The Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northwest China's Dunhuang, has been haunted by wind and sand over a millennium, and Chinese scientists have recently unraveled the historical sand storm evolution for its better protection.

Chinese scientists are eager to unravel the mysteries of the moon after the successful collection of the world's first samples from the moon's far side by the Chang'e-6 mission. "The Chang'e-6 mission represents a significant milestone in the history of human lunar exploration, and it will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of lunar evolution."

China is set to reveal the weight of the historic lunar samples collected from the far side of the moon by the Chang'e-6 mission. Unlike previous missions that gathered samples from the well-studied near side of the moon, Chang'e-6 successfully retrieved material from the far side, a region shrouded in mystery.

After the Chang'e-6 mission brought home the world's first samples collected from the moon's far side on Tuesday, Chinese scientists eagerly look forward to conducting research on the samples to uncover more mysteries of the moon. The Chang'e-6 lunar probe carried four international payloads that were developed jointly by Chinese and foreign scientists. It is conceivable that the openness of Chinese lunar exploration activities will be mirrored in the study of Chang'e-6 lunar samples.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the French National Center for Scientific Research established the Sino-French International Research Network on Biodiversity in Beijing on Tuesday.

This Germplasm Bank of Wild Species (GBOWS), located in the northern suburb of Kunming, the provincial capital, is the largest facility of its kind in Asia. It houses more than 94,000 plant seed accessions from over 11,000 wild species, representing over one-third of China's wild seed plants.

The returner of the Chang'e-6 probe touched down on Earth on Tuesday, bringing back the world's first samples collected from the moon's far side. The return capsule landed precisely in the designated area in Siziwang Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the mission is a complete success.

China is firmly on the fast track to take a leading role in basic science researches, and it is embracing more global collaborations as well. The country gained its scientific prowess almost in one generation. The Nature Index, an esteemed indicator for national sci-tech strength, showed that seven out of the ten leading institutions in 2024 are based in China. In 2015, the first year the rankings were published, the Chinese Academy of Sciences was the only Chinese institution in the top ten.

Photogrammetry and remote sensing expert Li Deren and condensed matter physicist Xue Qikun were presented with China's top sci-tech award for the year 2023 on Monday. They were awarded at a meeting combining the national sci-tech conference, the national science and technology award conference, and the general assemblies of the members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), which was held in Beijing to honor the distinguished scientists and research achievements.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday underscored the importance of sci-tech modernization and innovation in pursuing Chinese modernization and high-quality development. Xi presented China's top sci-tech award and made the remarks at a meeting conflating the national sci-tech conference, the national science and technology award conference, and the general assemblies of the members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Chinese researchers have recently discovered a naturally occurring few-layer graphene for the first time in the lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe, which provides new insights into the moon's geological activities, evolutionary history, and environmental characteristics, broadening understanding of the complex mineral composition of lunar soil and offering important information and clues for resource utilization on the moon.

China on Saturday launched an astronomical satellite, the result of nearly 20 years of hard work between Chinese and French scientists, to capture gamma-ray bursts which flicker like fireworks in the farthest reaches of the universe. The satellite, the Space-based Multi-band Variable Object Monitor (SVOM), was launched by a Long March-2C rocket at 3:00 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.