BEIJING, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's science news from the past week:

CAS 2019 HIGHLIGHTS

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China's highest academic institution in natural sciences, revealed its annual "Highlight Researches" list.

Gene-edited diseased monkeys cloning, an archaeological discovery of the earliest human occupation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the unveiling of the African swine fever virus structure are the top three research advances in 2019.

MARS EXPLORATION

China announced that it will launch its first Mars mission probe in July this year, China Youth Daily reported Thursday, adding that this is the first time the country disclosed the launch month of its Mars exploration program.

The Mars probe will be sent by the Long March-5 Y4 carrier rocket, which has completed a 100-second test for its high thrust hydrogen-oxygen engine.

DINOSAUR FOSSIL

A dinosaur fossil found in northeastern China has been identified as a new species of tiny, winged and feathered dinosaurs by American and Chinese researchers.

The fossil, named Wulong bohaiensis, or "dancing dragon" in Chinese, is one of the earliest known relatives of the Velociraptor which lived 75 million years ago. Its closest known relative would have been the small, four-winged Microraptor.

FRUIT FLIES STUDY

Chinese researchers have identified a specific neuron that makes fruit flies maintain personal space and form orderly clusters.

They found that fruit flies in shallow, covered dishes form orderly clusters with regular space between flies spontaneously. They used their legs and wings to touch each other and establish personal space.

MOLECULAR MECHANISM OF INVASIVE WEED

New research conducted by Chinese scientists has revealed the molecular mechanism of the environmental adaptation and rapid growth of a weed, Mikania micrantha, providing insights on how to prevent its invasion.

Mikania micrantha, nicknamed the "mile-a-minute" weed, is an extremely fast-growing, sprawling, perennial vine belonging to the family Asteraceae and native to tropical America. The vine is listed as one of the 100 worst invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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