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A Chinese research team has achieved a major breakthrough in lunar science by analyzing samples returned by China's Chang'e-6 mission. For the first time, micrometer-scale hematite and maghemite crystals possibly formed by large-scale impact events have been identified, providing sample-based evidence for the impact origin of the magnetic anomalies surrounding the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, according to a release sent to the Global Times by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Sunday.

This research was carried out jointly by Shandong University's planetary science team and researchers from the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan University, using lunar samples provided by the CNSA, according to the release.

This finding has been published in Science Advances, and will provide important scientific evidence for future lunar research, helping deepen understanding of the moon's evolutionary history, the release said.

The researchers wrote in the abstract of the article, "this finding provides credible evidence for the presence of Fe2O3 on the lunar surface, challenging the traditional understanding of lunar surface redox states."

The 2025 World Vocational College Skills Competition has undergone a major upgrade, emerging as a global event that showcases how technical education is reshaping industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing.

Attracting nearly 9,000 teams with 33,000 members from 76 countries, the event also featured four newly established overseas divisions in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, and Europe, signifying its transition from a domestic program into what organizers describe as an international platform.

The latest samples from 26 scientific experiments conducted aboard China's space station, totaling approximately 46.67 kilograms, were brought back to Earth on Friday, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Marking the ninth transfer of materials from the orbiting laboratory, the Shenzhou-21 return capsule brought back samples from experiments in space life sciences, materials science and combustion research.

The three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-20 mission landed safely on Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft on Friday, marking the first successful implementation of an alternative return procedure in the country's space station program history.

The alternative plan was adopted after the original return vessel, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, experienced a suspected impact from space debris. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the return mission was a complete success.