BEIJING, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) — The following is a summary of published science and technology news in China.

REUSABLE EXPERIMENTAL SPACECRAFT

China on Friday successfully launched a reusable experimental spacecraft using a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest of the country.

After a period of in-orbit operation, the spacecraft will return to its scheduled landing site in China. It will test reusable technologies and in-orbit service technologies as planned during its flight, providing technological support for the peaceful use of space.

PENGUIN SPECIES

A China-led research team has completed a genetic study on penguin species to understand how the tuxedo-clad bird evolved from their flying ancestors 60 million years ago into the excellent swimmers we know today.

Published in the journal Nature Communications, the study analyzed the genomes of all living and extinct penguin species, alongside their fossil data, providing new insights into the genetic basis for penguin evolution and its adaptation to marine environments.

ANCIENT TEMPLE

Archaeologists recently confirmed the construction period of an ancient temple in the ruins of Suoyang City, northwest China’s Gansu Province, saying it was a high-level temple along the ancient Silk Road.

The temple is named Ta’er. Wang Jianjun, who leads the excavation of the site and is from Dunhuang Academy, said that there is mention of the temple in literature, while archaeological evidence demonstrated that the temple was built in the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties.