BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's science news from the past week:
MARS PROBE
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) released mid-flight images of Mars probe Tianwen-1 Thursday as the Chinese people celebrate the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Tianwen-1 reports safety to the motherland and sends its best birthday wishes, said the CNSA in a press release.
The images showed China's five-star red flag dazzling with the golden orbiter and the silver lander and rover in the darkness of the universe.
COVID-19 VACCINES
Two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines developed by the China National Biotec Group are under phase-3 clinical trials in the Middle East, with more than 35,000 people inoculated.
The trials in the Middle East have so far shown good safety and no serious adverse reactions. Up till now, there have been 11 Chinese COVID-19 vaccines entering clinical trials, with four in phase-3 clinical trials.
NEW MASS EXTINCTION
Researchers from China and Britain have found evidence of a new mass extinction event which allowed dinosaurs to dominate the earth.
The newly identified mass extinction named the Carnian Pluvial Episode took place around 234 million to 232 million years ago and marked the beginning of modern ecosystems.
CHINA-CELAC SCI-TECH COOPERATION
China will further strengthen cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries in sci-tech innovation to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, a senior Chinese official said at a recent sci-tech forum.
Amid the epidemic, the two sides have worked hand in hand in COVID-19 drugs, vaccine and test-kit development, Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology, said at the second China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) forum of science, technology and innovation. Enditem
