Briefly

Blind fish species found in cave stream

Chinese researchers have discovered a new fish species without functional eyes in a subterranean river in a cave in Southwest China's Guizhou province. In a paper published in the international journal Zoosystematics and Evolution, Sinocyclocheilus guiyang is described as a pinkish fish. It was named after Guiyang, Guizhou's provincial capital, where the species was found in 2019. The fish is blind, with its eyes having degenerated into black spots without a complete ocular structure. This is probably a result of the dark environment of its habitat in the underground river, located in a karst cave, said Zhou Jiajun, a co-author of the paper. The species has an extremely small population, with only 25 individuals having been recorded. Researchers have warned that the new species is at high risk of extinction due to pollution from garbage and invasive crayfish species threatening its habitat, highlighting the need for immediate habitat protection measures.

Mine restoration standards rolled out

China has introduced four national standards for the ecological restoration of mine sites, the first of their kind, to provide scientific guidance for mining firms. The standards for the ecological restoration of coal mines, metal mines, and oil and gas projects, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the reclamation and restoration of mines, will take effect in August, Lu Lihua, a Ministry of Natural Resources official, told a news conference on Wednesday. Lu said the standards clarify the ecological restoration tasks at different stages of mineral resource exploitation, highlight the goals at each step and provide authorities with the technical ground needed to conduct oversight.

Shanghai synchrotron light source upgraded

China has upgraded the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, a key piece of science and technology infrastructure, to allow it to reveal more mysteries of the microscopic world. The upgrade passed national inspection in Shanghai on Wednesday. When it opened in May 2009, the facility became the first third-generation synchrotron light source on the Chinese mainland. The brightness of the light emitted by the facility is a trillion times higher than that of ordinary X-rays. At experimental stations, samples are illuminated by the synchrotron light, with scientific instruments recording information about light-matter interactions that enable scientists to gain insights into the microscopic world, such as the structure of viruses and the microscopic architecture and properties of materials, scientists explained.

Warm front brings early onset of summer

Beijing entered meteorological summer on May 7, which is 13 days earlier than the usual date, the Beijing Meteorological Service said on Wednesday. As of Tuesday, there were five consecutive days with average daily temperatures equal to or exceeding 22 C. According to meteorological criteria, when five consecutive days appear within a nine-day temperature sequence, the first day with a daily average temperature equal to or higher than 22 C in the temperature sequence is considered the start of meteorological summer.

China Daily - Xinhua