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University of Chicago

The latest news and top stories on the University of Chicago. A prominent private research university located in Chicago, Illinois, USA, the University of Chicago is dedicated to advancing knowledge through rigorous inquiry and intellectual debate, as reflected in its motto, “Let knowledge grow from more to more; and so be human life enriched.” Renowned for its academic excellence, it encompasses an undergraduate college, four graduate divisions, and numerous professional schools. Notable for its significant contributions to research, including the first self-sustained nuclear reaction, and for fostering influential schools of thought like the Chicago School of Economics, the university has educated over 100 Nobel laureates.

New Federal Bureau of Investigation data shows a downward trend in anti-Asian hate in the US, but serious concerns remain. Photo: Shutterstock

US-China relations

Fewer anti-Asian hate crimes in US, but immigration crackdowns raise concerns

Advocates say new FBI figures likely represent only ‘tip of the iceberg’ and many suffering abuse decline to report it to authorities.

20 Aug 2026 - 6:16AMvideocam

China education

‘Discouraged’ at university, maths star Wang Hong spurs Chinese education debate

2 Aug 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Science

Top Los Angeles diabetes doctor Shen Yang joins China’s Westlake University

28 Jul 2026 - 5:54PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Assassinations unleashed under Trump haunt Iran war endgame

The killing of Iran’s leader and top general and the capture of Venezuela’s president mark a new paradigm in international relations.

12 Jul 2026 - 8:47AMvideocam

Mourners carry an anti-Trump banner in Mashhad, Iran, on thursday. Photo: WANA via Reuters

Enterprise+ Exchange

Navigating the Leviathans: Professor John Mearsheimer and the resurgence of great power politics

At a recent SCMP Plus fireside chat in Hong Kong, political scientist Professor John Mearsheimer discussed global power dynamics. He analyzed the structural realities of great power competition, specifically examining Middle East diplomacy and the complexities of the ongoing US-China systemic rivalry.

SCMP Enterprise+

Science

Why a Chinese study on subsea supercurrents is alarming global tech networks

A team led by Tsinghua University says it has built a framework that could better predict and manage these powerful flows.

17 Jun 2026 - 3:36PMvideocam

SCMP

SCMP Plus exclusive: meet John Mearsheimer in person

The distinguished University of Chicago political scientist is set to be featured in an exclusive in-person event for SCMP Plus subscribers in Hong Kong.

9 Jun 2026 - 3:00PM

United States

Open Questions | Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

He also discusses the economic outlook, youth unemployment and whether the country can overtake the US in science and tech.

8 Jun 2026 - 11:21AMvideocam

US-China relations

Many Asian-Americans feel excluded from ‘true’ US identity, survey finds

Half of Americans link national identity to birthplace, but just 23 per cent of Asian-Americans agree, highlighting concerns over belonging and bias.

1 May 2026 - 4:00PM

My Take

My Take | Iran’s emergence as a major power should be welcome in a multipolar world

Countering US imperialism and Israeli state terrorism should now be an imperative for the entire international community.

13 Apr 2026 - 6:31AMvideocam

The Kuwait-flagged Al-Salmi crude oil tanker, is seen following a drone strike on March 31. Photo: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation handout via Reuters

Science

Things ‘I do not like’ led me to quit US for Hong Kong, top mathematician says

The academic also says he is motivated by his vision to make Asia an intellectual powerhouse for science and learning.

16 Mar 2026 - 12:03PMvideocam

Ngo Bao Chau says he wants to help turn Asia into a powerhouse of maths and science. Photo: Handout

China’s Communist Party

Why China’s cadres must master rare earths as economic security becomes a KPI

Beijing’s decision to instruct promising cadres on logistics and resources reflects a sober outlook on trade relations, observers say.

10 Mar 2026 - 10:04AMvideocam

Scientists

Vietnam’s legendary maths genius Ngo Bao Chau to join University of Hong Kong

The Fields Medal winner and his country’s most distinguished mathematician is leaving the US and returning to Asia.

9 Feb 2026 - 5:29PMvideocam

Science

Wilczek’s Multiverse | Revisiting the peaks of Nobel laureate Chen-ning Yang’s remarkable career

The inspirational Chinese physicist, who lived to the age of 103, was renowned for two historic achievements.

23 Jan 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Artificial intelligence

Google study finds DeepSeek, Alibaba models mimic human collective intelligence

The Google researchers found that the reasoning models generate internal multi-agent debates, which they termed ‘societies of thought’.

22 Jan 2026 - 7:00AM

The researchers based their findings on analysis of the Chinese models’ ‘reasoning traces’, which were first exposed to users when DeepSeek released its reasoning model a year ago. Photo: Shutterstock Images

United States

Open Questions | Why US raid on Venezuela could ‘work to China’s advantage’: John Mearsheimer

International relations scholar says US could easily take Greenland, while regime change in Tehran would be more difficult.

19 Jan 2026 - 6:57PMvideocam

Open Questions series

Open Questions | China wins if Venezuela ensnares Trump, Mearsheimer says

Maduro’s ‘kidnap’ and naked grab for Venezuela’s oil may leave US bogged down and less able to keep eye on China, political scientist John Mearsheimer says.

16 Jan 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | How Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is escalating US-China rivalry

Maduro’s capture not only challenges China’s influence in Latin America but also signals a bolder US security posture that could reshuffle great-power competition.

11 Jan 2026 - 9:25PMvideocam

Taiwan

Opinion | Taiwan intervention may just spell the end of the West

Mutual economic destruction or worse for China and the West should be enough to deter everyone from internationalising the Taiwan question.

20 Dec 2025 - 9:30AMvideocam

Science

Mathematician Qian Hong, son of top scientific clan, leaves US for China

Return of pioneering scientists’ latest generation prompts more attention than usual among a growing trend.

17 Nov 2025 - 9:06PMvideocam

Science

World-leading cancer drug scientist Lin Wenbin joins China’s Westlake University

The move follows distinguished contributions at the University of Chicago towards developing more effective cutting-edge treatments.

10 Nov 2025 - 6:00PMvideocam

Lin Wenbin, the internationally renowned molecular materials chemist, chemical biologist and oncologist, pictured during his tenure at the University of Chicago. Photo: Handout

Science

AI scientists fail to impress human experts at one-of-a-kind online conference

Despite rapid advances and fierce competition with China, artificial intelligence shows limitations at Agents4Science event.

2 Nov 2025 - 8:00PMvideocam

Artificial intelligence is not yet ready to take over scientific research, experts have warned. Photo: Shutterstock

US-China relations

Open Questions | ‘We live in anarchy’: John J. Mearsheimer on the limits of containing US, China

International relations expert discusses looming flashpoints in the US-China rivalry and the ‘colossal mistake’ if Ukraine joined Nato.

31 Oct 2025 - 11:09AMvideocam

108

Archaeology and palaeontology

Rare duck-billed dinosaur ‘mummies’ reveal a surprise: hoofed feet

Edmontosaurus fossils had large areas of preserved external skin surface, providing the most fleshed-out view of a large dinosaur to date.

24 Oct 2025 - 6:36AMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: sculptor bridges generations, cultures through art

May Yeung earns place as finalist in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the culture category.

7 Oct 2025 - 10:15AM

May Yeung poses with her artwork at Cancer Fund Support Centre. Photo: Elson Li

Japan

Japan’s AI policing tool to monitor social media sparks ‘dystopia’ warnings

The pilot project will use AI to analyse online activity and flag people deemed potential threats, but critics warn it may be an overreach.

18 Sep 2025 - 9:03AM

Police officers stand guard before an election campaign speech by Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo in October 2024. There has been a rise in threatening posts on social media – particularly those targeting politicians. Photo: AFP

Wellness

How just a 15-minute walk in nature could improve your attention span

Humans are very good at concentrating, but our focus only lasts for so long. Experts say exposure to nature can recharge us.

14 Sep 2025 - 8:15AM

Science

After 40 years in US, pioneering mathematician Zhongwei Shen returns to China

Shen will continue decades of research on partial differential equations and harmonic analysis at Westlake University in Hangzhou.

9 Sep 2025 - 11:58AMvideocam

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University of Chicago

Fewer anti-Asian hate crimes in US, but immigration crackdowns raise concerns

Advocates say new FBI figures likely represent only ‘tip of the iceberg’ and many suffering abuse decline to report it to authorities.

‘Discouraged’ at university, maths star Wang Hong spurs Chinese education debate

Top Los Angeles diabetes doctor Shen Yang joins China’s Westlake University

Assassinations unleashed under Trump haunt Iran war endgame

The killing of Iran’s leader and top general and the capture of Venezuela’s president mark a new paradigm in international relations.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}Navigating the Leviathans: Professor John Mearsheimer and the resurgence of great power politics

Why a Chinese study on subsea supercurrents is alarming global tech networks

A team led by Tsinghua University says it has built a framework that could better predict and manage these powerful flows.

SCMP Plus exclusive: meet John Mearsheimer in person

The distinguished University of Chicago political scientist is set to be featured in an exclusive in-person event for SCMP Plus subscribers in Hong Kong.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Open Questions | Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

He also discusses the economic outlook, youth unemployment and whether the country can overtake the US in science and tech.

Many Asian-Americans feel excluded from ‘true’ US identity, survey finds

Half of Americans link national identity to birthplace, but just 23 per cent of Asian-Americans agree, highlighting concerns over belonging and bias.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}My Take | Iran’s emergence as a major power should be welcome in a multipolar world

Countering US imperialism and Israeli state terrorism should now be an imperative for the entire international community.

Things ‘I do not like’ led me to quit US for Hong Kong, top mathematician says

The academic also says he is motivated by his vision to make Asia an intellectual powerhouse for science and learning.

Why China’s cadres must master rare earths as economic security becomes a KPI

Beijing’s decision to instruct promising cadres on logistics and resources reflects a sober outlook on trade relations, observers say.

Vietnam’s legendary maths genius Ngo Bao Chau to join University of Hong Kong

The Fields Medal winner and his country’s most distinguished mathematician is leaving the US and returning to Asia.

Wilczek’s Multiverse | Revisiting the peaks of Nobel laureate Chen-ning Yang’s remarkable career

The inspirational Chinese physicist, who lived to the age of 103, was renowned for two historic achievements.

Google study finds DeepSeek, Alibaba models mimic human collective intelligence

The Google researchers found that the reasoning models generate internal multi-agent debates, which they termed ‘societies of thought’.

Open Questions | Why US raid on Venezuela could ‘work to China’s advantage’: John Mearsheimer

International relations scholar says US could easily take Greenland, while regime change in Tehran would be more difficult.

Open Questions | China wins if Venezuela ensnares Trump, Mearsheimer says

Maduro’s ‘kidnap’ and naked grab for Venezuela’s oil may leave US bogged down and less able to keep eye on China, political scientist John Mearsheimer says.

Opinion | How Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is escalating US-China rivalry

Maduro’s capture not only challenges China’s influence in Latin America but also signals a bolder US security posture that could reshuffle great-power competition.

Opinion | Taiwan intervention may just spell the end of the West

Mutual economic destruction or worse for China and the West should be enough to deter everyone from internationalising the Taiwan question.

Mathematician Qian Hong, son of top scientific clan, leaves US for China

Return of pioneering scientists’ latest generation prompts more attention than usual among a growing trend.

World-leading cancer drug scientist Lin Wenbin joins China’s Westlake University

The move follows distinguished contributions at the University of Chicago towards developing more effective cutting-edge treatments.

AI scientists fail to impress human experts at one-of-a-kind online conference

Despite rapid advances and fierce competition with China, artificial intelligence shows limitations at Agents4Science event.

Open Questions | ‘We live in anarchy’: John J. Mearsheimer on the limits of containing US, China

International relations expert discusses looming flashpoints in the US-China rivalry and the ‘colossal mistake’ if Ukraine joined Nato.

Rare duck-billed dinosaur ‘mummies’ reveal a surprise: hoofed feet

Edmontosaurus fossils had large areas of preserved external skin surface, providing the most fleshed-out view of a large dinosaur to date.

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: sculptor bridges generations, cultures through art

May Yeung earns place as finalist in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the culture category.

Japan’s AI policing tool to monitor social media sparks ‘dystopia’ warnings

The pilot project will use AI to analyse online activity and flag people deemed potential threats, but critics warn it may be an overreach.

How just a 15-minute walk in nature could improve your attention span

Humans are very good at concentrating, but our focus only lasts for so long. Experts say exposure to nature can recharge us.

After 40 years in US, pioneering mathematician Zhongwei Shen returns to China

Shen will continue decades of research on partial differential equations and harmonic analysis at Westlake University in Hangzhou.

Navigating the Leviathans: Professor John Mearsheimer and the resurgence of great power politics

Open Questions | Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

My Take | Iran’s emergence as a major power should be welcome in a multipolar world