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China unveils refined lunar map, empowering future moon exploration_我的网站

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A | (ECNS) -- U.S. entrepreneur and Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently encouraged people to visit China, describing the country as “awesome” in a social media post. His mother, Maye Musk, echoed his comments, praising China’s diverse cultural attractions, clean streets and sense of safety. She also described people in China as polite, hardworking and respectful, saying she had enjoyed traveling around the country. Maye Musk visited several Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Xiamen, Chengdu, Suzhou, Huzhou and Shanghai, during a trip to China in March 2023. Their comments come as China continues to attract growing numbers of overseas visitors. According to the Ministry of Public Security, the country recorded more than 22.91 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2026, up 20.4% year on year. Visa-free entries reached 17.815 million, accounting for 77.7% of all foreign arrivals. With 240-hour visa-free transit available to travelers from 55 countries, many foreign visitors are venturing beyond traditional attractions such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and giant pandas to explore more technology-focused experiences, including robot shows, rocket launches and new energy vehicle factories. Shopping has also become an increasingly important part of the China travel experience. Overseas visitors are buying products ranging from cooling gadgets and smart devices to customized clothing, drones and trendy collectibles. In the first half of 2026, Shanghai Customs processed 253,000 tax refund applications from overseas visitors, nearly three times the number recorded a year earlier. Beijing Customs also handled more than 131,000 tax refund forms at the city’s two airports in the first seven months of the year. The total value of goods covered by the refunds reached about 1.055 billion yuan ($147 million), up 45.01% year on year. The trend has also helped popularize the online term “Chinamaxxing,” which broadly refers to adopting aspects of Chinese lifestyles, culture and consumer trends. Young people overseas have shown growing interest in practices and products associated with China, from drinking hot water and traditional wellness routines to Chinese television dramas and travel in the country. From simply “seeing China” to actively “experiencing China,” the growing popularity of travel to the country points to deeper cultural, technological and lifestyle exchanges between China and the rest of the world. (By Helen Mo, intern Liu Shuangjing) 。 A Chinese research team has completed an updated geologic map of the entire moon featuring a scale of 1:5 million, the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (IGCAGS), said on Thursday. Representing a significant scientific iteration from the 2024 version, this map effectively rewrites the moon's geologic history based on the latest research findings. "The lunar geologic history has indeed been rewritten -- more precisely, refined and systematized," said Yang Zhiming, director of the IGCAGS. Specifically, a primary achievement of this update is the recalibration of the moon's ancient geologic eras. The new map systematically updates the age boundaries of the moon's three ancient geologic periods, namely the Aitkenian, Nectarian and Imbrian periods, drawing on recent advances in international chronology. Crucially, Chang'e-5 samples confirmed volcanic activity on the moon as recently as 2 billion years ago, extending its geologic lifespan by 1 billion years from the previously accepted 3 billion years. This independent dating data has now become a cornerstone of the global lunar geologic timescale. Highlighting these spatial discoveries, the new global lunar geologic map is the first comprehensive canvas to bear exclusive findings from the Chang'e-6 mission. "The lunar samples and this map will provide a new starting point for scientific discussions regarding the lunar far side," said Jin Ming, an associate researcher at the IGCAGS. The map details the age of young mare basalts on the lunar far side obtained from the Chang'e-6 samples, recording the region's volcanic history. Furthermore, it reveals that KREEP rocks, enriched with rare earth elements and other strategic resources, are far more continuous and abundant in the Oceanus Procellarum than previously estimated. This discovery, achieved by eliminating spectral noise, prompts a systemic reevaluation of the moon's early magma ocean crystallization and internal thermal evolution. Beyond its scientific data, the 2.8-by-1.2-meter map introduces a proprietary cartographic standard. Identifying over 13,500 impact craters and 81 basins, it employs a unique color scheme rooted in geologic logic and traditional Chinese aesthetics, following a "lighter for younger, darker for older" principle. Furthermore, this standard will also be applied to future geologic mapping of Mars and asteroids, ending reliance on foreign standard systems. "This goes beyond showcasing technological soft power. This standard will be extended to future planetary geologic mapping, establishing an independent intellectual property framework for China's deep space exploration," Yang said. 。