Science News Roundup: Saturn's 'Death Star' moon has a hidden secret - a subsurface ocean; China opens Antarctic station south of Australia, New Zealand and more

Resembling a crucifix, like the Crux constellation or the Southern Cross, the Qinling station will be staffed year-round with quarters sufficient to house as many as 80 people in the summer months, official media has previously said. Plans to ship human ashes, drink container to Moon spark legal debate An array of unconventional, privately funded plans to exploit the moon, including as a site for human ashes and sports-drink containers, has gathered steam in recent years as NASA pushes to make Earth's natural satellite more accessible.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

China opens Antarctic station south of Australia, New Zealand

China on Wednesday inaugurated its Ross Sea scientific research station, the official Xinhua news agency reported, starting operations in an outpost in a part of the Antarctic due south of Australia and New Zealand for the first time. Resembling a crucifix, like the Crux constellation or the Southern Cross, the Qinling station will be staffed year-round with quarters sufficient to house as many as 80 people in the summer months, official media has previously said.

Plans to ship human ashes, drink container to Moon spark legal debate

An array of unconventional, privately funded plans to exploit the moon, including as a site for human ashes and sports-drink containers, has gathered steam in recent years as NASA pushes to make Earth's natural satellite more accessible. Concerns about possible gaps in U.S. oversight and legal questions about proper use of the moon have rocketed to the forefront.

Saturn's 'Death Star' moon has a hidden secret - a subsurface ocean

Saturn's moon Mimas is known for its uncanny resemblance to the dreaded Death Star in the original "Star Wars" movie. But it has another intriguing distinction as well, according to researchers - a subsurface ocean hidden under its icy and crater-scarred outer shell. Astronomers said on Wednesday that data obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on the rotational motion and orbit of Mimas confirm the presence of an ocean of liquid water beneath an ice layer 12-19 miles (20-30 km) thick. This ocean, they said, appears to have formed recently, in cosmic terms - less than 25 million years ago and likely between 5 and 15 million years ago.

Fossilised flying reptile, cousin of dinosaur, found on Scottish beach

The fossil remains of a species of flying reptile considered a close cousin of the dinosaur and believed to have roamed the earth tens of millions of years ago has been discovered on a beach on Scotland's Isle of Skye, scientists said on Tuesday. The remains, found partially exposed on a large boulder, consist of a partial skeleton, including parts of the shoulders, wings, legs and backbone, an academic paper on the discovery showed.

(With inputs from agencies.)