Fans swoon over most ‘handsome’ China scientist, 87, whose younger-self good looks resemble those of actor Daniel Wu
- Gifted academic, pioneers ‘groundbreaking, advanced’ oilfield techniques
- Describes fuss over youthful good looks as ‘intolerable distractions’
China’s “most handsome” scientist – who in his younger days was said to resemble the famous Hong Kong-American actor Daniel Wu Neh-tsu – is getting a lot of attention online, but prefers not to emphasise his appearance.
Wang Demin, 87, a Eurasian petroleum scientist from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, pioneered the country’s petroleum field-layering and chemical oil recovery techniques.
He was given the title “academician” by China, the country’s highest level of honour awarded to those who have made significant contributions in their disciplines.
Intelligence and academic achievement run in Wang’s family.
His grandfather was a renowned Chinese surgeon, his father studied medicine in the US, and his Swiss mother spoke four languages.
Recently, a photo of him when he was young went viral due to his striking resemblance to 49-year-old American-born Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu Neh-tsu.
Wu is known for his rugged appearance and outstanding acting skills and acclaimed as a “flexible and distinctive actor” in the Chinese language film industry. His works include Westworld Season 4, The Heavenly Kings, and New Police Story.
Responding to online attention to his looks, Wang said: “I’m just a technical guy researching petroleum. Let’s talk more about science.”
It is said that in his youth, he had many admirers but found them “intolerable distractions”.
Wang had strict demands for his girlfriend, including no walks in the park after marriage and no interruptions while reading, according to the media outlet NetEase News.
After university, Wang volunteered in Daqing Oil Field, an untouched resource at the time, according to his resume online.
At the age of 24, he proposed a geological pressure calculation formula called the “Songliao Method”.
This method is twice as accurate as the widely used Maximum-Rate Horner Method, according to the Voice of China, a flagship radio channel of China National Radio.
Wang also invented the Eccentrically Displaced Injection Method, significantly boosting extraction efficiency in the Daqing Oil Field in Heilongjiang province in the north of the country.
This involves injecting fluids unevenly into a reservoir, creating paths for trapped oil to flow towards production wells.
Daqing is now one of China’s largest onshore oilfields, producing more than 40 million tonnes annually.
It boasts a 60 per cent extraction rate, far surpassing the global average of 33 per cent, according to the mainland news outlet, The Paper.
China’s official media described Wang’s contribution to the country’s petroleum field is “groundbreaking and advanced”.
In 2016, Wang even had an asteroid named after him.
He also said that working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, allows him to serve his country for an additional 30 years.
“The handsome appearance is the least noteworthy of his virtues,” one online observer on Weibo said.
“His intellectual depth is more remarkable. Let’s praise his scientific contributions rather than focus on his appearance,” said another.
