Advertisement
Crawfish soup on Mars? US fears over China’s scientific ambitions raised in Senate hearing
Republicans point to Beijing’s rising research spending, while Democrats warn Trump’s funding cuts could erode America’s ability to compete
3-MIN READ3-MIN
2
Listen
Han Liin Washington, DC
A Chinese researcher’s vision of serving spicy crawfish soup to astronauts on Mars became an unlikely symbol of Washington’s growing anxiety over China’s scientific ambitions at a US Senate hearing on Tuesday.
Drew Endy, associate professor at Stanford University and director of bio-strategy and leadership at the Hoover Institution, said that last autumn he met a 20-year-old Chinese researcher from Shanghai at a scientific conference in Paris.
Dressed in a large red crawfish costume, the young scientist described work on enzymes that could break down crawfish shells, allowing the material to be reused in a future circular economy on Mars.
The researcher assumed Chinese astronauts would eventually reach the planet – and would want spicy crawfish soup when they did, Endy said. The discarded shells could then be turned into other useful materials, including fabric.
“That’s what we’re competing with,” Endy said. “The vibe is good in Beijing.”
The colourful anecdote captured the central concern running through the hearing: while Republicans and Democrats increasingly agree that China poses a formidable scientific and technological challenge, they remain divided over whether US President Donald Trump’s cuts to research funding are undermining the country’s ability to respond.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x