Chinese Academy of Science sends out admission letters with sounds from space
CGTN

The University of Chinese Academy of Science officially sent out its admission letters on Tuesday – but the letter is more than a piece of paper.

A piece of vinyl record was attached in the admission letter of the University of Chinese Academy of Science. /Internet

A piece of vinyl record was attached in the admission letter of the University of Chinese Academy of Science. /Internet

The letters included an attached vinyl record as a special welcome gift to each of its freshmen, which contain recorded sounds from space that resemble horses riding over grassland, heart beats, firecrackers or rain drops. Such sounds were recorded through China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) – the world's largest single-dish radio telescope.

The vinyl record is a collection of 15 different pulsar signals from space which were transferred into audible sound. Among them, 13 were released to the world fo the first time.

The best astronomy device is designed for the next generation, said Li Shao, the senior scientist from the FAST research team. "This is the reason why we want to share the latest discovery with our coming students."

"This is a romantic gift from scientists," said a netizen about the recordings. Others online said to be touched by the special gift included in the admission letters.

FAST, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, has identified multiple pulsars after one year of trial operation. /Xinhua Photo

FAST, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, has identified multiple pulsars after one year of trial operation. /Xinhua Photo

China's FAST is located in a naturally deep and round karst depression in southwest China's Guizhou Province. It started its trial operation in September 2016. As the world's most sensitive radio telescope, the FAST has be used to observe pulsar and to confirm the existence of gravitational radiation and black holes.

With the start of the fall semester in September, top Chinese colleges have designed creative admission letters. For example, Nankai University issued its admission letters with two lotus seeds. Students can plant one in their hometown and one on campus, which represents roots and future growth.

Nankai University included two lotus seeds in its admission letters. /Internet

Nankai University included two lotus seeds in its admission letters. /Internet

Shandong University created admission letters in accordion folds. /Internet

Shandong University created admission letters in accordion folds. /Internet

Shandong University's admission letters were made in accordion folds. The length of the letter is 120 centimeters as in the university's 120th anniversary next year.