Kids Get Science Lesson From Space

Chinese astronauts on Thursday beamed back a science lesson from the country’s under-construction space station.

The first live class from China's space station was given by Shenzhou-13 crew members Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu to students on Earth.

The class began at 3:40pm Beijing time, with a total of 1,420 students attending the lecture from five classrooms in cities across China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

The lecture focused on physics, aiming to illustrate how the weightless environment affects buoyancy, the movement of objects and optics.

Students peppered the astronauts with questions about living conditions in space and were treated to a virtual tour of the station.

In response to a Hong Kong student's question about water, Wang said the water they drink is recycled, noting that there is no difference in taste between regular and recycled water. With a water recycling system, full use is made of every drop of water in the space station, she said.

Wang, the only woman aboard the station, served as the main instructor, while Ye assisted and commander-in-chief Zhai worked the camera. Wang had taught a similar lesson while aboard one of China’s earlier experimental stations in 2013.

The event was also open to the public through a livestream.

The three arrived at the station in October for a six-month stay, charged mainly with preparing the main Tianhe module for the arrival of two additional modules named Mengtian and Wentian ahead of completion by the end of next year. (Xinhua and AP)