or telescope to capture the pairing.

Another celestial meeting is on the horizon. On October 12, Mars is expected to pass through the Beehive Cluster, creating another notable sight for astronomy enthusiasts.

As China's commercial space sector expands, rocket launches are becoming more accessible to the public.

At the Oriental Spaceport in Haiyang, east China's Shandong Province, visitors can now watch launches from close range, tour aerospace facilities, and take part in hands-on science activities that were once largely limited to industry professionals.

The spaceport has emerged as a major hub for China's commercial sea-launch activities. It has completed 25 offshore launch missions, sending 155 satellites into orbit for applications ranging from communications and weather forecasting to marine observation and emergency response.

The growing public interest reflects broader developments in China's commercial space industry. What was once seen mainly through television broadcasts is increasingly becoming part of public science education and outreach.

Visitors can explore a space science museum featuring rocket models, virtual reality experiences, and interactive exhibits designed to explain aerospace technologies. Educational programs, including classroom demonstrations and simple rocket-building activities, are also aimed at inspiring younger generations.

According to the spaceport, the science museum receives around 100,000 visitors annually, while launch-viewing events have attracted more than 200,000 visitors in total.

Behind the visitor experience is a rapidly expanding aerospace industrial base. Haiyang has developed facilities covering rocket assembly and testing, satellite-related industries, and offshore launch operations. Local authorities are also investing in liquid-fuel rocket technologies and supporting infrastructure as the sector continues to grow.

As commercial space activities become more visible, facilities such as the Oriental Spaceport are giving the public new opportunities to engage with space technology beyond launch broadcasts and classroom textbooks.

Chinese researchers have developed a new platform that enables the comprehensive characterization of individual neurons by simultaneously capturing their gene-expression profile, morphology and functional activity, a breakthrough that could advance understanding of how the brain works and how neurological disorders develop.

The study, led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published on Thursday in the journal Cell.

Neurons, the brain's basic signaling units, can be understood through three key dimensions: how they function, how they are structured and connected, and which genes they express. However, scientists have long faced a major challenge: no technology could comprehensively measure all three types of information from the same neuron.

To address this, the research team developed a trimodal platform called IMC, which integrates functional imaging, morphological reconstruction and gene-expression profiling within a single workflow.

The platform combines two proprietary technologies. One is a high-resolution multiphase parallelized two-photon microscope, which enables researchers to reconstruct a neuron's brain-wide projection pattern without cutting brain tissue. The other is a dual-color expansion fluorescence in situ hybridization technique, which precisely maps gene molecules within cells and can detect six genes simultaneously.

Using the platform, researchers conducted experiments in awake mice. They first recorded how individual neurons responded to visual stimuli and facial movements through in vivo calcium imaging. They then reconstructed the same neurons' long-range projections across the brain and finally mapped the distribution and abundance of genes within those cells. Throughout the process, the neurons' spatial locations were preserved, allowing the three datasets to be accurately aligned.

The team has already collected trimodal datasets from more than 100 neurons. By combining gene-expression and morphological information with functional data, the researchers found they could predict neuronal responses more accurately than with any single type of data alone.

The study also showed that the spatial distribution of genes within a cell can serve as an important marker for distinguishing different neuron types.

In addition, the researchers identified a previously uncharacterized subtype of excitatory neuron that expresses molecular markers typically associated with inhibitory neurons while exhibiting distinctive responses to visual stimuli. The finding could provide new insights into how neurons are classified and organized within brain circuits.

Researchers say the platform offers a powerful new tool for linking neuronal activity, structure and gene expression at single-cell resolution, paving the way for a more complete understanding of the brain's complex networks.

China's Ministry of Commerce and seven other government departments Thursday released an implementation guideline document to accelerate the development of "artificial intelligence (AI) plus consumption."

It includes 17 measures in five areas to promote deeper integration of AI with consumer markets by expanding smart product consumption, empowering services consumption and creating new consumption scenarios.

Regarding goods consumption, the document calls for increasing the supply of new AI products, upgrading consumer electronics, household appliances and home products, cultivating the smart wearable market, and promoting AI-powered robots for elderly care, companionship and daily assistance.

Addressing services consumption, it encourages wider AI application in home services, elderly care, tourism, accommodation and catering, and education, including smart elderly-care facilities, AI-enabled tourism services and smart canteens in offices, schools and hospitals.

The guidelines also stress the acceleration of smart retails, deeper integration of e-commerce with AI, improvement of smart logistics networks at county, township and village levels, and expansion of delivery coverage in remote areas.

China will also build "AI plus consumption" clusters and AI experience centers, encourage rental, sharing and trial use of AI products in public venues, and encourage local authorities to formulate subsidy policies for next-generation smart terminals and other AI-related consumer products under the consumer goods trade-in policy framework.

China's Ministry of Natural Resources said Thursday that it had organized a marine environmental survey in waters under China's jurisdiction east of China's Taiwan Island to gain a full understanding of the natural ecological conditions of the country's jurisdictional sea areas.

From June 16 to 18, the Xiangyanghong 22 research vessel of the ministry's East China Sea Bureau carried out the survey in waters east of China's Taiwan Island, the ministry said.

The survey collected data on seawater environmental DNA, birds, whales and dolphins, marine chemistry, hydrology and meteorology.

It laid a foundation for China to further understand the conditions of key habitats in the area and evaluate the health of the ecosystem, while also providing a scientific basis for marine biodiversity conservation in the area, the ministry said.

VivaTech 2026, one of Europe's largest startup and technology events, is bringing together startups, technology companies, investors and policymakers to showcase how frontier technologies are increasingly moving from experimentation to real-world deployment. 

The conference runs from June 17 to 20. Artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, green technology and deep tech are among the key themes, with many exhibitors focusing on technologies designed to improve productivity and accelerate industrial transformation.

One of the most prominent topics at conference is the rise of AI agents, which are increasingly viewed as the next step in the development of artificial intelligence.

Unlike traditional generative AI systems that mainly respond to user prompts, AI agents can perform tasks, interact with multiple software systems and support business operations with greater autonomy. Industry participants say such technologies could help companies improve efficiency across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare and retail.

Demand for skills linked to so-called AI agents has surged across Europe, according to new data from freelance marketplace Malt. According to FRANCE 24, AI agents are driving major shift in freelance hiring, Malt CEO Vincent Huguet says.

Several companies unveiled new AI-powered solutions at the exhibition. Beauty technology company Perfect Corp showcased AI tools designed to provide personalized beauty services and enhance customer engagement. The company also demonstrated technologies that allow AI assistants to communicate across different platforms and applications.

The growing focus on practical deployment was also reflected in presentations by major technology firms. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA highlighted AI startups developing solutions for automation, robotics and enterprise operations, underscoring the industry's shift toward real-world business applications.

Meanwhile, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos predicted at the conference that AI will lead to labor shortages, not the replacement of humans.

Beyond AI, deep-tech innovation has emerged as another major attraction at the event.

Quantum computing is drawing increasing attention as companies explore its potential to solve highly complex computational problems. IBM presented advances in quantum technologies alongside its AI portfolio, while Airbus showcased developments in quantum sensing and quantum navigation systems, which could support future applications in aviation and industrial operations.

Robotics was among the attractions drawing large crowds at the exhibition. Chinese robotics company Unitree demonstrated a humanoid robot in collaboration with French neuro-AI company HABS.

The demonstration featured technology designed to enable interaction between humans and machines through brain activity rather than spoken commands. Participants wore a headband equipped with an electroencephalogram (EEG), a device that records electrical activity in the brain, while the robot responded to commands generated through the system.

The showcase offered a glimpse into emerging approaches to human-machine interaction and reflected growing interest in bringing AI technologies into physical-world applications.

(With input from agencies)

China accounted for 78% of newly added offshore wind power capacity connected to the grid globally in 2025, maintaining its leading position in the sector, according to a new report released in Shanghai on Wednesday.

The report, entitled Offshore Wind Review and Outlook, showed that 9.252 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity were newly grid-connected worldwide in 2025, showing a 16% year-on-year increase. China contributed 7.192 gigawatts, representing a 78% share of the global total.

By the end of 2025, global cumulative offshore wind grid-connected capacity reached 92.475 gigawatts, with China accounting for 52.042 gigawatts, about 56% of the world's total.

Offshore wind is increasingly transitioning from a supplementary energy source to a core component of the energy system, said Qin Haiyan, secretary general of Chinese Wind Energy Association.

"China is expected to add more than 15 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity annually during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), with cumulative installed capacity to reach 100 gigawatts by 2030," said Qin.

Exports are also growing rapidly. In 2025, China's newly added export capacity of wind turbines reached 7.734 gigawatts, up 48.9% year on year, including 49 offshore wind turbines totaling 225,000 kilowatts.

Zhao Feng, strategy director of Global Wind Energy Council, underscored China's vital role in global offshore wind development. "As we estimate, more than half of new offshore wind capacity over the next decade will come from China."

China's 15th Five-Year Plan has set clear targets for the offshore wind expansion, aiming to further develop large-scale offshore wind bases across the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and promote orderly deep-sea offshore wind power development, with cumulative offshore wind capacity expected to exceed 100 gigawatts by 2030.

China's first next-generation flexible display production line began mass production on Wednesday, set to deliver thinner, cheaper displays for laptops and tablets worldwide.

The BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. operates one of the world's first Gen-8.6 production lines of AMOLED, a flexible display panel primarily used in the screens of smart terminals such as laptops and tablets. The company mainly targets medium-sized premium display panels.

China's advances in the low-altitude economy became manifest as the first domestically developed engine specifically for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft rolled off the production line.

The AEE25 aviation electric engine was made and delivered in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Thursday, setting a national record for torque density, meaning a lighter engine that allows the aircraft to carry more passengers or cargo. 

The achievement marks a major breakthrough in key aviation electric propulsion technologies, with the engine’s performance reaching internationally advanced levels.

The AEE25 converts electrical energy from onboard batteries into lift and thrust for rotor systems. The engine has achieved a torque density of 40 newton-meters per kilogram, the highest among China's publicly disclosed 200-kW-class aviation electric engines,  according to the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC).

According to Zhang Yu, head of the AEE25 project at the AECC institute, the engine is suitable for mainstream eVTOL aircraft weighing between two and three tonnes and capable of carrying four to six passengers, reported by stdaily.com.

"A higher torque density means a lighter engine for the same power output, allowing aircraft designers to allocate more weight to passengers, payloads or additional systems," Zhang said.

He noted that, under the same power and weight conditions, the AEE25 can deliver greater torque output than comparable domestic products, enabling rotors to generate stronger lift and thrust. The engine's torque density is expected to increase further to 44 newton-meters per kilogram in future upgrades.

The AEE25 will be installed on the E20 eVTOL aircraft developed by Shanghai TCab Technology Co., Ltd. (TCab Tech). The engine has also entered the airworthiness certification process alongside the aircraft program.

In recent years, the AECC institute has focused on electric motor and control technologies for aviation applications. To support the development of China's low-altitude economy, it established a dedicated electric propulsion business unit and has accelerated technology commercialization through market-oriented mechanisms.

The institute said several aviation electric propulsion products developed in-house have achieved key technological breakthroughs and are now capable of entering scaled production.

Huang Yongwei, founder and chief executive officer of TCab Tech, said cooperation with the AECC institute had not only overcome critical technological bottlenecks in aviation electric engines, but also established an efficient collaborative research and development model that would support the localization and high-end development of China's eVTOL industry.

Liu Guoping, deputy director of the AECC institute, said the organization would continue advancing key technology research and engineering validation efforts to meet the growing demand for low-altitude economic applications, electric aircraft and next-generation propulsion systems.

"We will provide more efficient, reliable and lightweight aviation electric engines for emerging aircraft platforms such as eVTOLs," Liu said.

China launched a new group of internet satellites from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday.

A Long March-12 rocket, carrying the 22nd group of low-Earth orbit internet satellites, blasted off at 10:44 a.m., and has sent the satellites into preset orbit.

Developed by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the carrier rocket is capable of supporting multiple orbital launch missions. It has a payload capacity of at least 12 tonnes to low-Earth orbit and at least 6 tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers.

The launch marks the 652nd flight mission of Long March carrier rocket series.

China is accelerating the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cooperation Organization, according to a press conference held by China's State Council Information Office on Wednesday.

The Chinese government proposed the creation of a global AI cooperation organization on July 26, 2025.

It marks a major step by China to practice multilateralism and promote a style of global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit. It is also a concrete action taken by the country in response to the call of the Global South to bridge the digital and intelligent divide, promote the inclusive development of AI and ensure the technology is used for good.

The proposed organization, tentatively planned to be headquartered in Shanghai, is expected to serve as a platform for countries to deepen cooperation on innovation, promote pragmatic cooperation to fully unleash the unlimited potential of AI, and achieve common development and prosperity.

China also plans to host the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai in July, aiming to further strengthen international cooperation in artificial intelligence.

China has announced three significant industrial milestones across its energy and advanced materials sectors, signaling progress in high-performance fuels, shale oil development and high-end carbon fiber production amid broader efforts to secure supply chains. 

In this environment of ongoing global energy market volatility, such advances have become particularly important for bolstering industrial resilience and managing input costs.

High-octane racing fuel debuts at major rally

Domestically developed 103-RON racing gasoline was officially supplied during the 2026 Taklimakan Rally, marking its first industrial-scale deployment at a major international motorsport event. 

Unlike standard commercial grades, the fuel is formulated with optimized hydrocarbon blends and proprietary additive packages to maintain stability and combustion efficiency under extreme heat and load conditions. With a reported research octane number exceeding 103 – approximately eight points higher than common 95-RON gasoline – the product is designed for high-compression, competition-grade engines. 

Tech-driven recovery lifts shale output

In eastern China's Shengli oilfield, operators have improved recovery from lacustrine shale formations, where crude is trapped in nanoscale pore networks. Using advanced rotary-steerable drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing, engineers have connected isolated pockets of oil, boosting flow rates and well productivity. 

The Shengli Jiyang National Shale Oil Demonstration Zone reported 12 new high-yield wells in the first half of the year, contributing 15,000 tonnes of shale oil – a 15% year-on-year increase. 

Carbon fiber production scales up for aerospace and mobility

Beyond energy production, China is also seeking to expand domestic capabilities in advanced materials, an area viewed as strategically important for aerospace, aviation and emerging mobility industries.

Shanghai Petrochemical has begun mass-producing high-strength small-tow carbon fiber, a material often referred to as "black gold" due to its value in advanced manufacturing. Each tow contains 12,000 filaments, each about five micrometers in diameter – roughly one-tenth the thickness of a human hair. 

The company says its proprietary wet-spinning process creates a ridged fiber surface that improves bonding with resin matrices in composite parts. The company says the material's tensile strength is seven to nine times that of steel while weighing substantially less, with potential applications ranging from high-end sports equipment to aircraft structures and next-generation aerial vehicles. 

Taking a fresh look at data involving a specific type of stellar explosion, a team of researchers says it has confirmed the long-accepted notion that the universe is expanding at an accelerated rate – the very observation that led to the identification in the 1990s of an enigmatic cosmic force called dark energy.

The study's results rebut research published ‌last year that concluded that this cosmic expansion is no longer speeding up – a finding that had challenged the basic understanding of the universe.

"The universe is still accelerating," said astrophysicist Brodie Popovic of the University of Southampton in England, one of the leaders of the study published this month in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

"There's still a lot we don't know and are excited to learn, but we think we're on the right track," Popovic said.

The study's findings, by a team that included two Nobel Prize recipients, were guided by observations in two different datasets of a ​type of stellar explosion called a Type Ia supernova in order to calculate vast cosmic distances. These supernovas cause the destruction of an object called a white dwarf, the dense remnant of a low- to intermediate-mass star at the end of its lifecycle.

This type of supernova has proven valuable in investigating the universe's structure based on evidence that all of these explosions have roughly the same luminosity. Their observed brightness differs depending upon their distance from Earth - brighter when closer and fainter when farther – making them useful as cosmic mile markers.

By measuring the brightness of these supernovas as seen from Earth, scientists can gauge the universe's expansion rate and the variation of that rate over time. Because of the time it takes for light to travel through space, looking at distant objects in the cosmos is like looking back in time.

The Big Bang event roughly 13.8 billion years ago initiated the universe, and it has been expanding ever since. Scientists in 1998 disclosed that this expansion is accelerating, with an invisible force called dark energy as the hypothesized reason.

The universe's contents include ordinary matter – stars, planets, gas, dust and all the familiar stuff on Earth – as well as dark matter and dark energy. Ordinary matter represents an estimated 5% of the contents. Dark matter, which is known from its gravitational influences on ‌galaxies and stars, makes up an estimated 27%. Dark energy makes up an estimated 68%.

The authors of the 2025 study, which was published in the same journal as the new study, concluded that dark energy is weakening and has stopped accelerating the universe's expansion.

"Type Ia supernovae are the premier tool for measuring the expansion history of the universe, and provided the first evidence in 1998 that cosmic expansion is accelerating due to dark energy," said astrophysicist Adam Riess of Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, a co-author of the new study and a Nobel laureate in physics in 2011 for the co-discovery of the accelerating expansion ​of the universe.

Riess said that over the past decade, a Yonsei University group has argued that supernova distances should be calibrated differently by accounting for the ages of the stars that eventually explode, but no evidence for this "age effect" was found in the largest calibrated supernova samples used by the cosmology community over the last decade.

The 2025 study's authors defended their interpretation, arguing that the opposing analysis was methodologically flawed or internally inconsistent. The new study's authors, however, maintained confidence in their methods and confirmed that cosmic acceleration still holds.

The physical nature of dark energy remains unknown. Platforms such as the newly operational Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile and the forthcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, due to be launched ​in August, may provide some insight.

"We're hoping the new data we get from Vera Rubin and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will help us narrow down what dark energy really is," Popovic said.

A thriving colony of protected green sea turtles has been found in lagoon seagrass beds on China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The research team is from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology of the CAS, based in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. Their preliminary counts put the local turtle population at over 50 in this island lagoon.

Their field survey confirmed that the lagoon hosts a mature, interconnected coral reef-seagrass ecosystem that provides high-quality habitats for sea turtles and other marine fauna.

The scientists said China's conservation efforts have helped foster dense and healthy seagrass, which is the primary food source for green sea turtles.

They also observed expanding sandbars adjacent to the seagrass beds, exposed during low tide. These landforms are poised to become prime nesting sites for green and hawksbill sea turtles, turning Huangyan Dao into a full lifecycle habitat for these marine reptiles.

The expedition team relied on drone technology to track and identify turtle population, capturing rare footage of dozens of green sea turtles swimming together. Unlike conventional fieldwork, drones minimize disruption to marine life.

Green sea turtles are classified as a first-class state protected wild species in China. In 2025, Chinese scientists documented a complete green sea turtle hatching process on the beaches of Yongshu Reef in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, marking the first such observation.

In September 2025, China formally approved to establish the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve to safeguard the island's coral reef ecosystem. Administered under the city of Sansha, south China's Hainan Province, the reserve spans 3,523.67 hectares.

A 2025 assessment jointly published by the South China Sea Ecological Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources and partner research institutions found Huangyan Dao's coral reef ecosystem to be in generally sound health. The same report recorded 135 species of hermatypic corals across 36 genera and 13 families in this reserve.

(Cover via CMG)

A Hungarian company says its battery innovation could eliminate range anxiety among electric vehicle (EV) drivers – and even significantly reduce costs.

Edortech, a Budapest-based startup, has developed ONLi, a new anode technology that replaces the graphite in conventional lithium-ion batteries with a thin alloyed layer.

Lak Gyorgy Balint, the company's chief technology officer and the inventor behind ONLi, said the change could deliver a dramatic performance boost. "So if we were to replace the conventional 21,700 cells with ONLi's 21,700 cells, you would get about a 60% to 80% capacity increase," he told CGTN.

For consumers, that means longer range and faster charging with smaller battery packs.

But cost may be the bigger story. Industry analysts say electric vehicles remain pricier than comparable gasoline cars, even as technology improves.

"I think the biggest problem with electric cars … it's not the range, it's not the charging speed or this kind of thing. It's the price," said Andras Horvat, an EV journalist and vlogger.

Lak said ONLi could tackle that too. "The graphite technology to actually coat it; it's insane. We are less than one-tenth of that cost," he said.

Edortech is not planning to make complete battery cells. Instead, it aims to supply anodes for existing producers. The company says the technology works on current production lines, a key advantage for manufacturers. Lak said several major automakers – which he declined to name – are already in talks.

The technology remains in development. But if it delivers, one of the next big advances in EVs could come from a component most drivers will never see.

(Gong Zhe contributed to the story.)

The world is bracing for the return of El Nino, a climate phenomenon that could intensify extreme weather and push global temperatures even higher.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, there is an 80% chance that El Nino conditions will develop between June and August 2026, with the probability rising to more than 90% through at least November. Most forecast models suggest the event could reach moderate to strong intensity.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that El Nino would "pour fuel on the fire of a warming world" and stressed that early warning systems are essential to protecting vulnerable communities from climate-related disasters.

As countries prepare for potentially more frequent heatwaves, floods and droughts, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a key tool in climate adaptation.

China has been developing a new generation of AI-powered weather forecasting systems, including the "Feng" or "Wind" series (Fengqing, Fenglei, Fengshun and Fengyuan) of meteorological models.

Fengqing is a global medium‑range model that produces 10.5‑day forecasts within three minutes and has been operationalized nationwide. Fenglei is a nowcasting model that directly predicts quantitative precipitation, improving heavy rain forecasts by 25% and extending lead time to three hours. It supports four‑tier severe weather warnings. Fengshun is a subseasonal‑to‑seasonal model with 0.25-degree resolution and excels in international competitions. Fengyuan is a scientific AI base model integrating data assimilation and forecasting, serving as an open research and innovation platform. Together, the series addresses diverse needs – from disaster prevention to renewable energy and aviation – and marks China's fully independent, end‑to‑end AI forecasting capability.

China has also launched the MAZU Early Warning Cloud Platform, a national-level solution supporting the United Nations' "Early Warnings for All" initiative. The platform integrates meteorological monitoring, risk assessment, and disaster alerts and has been introduced in countries including Pakistan, Mongolia and Sri Lanka, helping strengthen local disaster preparedness.

Other countries are also turning to advanced technologies to cope with climate risks associated with El Nino.

In the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses AI-enhanced forecasting systems and climate models to improve seasonal outlooks and extreme weather predictions.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has expanded its climate monitoring and forecasting capabilities as the country faces heightened risks of drought, heat waves and bushfires during El Nino years.

Meanwhile, the European Union has expanded the use of advanced climate forecasting through the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service. These platforms combine satellite observations, AI-assisted modeling and high-performance computing to provide seasonal forecasts that help governments prepare for El Nino-related heatwaves, droughts and extreme rainfall events.

As El Nino approaches, scientists say the challenge is no longer simply forecasting the weather but translating climate information into timely action. Around the world, technology is becoming an increasingly important line of defense against a warming and more volatile climate.

Chinese researchers have uncovered new clues about how the brain transforms newly learned information into long-term memories, according to a study published online in the journal Neuron on June 15.

The study, conducted by a neurosurgery research team at Xinqiao Hospital of the Army Medical University, provides direct evidence that after a single night of sleep, the brain's "memory commander" begins a quiet change of guard, shifting responsibility for newly learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex.

To investigate the process, the team monitored 14 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy over six consecutive days. Using stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG), researchers recorded high-frequency brain activity while participants repeatedly learned and recalled images.

The researchers found that memory formation involves a dynamic handover between different parts of the brain. On the first day of learning, the hippocampus — a brain region crucial for forming new memories — acts like a commander, guiding the neocortex through brief bursts of synchronized neural activity known as ripples.

After a night's sleep, however, a quiet "change of guard" begins. From the second day onward, ripple activity in the neocortex becomes more active than in the hippocampus and continues to play a leading role during memory recall. Communication between the two regions also becomes stronger, with information flow shifting from the hippocampus to the neocortex.

The process can be compared to learning how to drive, said Wang Lukang, the study's first author. On the first day, a driving instructor closely guides every move. After a good night's sleep, however, the brain's cortical networks take over, allowing the skill to become more automatic and stable.

The findings suggest that a key stage of memory consolidation may occur much earlier than previously thought — during the very first night after learning. Researchers say the discovery could also provide new clues for treating memory-related disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy-associated cognitive impairment.

Source(s): Science and Technology Daily; Neuron

A Chinese naval task force consisting of the training vessel Qi Jiguang and the amphibious landing ship Kunlunshan departed from Qingdao on June 15 to begin a far-sea training and exchange mission. More than 400 instructors and cadets are taking part in the voyage, alongside 20 military academy students from 10 countries, including Myanmar and Brazil. The mission will provide practical training at sea while promoting international military exchanges. Known as China's "mobile university at sea," the Qi Jiguang is the country's largest dedicated training vessel, while the Kunlunshan is a key amphibious transport ship capable of supporting a wide range of maritime operations.

AI is reshaping media - but from a Global South perspective, what are the real challenges and opportunities?

CGTN brings together media professionals, government officials, and experts to discuss: 
- Technology transfers
- Cross-border media exchanges
- Moving from challenges to capacity building
- Will AI replace humans in media?

Watch the video for a critical conversation on innovation, collaboration, and action.

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), known as China's "Sky Eye," has completed a key maintenance milestone in southwest China's Guizhou Province. On June 15, engineers finished installing six massive, domestically developed steel cables, fully replacing the core components of its cable-driven suspension system.

The upgrade marks a breakthrough in localization for the world's largest single-dish radio telescope. These six cables act as the "muscles" for the 30-tonne feed cabin – the telescope's "eye" – suspending it 140 meters above the reflector surface. The system must maneuver the cabin with extreme precision across a 206-meter diameter space to track celestial targets.

"The commissioning process will involve a comprehensive review and optimization based on the data collected during this cable replacement," said Lei Zheng, leader of the FAST site maintenance team. "Once debugging is complete, the feed cabin will be lifted for the first time solely by Chinese-made steel cables."

Unlike standard construction cables, these high-performance ropes face brutal conditions. They endure hundreds of bending cycles and pulse loads daily, with a design requirement to operate without fracture for five years under high-intensity observation schedules.

Yao Rui, director of the measurement and control engineering department at the FAST operation and development center, emphasized the project's full-chain domestic breakthrough. "We have accumulated extensive technical data from raw materials to application," Yao said. "The Research and Development cost is roughly half that of comparable foreign products."

Engineers will next conduct a 24-hour static load test to monitor performance before moving the cabin through all operational limits to verify system reliability. Routine inspections will be conducted every six months once normal scientific observations resume.

Commissioned in 2016, FAST is a leading global facility for radio astronomy, having contributed significantly to the discovery of pulsars and the study of fast radio bursts. The cable localization represents a crucial step in ensuring the long-term, stable operation of this world-class research infrastructure.

A recent powerful earthquake that killed at least 61 people in the Philippines raised the seabed by as much as 2 meters, exposing coral and harming marine life, the environment department said Sunday.

The magnitude-7.8 tremor in southern Mindanao island on June 8 has also left at least 40 people missing, according to updated tolls from the disaster agency.

Local residents first reported the geological phenomenon known as "coastal uplift" two days after the quake, which extended the shoreline by as much as 200 meters in some places, the environment department said.

A shifting of the Cotabato Trench "pushed upward part of the coastlines of Sarangani and Davao Occidental (provinces)... exposing the bottom of the sea that was originally submerged," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement.

"Approximately 2 meters was the mapped uplift."

The Cotabato Trench, which lies as close as 50 kilometers off the coast of southern Mindanao, is the site of frequent seismic activity, including a "swarm" of thousands of mostly small earthquakes recorded in January.

A team dispatched to the area "found that long stretches of shoreline, coral reef and seagrass beds have been exposed," the environment department said.

An official who spoke to AFP on Sunday said they could not yet say precisely how wide an area had been affected given the size of the area they needed to survey.

Images released by the department's regional office showed a large swathe of exposed coral with dead fish and other aquatic life lying on top.

Residents initially reported the changes to the seabed out of concern that they might be poisoned by the fumes from decaying sea life.

"These exposed corals and seagrass beds had begun dying off alongside their resident organisms such as reef fishes, eels, clams and shells," the environment department said.

Britain is expected to set out restrictions on social media for children under 16 on Monday that could include banning popular platforms and features ‌that are deemed too addictive for the well-being of young people online.

Britain has increasingly toughened its approach to tech companies in recent years, urging or forcing them to impose age verification, adapt their algorithms and, most recently, prevent children from circulating nude images taken on mobile phones.

But ​with a growing awareness of the mental health risks posed by children spending too much time online, Prime ​Minister Keir Starmer has decided to go further after speaking to parents and considering evidence from Australia, which brought in a ban for children under 16 last year.

Starmer said people rightly expected action. "That's why we will call time on a system that's failing our kids and take bold action to give every child the best possible start in life."

The Guardian newspaper said Starmer would announce a ban for all children under 16 from main social media platforms while online products that are ​not covered, such as gaming apps, will face restrictions, such as preventing children from talking to strangers.

Australia leads the ​way

Australia was the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them in last December from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's ‌YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.

Since then a raft of countries have said they are looking to regulate access to social media amid mounting concerns over the impact on children's health and safety.

Britain has consulted teachers, parents and young people on new restrictions, including a possible ban for children under 16, as well as curfews, app time limits and curbs on what the government has described as addictive design features.

It received more than 116,000 responses from parents, industry and young people. More than 83% of parents who responded said risks from social media outweighed benefits, while 90% backed a minimum age of 16 to access social media platforms.

Lisa Nandy, the minister for culture and media, said Australia's experience suggested that while some children would always get around a ban, it would change the dynamic.

"It changes the presumption, so that at the age of eight, nine, 10, 11, children aren't presuming that they're going to be in these spaces because all of their friends are, and that quite significantly changes the culture," she told BBC television.

While many parents and politicians back a ban, some psychologists and researchers have said there is no proof that it would work, and a group of school children in London told Reuters they had a conflicted relationship with the technology.

Editor's note: Gong Zhe is a senior sci-tech editor at CGTN Digital. This article reflects his own opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

This year's Shanghai International Film Festival debuted an unusual experiment. Four teams of filmmakers and AI specialists spent a month making short films together, then opened their workflows to the public – every prompt, every failed frame, every lesson learned.

The question at the heart of this "AI Backlot" event was simple: What can and cannot AI actually do in filmmaking?

The "can" side is increasingly hard to ignore. Netflix used generative AI for a building collapse scene in "El Eternauta" and completed it 10 times faster than traditional VFX. Bona Film Group spent two years producing "Sanxingdui: Future Past," China's first theatrically released AI-assisted feature film, which premiered at Cannes this year.

German AI director Mark Wachholz, who participated in the Shanghai event, told reporters that "film is film" and there is no need to distinguish whether it was made with AI.

The technology is lowering barriers, cutting costs and making original mid-budget storytelling viable again in an industry that had all but abandoned it.

But the "cannot" is where the real insight lives. Renowned director James Cameron called generative AI as a blended "average" of artworks previously created by humans. German filmmaker Werner Herzog said AI films "have no soul."

Chinese historian Yi Zhongtian, one of the judges of the AI Backlot's live creation challenge, asked a sharper question: "Can AI itch?" Pain can be endured, but an itch is a subtle, authentic life experience that is uniquely human, he said.

The industry is drawing lines on paper as well. US media labor union SAG-AFTRA's 2026 contract requires explicit consent and fair compensation for any AI use of an actor's image or voice. The Oscars do not allow AI-generated performances to qualify for awards. These guardrails are not anti-technology. They are an acknowledgment that efficiency is not creativity, and that what makes a story land with a live audience has never been about processing power.

The AI Backlot's most valuable output may be its framing. The teams did not set out to prove AI could replace filmmakers. They set out to discover where the boundary between humans and machines actually lies. That boundary is not a wall. It is a negotiation, and it will be re-drawn with every project.

The only relevant question is: Who does the drawing?

The China AI Entrepreneurs Conference and the launch ceremony for the second season of "Win in AI+" took place on Saturday in Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, gathering 120 AI innovators, leading academics and top investors.

The event aims to discover the next startup powerhouse in China's AI industry, responding to the national "AI+" action plan outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan.

The first season of "Win in AI+" facilitated 17 investment intention agreements, with a total value exceeding 500 million yuan (approximately $69.6 million), according to China Media Group (CMG). The final investment volume is expected to surpass 1 billion yuan.

This season expanded globally for the first time, with roadshows held in Hong Kong and Singapore. Chinese AI companies will also travel to Switzerland's Geneva in July for the AI for Good Global Summit held by the International Telecommunication Union.

A new trophy, designed by renowned Chinese sculptor Wu Weishan, was unveiled at the ceremony, symbolizing both visionary ambition and down-to-earth execution.

Nine-year-old Zhang Yufan, the youngest participant across both seasons, presented her self-developed AI project, drawing applause and highlighting the intergenerational spirit of innovation in the AI era.

The event is jointly hosted by CMG and the Hangzhou Municipal Government.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly capable of generating text, images and video. But can AI understand how the physical world works?

Researchers at the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI) believe that may be one of the next major frontiers in AI development.

At the 8th Beijing Academy of AI Conference launched on Friday, BAAI unveiled Physis-v0.1, which it describes as the world's first general world foundation model.

Unlike large language models that primarily learn patterns from text, world models are designed to learn and predict how the real world behaves.

Researchers say such systems could help AI applications understand physical laws, spatial relationships and common-sense knowledge while integrating information from multiple sources, including text, images and videos.

The goal is to build a model of how the world works. Just as humans build mental models to anticipate how objects move, interact or break, world models aim to enable AI systems to predict what might happen next and make decisions based on an understanding of cause and effect.

Wang Zhongyuan, president of BAAI, said current AI systems still face significant limitations when deployed in real-world environments.

For example, humans can instinctively judge whether an object is fragile or recognize potential hazards in their surroundings, while robots often struggle with such tasks.

Researchers say this challenge has become increasingly important as AI moves beyond digital applications into robotics and other real-world settings. They see embodied AI and robotics as among the most critical application areas for world models.

Wang said future demand is also expected to grow in fields such as scientific research, simulation and digital twins, where AI systems need to model complex real-world processes before taking action.

Industry experts believe advances in world models could mark a new phase in AI development. While large language models have transformed how machines process information, world models aim to help AI reason about and interact with the world itself.

Andrew Barto, a Turing Award laureate and professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said combining the computational capabilities of deep reinforcement learning with growing knowledge of the brain's reward systems could help drive the next wave of progress in AI.

The conference brought together researchers, AI industry leaders and young scientists to discuss topics including world models, AI agents, embodied intelligence and AI safety.

Skywatchers will have their best chance of the year to spot Mercury on June 16, when the planet reaches its greatest eastern elongation.

Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, is often difficult to observe because it remains near the Sun in the sky and is frequently lost in its glare. While many people have seen bright planets such as Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn, Mercury is one of the least observed planets with the naked eye.

An elongation occurs when Mercury reaches its greatest apparent distance from the Sun as seen from Earth. At greatest eastern elongation, the planet appears above the western horizon shortly after sunset, making evening observations possible.

"The days around this greatest eastern elongation offer the best opportunity of the year to observe Mercury, with nearly ideal viewing conditions," said Song Yuanyuan, a science outreach expert with the Tianjin Science and Technology Museum and a member of the Chinese Astronomical Society.

Mercury will remain relatively high above the horizon after sunset, allowing observers a longer viewing window, according to Song. Bright planets Venus and Jupiter can also serve as useful reference points for locating Mercury in the evening sky.

Earlier this month, Venus and Jupiter appeared close together in the western sky after sunset. During Mercury's elongation, Venus will move to the upper left of Jupiter, while Mercury will appear below and to the right of Jupiter.

Mercury is expected to shine at about magnitude 0.5, making it visible to the naked eye under favorable conditions. Observers with binoculars or small telescopes may enjoy a closer view, but astronomers advise waiting until after sunset before using optical equipment, as looking directly at the Sun can cause serious eye damage.

For the best viewing experience, observers should choose an open location with a clear view of the western horizon and begin observing about 30 minutes after sunset.

Shares in Elon Musk's SpaceX closed almost 20% higher on their trading debut on Friday after the biggest initial public offering (IPO) in history, making the polarizing entrepreneur the world's first trillionaire as he vowed to take humanity to Mars.

The blockbuster IPO, which raised more than $75 billion, is expected to kick off a series of major IPOs by AI companies in the coming months.

The stock climbed as high as $176, or 31% above its offering price of $135, in its first session before ending the day at $161.50.

"SpaceX wants to be able to take you to the moon, take you to Mars, and ultimately beyond," Musk said at a launch event in Starbase, Texas, surrounded by staff, many of whom became multi-millionaires with the launch of trading.

"I'm confident at this point that with the incredible team that we have here at SpaceX, that we will do that for you," Musk added.

About 100 people assembled outside the Nasdaq's home in New York, where SpaceX also marked the occasion with a neon sign in Times Square.

Musk "sets very futuristic goals that no one else is doing, and I think that has got a lot of people excited," said Sarin Sio, of financial company Dovetail, who had come to the Nasdaq headquarters.

The company priced more than 555 million shares at $135 each in a Thursday filing with the US markets regulator, valuing SpaceX at just under $1.8 trillion.

Friday's gain lifted SpaceX's market value to more than $2 trillion, placing it among the 10 most valuable American companies – ahead of Tesla, Facebook-owner Meta and Walmart.

Options for nearly 83 million additional shares could push the total raised above $86 billion.

Co-founded by Musk in 2002, the rocket startup has since expanded into a major satellite operator and has also folded in Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI, alongside the social media platform X.

Trading under the ticker symbol "SPCX," the conglomerate is being closely watched for how Wall Street absorbs the offering and what it will mean for its AI rivals looking to trade on the public markets as early as this year.

OpenAI and Anthropic have both recently filed initial documents with regulators.

How much money is $1 trillion?

The milestone makes Musk by far the world's richest person – the first trillionaire in human history.

But what does $1 trillion actually look like?

A trillion dollars is roughly equivalent to the annual GDP of countries such as Switzerland or Poland, which is about $1.04 trillion in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund. It is also around three times the current value of France's gold reserves.

According to The New York Post, if one trillion one-dollar bills, each about 0.0043 inches (about 0.01 centimeters) thick, were stacked on top of each other, the tower would reach more than 67,000 miles (about 107,200 kilometers) high, over one-quarter of the distance between Earth and the moon. Laid end-to-end, with each bill measuring about 6.14 inches in length, the same stack would stretch nearly 4 million miles beyond the distance between Earth and the sun.

NBC News notes that a stack of $100 bills worth $1 trillion would rise about 679 miles high, which is nearly 11 times the distance from Earth to the edge of outer space.

In economic reality, $1 trillion exceeds the combined net worth of five of the world's richest individuals, including Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

But experts cautioned that Musk's wealth, unlike gold or other tangible assets, is largely tied to stock holdings, making it far more volatile.

"If Elon Musk wanted to sell off a huge chunk of his shares to buy real estate or whatever, the stock price would drop hugely," warned Alexandre Baradez, head of market analysis for investment company IG France, adding the it would also trigger broader investor reactions, further decreasing the stock's value.

(With input from AFP)

From Germany to China, companies are investing billions in artificial intelligence and robotics. The manufacturing sector could now be on the brink of transformation as sophisticated industrial bots are developed.

China's renewable energy generation fully covered the country's increase in electricity consumption in 2025, marking the first time that all additional electricity demand driven by economic growth was met by green power, according to a report released on Friday.

The China Renewable Energy Development Report showed that the country's newly installed renewable energy capacity reached a record high in 2025, accounting for more than 60% of global additions.

Data from the report indicated that China's total installed renewable energy capacity exceeded 2.337 billion kilowatts by the end of 2025. New renewable energy installations accounted for 82.7% of all newly added power capacity nationwide.

Distributed solar power continued its rapid growth, with newly installed capacity exceeding 100 million kilowatts for the second consecutive year. The report said local consumption and utilization of renewable energy further improved across the country.

Renewable energy generation reached 3.99 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2025, up 9.6% year on year and accounting for 38.3% of China's total electricity generation. Both wind and solar power generation surpassed the one-trillion-kilowatt-hour mark for the first time, with each accounting for more than 10% of the country's total electricity supply.

The report noted that renewable energy is expanding beyond electricity generation into a wider range of applications, including industrial decarbonization, green transportation, zero-carbon industrial parks and ecological restoration.

Looking ahead, China is expected to maintain strong momentum in renewable energy development. The report forecasts that newly installed wind and solar power capacity will reach around 300 million kilowatts in 2026, while newly connected energy storage capacity is expected to exceed 50 million kilowatts.

The country will continue advancing the construction of large-scale renewable energy bases in desert regions, promote the coordinated development of clean energy and ecological conservation, and support the orderly expansion of offshore wind power projects, according to the report.

Renewable energy is expected to remain the main driver of China's green and low-carbon energy transition in the years ahead.

Over the next five years, China aims to cultivate a group of emerging pillar industries with strong growth potential, advanced technologies and broad industrial penetration. Its 15th Five-Year Plan identifies eight strategic emerging sectors for accelerated development: next-generation information technology, new energy, advanced materials, intelligent connected new energy vehicles, robotics, biomedicine, high-end equipment and aerospace and aviation.

Following the national strategy, Beijing is actively advancing its industrial development roadmap. The city has launched a three-year action plan aimed at building an embodied AI industrial ecosystem with international influence by 2027. At a recent municipal government executive meeting, officials emphasized the need to foster emerging pillar industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and intelligent manufacturing, to develop a modern high-tech industrial system driven by competitive new quality productive forces.

As China's leading center for technological innovation, Beijing holds unique advantages in developing embodied intelligence. According to Zhai Tianrui, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Zhongguancun Administrative Commission, the city's technology contract transaction value approached 1 trillion yuan (about $147.6 billion) in 2025. Beijing is also home to more than 2,500 AI enterprises, with the largest number of large AI models in the country. The city has built a comprehensive innovation ecosystem to support both R&D and industrial deployment of embodied intelligence.

Embodied intelligence, which integrates AI with robotics, enables robots to perceive, understand, decide and act autonomously in the physical world. A key technical challenge in this field is generalization, the ability to perform diverse tasks reliably in complex, unstructured environments. Chinese companies are leveraging large-scale local datasets and self-developed AI models to address this challenge and continuously improve robots' real-world operational capabilities.

At a FamilyMart store in Beijing's Zhongguancun, Galbot G1, a humanoid robot developed by Beijing Galaxy General Robot Co., Ltd. (Galbot), is now in daily operation. Responding to voice commands, the robot retrieves drinks and snacks for customers, marking the first time that an intelligent robot has entered the daily operations of a global convenience store, moving from demonstration to continuous service.

The robot can autonomously handle high-frequency retail tasks, such as retrieving and delivering drinks and managing items of varying shapes, temperatures and packaging, helping reduce staff workload in one of the most dynamic and labor-intensive retail environments.

According to Galbot co-founder Zhang Zhizheng, the robot's performance is powered by the company's self-developed "AstraBrain" system, the world's first end-to-end humanoid embodied AI architecture integrating brain (task planning), cerebellum (motion control) and neural control (dexterous manipulation). Supported by the company's "AstraSynth" data pyramid, which combines internet data, human behavioral data, simulation data, teleoperation data and real-world feedback, the system enables real-time intent understanding, path planning and action execution, realizing strong task generalization in complex, unstructured environments.

"In the past, robots could only perform predefined tasks in structured environments. Now, embodied intelligent robots can adjust strategies in real time across different scenarios. They truly have a 'brain,'" the company noted.

Logistics has also emerged as a key sector for the large-scale deployment of embodied intelligent robots. At the exhibition site of Beijing-based Robot Era, the M7 sorting robot identifies parcels on conveyor belts and dynamically adjusts its grasping actions to complete sorting tasks. The robot can process up to 1,200 parcels per hour, with continuous operational data feeding back into model training to further improve accuracy and stability.

Co-founder Chen Jianyu told CGTN that logistics was chosen as a priority for commercialization for three main reasons: strong and urgent demand for intelligent upgrades, a vast market scale potentially exceeding that of the automotive industry, and technical requirements that closely match the current maturity of robotics, making it suitable for large-scale deployment.

The company has secured roughly 1,000 unit orders and is currently delivering deployments. It has also formed partnerships with major logistics operators including China Post and SF Express, with robots now operating across more than 10 logistics centers in five provinces and cities nationwide. In some scenarios, sorting efficiency has reached up to 90% of human-level performance, the company said.

From breakthroughs in AI models to core technological advances, and from scenario testing to large-scale commercialization, Beijing is leveraging policy support, innovation resources and market demand to accelerate the development of its embodied intelligence industry.

China on Thursday sent a new communication technology test satellite into space from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province.

Launched at 3:30 p.m. aboard a Long March-5 rocket, the satellite has successfully entered its preset orbit.

This satellite will be mainly used to carry out multi-band and high-speed communication technology validation tests.

The launch marks the 650th mission carried out by the Long March carrier rocket series.

May 2026 was the world's second-warmest May on record, with Western Europe experiencing an unusually early heatwave, the European Union's climate monitoring service said on Wednesday.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said the global average surface air temperature in May 2026 was 15.81 degrees Celsius, 0.55 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average. The reading was second only to May 2024 and 1.42 degrees Celsius above estimated pre-industrial levels.

Sea surface temperatures between 60 degrees south latitude and 60 degrees north latitude averaged 20.90 degrees Celsius, the second-highest on record for May, as the tropical Pacific continued its transition toward El Nino conditions expected to develop in the coming months.

Western Europe was hit by an early and intense heatwave in the second half of May, with France, Britain, Ireland, Spain and Portugal hitting multiple local temperature records. In some areas, "feels-like" temperatures reached 35 to 40 degrees Celsius.

"In Europe, an unusually early and intense heatwave demonstrates how quickly climate extremes are becoming the new normal rather than the exception," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

The C3S said the continued warming trend, combined with persistently high ocean temperatures and emerging El Nino conditions, highlights growing risks of more frequent and intense climate extremes worldwide.

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) has published its first physics result in the journal Nature, with the study appearing as a cover article on Wednesday.

Titled Precise Measurement of Two Neutrino Oscillation Parameters, the paper reports high-precision measurements based on 59 days of effective data collected between August 26 and November 2, 2025. The research team achieved precision levels 1.6 times better than those obtained from the combined results of multiple experiments conducted over the past several decades.

The two oscillation parameters can be measured using either solar neutrinos or reactor neutrinos. Previous measurements obtained through these two approaches differed by about 1.5 standard deviations, a discrepancy known in the scientific community as the "solar neutrino tension."

Using reactor neutrino data, the JUNO experiment confirmed that the discrepancy still exists. Researchers said the result demonstrates that the detector has achieved its design performance and is capable of conducting high-precision physics research.

Neutrinos are electrically neutral particles with extremely small masses. They interact only through the weak nuclear force, giving them extraordinary penetrating power and making them notoriously difficult to detect. Among the known fundamental particles, neutrinos remain some of the least understood.

JUNO, one of China's major scientific facilities, officially began operations in August 2025. Its primary scientific objective is to determine the neutrino mass ordering. The experiment is also designed to precisely measure three of the six neutrino oscillation parameters with better than one percent precision, while supporting studies of supernova neutrinos, geoneutrinos, solar neutrinos and atmospheric neutrinos.

Located 700 meters underground in south China's Guangdong Province, the detector is centered on a 20,000-tonne liquid scintillator contained within a 35.4-meter-diameter acrylic sphere. The detector is immersed in a 44-meter-deep water pool and supported by a stainless-steel structure measuring 41.1 meters in diameter.

The facility is equipped with 20,000 20-inch photomultiplier tubes and 25,000 3-inch photomultiplier tubes. Working together, these sensors detect flashes of light produced when neutrinos interact with the liquid scintillator and convert them into electrical signals, enabling highly precise measurements of neutrino energy and oscillation parameters.

JUNO has now been operating steadily for nine months. Researchers expect that as more data are collected, a series of new findings will follow, helping scientists gain deeper insights into the properties of neutrinos and the fundamental workings of the universe.

A Chinese-developed intelligent driving operating system has officially become part of the core baseline for the global public code repository of intelligent driving systems, marking the first time China's automotive foundational software technology has been incorporated into a global industry standard.

The announcement was made on Wednesday in Shanghai by the International Automotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR), an international organization that develops open standards for automotive software architectures.

Often described as the "software foundation" of intelligent vehicles, the operating system is designed to coordinate vehicle computing resources and ensure the stable operation of various intelligent driving functions. Its inclusion in the global code base means automakers worldwide can use the Chinese technology as a reference when developing intelligent driving software.

According to a AUTOSAR representative, the Chinese solution was selected in part because China is home to one of the world's most active intelligent driving markets.

One Chinese-developed intelligent vehicle operating system has already been installed in more than 25 million vehicles across over 300 vehicle models, providing extensive real-world validation under diverse driving conditions.

AUTOSAR's chairperson Thomas Rüping noted that open-source collaboration and technology sharing are becoming increasingly important trends in the global automotive industry, helping accelerate innovation and coordinated development across the sector.

The milestone highlights the growing international influence of China's automotive software industry and its expanding role in shaping the future standards of intelligent and connected vehicles.

China remained the world's leading contributor to high-quality scientific research, according to the Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders rankings released on Wednesday.

The latest rankings showed that China's research output increased by 22.4% between 2024 and 2025, making it the only country among the global top 10 to achieve double-digit growth.

The United States ranked second, followed by Germany.

Across the seven major subject areas tracked by the index, China ranked first in physical sciences, chemistry, biological sciences, applied sciences, and earth and environmental sciences. The United States led in health sciences and social sciences.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences retained its position as the world's top research institution and ranked first in all subject areas except health sciences and social sciences. Nine Chinese institutions were listed among the global top 10, up from eight in the previous edition.

The Nature Index, which measures high-quality research output based on publications in leading international journals, expanded its coverage this year to include 17 applied-science journals, one conference and 15 social-science journals.

"With expanded disciplinary coverage and a recalibrated methodology, the Nature Index now provides a more comprehensive and precise view of high-quality research output," said Simon Baker, chief editor of Nature Index.

"In terms of the results, we are continuing to see extremely strong performance from China," he added.

The 2026 World Cup across Canada, Mexico and the US is the most technology-drenched tournament in football history.

For the first time at a men's World Cup, all 104 matches use semi-automated offside technology (SAOT). Twelve cameras capture 50 stills per second from each player, The Guardian reported. When the system detects an attacker beyond the second-to-last defender, it voices "offside, offside, offside" into the assistant referee's earpiece. The clear offside threshold is 10 centimeters, down from 50 in 2024 trials. Narrower margins trigger a "delay" command, leaving the call to human judgment.

An expanded Video Assistant Referee (VAR) can now review incorrectly awarded corners, attacking fouls before set pieces, and red cards resulting from a second yellow card. Mistaken-identity corrections cover both yellow and red cards.

Adidas's Trionda match ball contains a 500 Hertz motion sensor that timestamps every touch and transmits real-time data to the video operations room, according to an article on the official website of FIFA. The match ball needs to be charged before each game. 

Summer temperatures in host cities can exceed 38 degrees Celsius. Adidas borrowed Formula 1 cooling technology: the Climacool System uses pre-frozen gel vests, jackets and overshoes that lower core body temperature by up to 0.5 degrees and skin temperature by as much as 13 degrees, and also debuted the F50 Hyperfast Evo, the lightest boot at a World Cup.

A 14-gram RefCam is available in every match. Pierluigi Collina, chair of FIFA's Referees Committee, called its impact "beyond our expectations," SVG Europe reported, describing the referee-mounted camera as "a storytelling tool" that lets viewers "feel like you are in the middle of the action." The broadcast package includes 8K cameras, AI-stabilized footage and Dolby Atmos spatial audio that lets viewers isolate the ball kick, whistle or a stadium-only mix.

Lenovo's AI infrastructure powers tournament operations, analytics and smart wayfinding. During VAR reviews, fans in designated sections watch interactive replays. Wired Middle East reported that venues in all three host countries also deploy facial recognition and anti-drone surveillance.

The beautiful game has never been this quantified, this monitored or this engineered.

Roughly 70% of Uruguay is covered by grassland. The natural pasture, also found in northern Argentina and southern Brazil, contribute to the quality of Uruguayan beef which gives it a commercial advantage in markets such as China and Europe. Uruguay has now signed an agreement with a Chinese university to create a Joint Pasture Agriculture Laboratory, designed to drive progress in Genetic Improvement and Plant Biotechnology for pasture and forage production.

This laboratory is just one of the outcomes from Uruguay President Yamndu Orsi’s state visit to China in February where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders signed over 30 agreements covering trade, investment, as well as  science and technology cooperation. CGTN's Joel Richards reports.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

The World Cup is bringing the world’s greatest football players to the pitches in North America for an epic competition that FIFA expects to attract as many as six billion viewers worldwide. In the age of AI, FIFA is also going more hi-tech than ever to improve the overall experience. Mark Niu has more.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

Apple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, WWDC26, where it’s making clear it intends to go all-in on AI. As Mark Niu reports, this also comes at a time when there’s a shuffle at the top of Apple.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

Anthropic is rolling out a public version of its Mythos artificial intelligence (AI) model, but with guardrails barring its use in risky areas such as cybersecurity, after a preview earlier this year ‌sent shockwaves globally with its ability to find software flaws.

The new Claude Fable 5 is the most powerful model Anthropic has ever made for wider use, the startup said on Tuesday, touting its performance in software engineering and analytics.

Anthropic has so far limited its access to a group of about 200 organizations including the US government under the Glasswing program, after announcing in April that Mythos had uncovered thousands of software vulnerabilities.

Offering its capabilities more widely may allow the $965 billion company to extend the momentum that has powered its valuation above rival OpenAI just as the two startups at the center of the AI industry race to go public.

The ​company said it had done extensive testing to ensure that users could not ​manipulate the new model to bypass its guidelines and perform restricted actions.

"Let's say I'm a ‌college student asking the model to help me find cyber vulnerabilities on X package or code. The model would refuse and Fable 5 will fall back to Opus 4.8 for a response," Dianne Penn, Anthropic's head of product management, research and ​labs, told Reuters.

Fable ​5 will be a more expensive model, but it accomplishes tasks with lower token usage, bringing the overall cost per task down, according ​to early customer feedback, Penn said.

Anthropic also said users who had access to the preview version of Claude Mythos, the version without guardrails, would be able to upgrade to the new Claude Mythos 5.

The company said it planned to expand access ​over time through a more "systematic trusted-access program."

Pricing on both models is $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens, the company said.

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) produces lengthy articles in seconds, virtual anchors take the anchor desk, and algorithms accurately capture users' emotions, the global media ecosystem is being reshaped at an unprecedented pace.

On the occasion of the Fifth CMG Forum, a survey launched by CGTN among global netizens shows that respondents believe a media ecosystem of "human-machine collaboration" has already taken shape, with artificial intelligence playing an increasingly important role in driving a new round of productivity transformation in the media.

In the survey, 78.2% of respondents believe that news reporting methods are undergoing profound changes in the intelligent age, with AI-assisted editing, algorithm-driven recommendations and personalized distribution, and automated content generation seen as the three key areas where AI empowers media content production.

In addition, 71.7% of respondents say that the role of the media in carrying forward civilization and promoting cultural communication will be further enhanced in the intelligent age.

Barrier-free cross-language and cross-cultural communication, preservation of endangered languages and local cultures, and the digitization of cultural heritage with intelligent storytelling rank as the top three most anticipated aspects.

At the same time, respondents remain cautious about the potential risks that AI technology poses to media. Among these, information authenticity, the potential for AI to accelerate the decline of human innovation capabilities, and the misuse of personal data rank as the top three concerns.

95.9% of respondents advocate that media products generated using generative AI technology should be clearly differentiated and labeled when published. 92% call on media organizations to improve review mechanisms for AI-generated content. 91.1% call for laws and regulations to govern the application of AI in the media, in order to safeguard a healthy and diverse media ecosystem.

Additionally, 77.4% of respondents believe that strengthening international cooperation among media organizations can help jointly address the challenges brought by the AI era and provide direction for building a more resilient global media ecosystem.

The CGTN poll – published in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian – attracted 7,438 netizens to vote and share their views within 24 hours.

A giant panda cub was born in the Republic of Korea (ROK) on June 3, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

The female cub, weighing over 170 grams, was delivered at Everland theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. "The cub is vocal and energetic. Its mother, Ai Bao, licked and nursed the cub with skillful maternal behavior," said Wang Pingfeng, a giant panda expert from the Chinese center who traveled to the ROK to assist the birth. He confirmed that the cub had consumed breast milk on the afternoon of June 3.

Both the mother panda and cub are in good health.

Since Ai Bao showed signs of being in labor, the Chinese center has provided on-site assistance and established an online team of experts to closely monitor the birth, working alongside ROK counterparts, Wang said. He will remain in the ROK for a period of time to care for them, while the online expert team continues to offer remote guidance and support.

The parents of the cub, giant pandas Ai Bao and Le Bao, were sent to the ROK from China in 2016 on a 15-year lease. The pair has since given birth to four cubs.

Over the past decade, China and the ROK have cooperated on giant panda breeding, disease prevention, public education and related research, achieving positive results in endangered species protection.

NASA on Tuesday named three US astronauts and one Italian astronaut as the crew for Artemis III, a spacecraft docking demonstration mission scheduled for late next year that will test lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin in orbit for the first time.

At a ceremony in Houston, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced that veteran astronaut Randy Bresnik will serve as commander, with Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio as mission specialists, and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (ESA) as pilot. NASA astronaut Bob Hines was named as a backup crew member and will train alongside the prime crew.

Italian Space ​Agency President Teodoro Valente said in a statement that Parmitano's selection as pilot for Artemis III "confirms and enhances the role and capabilities of ​the European and Italian space system in the human exploration of the universe."

"Artemis III is an incredibly exciting, complicated and highly coordinated multi-launch campaign," Jeremy Parsons, NASA's Artemis program manager, said at the Houston event. "It's going to happen in a short period of time with three of the world's most powerful rockets."

The mission will involve NASA's Orion capsule, SpaceX's Starship lunar lander, and Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander. Although the two-week mission will remain in low-Earth orbit and will not travel to the moon, it is seen as a critical test of the two primary moon landers NASA will use on subsequent Artemis missions to put astronauts on the lunar surface.

Blue Moon will launch first, followed by Orion carrying the astronauts. The two spacecraft will dock for about two days while the astronauts conduct tests and technology demonstrations in Blue Moon. Blue Moon will then undock from Orion, making way for Starship, which will attempt to dock for a day before returning to Earth. The mission will test docking mechanisms and operations that will be required for future lunar missions.

Artemis III follows Artemis I, an uncrewed lunar mission in 2022, and Artemis II, which carried three US astronauts and one Canadian astronaut around the moon and back in April. It will be the final Artemis mission before NASA attempts to land astronauts on the lunar surface in 2028.

SpaceX and Blue Origin have faced years of delays in the development of their landers. Last year, the companies pitched NASA on sped-up development plans that prompted a reshuffling of ‌the agency's Artemis program, giving rise to the Artemis III docking mission.

The 2027 mission would require both SpaceX's Starship and a prototype version of Blue Origin's Blue Moon to be ready for launch at nearly the same time.

SpaceX last month test-launched a new version of its Starship designed for lunar missions. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on its launchpad in Florida last month as it was preparing to launch a batch of Amazon satellites. The explosion destroyed much of the company's only launchpad and grounded for at least several months the rocket that Blue Origin aims to use to launch its Blue Moon lander, which is being ground-tested in Houston and Florida.

(With input from Reuters)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday released the finalized Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap, a national strategy aimed at accelerating the development and commercialization of fusion energy.

According to the DOE, the roadmap integrates priorities across fusion science, technology development, infrastructure, workforce training and commercialization into a unified framework designed to support the deployment of fusion pilot plants and commercial fusion power in the mid-2030s.

Fusion energy is the process of generating power by combining light atomic nuclei, such as hydrogen isotopes, into heavier ones like helium. It is the same process that powers the sun and stars. Fusion has long been viewed as a potential source of abundant, reliable and carbon-free energy.

"Fusion is among the most environmentally friendly sources of energy," said the International Atomic Energy Agency, noting that its two sources of fuel, hydrogen and lithium, are widely available across the Earth.

The roadmap outlines how the DOE, private industry, universities and national laboratories will work together to advance fusion research and speed the path toward commercial fusion energy in the United States.

The roadmap is built around three key priorities: developing critical infrastructure to address fusion materials and technology challenges; advancing innovation through scientific research, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence; and expanding the US fusion ecosystem through public-private partnerships, supply-chain development, workforce growth and commercialization efforts.

The DOE said more than 800 scientists and engineers from the public and private sectors contributed to the roadmap, which is intended to strengthen US leadership in the global race to commercialize fusion energy.

China's ambitious low-Earth orbit (LEO) internet satellite project, the Qianfan Constellation, has achieved a significant milestone, with over 200 satellites now in orbit as of early June 2026. The project is accelerating its deployment through a remarkable cost-reduction strategy and a commitment to sustainable space operations.

The number of Qianfan satellites in orbit has surged to 200 as of June 5, according to Hu Haiying, president of the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief commander of the Qianfan constellation satellite system.

Qianfan is no longer just an experiment, it is entering a phase of high-frequency, large-scale deployment as part of China's ongoing efforts to build a LEO satellite internet constellation.

Both China's Qianfan and SpaceX's Starlink operate in LEO, roughly 300 to 2,000 kilometers above Earth. At this altitude, satellites function like "base stations in the sky" – close enough to offer minimal latency and powerful enough to form a "space net" of tens of thousands of nodes. 

This architecture is designed specifically to eliminate connectivity dead zones in remote mountains, deep oceans and polar regions where terrestrial towers cannot reach.

The constellation, operated by Shanghai-based Spacesail Technologies, is leveraging an industrialized production model to slash satellite manufacturing costs. Traditional communication satellites can cost up to 300 million yuan (about $42 million) each. In contrast, the standardized, flat-panel Qianfan satellites are now produced for approximately 10 million yuan per unit – a reduction of over 96%.

This cost efficiency is achieved through mass production, modular design and a "fast iteration" philosophy that accepts a higher failure rate in exchange for speed, relying on network redundancy to maintain service.

"China built the world's best 5G infrastructure. Because our ground network was so good, we didn't feel the immediate need for satellite internet," Hu explains.

High-density launches

Deployment is proceeding at a rapid pace. The project utilizes a "one rocket, many satellites" launch model, with two successful high-density launches occurring within two days in early June from the Taiyuan and Wenchang launch sites.

This schedule aims to complete a 324-satellite initial network by July, providing regional broadband coverage. The long-term goal is to expand the constellation to over 15,000 satellites for global coverage by 2030.

The project's urgency is driven by the need to secure scarce orbital slots and frequency resources under international "first-come, first-served" rules. With competitors like SpaceX's Starlink already operating over 10,000 satellites, China is racing to capture the remaining viable positions.

"The orbit and frequency are non-renewable resources," Hu said. As of June 2026, Starlink has over 12,400 satellites in orbit, occupying more than 60% of active global satellite slots. They have locked up nearly 70% of the prime real estate between 500-600 kilometers – the sweet spot for direct-to-cellphone connectivity.

"If we don't launch and use them, we are simply giving these resources away," Hu says.

In late 2025, China filed applications for 203,000 satellites to the International Telecommunication Union in a bid to secure future capacity.

Build for the future

Addressing growing international concerns about space debris, the Qianfan satellites are designed with a built-in "green" feature. Each satellite has a planned operational lifespan of seven years and is equipped with a de-orbiting system. At the end of its service, the satellite will automatically maneuver to burn up completely upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere, leaving no long-term space junk.

The new design also allows for stacked launches.

"We can now launch 18 satellites at once," Hu describes. "It's like skipping stones on water. The upper stage spins and through centrifugal force, the satellites separate one by one without collision."

Beyond basic internet, Qianfan is viewed as critical for emerging "space-based computing," where data processing could leverage limitless solar power and the cold vacuum of space, potentially offering a greener solution for the AI era's immense energy demands.

Looking beyond connectivity, the constellation is positioned as global public infrastructure. Spacesail envisions satellite broadband becoming as affordable and accessible as utilities, targeting ocean-going vessels, commercial aviation and remote regions, especially those in the developing world.

If realized, the Qianfan network could help narrow the digital divide for communities where massive fiber and cell towers remain impractical.

China on Tuesday began construction of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, a 271,000-cubic-meter vessel being built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai.

The ultra-large LNG carrier, scheduled for delivery in 2028, marks a new milestone in China's high-end shipbuilding industry. Measuring 344 meters in length, the vessel will be equipped with China's latest domestically developed membrane containment system.

According to the shipbuilder, the vessel's key performance indicators, including cargo capacity, energy efficiency, environmental performance and navigation safety, have all undergone significant upgrades.

Compared with the industry's mainstream 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carriers, the new ship will increase cargo capacity by 57% while delivering industry-leading overall performance.

The project reflects China's growing strength in the global LNG shipbuilding market, one of the most technologically demanding sectors of the maritime industry. LNG carriers require advanced cryogenic storage technologies capable of transporting natural gas at temperatures as low as minus 162 degrees Celsius.

China's share of the global LNG carrier market has now exceeded 30%. Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding currently holds nearly 60 LNG carrier orders, ranking first in the world by total cargo capacity on order. The company's production schedule is already fully booked beyond 2030.

Industry observers say the launch of the 271,000-cubic-meter vessel further strengthens China's position in the global market for high-value, technologically advanced ships and highlights the country's expanding capabilities in designing and building next-generation LNG carriers.

A modified Zhuque-2 carrier rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in northwest China's Gansu Province at 4:23 p.m. Beijing Time on Tuesday, successfully sending two satellites into their planned orbit.

The mission carried the Qianfan DTC-01 satellite and the China Mobile-02 satellite. Both satellites entered their designated orbit as planned, marking a completely successful flight mission.

The launch was the eighth flight of the Zhuque-2 rocket series.

US artificial intelligence company OpenAI said on Monday it had confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), taking an initial step toward a potential initial public offering.

The company said in an announcement that it has not decided on the timing of any public listing. The filing gives OpenAI the option to go public sooner if that ends up being in its best interest.

OpenAI said the announcement was made pursuant to Rule 135 under the Securities Act of 1933, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Any future securities offering would be made only by means of a registration statement filed with the SEC.

The move comes as leading artificial intelligence companies face growing capital needs for computing infrastructure and product development.

Chinese and Kenyan scientists on Monday renewed their partnership to advance a green transition by protecting biodiversity hotspots that sustain rural livelihoods and support ecological resilience. 

Speaking at a joint scientific conference in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, researchers from both countries emphasized that collaborative research and knowledge sharing are key to securing Africa's green and resilient future.

Convened by the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC), the five-day conference is being held under the theme of "Harnessing Biodiversity and Cultural Heritage for Economic Transformation."

The conference brings together senior policymakers, scientists, researchers and grassroots campaigners to discuss innovative approaches to habitat conservation, cultural heritage protection, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.

Wang Qingfeng, director of SAJOREC, said the robust partnership between Chinese and Kenyan scientists focuses on enhancing habitat resilience, food security and water security.

"We are working with partners here in Kenya to share ideas and our experience on the sustainable utilization of biodiversity. We have ideas on the cultivation of indigenous plant species to help protect wild species in the future. That is very important for both sides," Wang said.

Over the past decade, SAJOREC has partnered with several Kenyan universities to advance research, training and capacity building in biodiversity conservation and climate-resilient farming, Wang said.

Everlyn Namikoye Samita, senior lecturer at Kenyatta University, said that a structured partnership with Chinese scientists focuses on mentoring young scholars to promote ecological resilience in Kenya.

Samita emphasized that Kenyan scientists seek long-term collaboration with Chinese counterparts. These partnerships aim to boost the sustainable use of natural resources, enhancing food security, nutrition and income generation for rural communities.

Esther Kioko, principal research scientist at the NMK, said that partnerships with overseas scientists, including those from China, have been pivotal, noting that these collaborations shape a research agenda focused on climate change, cultural heritage, indigenous knowledge and their impacts on sustainable development.

Kioko added that addressing modern ecological challenges such as climate change, habitat loss and pollution requires strategic collaboration in training, research and community-centered public awareness.

China's Ministry of Natural Resources on Monday released a report highlighting new progress in the country's utilization of seawater, while also shedding light on the huge reserve of strategic minerals contained in seawater and the nation's plans to expand the extraction of such resources through technological progress.

According to the report, China has successfully achieved kilogram-scale extraction of uranium from real ocean environments.

Additionally, domestic research institutes, universities and enterprises have made breakthroughs in the fundamental theories and key technologies concerning the extraction of lithium, uranium, deuterium and other trace elements.

Global uranium reserves in seawater are estimated at about 4.5 billion tonnes, over a thousand times the known land-based reserves.

As a strategic emerging industry, China's seawater desalination and comprehensive utilization sector as a whole is growing steadily, the report noted.

According to Xiang Wenxi, director of the Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization located in northern China's Tianjin Municipality, China currently has 167 desalination projects with a total capacity of 3.077 million tonnes per day. Meanwhile, the annual volume of seawater used for industrial cooling purposes has reached 193.36 billion tonnes, an increase of 86.4% from 2020.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will promote the iteration of relevant technology and equipment and build up technological reserves for extracting strategic elements from seawater, Xiang said.

What defines true strength? In the case of Tianjin Port in northern China, the world's first "smart zero-carbon" container terminal, it's the commitment to innovation. Here, automated cranes and self-driving trucks move containers with precision, while wind turbines and solar power stations supply clean energy. An intelligent management system, powered by 5G technology and Beidou navigation, ensures seamless operations, around the clock. The innovation is now extending to the construction of a "green port," with a monitoring system in place to protect the health of the local ecosystem. As a model for other ports around the world, Tianjin Port is leading the way to a more sustainable and prosperous future. 

China's State Council has released a plan for the modernization of the country's emergency response system during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), outlining tasks aimed at workplace safety and disaster prevention, mitigation and relief.

The plan emphasizes a people-centered development philosophy, prioritizing people's lives and safety and pursuing a holistic approach to national security. It sets the theme of supporting high-quality development with high-level security, focuses on shifting the governance model toward preemptive prevention and takes reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force to comprehensively enhance capabilities for disaster reduction, prevention, control and relief.

Efforts should be made to advance whole-chain safety rectification in key industries, the plan says. It calls for resolutely curbing major and catastrophic accidents, minimizing losses from natural disasters and safeguarding people's lives, property and social stability.

According to the plan, by 2030, significant progress will be achieved in modernizing the emergency management system and capacity.

A governance model that focuses on preemptive prevention will be effectively established, and the centralized, unified, efficient and authoritative emergency management system with Chinese characteristics will be further refined, according to the plan.

Command mechanisms under a comprehensive security and emergency framework will become more robust, and both the capacity to handle major emergencies and grassroots emergency response capabilities will be markedly strengthened. Law-based, scientific and smart emergency management will be substantially enhanced, and work related to workplace safety and disaster prevention, mitigation and relief will advance steadily.

An emergency management system with Chinese characteristics that is compatible with a major country that has basically achieved socialist modernization will be established by 2035, according to the plan. Law-based, scientific and smart emergency management and virtuous interaction between high-quality development and high-level security will be fully realized.

The plan sets out five core tasks, including deepening emergency management reform and innovation to foster a comprehensive security and emergency framework; prioritizing risk control at the source to accelerate the transition of the governance model toward preemptive prevention; optimizing the layout of emergency forces to improve response to major disasters; strengthening all-factor support to bolster the guarantee system for major emergencies; and consolidating grassroots emergency foundations to enhance the capabilities of the whole society for disaster prevention and risk avoidance.

Notably, the plan lists a total of 17 key projects in five categories.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Monday announced a series of achievements made over the past five years in black soil conservation and utilization, including theoretical breakthroughs, technological innovations, model development and the research and development of advanced agricultural equipment.

In 2021, CAS launched the "Black Soil Granary" science and technology initiative, bringing together 98 institutions nationwide to tackle key challenges in black soil protection. The program forms an important part of China's strategy to safeguard food security through both arable land conservation and technological innovation.

After five years of research, the initiative has produced a range of landmark results and established a comprehensive solution framework spanning scientific research, product and equipment development, key technologies, integrated farming models, demonstration projects and large-scale application. The achievements provide strong scientific support for the sustainable use of China's black soil resources and national food security.

According to Jiang Ming, commander of the initiative, and director of the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, researchers have identified the major degradation trends affecting China's black soil over the past four decades, including thinning topsoil, declining fertility and increasing soil compaction.

The team also uncovered key mechanisms for improving soil fertility, developed technologies for targeted soil degradation control, gully erosion restoration, biologically enhanced soil health management and intelligent agricultural machinery, and established region-specific conservation and utilization models covering major black soil areas.

As part of the project, seven core demonstration zones of more than 10,000 mu (about 667 hectares) each have been established, with a combined demonstration area of 193,500 mu. In typical black soil regions, the technologies have increased soil organic matter content by 0.25 to 0.70 percentage points, reduced soil erosion by 80%, improved farmland quality by half a grade and boosted grain yields by more than 5.2%.

The technologies and management models have been extended to more than 540 million mu of farmland nationwide, providing solid scientific support for black soil protection and sustainable agricultural development.

The initiative has also addressed the growing demand for large-scale and intelligent agricultural machinery in northeast China. Researchers independently developed the third-generation "Honghu" series of intelligent agricultural machinery systems, with more than 90% of key components produced domestically.

The project achieved three major technological breakthroughs. Researchers developed a high-power electric motor system with an efficiency of 98.7% for a 400-horsepower motor, surpassing leading international benchmarks. They also established a high-strength, wear-resistant materials system and developed components that outperform comparable imported products.

The machinery has already been deployed across more than 30,000 mu of farmland in northeast China's black soil region, helping advance the modernization and sustainability of agricultural production.

China on Monday began construction of a mega waterway project, including what is expected to become the world's largest inland ship lock, in response to the rising shipping demand along the Yangtze, the world's third-longest river.

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, kicked off the construction of the Three Gorges new waterway project at a commencement ceremony in Yichang, central China's Hubei Province.

The 77.2-billion-yuan ($11.3 billion) project will add a five-tier, dual-track ship lock north of the existing lock at the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest water conservancy project, and upgrade navigation facilities at a smaller downstream dam.

Once completed, it will almost double the annual throughput capacity at the Three Gorges to 336 million tonnes.

The project is expected to set world records for inland ship lock construction in navigable vessel dimensions, chamber size and earthwork excavation, said Niu Xinqiang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

The design emphasizes ecological protection by including dedicated fish passages and using construction methods that minimize impacts on fish and other aquatic species, Niu said.

It is the first major project to break ground during China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), a critical stage in the country's efforts to advance toward its goal of basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035.

"It echoes the development priorities set out for the next five years, including high-quality development and green growth of the Yangtze River Economic Belt," said Tang Pengfei, an economist from Hubei Academy of Social Sciences.

Spanning 11 provincial-level regions from the inland west to the eastern coast, the Yangtze River Economic Belt accounts for nearly half of national GDP. It hosts major industrial clusters covering metallurgy, electronics and automobiles, while newer sectors such as AI, biomedicine and new energy are rapidly taking shape.

The economic belt is also one of China's major hubs for foreign investment and trade, accounting for nearly half of the country's foreign trade.

River transport remains vital to China's economy, especially along the Yangtze, which stretches over 6,300 km and is known as the country's golden waterway.

However, rapid economic growth and soaring cargo transport demand have increased pressure on the existing Three Gorges ship lock, which in 2011 surpassed its designed capacity of 100 million tonnes of annual cargo throughput, 19 years ahead of schedule. Last year's figure exceeded 170 million tonnes.

The new ship lock and its approach channels, which together stretch about 6,680 meters, are expected to take over nine years to build, while the downstream dam upgrade is scheduled to be completed in about eight years.

The new waterway is expected to ease supply chain bottlenecks, cut trade costs and better connect inland regions with global markets, Tang said.

For those who work on the river, the project could mean both shorter waits and lower costs.

"With the new waterway, companies would spend less on delays, and we could get home earlier," said Jiang Zhongjin, captain of a container ship who has sailed along the Yangtze for two decades.

Chinese research vessel Haiyang Dizhi-6 (Ocean Geology-6) recently completed its 16th deep-sea geological survey expedition, achieving multiple results in the survey of deep-sea geological environments as well as the development and application of key marine exploration technologies, the China Geological Survey (CGS) of the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Monday.

During the expedition, the scientific team employed a variety of geological survey methods to collect valuable first-hand data and samples, including polymetallic nodules, seabed rocks and bottom-layer seawater.

"We have discovered high-abundance polymetallic nodules and successfully collected about 90 kilograms of basalt samples," said Qin Pengbo, deputy director of the Institute of Applied Marine Geology of the CGS's Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey. "These samples provide crucial support in studying the characteristics of the mantle source region in the sea area and the Earth's deep evolutionary processes."

The expedition also made breakthroughs in the development and application of technical equipment. The team completed sea trials and acceptance testing of China's independently developed – also the world's first – full-ocean-depth, 10,000-meter-class electromagnetic acquisition station and offshore operational system. High-quality data was obtained from an abyssal rift zone at a depth of 7,737 meters in the Western Pacific. Results demonstrated that all performance indicators fully met the required standards.

The successful sea trial marks a major advancement in China's deep-sea electromagnetic measurement capabilities, which will provide strong support for scientific research in the hadal zone and site selection for international ocean drilling.

In Chongqing, farming has always meant working against the landscape. More than 70% of the municipality's land is made up of hills and mountains, where small, scattered plots are tucked between slopes, gullies and winding rural roads. Locals sometimes joke that the fields are as tiny as "palms" or "chicken nests."

Now, drones are helping make this tough terrain easier to farm.

During the spring planting season, agricultural drones are flying over mountain fields to spread fertilizer, spray pesticides and sow rice seeds. These non-piloted flying machines are taking over some of the most tiring and repetitive jobs, reducing the need for farmers to climb up and down slopes carrying heavy equipment.

The efficiency gains are clear. According to Jiang Lixiang, technical director of Chongqing Tianzhongyang Agricultural Technology Cooperative, one drone can fertilize about 300 mu, or 20 hectares, in a single day. That matches what 10 farmers could complete in about one week by hand.

Beyond fertilizing and spraying, drones are also being used for more precise farm management. With cameras and sensors, they can help monitor crop growth, spot pests, support targeted weeding, and inspect irrigation channels, rural roads and other farming infrastructure after heavy rain or extreme weather.

For Chongqing's mountain agriculture, drones are no longer just machines in the sky. They are practical tools helping farmers save labor, cut costs and bring modern farming to hard-to-reach fields.

(Cover: Technicians use a drone to inspect power lines, helping ensure a stable electricity supply for local residents during the spring farming season, Chongqing, China, March 11, 2026. /VCG)

Imagine building a solar power station in space and transmitting the energy wirelessly to Earth, drones, satellites or even deep-space spacecraft. While still in its experimental stage, China's "Chasing the Sun" project, or "Zhuri," is bringing this ambitious vision closer to reality, achieving kilowatt-level wireless energy transfer over hundreds of meters and successfully testing power delivery to multiple moving targets.

The project is led by a team headed by Duan Baoyan, an expert at Xidian University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. They have developed key technologies for space-based solar power and microwave wireless energy transmission. At Xidian University, a 75-meter steel support tower serves as the core test facility for the project.

Space-based solar power stations are designed to place large arrays of photovoltaic panels in orbit, where they can operate without atmospheric interference or the day-night cycle. It's like a giant "superpan" floating in space, continuously capturing solar energy.

"On Earth, energy flux density is limited by weather and geography, around 200 to 300 watts per square meter. In space, especially at geostationary orbit, it can reach roughly 1,360 watts per square meter, making it one of the most promising solutions for our energy challenges," said Fan Guanheng, an associate professor at Xidian University's School of Mechano-Electronic Engineering (SMEE).

But without wires or cables, how can a power station built in space transmit electricity across such distances?

The answer lies in microwave wireless power transmission. The process involves three main steps. First, mirrors concentrate sunlight onto photovoltaic arrays, which convert solar energy into direct current electricity. The electricity is then converted into microwaves and transmitted to receiving antennas. Finally, the antennas capture the microwave beam and use rectifiers to convert the energy back into direct current for use by devices.

"In the future, space-based solar power stations could enable energy transmission over distances of tens of thousands of kilometers," said Qian Sihao, an associate professor at Xidian University's SMEE.

From Zhuri project 1.0 to 2.0, the team upgraded the system from one-to-one fixed-point power transfer to one-to-many moving-target energy delivery. Previously, fixed-point transfer was like connecting an invisible wire to a stationary device – once the target moved, power was lost. Now, a single transmitter can supply multiple fast-moving devices simultaneously.

The researchers developed a high-precision closed-loop beam control system. "When the receiving antenna sends a guidance signal, the transmitting antenna can capture it, calculate the receiver's real-time position and orientation and accurately direct the energy beam," Qian explained.

Space-based solar power station could allow virtually uninterrupted energy collection and supply, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cut carbon emissions and support wireless charging for spacecraft, according to Fan.

The team's next step is in-orbit testing. Their roadmap aims to build a megawatt-level station by 2030 and a gigawatt-level station by 2050.

Read more: China makes breakthrough in space solar power and wireless energy transmission

Chinese technology companies had a strong presence at Web Summit Rio 2026.

CGTN’s Lucrecia Franco spoke exclusively with founder and CEO Paddy Cosgrave about China’s growing influence in technology, the country’s rise in innovation, and what it could mean for the future of the global tech landscape. 

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

China's new Three Gorges waterway project will combine expanded shipping infrastructure with digital traffic management, as authorities seek to increase cargo capacity and improve efficiency along the Yangtze River.

Construction began on Monday in Yichang, central China's Hubei Province, making it the first major infrastructure project launched during the country's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Transportation authorities plan to integrate artificial intelligence (AI), big data and digital twin technology into vessel traffic management and ship-lock operations at the mammoth Three Gorges hub on China's largest river.

A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical system that can mirror real-world operations, allowing operators to monitor traffic, simulate different scenarios and improve efficiency.

According to Wang Hui, an official with the Ministry of Transport, the technologies are expected to improve vessel passage through the hub while helping reduce logistics costs.

The Three Gorges new waterway project is designed to significantly expand transport capacity along one of China's busiest inland shipping routes. Once operational, the annual cargo throughput capacity of the Three Gorges hub will reach 336 million tonnes, nearly double its current capacity of about 170 million tonnes, according to Niu Xinqiang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

The project will also strengthen direct river-sea shipping. Upon completion, 10,000-tonne vessels will be able to travel directly to Chongqing Municipality in southwest China, allowing cargo transported from western China by road or rail to be loaded directly onto river-sea vessels.

Officials said the project will support the development of major Yangtze River ports, including the shipping hubs of Wuhan and Chongqing, while promoting a greener and lower-carbon transportation system.

The project also incorporates ecological protection measures, including fish passages and construction methods designed to reduce impacts on aquatic species.

Spanning 11 provincial-level regions from western China to the eastern coast, the Yangtze River Economic Belt accounts for nearly half of the country's GDP and foreign trade.

It is home to major manufacturing clusters in sectors such as metallurgy, electronics and automobiles, while emerging industries including AI, biomedicine and new energy continue to expand.

(With input from Xinhua, cover via VCG)

Antarctic experienced an extraordinary heat anomaly this month, with the temperature hitting 15.4 degree Celsius on June 6, shattering the region's previous winter record and raising concerns about the rapid ice melt.

The early June reading, taken on the Trinity Peninsula by the Argentine research station Esperanza Base, surpassing the station's previous June record of 13.3 degrees Celsius set in 1998, and also far exceeding its June average of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.

"This is absolutely crazy," said Raul Cordero, an Ecuadorian climate professor at the University of Groningen, as reported by The Guardian. "It is also about 20 degrees Celsius above normal for this time of the year. That is a huge anomaly."

Record heat was also observed at other Argentine Antarctic stations between June 5 and June 6. Marambio Base reached 11.8 degrees Celsius, far above its June average of -10.7 degrees Celsius and its previous record of 9.2 egrees Celsius, while San Martin Base recorded 9.4 degrees Celsius, compared with its June average of -5.6 degrees Celsius and its previous record of 7.8 degrees Celsius.

On King George Island, about 160 kilometers from Esperanza, researchers reported obvious surface changes after temperatures reached 4.6 degrees Celsius on June 6, with snow and ice rapidly melting and the landscape shifting from white to brown, grey, and green.

Chilean glaciologist Luis Munoz told The Guardian that it was "very strange," adding that the area would normally still be covered in around 20 centimeters of snow and a lot of ice on the ground at this time of year.

Organized by China Media Group and the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, the 5th CMG Forum was held on Wednesday in southwest China’s Chongqing. "Under the theme Upholding and Reshaping: The Media’s Mission in the Intelligent Era," participants from around the world exchanged views on the future of media and the opportunities and challenges brought by emerging technologies.

As tech companies in China push smart eyewear forward, the question is no longer just what these glasses can do - but how they may change the way we live, work and see the world. For years, smart glasses have struggled to find their footing. But the rise of multimodal AI is giving the category new momentum. And this time, the pitch feels different.

The 2026 edition of Web Summit Rio will wrap up on Thursday, June 11.

The event brings together entrepreneurs, investors and tech companies from around the world. Artificial intelligence and digital transformation dominated discussions, with Chinese firms using the event to deepen ties and explore business opportunities in Brazil and beyond.

CGTN’s Lucrecia Franco has more from Rio de Janeiro.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

What is the biggest human rights and security challenge facing the world today? In an interview with CGTN at the 2026 Forum on Global Human Rights Governance on Thursday, Professor Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, shared his insights. He pointed out that safety and security issues have become prominent worldwide, with AI-related risks emerging as new threats to global security.

The professor said that while artificial intelligence delivers remarkable convenience and momentum to social development, it also widens the development gap between nations. The widespread hype over AI has also distracted public attention from fundamental human rights concerns that deserve more focus, he added. 

To tackle the crises brought by AI, Wang emphasized the necessity of adopting a collaborative global governance paradigm. Most importantly, he said, the international community must take firm steps to prevent AI from being weaponized and used as a tool for war, for such misuse will trigger unprecedented disasters and severely undermine global peace and stability.

Wang also noted that human rights are never merely individual rights; they also embrace collective rights, which are closely bound up with the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity. All nations and peoples share common interests and destinies, so the development and regulation of AI must serve the well-being of all humanity, he added. 

He said, "I think human beings are the end not the means. So, AI is just one of the ways to achieve the goals of human beings." Therefore, he said, amid the rapid advancement of technology, it is vital for all parties to properly govern AI and always prioritize people's interests, ensuring that this powerful technology moves in a direction that safeguards human rights and benefits the whole world.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, a group of Oriental storks perched atop their nests in the wetlands of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in Dongying City, east China's Shandong Province. Some monitor their surroundings, while others tend to their hungry chicks.

At the Yellow River Delta ecological monitoring center, Zhao Yajie, deputy director of the center, carefully observed every move of the stork family. The platform automatically extracts images of bird activity and uses AI algorithms to analyze features such as beak, claw and feather patterns, allowing for real-time species identification and counting

The Yellow River Delta is a key area for the conservation of migratory waterbirds along international flyways. Of the world's nine major migratory routes, two pass through this region. Millions of birds pass through each year, earning the delta a reputation as an "international airport" for avian travelers.

By 2025, the number of bird species recorded in the reserve had reached 376. The cumulative breeding population of oriental storks has grown to 4,260 individuals, with 536 bred in 2025 alone, setting a record high for a single year. The breeding population of Saunders's gulls has stabilized at over 10,000, making the reserve the species' second-largest breeding place in the world.

Much of this data is collected through advanced monitoring technologies. Today, bird facial recognition technology has made avian monitoring far more convenient. The reserve has installed over 300 video monitoring points, 18 of which are equipped with AI recognition algorithms.

As AI neural network algorithms and deep learning technologies have evolved, and as sample data have accumulated, recognition accuracy has steadily improved. For certain flagship and large bird species, the platform's identification accuracy now exceeds 90%.

"By analyzing the data, we can predict bird activity patterns in advance, carry out science-based ecological water replenishment and wetland restoration, as well as create a more suitable habitat for migratory birds," Zhao said.

The use of bird facial recognition in the Yellow River Delta is not an isolated case. Across China, artificial intelligence is playing a central role in a variety of fields, improving the efficiency and convenience of ecological and environmental monitoring.

The Qilihai Wetland in north China's Tianjin Municipality has deployed over a hundred sets of front-end devices and drone monitoring points, achieving comprehensive coverage of the wetland core area. The Shuangguihu National Wetland Park in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has installed acoustic sensors to capture the sounds of birds, insects and frogs, building an open and shared soundscape database to support conservation. In the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the central wetland park has launched a smart "sky-eye" system that converts bird activity data into real-time, precise digital records.

"We are exploring how technology can help us know about every bird and protect every wetland," Zhao said.

Scientists have discovered the world's deepest and largest collection of whale remains on the ocean floor, a site they call a "whale necropolis."

Located in the Diamantina Zone of the southeastern Indian Ocean, at depths of up to 7,000 meters, the find includes both ancient fossils and active whale-fall ecosystems that have been forming for at least 5.3 million years.

The study, conducted by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the University of Pisa in Italy and Earth Sciences New Zealand in Wellington, has been published in the latest issue of the journal Nature.

Whale falls occur when dead whales sink to the seabed. These carcasses create rich, temporary habitats for deep-sea creatures, supporting everything from bone-eating worms to sea stars. Until now, most known whale falls were found at depths of less than 4,000 meters, with the deepest active site recorded at 4,204 meters. No active whale-fall ecosystem had ever been reported from hadal depths – which are those deeper than 6,000 meters.

In 2023, a team led by the IDSSE carried out 32 dives using the manned deep-sea submersible Fendouzhe (Striver), aboard the research vessel Tansuo-1. They explored a 1,200-kilometer stretch of the Diamantina Zone and found five active whale falls and 476 fossil sites, ranging from 4,616 to 7,001 meters deep. The density of whale remains reached up to 759.5 individuals per square kilometer.

"If that number is extrapolated across the entire zone, it suggests there may be more than 10 million whale carcasses in the area," said Peng Xiaotong, a professor at the IDSSE.

Among the active whale falls, one site consisting of three beaked whale vertebrae at a depth of 6,789 meters represents the deepest active whale-fall ecosystem ever recorded.

Using strontium isotope dating, researchers confirmed that the fossils there date back at least 5.3 million years to the Early Pliocene. Among them are both living beaked whale species, such as Andrews' and strap-toothed beaked whales, and extinct ones, including a newly described species named Pterocetus diamantinae.

Why are there so many whale remains there? According to the study, the zone is a feeding ground for beaked whales, some of which may die during deep dives. The V-shaped seafloor funnels the carcasses into the trench, and very low sedimentation rates keep the bones exposed on the seabed for long periods, helping to preserve them.

The researchers also calculated the carbon impact. Assuming an average beaked whale weighs two tonnes and is 25% lipids, the roughly 10 million carcasses could represent about 6.7 million tonnes of sequestered carbon. That is equivalent to approximately 4,700 years of "marine snow," the slow rain of small organic particles from the upper ocean to the deep sea.

This suggests that whale falls are a major, previously overlooked source of carbon on the deep-ocean floor, capable of shaping the region's food web and biodiversity, said Zhou Peng, an assistant professor at the IDSSE.

"This study extends the known depth record of whale falls from 4,200 meters to nearly 7,000 meters. Its depth, scale and temporal span all push beyond existing knowledge, providing a unique window into the early evolutionary history, paleoecology and population dynamics of ancient whales," noted Song Xikun, an associate professor at the IDSSE.

The Diamantina Zone may constitute a previously unrecognized "whale-fall chemosynthetic life corridor" across the southeastern Indian Ocean, offering significant academic value for understanding the dispersal and connectivity of deep-sea chemosynthetic life systems, Peng explained.

The research effort was supported by several scientific programs, including the Global Hadal Exploration Programme, a ten-year United Nations Ocean Decade initiative led by the IDSSE. This program is dedicated to exploring the deepest regions of the global ocean and addressing fundamental questions about deep-sea geology, life and environmental evolution.

An electric vessel has exported electricity back to China's grid, acting like a giant mobile power bank. 

The all-electric tugboat Yungang Electric Tug No. 9 discharged electricity from its battery at a rate of 80 kilowatts, delivering a total of 560 kilowatt-hours (kWh)​ of electricity back to the grid during a seven-hour experiment on Thursday at the Port of Lianyungang. It marked China's first vessel-to-grid (V2G) bidirectional energy flow.

The trial shows that what works for EVs can now be applied to electric ships. It represents a breakthrough in China's development of bidirectional vessel-grid technologies that allow harbor vessels to charge during off-peak hours and discharge power to the land-based grid during periods of peak demand.

The project overcame technical hurdles related to stable high-power charging and discharging control in high-humidity and high-salinity marine environments.

It also offers a new model for the maritime industry's green transformation and expands the ways in which modern power networks can integrate storage, supply and demand.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on Thursday that it had resumed discharging wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after operations were automatically halted the previous day due to a system alarm.

The discharge was suspended a day earlier, when an abnormal alarm was triggered during a wastewater transfer operation.

TEPCO began the 20th round of wastewater discharge on June 1. According to the company's plan, the current round will continue through June 19, during which approximately 7,800 tonnes of wastewater containing about 1.3 trillion becquerels of tritium will be discharged.

The tour of "Set Sail for the 15th Five-Year Plan: China's Growth, World's Opportunity (Guangdong)" has concluded. Global ambassadors have praised the strong connectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, as well as China's scientific and technological innovations on display.

Two 306,000-deadweight-tonne very large crude carriers (VLCCs), independently designed and built in China, were named and delivered on Thursday in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, setting a new global record for the simultaneous delivery of vessels of this class.

The two ships, named EVROS and ACHELOOS, were developed and designed by Dalian-based Hengli Heavy Industries. As sister vessels of the same design, each measures 332.8 meters in length, 60 meters in beam and 30 meters in depth, with a service speed of 14.5 knots.

According to the company, the vessels offer advantages in operational performance and environmental protection, featuring high cargo capacity, low fuel consumption and enhanced energy efficiency.

"This generation of VLCCs is characterized by faster sailing speeds, lower fuel consumption, larger cargo tank capacity and greater loading capacity," said Wang Lei, deputy general manager of Hengli Shipbuilding (Dalian) Co., Ltd.

"We have equipped the vessels with a new generation of desulfurization and denitrification technologies, as well as the latest energy-saving and environmental protection systems, enabling them to meet the latest international green shipping standards," Wang said.

During construction, the shipyard adopted a series of advanced manufacturing techniques, including larger modular sections, larger grand blocks and large-scale pre-outfitting processes, significantly improving production efficiency.

These innovations enabled both vessels to be delivered on the same day, with each ship completed at least three months ahead of its contractual delivery schedule, according to the company.

The milestone highlights China's growing capabilities in high-end shipbuilding and further strengthens its position in the global maritime manufacturing industry.

General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith is in Beijing. The Lao top leader visited the China Academy of Space Technology on Thursday, a key hub for the country’s space exploration efforts. Here is what Thongloun saw there and what he said after viewing some of the most eye-catching showcases of China’s space program.

As June 5 marks World Environment Day, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has renewed its call for global climate action.

The UN says the Earth is sending warning signals through record-breaking heat, extreme storms and melting glaciers. According to the UN, 2015-2025 was the hottest 11-year period on record.

This year's campaign focuses on climate change, highlighting both emission reduction and adaptation.

China's national event for the occasion is jointly hosted in Guangzhou City by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Office of the National Steering Committee for Ethical and Cultural Progress, and the governments of Guangdong Province and the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs), under the theme of "Comprehensive Green Transition and Jointly Building a Beautiful China."

It marks the first time the event has been jointly organized by multiple local governments.

Hong Kong will also host the "Beautiful Hong Kong Green Fest," featuring activities on public participation, recycling and green technology.

As climate change intensifies, extreme weather is becoming a shared challenge. From late May to early June 2026, heatwaves hit several European countries, with temperatures in Paris, France, reaching 37.8 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, persistent heavy rainfall hit southern China, prompting emergency flood-control responses and evacuation efforts in affected regions including Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province.

To address climate risks, China is strengthening disaster early-warning systems. China's Fengyun meteorological satellite network now provides real-time weather data services to 133 countries and regions.

China's "Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027)" was praised by the UN secretary-general's climate adviser as the first national plan directly supporting the UN's "Early Warnings for All" initiative.

China is also strengthening climate adaptation through urban renewal. According to the urban renewal plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) released by the State Council, the country will advance sponge city and climate-resilient city development, improve urban green spaces, and continue expanding waste sorting and resource recycling systems.

The plan aims to improve cities' resilience to extreme weather such as heavy rainfall and heatwaves, enhance ecological spaces and green public services, and encourage low-carbon lifestyles in communities and daily life.

At the same time, China is accelerating its green energy transition. In southern China, offshore wind power and other renewable energy industries are expanding rapidly. Guangdong has continued expanding offshore wind development.

According to a provincial development report released in 2026, the province's installed offshore wind power capacity reached 13.51 million kilowatts, the highest in the country.

In northwest China, the Taklimakan Desert is becoming a key site for combining renewable energy with desert control.

The Qiemo photovoltaic power station in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is China's first large centralized solar plant built in the center of a shifting desert.

The project has generated more than 300 million kilowatt-hours of electricity while helping stabilize nearly 300 hectares of sandy land through an integrated solar-and-desert-control model.

Xinjiang has continued expanding anti-desertification efforts around the Taklimakan Desert. In Shaya County, more than 30 distributed photovoltaic-powered water systems have been built to support afforestation and sand-control work across 4,200 hectares of land, with tree survival rates exceeding 80%.

Low-carbon transformation is also reshaping daily life. Guangdong's Dasanmen Island has upgraded into a "zero-carbon island" through integrated fishery-solar projects, energy storage systems and wind power facilities.

The computing hub in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou, is improving green computing capacity through liquid-cooling systems and renewable-powered microgrids.

UNEP says tackling climate change requires not only government and industrial action, but also public participation in low-carbon lifestyles such as energy conservation, green transport and waste reduction.

As China advances renewable energy and disaster-response capabilities, its green transition efforts are becoming an important part of global climate action.

For more: Ending plastic pollution: Policy and technological innovation

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday launched the country's new national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.

The strategy, named "AI for All," targets a boost to Canada's economy by nearly 200 billion Canadian dollars (about $144 billion) to create 250,000 new AI-related jobs over the next five years, said a news release on the prime minister's official website.

It also aims to increase AI adoption from just over 12% to 60% by 2034, said the release, adding that a national AI literacy initiative will also be established to offer entry-level AI training for all Canadians.

Small and medium-sized businesses will get help adopting AI to support workers, raise productivity, and drive breakthroughs in priority sectors, such as health, energy, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, robotics, and government services, it said.

The strategy will build a world-leading public AI supercomputer and invest in sovereign compute and cloud infrastructure, with a focus on high-performance computing that is sustainable and aligned with Canada's clean energy expansion, robust environmental standards, and tangible benefits for local communities, said the release.

Scientists have produced the largest map yet of the universe's magnetic fields, revealing an invisible cosmic web shaping galaxy formation and evolution.

The map, known as SPICE-RACS, is five times larger than previous efforts and draws on observations from the ASKAP radio telescope in Western Australia, said a statement of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia's national science agency, which operated the telescope.

The new map was produced by an international team led by researchers at CSIRO and the SKA Observatory (SKAO), an intergovernmental organization building two of the world's largest radio telescopes.

The scale and density of the map help scientists better understand how energy is distributed across the universe, said lead researcher Alec Thomson, commissioning scientist with SKAO.

"For the first time, we can investigate fine details of the material between nearby stars, and study a huge number of distant galaxies," Thomson said.

Researchers analyzed signals from nearly four million galaxies, measuring how light is twisted as it travels through magnetic fields – a phenomenon known as rotation measure – to trace their location and relative strength. The results have been made publicly available through CSIRO's data portal.

Magnetic fields influence how galaxies grow, how matter moves through space, and how the universe has evolved over billions of years.

SKAO Chief Scientist Naomi McClure-Griffiths said the new map enables long-standing questions to be addressed, including how magnetic fields influence interactions between the Milky Way and neighboring galaxies, and when such fields first emerged.

"For the past 20 years, we have been working with essentially the same data set, which didn't even cover the southern sky. Now, we can finally answer some big questions with a much better picture of the universe's magnetic structures," McClure-Griffiths said.

China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday.

The satellite group was launched at 7:39 p.m. aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and entered its preset orbit successfully. It will constitute the Spacesail Constellation, a mega commercial Chinese low-orbit satellite network.

This launch marked the 648th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series, according to the launch center.

Researchers have discovered exceptionally well-preserved bryozoan fossils, providing the first definitive evidence of mineralized skeletons in Early Cambrian bryozoans and pushing the group's fossil record back by at least 50 million years.

The findings, published on Wednesday in the journal Nature, were made by a research team led by Zhang Zhifei at Northwest University.

The fossils were unearthed from the Early Cambrian Xiannvdong Formation in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The specimens are remarkably well preserved, retaining both mineralized skeletons and soft tissues, offering rare insight into the early evolution of bryozoans.

Bryozoans are an important group of colonial aquatic invertebrates that today inhabit marine environments worldwide. Although scientists have long hypothesized that bryozoans originated during the Cambrian Period, direct fossil evidence has remained elusive because of the organisms' minute size and the difficulty of identifying their remains.

The newly discovered fossils preserve soft-tissue structures, including cystid walls and circular fibers, as well as characteristic skeletal features such as zooecia and protrusions.

To examine the specimens, the research team employed a range of analytical techniques, including acid digestion, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray computed tomography.

Phylogenetic analysis based on a matrix of 50 morphological characteristics showed that the fossils belong to the class Stenolaemata within the phylum Bryozoa and that ecological differentiation had already emerged among these Early Cambrian communities. 

The discovery formally extends the fossil record of mineralized bryozoans from the Ordovician Period to the Early Cambrian.

Unitree Robotics and Nvidia have jointly unveiled the H2 Plus, a new humanoid robot reference design aimed at advancing humanoid robotics development.

The H2 Plus is scheduled to be launched in the second half of this year, Unitree's Director of Marketing Huang Jiawei told the Global Times on Wednesday. The robot's key feature is its integration with Nvidia's high-performance computing platform, which is designed to provide a more powerful "intelligent brain" for humanoid robots.

The H2 Plus, jointly introduced by the two companies on Monday, represents a significant upgrade in computing capabilities, according to Huang.

Unitree said on its website that the H2 Plus combines the company's H2 humanoid robot body, the Sharpa five-finger dexterous hand, Nvidia's Jetson Thor platform for advanced reasoning and control and Nvidia's Isaac GR00T development platform.

Isaac GR00T provides an end-to-end framework covering data collection, data generation, model evaluation and deployment, helping developers accelerate humanoid robot development.

"Based on Nvidia's computing platform, we hope to help drive progress across the entire humanoid robotics industry," Huang said. He added that Unitree expects relevant data to contribute to future iterations of AI computing platforms, making humanoid robots' "intelligent brains" increasingly capable.

Wang Xingxing, founder and CEO of Unitree Robotics, said that the H2 Plus provides developers with a validated starting point for building robotic skills and deploying them in real-world applications.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced the partnership with Unitree on Monday.

In addition to China's Unitree, Nvidia also plans to work with humanoid robot makers in the US, Europe and South Korea to build robots ​for researchers, according to the AI chip company's executives.

"It feels like my first impression is sitting in a spaceship," said Pakistani Ambassador Khalil Hashmi on Tuesday after riding an eVTOL in South China's Guangzhou. 60 ambassadors and diplomats to China from 37 countries are currently on the "Set Sail for the 15th Five-Year Plan:China's Growth, World's Opportunity (Guangdong)" tour. The first stop is Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province. The city is China's significant technology hub for eVTOLs and new energy vehicles.

The world's largest offshore converter station, known as the "Heart of Offshore Wind," was installed on Thursday in Yangjiang, south China's Guangdong Province.

The "Heart of Offshore Wind" is the world's first ±500-kilovolt, 2,000-megawatt flexible DC offshore converter station. Its deck covers an area nearly equivalent to a standard football field, stands about as tall as a 15-story building, and weighs approximately 25,000 tonnes.

Unlike conventional nearshore offshore substations, the installation site for this project is located over 70 kilometers from the coast, with no nearby onshore support facilities. The operation faced multiple challenges, including strong winds and waves, powerful currents, severe salt-spray corrosion and frequent typhoons.

To address these challenges, the project team employed 3D modeling and computational analysis, conducted repeated simulation-based rehearsals and optimizations, and developed a range of specialized monitoring systems covering marine environmental conditions, vessel motion and high-precision vessel guidance. These technologies enabled the entire float-over installation process to be visualized and quantified, allowing operators to maintain precise situational awareness and ensuring the topside module was installed accurately in a single operation.

The facility is expected to deliver around 6 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, providing a significant boost to China's renewable energy supply.

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN), NASA's first mission devoted to observing the Martian atmosphere and its evolution, has officially come to an end after losing contact with its spacecraft last December, the agency announced on Wednesday.

Blasting off on November 18, 2013, the spacecraft entered Mars' orbit on September 21, 2014. Originally designed for a one-year primary mission, the spacecraft operated at the Red Planet for more than 11 years and exceeded its planned mission life by more than a decade, according to NASA.

The spacecraft was last heard on December 6, 2025, when it experienced an unexpected loss of signal after it passed behind Mars.

NASA convened an anomaly review board in February to evaluate recovery efforts and assess the spacecraft's condition.

The review board has determined that the MAVEN spacecraft is not recoverable, and it is no longer capable of performing its science and data relay mission, which is consistent with the mission team's findings, NASA said.

Preliminary findings suggest the spacecraft entered a high-rate rotation after passing behind Mars, disrupting its orbit trajectory and eventually draining its batteries. The resulting loss of power to the communications system left MAVEN unable to contact Earth.

The agency noted that the root cause of the anomaly remains under investigation, and a final report is expected later this year.

NASA has begun the formal process of decommissioning the mission, following standard procedures to archive the full mission dataset for the science and exploration communities.

"The science MAVEN has given us is key to informing what kind of radiation protection and safety measures we must take before sending humans to Mars," said Louise Prockter, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Beijing has approved the establishment of the capital city's first space computing industry innovation center, now set to connect the entire industrial chain of space computing and boost the development of the satellite Internet of Things (IoT) sector, according to the Science and Technology Daily on Wednesday.

The innovation center has identified six major research areas, including highly reliable, heat-resistant space-native computing chips, high-performance hyper-interconnected space computing payloads, space computing satellite platforms and standard systems, space-based large models under constrained power conditions, integrated space-ground cloud-based measurement and control networking, and space computing power service-oriented and tokenized operations.

The innovation center is expected to be officially unveiled at the end of June, the report said.

Space computing refers to an emerging computing paradigm that deploys data processing, storage, intelligent analysis and decision-making capabilities on orbital platforms such as satellites and space stations, according to another report by Beijing Daily.

The innovation center is jointly led by Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) and leading enterprises in the space computing sector.

Beijing is home to the most complete aerospace and computing industrial chain in the country, said Wang Shangguang, dean of the School of Computer Science at BUPT.

He added that the city brings together rocket and satellite companies, large model firms, and chip enterprises, providing unique foundation for the development of space computing.

Brazil has decades of experience in biofuels. China is at the forefront of electric mobility. Now researchers from both countries are teaming up on a new generation of clean energy solutions. 

Paulo Cabral has more from Campinas.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

SpaceX is planning a massive IPO, targeting a $1.8 trillion valuation when it hits the market. But there are still a lot of questions around Elon Musk’s company and how it could affect your personal finances. Through major NASDAQ rule changes, its IPO could be added quickly to millions of people's 401(k) and indexes.

The rules have been modified as bigger tech companies like OpenAI plan to launch IPOs, hoping to gain easier access on stock indexes. Learn more.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

The ecological environment of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region remained in good condition throughout 2025, with nearly all days recording good or excellent air quality, according to an official report released on Tuesday.

The "2025 Xizang Autonomous Region Ecological Environment Status Bulletin," published by the regional department of ecology and environment, revealed that the proportion of days with good or excellent air quality reached 99.8% last year. All seven prefecture-level cities in Xizang met the national Grade II standards for air quality.

Water quality across the region also remained robust. The report showed that 100% of major rivers and lakes reached or exceeded Class III water quality standards, while drinking water source areas maintained a 100% compliance rate. 

Major rivers including the Jinsha, Lancang (Mekong), Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra), and Nujiang (Salween) recorded Class II water quality, which is considered good. 

Rivers flowing through key towns, such as the Lhasa River, Nyang River and Nianchu River, met or surpassed Class III standards.

Xizang also continued its comprehensive ecological monitoring efforts. Along major watersheds including the Yarlung Zangbo and the Yangtze River (Xizang section), assessments covered benthic algae, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, and fish populations. 

The results indicate that the region's aquatic ecosystems remain in a pristine and stable condition. Groundwater quality was also rated as good and stable across the board.

Speaking to reporters, Xu Fucheng, deputy director of the regional department of ecology and environment, outlined ongoing efforts to safeguard the environment. 

"We are vigorously implementing action plans to continuously improve air quality, conducting routine source analysis of ground-level ozone exceedances," Xu said. 

He added that the region has advanced the standardized management of sewage outlets into rivers, achieving a 100% compliance rate for water quality entering major waterways.

Furthermore, traceability analysis for heavy metal pollution in farmland soils has been carried out across 21 counties, with rural sewage treatment and control coverage reaching 58.2%.

As a crucial national ecological security barrier, Xizang currently boasts over 15 million hectares of forest, 80 million hectares of grassland, and 8.17 million hectares of wetlands – the largest wetland area in China. 

The region is home to 169 species of nationally protected wild plants, 1,072 species of terrestrial wild vertebrates, and 246 species of nationally protected wild animals, underscoring its rich biodiversity and ecological significance.

(Cover via VCG)

China has achieved mass production of T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber using a domestically developed manufacturing process, marking a significant step forward in the country's advanced materials sector.

According to China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), the carbon fiber is now being produced at scale in Shanghai and is expected to support strategic industries including aerospace, embodied artificial intelligence, and the low-altitude economy.

The newly mass-produced material is a 12K small-tow carbon fiber, meaning each bundle contains 12,000 individual filaments. Each filament measures only about seven micrometers in diameter, roughly one-tenth the thickness of a human hair.

Despite its extremely small size, the material offers exceptional strength. A single fiber bundle has a tensile strength exceeding 6.5 gigapascals, enough to pull a medium-sized truck weighing around 10 tonnes.

Carbon fiber is regarded as a key strategic material for advanced manufacturing. It weighs less than one-quarter as much as steel while delivering seven to nine times greater strength. It also offers excellent corrosion resistance and fatigue performance, making it indispensable for high-end equipment and next-generation industrial applications.

T1000-grade carbon fiber represents one of the highest-performance categories of carbon fiber currently available and is widely used in demanding fields where both lightweight construction and extreme strength are required.

After years of research and development, China has established a complete industrial chain covering precursor production, carbon fiber manufacturing, and composite material processing. The achievement is expected to further strengthen the country's supply of advanced materials for critical technologies and strategic industries.

Industry forecasts suggest China's carbon fiber market could exceed 60 billion yuan (about $8.9 billion) by 2030, driven by growing demand from aerospace, new energy, intelligent robotics, and other emerging sectors.

Chinese researchers have achieved mass production of a key rocket component using a domestically developed cryogenic forming technology, significantly shortening manufacturing time and potentially boosting the efficiency of the country's growing commercial space sector.

The breakthrough centers on the bottom dome of rocket propellant tanks, a critical structure that determines, to a large extent, the production pace of launch vehicles. In the aerospace industry, satellite launches often depend on rocket availability, while rocket production can be constrained by the manufacturing speed of propellant tanks and their components.

A research team from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Dalian University of Technology has recently realized mass production of propellant tank bottoms measuring more than two meters in diameter. The achievement is based on an internationally pioneering ultra-low-temperature forming technology developed by the team.

The newly manufactured component resembles a giant metal lid, measuring over two meters in diameter while being only four millimeters thick. Despite its lightweight structure, it must withstand intense vibration and impact during launch while supporting hundreds of tonnes of propellant pressure, which means extremely high demands on manufacturing precision and reliability.

For decades, conventional production methods have faced trade-offs. Welded structures often contained multiple joints that could affect reliability, while integral machining methods resulted in substantial material waste and lengthy production cycles.

To address these challenges, the research team developed the world's first large-scale ultra-low-temperature forming system. Working with domestic aerospace companies, the team has established an annual production capacity of approximately 1,000 integrally formed "smooth-sheet" tank bottoms.

Using the new equipment, a 4-millimeter thick aluminum alloy sheet can be transformed into a finished tank bottom in a single forming process. The resulting product maintains a wall-thickness deviation of less than 0.3 millimeters, meeting the stringent requirements of aerospace applications.

The technology has also dramatically improved production efficiency. Manufacturing time has been reduced from more than a week using traditional methods to just a few hours, cutting the production cycle by over 90%.

The new tank bottoms have already been flight-tested on several missions, including the maiden flight of the Long March-12 rocket and the recent launch of the Long March-7A Y14 carrier rocket.

Researchers say the breakthrough could help lower costs and increase production capacity for China's commercial space industry, supporting the high-frequency launch demands of future satellite constellation projects.

China's Long March-12B carrier rocket made its maiden flight on Monday, marking a new step in the country's efforts to support large-scale commercial space missions and low-Earth-orbit satellite constellations.

Standing 72 meters tall and measuring 4.37 meters in diameter, the Long March-12B is currently the tallest newly developed Chinese rocket to complete a successful first launch. Equipped with nine engines at its base, the vehicle is designed to deliver high payload capacity while reducing launch costs.

One of the rocket's most notable achievements is the speed of its development. Engineers completed the entire process, from initial design studies to final product development, in just 21 months, setting a new record for the development cycle of a new Chinese launch vehicle.

Developers attribute the accelerated timeline largely to digital design technologies. The team built its own simulation platform from scratch, integrating every stage from design and analysis to virtual verification. The system enabled close collaboration across engineering disciplines and significantly improved the efficiency of design iterations.

Faster development, smarter design

The rocket also adopts a "three-horizontal" launch model: horizontal assembly, horizontal testing and horizontal transportation. Under this approach, most complex preparations are completed in the technical area before the rocket is transported to the launch pad, where it is erected, fueled and launched. The process is expected to improve launch efficiency and support a higher launch cadence.

Beyond speed, the Long March-12B incorporates a range of design features aimed at reducing weight, improving reliability and increasing performance.

Powered by nine liquid oxygen-kerosene engines, the rocket uses a propellant combination that is relatively clean and cost-effective. Kerosene can be stored at normal temperatures, simplifying fueling procedures and lowering operational costs at launch sites.

Built for satellite constellations and future reuse

The Long March-12B is primarily intended to support China's low-Earth orbit internet constellation projects. With a payload capacity in the 20-tonne class, the rocket can deploy up to 36 satellites into a single orbital plane in a single mission, helping accelerate the construction of large-scale satellite networks.

Engineers have also designed the rocket with future reusability in mind. While key recovery and reuse technologies are still under development, the vehicle's first-stage architecture has been planned to accommodate potential reusable operations.

For now, the priority remains rapidly building launch capacity to meet the growing demand for satellite constellation deployment. Economically viable rocket recovery and reuse will require further technological breakthroughs and gradual development in the years ahead.

Microsoft on Tuesday announced a sweeping slate of AI initiatives, from autonomous workplace assistants and gadgets to Nvidia-powered PCs and a new in-house reasoning model, in a push to move beyond apps and remake computing around AI.

At its ‌annual software developer conference, Microsoft Build in San Francisco, executives showcased a broader shift in company strategy, as it pushes to replace the traditional model of navigating software with one in which AI agents carry out complex tasks autonomously.

AI-powered devices and PCs

Microsoft showcased the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, an AI-focused PC equipped with Nvidia's RTX Spark chip, capable of running an AI model with 120 billion parameters – a rough measure of a model's complexity – that most PCs would not ‌be able to load. CEO Satya Nadella described it as a "dream machine," highlighting the company's commitment to bringing advanced AI capabilities directly to desktops and laptops.

Microsoft also said it was developing tools to help Windows run OpenClaw, open-source software that can direct groups of AI agents to carry out everyday tasks for users.

The goal is to make OpenClaw safe for businesses to use on computers with sensitive corporate data.

The company also introduced Project Solara, a family of prototypes that includes devices the size of a smart speaker or keycard badge, based on chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek.

These devices have screens and microphones, but instead of running a traditional operating system and apps like a ​smartphone, they will host AI agents that talk to cloud-computing systems to carry out specific tasks, such as documenting a medical visit with a nurse.

New AI models and agents

For software, Microsoft introduced Scout, a new AI agent within its Copilot software that can carry out tasks such as gathering emails or messages that require decisions by the user to move forward.

The company also unveiled MAI Thinking-1, its first reasoning model, which is said to match the performance of Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6.

One effort distinguishing Microsoft AI's work is its focus on medical diagnostics. Microsoft announced a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic to build AI systems that combine reasoning models with clinical expertise, aiming to improve patient outcomes with AI that acts ​as a team member and gets faster and better diagnoses.

Quantum computing breakthroughs

In quantum computing, Microsoft unveiled Majorana 2, a redesigned chip developed using AI tools, saying it now believes ‌it will have commercially useful quantum machines by 2029 – the same year as rival IBM.

Unlike most quantum chips, which rely on aluminum superconducting wires, Majorana 2 uses lead-based materials, achieving a 1,000-fold improvement in some aspects.

Despite the technical advances, the approach remains under scrutiny. Microsoft's design relies on quasiparticles known as Majoranas, which had not been proven to exist until Microsoft claimed to have observed them. Critics have called for more reproducible data, while the company said that it has been shared extensively in confidential discussions with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is evaluating the feasibility of several different types of quantum systems.

(With input from Reuters)

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday creating a voluntary framework under which AI developers will share advanced models with the government before public release.

The central provision allows companies such as OpenAI, Google or Anthropic to give the government access to their most powerful models for up to 30 days before planned release.

The order was triggered by concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model, which the AI startup has held back from the public due to its ability to expose vulnerabilities in computer systems, including those of banks, governments and hospitals.

The 30-day window represents a compromise. The original draft called for up to 90 days of pre-release government access, while tech companies had pushed to cut that figure to just 14 days.

Kent Walker, Google's head of public affairs, called the order an "important step forward" that will ensure "defenders have the AI tools they need to keep America secure."

'Unnecessary'

The signing comes after a turbulent few weeks in which the White House appeared close to unveiling the measure, only to pull back abruptly.

According to Politico and other media, David Sacks, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist who served as Trump's AI and crypto czar, called the president to warn that the measure would slow innovation and hurt the United States in its AI race with China – blindsiding White House staff who believed Sacks supported the order.

Sacks wrote on X last week that "unnecessary regulation is the biggest threat to innovation in America," adding that winning the AI race required clearing "bureaucratic hurdles" from state legislatures and "woke" Washington politicians.

The order also instructs the Treasury, the National Security Agency and the CISA cybersecurity agency to form an "AI cybersecurity clearinghouse" in voluntary collaboration with industry and critical infrastructure operators to identify software vulnerabilities and find ways to fix them.

Trump scrapped a Biden-era AI oversight order on his first day back in the White House.

Biden's 2023 order required AI companies to share safety test results with the government and leaned heavily on voluntary commitments – already a light-touch approach that fell short of what many experts had called for.

By contrast, the European Union's AI Act, which entered into force in 2024, sets binding rules for high-risk AI systems, including mandatory transparency requirements and, for the most powerful models, obligations around safety testing and incident reporting.

"This is an important step in the right direction," said Anthony Aguirre, CEO of Future of Life Institute, that advocates for AI safety.

"Voluntary frameworks are not enough, however" and the government must be empowered "to block the release of systems that pose an unacceptable national security risk," he added.