Zoo Berlin's newest residents, a pair of panda sisters born in late August, made their long-awaited debut to the press on Tuesday, and will meet the public starting from Wednesday.
The newborn cubs spent their first few weeks behind the scenes. Starting Wednesday, however, visitors will have the chance to watch them grow.
Andreas Knieriem, director of Zoo Berlin, said only the panda cubs will be visible to the public, while their mother Meng Meng will remain behind the scenes. The cubs will be housed in an especially designed glass enclosure with an advanced air filtration system to keep them safe from external elements. One cub will be on display at a time, for an hour each day, from 13:30 to 14:30 local time at the zoo's "Panda Garden," while the other stays with their mother.
"We have finally reached an important day when we can show the panda cubs to the public. First, they will come out for just one hour each day. As time goes on, we may extend the time based on their conditions. These two little ones, weighing only 2.5 kilograms each, are a big deal for panda fans around the globe. Even though they are still tiny, they are already starting to show their panda characteristics," said Knieriem.
The new twin cubs were born after an artificial insemination procedure on March 26, following intensive observation and careful preparation by an international team of experts. The twins, weighing just 150 grams each at birth, have grown to 2.5 kilograms at 55 days old, 15 times their birth weight.
Their names are yet to be decided, as it is a tradition to name the panda cubs after their first 100 days of life.
"The panda twins and Meng Meng are currently in very good condition. We are delighted that there is always a panda cub by Meng Meng's side to get care, whether being breastfed or sleeping. The cubs will take turns to meet the public. From birth until now, the twins have been growing well," said Franziska Sutter, a veterinarian of Zoo Berlin.
Meng Meng and the twin's father Jiao Qing arrived in Berlin in June 2017. In August 2019, she gave birth to the first-ever twin panda cubs in Germany, Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan.
Baby panda twins greet first visitors in Berlin
Baby panda twins greet first visitors in Berlin
Baby panda twins greet first visitors in Berlin
China is accelerating development of 6G mobile technology, with experts projecting commercial rollout by 2030 and highlighting its AI-native design as a break from 5G.
The projection was made at the Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) Annual Conference, which closed Sunday in Beijing under the theme "Full Integration Between Technological and Industrial Innovation." It featured 60 sessions on topics from global sci-tech governance to basic research, drawing experts, scholars and policymakers worldwide.
ID: 8472083 More than 560 scientific and technological achievements were also showcased at the forum's exhibition center, from robots capable of fine motor tasks to frontier brain-computer interface solutions, alongside advances in intelligent manufacturing, commercial aerospace and regional cooperation.
Amid the forum's showcase of breakthroughs, experts turned to the future of mobile communications, describing how 6G will be fundamentally different from 5G.
"If I had to describe 6G with some keywords, the first would be AI-native. The 6G network is no longer just a communication network. It deeply integrates AI capabilities. Every network unit - base stations, terminals, core networks - will have built-in AI computing power. That means AI agents won’t just live in distant data centers. They’ll be right beside you - in your phone, on the base station you’re connected to, even on routing nodes," said Zhou Xu, director of Advanced Network Tech and Application Development Department at the Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
6G is being designed as a fully integrated space-air-ground-sea network, a shift from 5G's terrestrial focus. Satellites are expected to carry base stations, extending coverage to users in cities or at sea.
"China has already completed its first phase of 6G technology trials. Over 300 technologies validated in labs and test networks. The next step, from 2026 to 2028, is to integrate these individual technologies into real devices. The first set of 6G standards is expected around 2029, with trial commercial deployment around 2030. By 2035, we could see 6G smartphones in everyday use - along with applications that aren’t possible on 5G," said Zhou.
However, challenges still remain due to fierce competition over global standards, immature supply chains for core components, and the far higher costs of building a 6G network compared with 5G. Despite these hurdles, China is pursuing innovation and collaboration with what officials describe as a more open and inclusive approach.
"The (6G) network needs to be AI native because AI shouldn’t be dominated by only the big powers. By building an open ecosystem, you actually let different players - from application layer, device layer, and robot layer - have a platform that people can build up capability," said Prof. Tony Quek, a fellow of Academy of Engineering Singapore.
If realized, 6G’s AI-native design and space-based infrastructure could redefine global connectivity and reshape how people live and work.
Since its founding in 2007, the ZGC Forum has become a major international event for advancing science and technology innovation.
China eyes early commercialization of 6G by 2030: experts
