Sci-Tech

China， Russia to Monitor Migratory Birds

Scientists from China and Russia have jointly begun monitoring cross-border migratory waterfowl to better prevent and control disease outbreaks. The program is part of an action plan to protect rare wild animals， signed by the two countries in 2012， said Wang Xiaolong， a professor with Northeast Forestry University， at a seminar in Harbin on ecological risk management and control. The program will study the health conditions and ecological safety of wild animals in Arctic circumpolar regions. It will also study the influence of pesticide residue and oil leaks in extremely cold sea waters on bird health. China and Russia share a 4，300-km-long border. It is estimated that about 2.5 million birds of more than 230 species inhabit the eastern border area. Each autumn， migratory birds fly to Central and South China and other Southeast Asian countries for winter. The surveillance program will help scientists better understand common diseases among migratory birds and improve disease prevention.

China Tests Bioregenerative Life Support Module

Three Chinese volunteers on May 20 concluded an experiment in which they lived in an enclosed capsule for 105 days. This was Chinas first manned test of the “Yuegong-1，” a 500-cubicmeter module that is Chinas first and the worlds third bioregenerative life support base. The capsule featured a cabin and two plant cultivation labs. According to Liu Hong， chief designer of the system， the core of Yuegong-1 is the Bioregenerative Life Support Systems， a state-ofthe-art closed life support system and the core technology for long-term survival in outer space. The closed lab is a virtual biosphere， where inhabitants can cultivate grain， vegetables， fruit and insects. The system can also produce water and fertilizers， process waste and revitalize air. The research team selected five grains， 15 varieties of vegetable， one kind of fruit as well as a yellow mealworm， which provided protein for the volunteers during the experiment. Yuegong-1 is of great importance in ensuring the smooth progress of Chinas space programs and astronauts life safety and quality.

IMO Ratifies Chinas First BeiDou Maritime System International Standard

The International Maritime Organization （IMO） has ratified the performance standard of a receiver of the shipborne BeiDou Navigation Satellite System （BDS）. This is the first international BDS standard approved by IMO， marking the first step as Chinas homegrown system goes global. The move is the key to the application of BDS in the international maritime field and its industrial development. As the third phase of the BDS development plan， China now seeks to expand the regional navigation system to global coverage by 2020. By the end of last March， the sale of BDS/GNSS （Global Navigation Satellite System） modules already exceeded two million. Over 40 million mobile phones with BeiDou positioning function have been put into market， and vehicle-mounted BDS navigators designed for more than 200 automobile types are available. Along with miniaturization， energy efficiency and decreasing costs， BDS will comprehensively improve public life.

China Tightens Control on Antarctic Expeditions

Chinese authorities have tightened controls over citizens and organizations going to Antarctica to avoid damage to the environment， according to a statute issued by the State Oceanic Administration（SOA）. The new rules restrict travellers from bringing animals， plants or microorganisms that are not indigenous to Antarctica， as well as hunting， picking plants， erecting structures， and recovering meteorites. Those who plan activities that may interfere with the continents environment or ecosystems must obtain approval from the SOA. Traffic to Antarctica， including expeditions， tourist trips and scientific research， has risen in recent years and posed challenges to environmental administrators. The move can better regulate Chinese visits to the southernmost continent， protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens， legal persons and other organizations， and uphold Chinas national image.