Stephen Chen
News Editor, Science
Stephen Chen is the SCMP's science news editor. He investigates major research projects in China, a new power house of scientific and technological innovation, and their impact to humanity. Stephen has produced a large number of exclusive stories on China research, some highly controversial or shrouded in secrecy. He has been with the SCMP since 2006.
Stephen Chen is the SCMP's science news editor. He investigates major research projects in China, a new power house of scientific and technological innovation, and their impact to humanity. Stephen has produced a large number of exclusive stories on China research, some highly controversial or shrouded in secrecy. He has been with the SCMP since 2006.
Areas of Expertise:
China science, research, innovationLanguages Spoken:
English, Mandarin
Country needs stable electricity grid, less wastage as it uses more renewable energy. Molten salt energy storage and supercritical CO2 power generation can help.
Research tracking pregnant women in Wuhan over a two-year period shows link between critical mineral exposure and low baby birthweights.
Defence scientists say the technology could threaten low Earth orbit satellite networks such as Starlink at an extremely low cost.
The graphite seal used in the Chinese breakthrough is the same one the US defence industry desperately needs.
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Study shows low-orbit satellites might avoid another Wenzhou disaster but reveals how hackers could deliberately crash speeding trains.
Researchers say China’s lunar lander has three backup engines, unlike US design which relies on one main power source.
China’s military proposes a strategy to attack out-of-reach American military assets as distance becomes a shield.
Breakthrough as a delicate silicon shell fitted with a guidance chip is shot from an electromagnetic rail gun, survives and records the ride.
Groundbreaking study details the engineering feat of making an airborne electromagnetic detection system capable of hunting down submarines.
Smart web identifies objects as friend, foe or terrain, meaning drone swarms can hunt even when communication is jammed and vision blocked.
Fusing AI with radio waves can create faster, smarter and more resilient radars and communication methods designed to confuse enemy jammers.
Study suggests sophisticated AI models can respond better to Chinese than English before learning how to fine-tune geometric modifications.
Aviation expert Zhang Yanzhong, who played a leading role in developing the C919, warns of a real risk of being cut off from supply chains.
The People’s Armed Police Force has shown how drones, uncrewed armoured vehicles and robot dogs could autonomously contain urban unrest.
Breakthrough suggests ability to achieve global, 24/7, all-weather reconnaissance coverage of high-value targets.
Huge size of China’s unmanned submersibles has US defence experts worried Beijing may attack vulnerable targets including LA and Seattle.
Missiles reach Mach 6 speed and can strike fighter jets more than 20km away, leaving enemy aircraft mere seconds to react.
Ground-based and compact Chinese technology can disrupt or damage Starlink satellites operating in low Earth orbit.
Peer-reviewed paper sheds light on Chinese research team’s sonic breakthrough, achieved by ‘listening’ to system’s power supply.
Drone using a standard infantry assault rifle shows unprecedented accuracy in live-fire tests with human-sized target.
The slow pace of Chinese rocket launches is hampering efforts to create alternatives to SpaceX’s Starlink and damping the government’s drive to pare reliance on US technology.
Strike radius of Chinese drone programme capable of carrying deadly military weapons doubled to reach Washington, New York and Miami.
Experience and skill in building stealth fighter jets is crucial to get the competitive edge on rivals, says lead designer Yang Shuifeng.
From ancient royal baths to future stealth warfare – a humble kitchen vegetable may hold the key to defeating space-based radar hunters.
Findings suggest jamming Starlink across area matching Taiwan is technically feasible, but only at huge scale needing 1,000 drones or more.
Deep-sea scientific facility designed for ‘all-weather, long-term residency’, say research team.
Machines trained in complex mountain data carefully navigate fault lines, fractures, caves and sinkholes to pick the best excavation method.
Engineers believe the new discoveries suggest Chinese gold reserves could be much larger than previously thought.
China’s weather modification tech can help fight radioactive fallout, study finds.
