Radio telescope shipped to Brazil for collaboration project with China

The main structure of a radio telescope has been shipped from China to Brazil, signaling the start of its construction in the Latin American country as part of an international space science collaboration between the two countries.

The telescope will be built in Paraiba State, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, as a significant international collaboration in the field of radio astronomy and space science known as the Bingo project.

It is the largest radio astronomy initiative in South America and the only radio telescope globally focused on dark energy research, specifically designed to observe the widely distributed neutral hydrogen in the universe.

By studying the spectral lines of neutral hydrogen, researchers can better understand the distribution of hydrogen in the cosmos, thereby gaining insights into the structure and evolution of the universe, and helping to unveil the mysteries of cosmic structure and dark energy.

In addition to detecting important signals from deep space, the telescope will also monitor the movements of small celestial bodies such as satellites and meteoroids, providing warnings about potential threats to Earth.

The main design and processing of this telescope were completed by Chinese experts.

"The telescope employs a dual-offset structure, with each section having a unique shape. Installation in Brazil will be carried out by the Brazilian side, which necessitates a simplified installation process. Therefore, we drew extensively from domestic advanced telescope design and manufacturing experiences, using a combination of panels and spatial truss structures to effectively address issues of mass production and efficient installation," said Wu Yang, senior engineer from the 54th Research Institute of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and a core project member.

The main structure of the radio telescope will depart from Tianjin Port and is expected to arrive at Suape Port in Brazil after nearly two months of transit. The project is anticipated to be completed by 2026.

Two black-necked cranes were caught on film in Qilian County, northwest China's Qinghai Province, with one courting the other on the county's sprawling Mole Grassland.

The footage captured by an amateur photographer shows the cranes strolling together in the grass. The male tries to catch the female's eye by bobbing its head, making a detour, and changing standing positions.

The male also performed various poses and spread its wings to dance. However, all the attempts failed to get into the good graces of the companion. At last, the crane gave up the courtship display.

Black-necked cranes are under national first-class protection in China and a flagship species of the plateau wetland ecosystem.