AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) has helped find five small planets. Each planet is smaller than Earth and has an orbital period shorter than a day. Astronomers, led by China, used an AI algorithm with NASA's Kepler space telescope to significantly enhance search efficiency for Earth-like planets. The breakthrough represents a major advancement in applying AI to astronomical data analysis.

Dinosaur egg fossil

The world's smallest dinosaur egg has been unearthed in China. The egg, which measures just over 2.5 centimeters long, was one of six dinosaur eggs found at a construction site in Ganzhou, east China's Jiangxi Province, in 2021. Researchers studied them for three years before confirming that they were from the Late Cretaceous period, over 80 million years ago. The significant discovery could shed light on dinosaurs' reproduction habits and diversity.

Lunar exploration

Chinese scientists made a significant step in space exploration after developing bricks from a material designed to simulate lunar soil. These "lunar bricks" are reportedly three times stronger than traditional red bricks or concrete. The aim is to create durable infrastructure for future lunar bases. The bricks will be sent to China's space station to test their durability and the first brick will return to Earth by 2025.

Reusable rocket

SpaceX has successfully caught a returning Starship rocket on its fifth flight test. It launched the 122-meter Starship vehicle on October 13 from southern Texas. Rather than a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, as it did on the previous flight, the Starship was caught in midair by a pair of metal "chopstick" arms. It is the first time such a maneuver has been successfully completed.