BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) — The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.

DEEP-SEA RESEARCH VESSEL

Construction of a multipurpose vessel for scientific deep-sea research and archaeological investigations has started in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

The versatile patented vessel features functions including unrestricted water navigation, manned deep diving, deep sea exploration, comprehensive operation support, and heavy safety payloads. Scientists also highlighted the vessel’s ice-breaking ability for polar expeditions in summer, saying it can support manned/unmanned underwater operations in polar regions.

POWER STATION

A mega hydro-photovoltaic (PV) complementary power station located in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, went into operation on Sunday.

Covering an area of some 1,667 hectares, the Kela photovoltaic power station has an installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts and can generate an average of 2 billion kWh annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1.6 million tonnes per year.

ENDANGERED TURTLES

The Earth’s last two Swinhoe’s softshell turtles (Rafetus swinhoei) are both males, starting a cruel countdown on the species’ extinction.

Critically endangered as listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, the two belong to the world’s largest and rarest living turtle species. One is in Vietnam, while the other is in the Suzhou Zoo, east China’s Jiangsu Province.