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China's first genetic code ID card.

Chengdu to Produce Genetic Code ID Card

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, plans to introduce genetic identification cards for its citizens. The 96-mm by 64-mm card will record a persons basic information such as name, gender, blood type and DNA code.

To produce the card, authorities will first take a sample from a person, distill DNA from a cell, select 16 fixed genetic loci, then combine them to form the code of the ID card. Due to the uniqueness of DNA, the card will be able to differentiate the holder from the worlds 6 billion other people (excluding twins) with an accuracy of 99.99 percent.

China Launches Environment Monitoring Satellites

China recently launched two satellites to monitor the environment and natural disasters -- the first Chinese satellites of this kind to go into space. Equipped with state-of-the-art imaging systems and infrared cameras, the satellites can provide a global scan every two days, closely tracking natural disasters and providing quick assessments of damage to guide rescue and reconstruction efforts.

The pair, estimated to have a lifespan of more than three years, are part of Chinas plan to create a satellite constellation of four optical and four radar satellites. The constellation will enable China to have a stable and efficient forecasting and service network for environmental and natural disaster monitoring.

China to Build Its First Inland Station in Antarctica

China will set up a new observatory in Antarctica on the regions highest peak. China has so far built two research bases in Antarctica, namely the Great Wall and Zhongshan stations.

Dome A, the site of the new base, is an Antarctic plateau over 3,500 meters above sea level. Although the climate here is severe, it is an ideal place for scientific research. The high atmospheric transparency makes the spot the worlds best astronomical observation point. Moreover, the ice core buried under Dome A has a history of several million years, meaning it contains climatic records dating back to remote antiquity. These records will be rich in scientific value if they can be properly exploited.

The 620-square-meter station will have a capacity of 15 to 20 people, and will generate electricity and heating through solar energy.

New Seismograph

A scientific research team led by Wang Weixi, a professor from the China University of Geosciences, has developed a highly sensitive seismograph, which can forecast earthquakes by detecting hydrogen concentration in the atmosphere. The new instrument is around a million times more sensitive than current devices.

Hydrogen is recognized as the most sensitive chemical substance in earthquake prediction. Seismologists generally consider that earthquakes happen when serpentinite or plastic rocks in the lower layers of the Earths crust are pressed into cracks in the upper layer. As hydrogen is released during this process, atmospheric levels of the gas soar 10 to 40 days before a quake, reaching a concentration tens of thousands of times above normal.

Recycling Washroom in Shenzhou-7

The first space walk by Chinese astronauts occurred during the flight of Shenzhou-7, necessitating a longer stay in space. The extended flight meant an onboard washroom became a necessity. The tiny washroom was tailored to the astronauts stature, and included a toilet and urinal, which can be folded to save room. The washroom was also able to separate urine from excrement. The former was recycled to produce drinking water, while the latter was biologically disposed of through drying and pulverization, before being finally cast into space.

New Devices for the Beijing Paralympics

During the Paralympics in Beijing, a new Braille printing system was put into service, which allowed the visually-impaired to edit pictures as well as text.

A special portable visual aid was also introduced, which provided magnification of up to 40 times on a 3.6-inch LCD screen. The screen also provided various visual configurations, such as color or black and white backgrounds, to assist with legibility. The aid was equipped with useful auxiliary functions like freeze frame and a video output.

Finally, a Bluetooth controller smaller than a business card and able to download emails and read messages to users, was available to athletes and coaches during the Games.

Fuel-efficient Car

Eleven students from China Southwest University have produced a fuel-efficient car that can travel over 300 km on one liter of petrol, achieving a fuel efficiency around 30 times greater than normal cars.

The three-wheeled blue vehicle is three meters long, one meter wide and 0.6 meters high. To minimize wind resistance, the streamlined car weighs just 67.5 kg. In order to achieve maximum efficiency, the engine muffler and air filter were removed.

China Uses an Intelligent Robot for the First Time on an Arctic Expedition

Chinese scientists have used an intelligent robot for the first time in a scientific expedition to the North Pole. The robot, named North Pole ARV, is the first autonomous and remotely-operated vehicle (ARV) developed independently by Chinese scientists.

The ARV was developed by the Shenyang Institute of Automation under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Fitted with an under-ice monitoring system, the ARV is also the first underwater vehicle of its kind that can either be remotely controlled or operate autonomously to carry out pre-programmed missions. The North Pole ARV has built-in power and can communicate with the surface. It can work as a ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) to precisely survey in a suspended position, or as an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) to obtain data in real time within a certain range.

New Google Browser Unveiled, Complete with

Chinese Version

Chrome, a new web-browser program developed by Google over two years, is now freely available for downloading in 100 countries and regions. A Chinese version is also available. Chrome still does not have a Chinese name however.

In the current browser market, Microsofts Internet Explorer ranks first with a 72 percent market share. Mozillas Firefox occupies 19 percent of the market, followed by Apples Safari and Opera from Norway.