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Latest news on research and breakthroughs by Chinese scientists, as the country ramps up investment in science and innovation as part of its ambitions to become a world-leading power by 2035, and other developments worldwide.
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Hong Kong

What next for He Jiankui, the human gene editor locked in limbo?

The biophysicist dubbed ‘China’s Frankenstein’ vows to continue controversial research that made him a ‘public enemy’.

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Mainland China

Chinese brain implant reaches landmark clinical trial with operation on amputee

Brazil

All eyes on China-Brazil radio telescope mission to explore dark energy

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Artificial intelligence

Chinese scientists find first evidence that AI could think like a human

Compelling evidence object representations in LLMs ‘share fundamental similarities that reflect key aspects of human conceptual knowledge’.

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Researchers from CAS and the South China University of Technology used behavioural experiments, computational modelling and neuroimaging analysis to investigate the relationship between object concept representations in LLMs and human cognition. Image: Shutterstock
Space

China’s landmark orbital refuelling mission: why US spy satellites hover nearby

Shijian-25 is expected to use its robotic arms to latch onto Shijian-21 and replenish its fuel.

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Mainland China

China extracts critical mineral rubidium from brine for first time

New process could potentially slash China’s dependence on imports of strategic metal used in tech, military and aerospace industries.

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Mainland China

Pigs may have been domesticated in China as early as Neolithic era: study

Research shows wild boar were present in human settlements in the Yangtze River Delta thousands of years ago.

Wild boars foraging near barbecue pits at the Aberdeen Country Park in Hong Kong. Photo: Jelly Tse
Mainland China

From a shepherd to world-renowned scientist, Xie Yimin leaves Australia for China

Globally celebrated scientist who grew up in a poor rural area, now returns to his hometown as dean of Hohai University.

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Mainland China

China’s photonic chip debut to power AI, 6G and quantum computing push: expert

TFLN wafer line is well-positioned for aggressive push into cloud and supercomputing, AI model training and inference, expert says.

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Mainland China

Chinese astronomers recorded details of dying star’s explosion in 1408: study

Modern researchers think they have identified the stellar remnant and are appealing to observatories to take a closer look.

An exclusive glimpse at a page from the document containing the congratulatory memorial to Emperor Yongle regarding the 1408 event. Credit: Yang Boshun, University of Science and Technology of China.
Mainland China

Mainland China scientists build electronic war game for Taiwan and nearby waters

Ultra-detailed simulation covers vast theatre with thousands of surface elements and runs on an ordinary laptop, they said.

Mainland Chinese researchers have used an electromagnetic battlespace emulator to simulate an electronic attack on Taiwan and its environs. Photo: AFP
Mainland China

China’s J-20 stealth fighter’s radar leap credited to semiconductor scientist Xu Xiangang

Shandong University says breakthroughs led by Professor Xu Xiangang have helped the Mighty Dragon triple its radar detection range.

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Archaeology and palaeontology

Did China’s first emperor launch westwards mission to find ‘elixir of life’?

State media report on ‘fully preserved’ Qin dynasty inscription found by Chinese archaeologists leaves academics divided over authenticity.

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United States

US students discover Unit 731 horrors, and an American war crime cover-up

Research project reveals chilling truth of forgotten Japanese military unit and why so much has been hidden from history classes.

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Visitors look at depiction of human experiments at the Unit 731 museum in Harbin, in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province. The facility was built to conduct research into germ warfare, weapons capabilities and the limits of the human body, rather than for mass extermination. Photo: AFP
Mainland China

Study shows how robots replaced master workers in Chinese military drone factory

Researchers in Beijing transformed a production line with a robotic arm that drilled holes twice as fast as humans, with no quality rejects.

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The robot arm during testing by a research team from the China Academy of Space Technology. Credit: CAST

Wilczek’s Multiverse | From quasiparticles to quasi-worlds, and the possibilities for quantum research

Feats of engineering being achieved in quantum information processing and machine learning make a cosmic multiverse seem very likely.

Mainland China

China starts mass production of world’s first non-binary AI chip

China’s AI chip overcomes traditional computing barriers and will be used in touch displays, flight systems and aircraft navigation.

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Mainland China

Microplastics from biodegradable material may be linked to diabetes, study finds

Polylactic acid – used in food packaging, disposable tableware and clothing – found to alter gut metabolism and harm gut barrier of mice.

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A new study looks at the impact of microplastics from polylactic acid – a common biodegradable material – after they are ingested. Photo: Shutterstock
Fudan University

China’s rare mineral gives blind mice ‘super vision’, offers hope for humans

Sightless mice, monkey see infrared with tellurium-powered artificial retinas, bringing scientists closer to treating blindness in people.

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Mainland China

Explainer | AI content detector: why does China dismiss it as ‘superstition tech’?

Detection tools can produce false results, Science and Technology Daily warns, citing 100-year-old essay rated as 60 per cent written by AI.

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Mainland China

Mothers were in charge of ancient Chinese society, Neolithic burial site reveals

Neolithic society in eastern China tracing descent through female line lasted 250 years and at least 10 generations, Chinese-led team finds.

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The Fujia archaeological site, which was excavated in 1985, 1995 and 2021, has revealed “comprehensive genomic evidence of a two-clanned matrilineal community”. Photo: Handout

How Chinese plane radar tracks moving targets without breaking radio silence

‘Space-time decoupling’ allows Cessna-208 to cancel out environmental clutter and track moving vehicles with crystal clarity.

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Two light aircraft were used to track the targets. Photo: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Mainland China

Ultra-secure space-ground network? China’s quantum ambition takes shape

Two modules were part of a rocket launch last week, in a ‘key step’ towards an integrated space-air-ground quantum network.

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Mainland China

US still king of critical tech, but China quickly closing gaps: report

Contrary to other global trackers, university’s tech race scorecard puts US in front in critical fields with China gaining from ‘research achievements, human capital’.

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Mainland China

Senior biologist Lu Wei leaves US government post for China

Top Chinese researcher is the latest academic to leave after US President Donald Trump’s university funding cuts.

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Lu Wei is the third full-time senior principal investigator from top US institutions to join SMART in the past month. Photo: Handout
Energy

Next-generation battery expert Zhou Jianbin leaves US for China amid global race

Research into solid-state batteries, seen as a key tech battleground, is a priority for major economies.

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Solid-state batteries are seen as a key technological battleground. Photo: Xinhua
Archaeology and palaeontology

China’s scientists unlock secrets of how early birds conquered the skies

Analysis of feathers trapped in amber sheds new light on evolutionary path that led to early birds’ ability to fly.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong must reform its degree offerings to attract West’s brightest

Universities must evolve and burnish their offerings in the latest disciplines, from AI to cybersecurity, as US crackdowns send more to the East.

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