https://www.scmp.com/rss/323129/feed 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. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ling Xin Ling Xin China plans to launch its first rocket from open waters in the South China Sea, in a display of a more flexible, long-range maritime launch capability. The 31-metre (102-foot) tall, solid-fuelled Jielong-3 is expected to lift off at 7.30pm on Saturday from the Dong Fang Hang Tian Gang, a converted barge operating in international waters, according to a leaked schedule circulating on Chinese social media. Beijing claims sovereignty over almost all the islands and rock features in the South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349638/china-about-launch-rocket-south-china-sea-international-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349638/china-about-launch-rocket-south-china-sea-international-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:02:37 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China’s “desert wheat farms” have survived repeated sandstorms and continue to grow following an initial trial in the country’s largest desert, as part of an ongoing effort to combat desertification and unlock the land’s potential for strengthening national food security. Two years ago, on the fringes of the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China launched an unprecedented project to plant wheat in sand. The first harvest, covering 400 hectares (988 acres) on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349579/two-years-china-proves-its-desert-wheat-farms-are-not-hoax?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349579/two-years-china-proves-its-desert-wheat-farms-are-not-hoax?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:09:48 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong The scene: a command tent during a simulated amphibious assault. Radios crackle with static, reports flood in from the beachhead, and the pressure to make life-or-death decisions weighs heavily on the commander’s shoulders. In this haze of uncertainty – the “fog of war” – a new digital soldier is quietly proving it might think faster than any human. The Chinese military has reportedly deployed an artificial intelligence (AI) agent designed to sit beside battalion-level commanders – and act as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349429/china-deploys-new-battlefield-ai-command-tent-it-outsmarts-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349429/china-deploys-new-battlefield-ai-command-tent-it-outsmarts-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela A team of Chinese scientists has found a way to introduce plant-based, light-activated nanoparticles into animal cells to improve their health and lifespan. When the team’s photosynthetic nanoparticles were transplanted into rats and rabbits with degenerative disease conditions, they helped boost energy production and restore disrupted cell interactions. By integrating their plant-based system with implantable, wirelessly powered lights, the team also proposed an approach for deep tissue... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349445/china-team-introduced-plant-based-photosynthesis-sick-animals-they-recovered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349445/china-team-introduced-plant-based-photosynthesis-sick-animals-they-recovered?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang China looks set to claim another coup in its mission to build AI talent, with one of the world’s top scholars in artificial intelligence for robots listed among PhD supervisors at a Shanghai university. Su Hao, who holds two doctorates – one in mathematics and one in computer science – has appeared on Fudan University’s faculty list as a professor in electronic information specialising in AI. The list, published on March 31, names 322 PhD supervisors appointed this year. Previously, Su was a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349408/one-americas-top-ai-robot-scholars-about-join-chinas-tech-talent-pool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349408/one-americas-top-ai-robot-scholars-about-join-chinas-tech-talent-pool?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The fearsome-sounding “Gangtie Jiliang” is designed to do what no machine has ever done before: delve straight down, kilometre after kilometre, into the heart of the Earth. Translated to English as “steel backbone”, Gangtie Jiliang is billed as the world’s first boring machine capable of excavating full-face shafts to depths exceeding 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) in hard rock. Weighing about 500 tonnes and measuring 8.1 metres wide, the machine looks less like mining equipment and more like an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349367/mining-revolution-chinas-500-tonne-underground-carrier-tunnels-kilometre-mine-ore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349367/mining-revolution-chinas-500-tonne-underground-carrier-tunnels-kilometre-mine-ore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:00:10 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chinese embassy in US confirms death of semiconductor researcher Wang Danhao Chinese semiconductor researcher Wang Danhao died at the University of Michigan last month, shortly after being questioned by US federal law enforcement. 2. ‘Impossible for Chinese’: Yale scientist Zhang Kai leaves US for China Zhang... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349349/chinese-embassy-confirms-wang-danhao-death-spacex-challenger-fails-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349349/chinese-embassy-confirms-wang-danhao-death-spacex-challenger-fails-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:00:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Gender equality has been advancing steadily in Hong Kong, including in the field of medical science. But progress has been uneven in a city where women can comprise half of all medical students at an institution, yet only one in three fellows and non-fellows do research. While that sex ratio among researchers largely reflects global disparity, it is encouraging to see timely intervention to bridge the gender gap. The Women in Science and Medicine Academy (Wise) aims to attract 100 early-career... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349237/supporting-women-research-helps-hong-kongs-gender-equality-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349237/supporting-women-research-helps-hong-kongs-gender-equality-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Ling Xin,Khushboo Razdan Ling Xin,Khushboo Razdan Chinese semiconductor researcher Wang Danhao died at the University of Michigan last month, shortly after being questioned by US federal law enforcement. Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington, confirmed to the South China Morning Post in an email on Monday that Wang had taken his own life. “We are deeply distressed by this tragedy,” Liu wrote, adding that the US had “overstretched” the concept of national security and subjected Chinese students and scholars to unwarranted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349211/chinese-embassy-us-confirms-death-semiconductor-researcher-wang-danhao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349211/chinese-embassy-us-confirms-death-semiconductor-researcher-wang-danhao?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Youth-led movements have swept the world in recent years – from protests that toppled governments in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bulgaria and Madagascar, to political rallies across the United States. They are often organised and amplified on social media platforms driven by algorithms that determine content based on user behaviour. But a new app that has been tested by nearly 10,000 university students in the US is challenging that approach. Uplifty AI is encrypted and its founder says the algorithm... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349217/radical-reset-uplifty-app-aims-help-university-students-find-connection-offline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349217/radical-reset-uplifty-app-aims-help-university-students-find-connection-offline?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:32:03 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong A research team at a Chinese university has developed a new way to make high-end infrared chips that could slash their cost dramatically and improve the performance of smartphone cameras and self-driving cars. The key breakthrough was finding a way to make the chips using conventional manufacturing techniques, rather than the exotic, costly materials that were relied on before. Mass production is set to begin by the end of the year, according to a press release from Xidian University. The chips... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349161/china-cuts-cost-military-grade-infrared-chips-little-about-us10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349161/china-cuts-cost-military-grade-infrared-chips-little-about-us10?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:05:00 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng For marketing manager Wang Yuan, who sells electric heavy-duty cargo trucks in the rugged landscapes of Xinjiang in western China, business is riding a new and powerful wave. The commercial vehicle company he works for is a major player in the domestic market. The lion’s share of its electric heavy trucks are destined for coal-rich provinces including Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, apart from Xinjiang itself. In Xinjiang alone, according to Wang, sales across all brands reached around 16,700 units... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348742/chinas-electric-truck-revolution-powerful-painkiller-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348742/chinas-electric-truck-revolution-powerful-painkiller-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin A senior Chinese scientist has outlined the potential military applications of space-based solar power technology, offering a rare glimpse into how energy beamed from orbit could also support surveillance and electronic warfare. Duan Baoyan, a leading architect of China’s “Zhuri” space solar power initiative, wrote in a paper published in Scientia Sinica Informationis last month, that his team had revamped the design of the giant orbital infrastructure. In addition to energy transmission, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348871/china-reveals-military-capabilities-new-space-solar-power-plant-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348871/china-reveals-military-capabilities-new-space-solar-power-plant-design?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng A Chinese cargo plane powered by a hydrogen-fuelled engine has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a milestone in China’s push for green aviation. The 7.5-tonne uncrewed aircraft is powered by the world’s most powerful hydrogen turboprop of its kind, capable of generating more than 1 megawatt. The engine operated normally and remained in good condition throughout the 16-minute test flight on Saturday, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing the Aero Engine Corporation of China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349086/chinas-push-hydrogen-powered-planes-takes-step-forward-amid-iran-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349086/chinas-push-hydrogen-powered-planes-takes-step-forward-amid-iran-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Stephen Chen Stephen Chen China’s unmanned submersibles now rank as the world’s largest, with last year’s military parade showcasing two models (HSU001 and AJX002) approaching 20 metres (66 feet) in length. Satellite imagery analysed by Western media also revealed a classified variant exceeding 40 metres at a naval installation, triggering international concern – particularly in the United States. These dimensions created a brand new class of drones known as extra-extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs). They... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348766/china-not-targeting-us-west-coast-ultra-large-underwater-drones-lead-scientist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348766/china-not-targeting-us-west-coast-ultra-large-underwater-drones-lead-scientist?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong A team of researchers in China has unveiled what they describe as the world’s first open-source flight control system designed specifically for bamboo-frame drones, helping the push for low-cost, eco-friendly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system, developed by researchers at Northwestern Polytechnical University’s school of civil aviation, aims to solve a long-standing bottleneck in sustainable drone design: integrating non-traditional materials such as bamboo with high-performance... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348923/china-team-release-worlds-first-bamboo-drone-flight-control-software-free?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348923/china-team-release-worlds-first-bamboo-drone-flight-control-software-free?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese researchers unveiled a gravity detector with world-leading precision last month, potentially expanding the military applications of the technology. It uses a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) to detect objects by measuring tiny changes in gravity. The team that developed the instrument says it can be used for scientific research and finding underground resources. It also brings the country one step closer to being able to spot patrolling nuclear submarines. According to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348984/chinas-gravity-detecting-squid-gets-closer-spotting-us-nuclear-submarines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348984/chinas-gravity-detecting-squid-gets-closer-spotting-us-nuclear-submarines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China would be closely watching the US Artemis 2 lunar fly-by mission, which has already encountered challenges, including a malfunctioning toilet soon after launch, an expert said. As China gears up to bring astronauts to the moon, the first human return to lunar orbit since the Apollo era over 50 years ago could offer Beijing valuable technical insights. Quentin Parker, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Hong Kong, described China as watching the Artemis 2 mission “like a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348929/china-watching-hawk-us-artemis-2-crew-fixes-toilet-moon-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348929/china-watching-hawk-us-artemis-2-crew-fixes-toilet-moon-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Ling Xin,Victoria Bela Ling Xin,Victoria Bela China’s attempt to launch its most powerful privately developed rocket failed on Friday after the vehicle suffered a flight anomaly. The Tianlong-3 rocket is being developed in hopes of breaking a key bottleneck in the country’s roll-out of internet satellite megaconstellations to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. The Tianlong-3, built by Beijing-based start-up Space Pioneer and seen as China’s answer to the US company’s workhorse, the reusable Falcon 9, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348908/china-launches-heavyweight-rocket-challenge-spacexs-falcon-9-it-fails?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348908/china-launches-heavyweight-rocket-challenge-spacexs-falcon-9-it-fails?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:04:04 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Challenging six decades of convention, Chinese scientists have proposed a new composite material manufacturing method that could improve the strength and reliability of structures used in drones, aircraft and spacecraft. By introducing an advance in the so-called balanced lay-up approach – a method of stacking fibre layers symmetrically and in opposing angles to minimise internal stresses – the research team reported strength gains of up to 26 per cent. It also led to a 13 per cent improvement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348762/could-chinas-metal-composite-make-drones-planes-and-rockets-26-stronger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348762/could-chinas-metal-composite-make-drones-planes-and-rockets-26-stronger?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang A therapy using pig semen-derived exosomes, engineered into eye drops capable of penetrating deep into retinal tissue, may hold the key to breaching the brain’s defences against diseases like Alzheimer’s. This advance, led by Professor Zhang Yu at China’s Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, originally targeted a rare childhood eye cancer retinoblastoma that often resists conventional treatments due to its delicate location near the brain. Published in peer-reviewed journal Science Advances on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348726/chinas-brain-penetrating-pig-semen-eyedrop-may-treat-alzheimers-scientist-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348726/chinas-brain-penetrating-pig-semen-eyedrop-may-treat-alzheimers-scientist-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:47:06 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang For Zhang Kai, a pioneering scientist who is building an ultra-large-scale cellular structure group data bank with unprecedented precision, returning home to China was the natural choice to fulfil his ambition. “In the United States, it is almost impossible for a Chinese scholar to take the lead on this project,” Zhang said during a March 26 interview with China Science Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the country’s most prestigious research institution. On... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348675/impossible-chinese-yale-scientist-zhang-kai-leaves-us-break-racial-ceiling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348675/impossible-chinese-yale-scientist-zhang-kai-leaves-us-break-racial-ceiling?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong A striking phenomenon is emerging from China as the Middle East conflict presses on: technically skilled civilians are volunteering their expertise online to help Iran counter US military might, without seeking payment or official backing. The trend was vividly illustrated on March 14, when a detailed tutorial on taking down America’s F-35 appeared on Chinese social media and went viral. Created by the account “Laohu Talks World” and subtitled in Persian, the video meticulously explained how... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348619/how-take-down-us-f-35-over-iran-chinese-engineers-prophetic-tutorial-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348619/how-take-down-us-f-35-over-iran-chinese-engineers-prophetic-tutorial-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China’s commercial space sector has reached a cost milestone as its new rocket debuts for less than the ticket price of the latest SpaceX Falcon 9 reusable launch vehicle. The Kinetica-2 Y1 carrier rocket, also known as the Lijian-2 Y1, took off on its inaugural flight on Monday before delivering three satellites into orbit, including a prototype commercial cargo spacecraft and a satellite to function as a mini-orbiting space lab. The rocket developed by Chinese commercial space firm CAS Space –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348697/chinas-commercial-rocket-now-cheaper-elon-musks-spacex-falcon-9?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348697/chinas-commercial-rocket-now-cheaper-elon-musks-spacex-falcon-9?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:20 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China is doubling down on mega chemical plants to secure the “industrial gold” needed for its green technology and to scale the coal-based production of chemicals whose global supply is stalled by conflict in the Middle East. On March 20, construction began on the world’s largest coal-to-ethylene glycol project in Xinjiang’s Turpan prefecture, which is expected to produce 2.4 million tonnes per year, according to state news agency Xinhua. China’s first 100,000-tonne/year solution process-based... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348522/china-doubles-down-chemical-plant-expansion-tech-breakthrough-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348522/china-doubles-down-chemical-plant-expansion-tech-breakthrough-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Preserving Cantonese has been challenging due to the dominance of Mandarin, limited learning resources and a lack of a standard written form. With a declining number of young learners, the language faces an uncertain future. Artificial intelligence (AI) – seen by some as an existential threat to humanity – may become the hope for saving the language, and many others, along with the distinct cultures they embody. This is the mission of Hong Kong-based deep-tech company Votee AI: to use large... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347975/mandarin-replacing-cantonese-offbeat-ai-fights-back-big-tech-looks-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347975/mandarin-replacing-cantonese-offbeat-ai-fights-back-big-tech-looks-away?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China’s science and technology awards system has been accused of being riddled with loopholes and misconduct, including serious exaggeration of achievements, cultivation of personal connections and even bribery, according to critics within the academic community. These flaws, though repeatedly addressed by the authorities, are said to remain deeply entrenched, casting a shadow over China’s rapidly advancing innovation sector that is widely regarded as a key pillar in its rivalry with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345080/chinas-science-awards-system-plagued-shadowy-practices-can-reforms-fix-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345080/chinas-science-awards-system-plagued-shadowy-practices-can-reforms-fix-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong China is developing a revolutionary air-breathing engine for next-generation fighter jets and hypersonic missiles. Designed to operate continuously from a stationary start-up to over Mach 6, the “contra-rotary ramjet engine” could replace the combined turbine-ramjet systems currently used in high-speed flight. After more than three decades of work, the engine prototype has been completed and experimentally verified, marking a potential step towards engineering applications. The next steps... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348078/mach-0-6-engine-may-power-chinas-future-fighter-jets-and-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348078/mach-0-6-engine-may-power-chinas-future-fighter-jets-and-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Science and Nature are among the world’s most prestigious journals, which most scientists strive to publish in but never will. By the age of 30, quantum physicist Zhu Zijie had already published in both with significant discoveries on the behaviour of cold atoms. After graduating from Peking University, he went to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) – Albert Einstein’s alma mater – for graduate studies and stayed there as a postdoctoral researcher for over a year. In... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348415/do-something-nobodys-done-quantum-physicist-zhu-zijie-leaves-europe-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348415/do-something-nobodys-done-quantum-physicist-zhu-zijie-leaves-europe-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:18:12 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers say they have built an 11-satellite network for a jam-resistant, high-accuracy optical navigation system, designed to provide positioning where GPS is unavailable or disrupted, for everything from self-driving cars and drones to deep-space missions. Optical navigation has also been used in the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, helping drones developed by companies such as Asio Technologies and General Atomics operate in environments where GPS signals are jammed. While... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348318/lighthouses-space-chinese-jam-proof-satellite-network-fill-gps-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348318/lighthouses-space-chinese-jam-proof-satellite-network-fill-gps-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:01:05 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela For decades, the United States led the charge in the pursuit of brain-computer interface technology, betting big on bold, high-risk breakthroughs that promised to revolutionise medicine and human-machine integration. In the end, it is China crossing the finish line first. Using a semi-invasive approach that may lend credence to the Confucian “doctrine of the mean” – or the philosophy of seeking a middle path between extremes – a team in China has now come up with a commercially approved product... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348126/doctrine-mean-how-us-lost-2-decade-race-china-brain-implants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348126/doctrine-mean-how-us-lost-2-decade-race-china-brain-implants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Chinese researchers have introduced a new methodology for evaluating medical and life science journals worldwide that does not rely on the “impact factor” traditionally used in the academic world. Experts view this as part of China’s broader efforts to strengthen its “academic discourse power”. Two new Dongbi Index journal lists, covering 4,027 medical and 3,064 life-science journals selected from more than 40,000 worldwide, were unveiled in Shanghai on March 21. They were developed by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348247/china-proposes-new-way-measure-academic-influence-departure-impact-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348247/china-proposes-new-way-measure-academic-influence-departure-impact-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Francois Penz, former head of the department of architecture at the University of Cambridge and a pioneer in the interdisciplinary field of architecture and film, has joined Nanjing University on a full-time basis. The school of architecture and urban planning of Nanjing University announced the appointment on its social media account on March 17. Penz is an emeritus professor at the university, a former director of The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies, a fellow of Darwin... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347941/cambridge-top-architect-francois-penz-relocates-china-uk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347941/cambridge-top-architect-francois-penz-relocates-china-uk?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Chinese scientists have created an all-weather electrolyte that could improve lithium batteries, allowing them to operate more efficiently at room temperature and in extreme environments. The research team from Shanghai and Tianjin said batteries made using the hydrofluorocarbon-based electrolyte had more than double the energy density of those made with traditional electrolytes when operating at room temperature. They said the batteries could also operate efficiently at minus 70 degrees Celsius... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348185/chinese-lithium-battery-electrolyte-could-double-ev-range-and-run-extreme-cold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348185/chinese-lithium-battery-electrolyte-could-double-ev-range-and-run-extreme-cold?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Yan Hong, one of China’s leading researchers in hypersonic and high-speed propulsion technologies, has died at the age of 56, according to Northwestern Polytechnical University. Yan, a professor and doctoral supervisor at NPU’s school of power and energy, died on Tuesday at Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital in Nanjing following an illness. The university in the northwestern city of Xian has been placed on US sanctions lists for its alleged ties to military-related research. Her research... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348183/leading-chinese-hypersonic-aviation-scientist-yan-hong-dies-56?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348183/leading-chinese-hypersonic-aviation-scientist-yan-hong-dies-56?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:00:15 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Seeram Ramakrishna, a leading researcher at the National University of Singapore and the most cited scientist from the city state, has joined one of China’s leading universities full time. He joined the department of mechanical engineering at Tsinghua University in September, but the university only announced the appointment this week. The Singaporean, who was described by MIT Technology Review China as the “father of electrospinning”, has been appointed as a Xinghua distinguished chair... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348141/top-singaporean-materials-scientist-seeram-ramakrishna-joins-chinas-tsinghua-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348141/top-singaporean-materials-scientist-seeram-ramakrishna-joins-chinas-tsinghua-university?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers have shown that a silicon quantum chip can carry out a full set of error-detecting logical operations – the first time this has been done and a key step towards building reliable quantum computers. The study, published in Nature Nanotechnology on Monday, found the device could process quantum information with built-in error checks – something previously achieved in platforms like superconducting circuits but not with silicon. According to the team from the Shenzhen... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348091/china-team-builds-first-silicon-chip-elements-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348091/china-team-builds-first-silicon-chip-elements-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:59:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Scientists have used a tiny plastic “obstacle course” to test how much sperm would struggle to navigate during sex in the weightlessness of space. Some particularly resilient sperm still made it through the course, suggesting that conceiving children in space will still be possible, according to research published on Thursday. However, a bigger problem could be that the development of embryos after fertilisation was harmed by a lack of gravity, the Australian team of researchers found. With... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348051/sex-space-sperm-struggles-navigate-without-gravity-scientists-find?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348051/sex-space-sperm-struggles-navigate-without-gravity-scientists-find?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:45:48 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik An estimated 93 million pieces of debris could be floating on the surface of the South China Sea, based on data collected by China in a projection of its marine monitoring and remote sensing prowess. Using technologies such as fixed-ship monitoring, underway surveys and satellite remote sensing, marine scientists and ecologists audited 26 spots in the central and southern parts of the disputed waters. In a report released this month, Beijing’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong A Chinese military research team has released what it described as the first publicly available visible light-infrared ship detection data set, a resource that could sharpen maritime target recognition for drones, missiles or surveillance systems operating at night or in environments where radar is degraded or suppressed. The dual-modal ship detection (DMSD) data set contains more than 2,000 paired visible and infrared vessel images and nearly 20,000 annotated instances, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347679/china-opens-worlds-largest-ship-data-set-could-be-used-train-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347679/china-opens-worlds-largest-ship-data-set-could-be-used-train-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:06:50 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin A Chinese commercial satellite has completed a refuelling test in low Earth orbit using a flexible “octopus tentacle” robotic arm, advancing efforts to extend spacecraft lifespans and develop in-orbit servicing abilities. The Hukeda-2, or Yuxing-3 06, demonstration satellite used its flexible arm to carry out compliance control and refuelling tests after blasting off from Jiuquan in China’s northwestern Gansu province last week, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday. The arm can curl, twist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347888/chinese-satellite-performs-landmark-refuelling-test-low-earth-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347888/chinese-satellite-performs-landmark-refuelling-test-low-earth-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:31:00 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China has officially designated ciyuan as the translation for “token” – the computational units that power tools such as Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini – in a move widely seen as devising a new form of global currency for the age of artificial intelligence. In Chinese, ci translates to “word”, while yuan is commonly used as a synonym for “currency”. For instance, the basic unit of the Chinese renminbi is the yuan, and most foreign currencies are referred to as yuan in Chinese, prefixed by their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347887/china-names-trillions-ai-token-after-yuan-should-us-worry-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347887/china-names-trillions-ai-token-after-yuan-should-us-worry-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:00:26 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Top Chinese nuclear, radar and missile experts vanish from engineering body site The profile of one of China’s top nuclear weapons scientists has been scrubbed from the website of the nation’s engineering brains trust. Similar online references to radar specialist Wu Manqing, 60, and missile designer Wei... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347780/top-china-arms-experts-vanish-andy-laus-ming-dynasty-mystery-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347780/top-china-arms-experts-vanish-andy-laus-ming-dynasty-mystery-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:12:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nasa announced on Tuesday it ⁠has cancelled plans to deploy a space station in lunar orbit and ⁠would instead use components from the project to build a US$20 billion base on the moon’s surface, while also planning to send a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars. US space agency chief Jared Isaacman, an appointee of US President Donald Trump who took charge at Nasa in December, announced an unprecedented array of changes to the Artemis moon programme that would expand humanity’s footprint in space,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347793/nasa-abandons-orbital-lunar-station-plans-moon-base-and-nuclear-spacecraft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347793/nasa-abandons-orbital-lunar-station-plans-moon-base-and-nuclear-spacecraft?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:54:02 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Testing conducted by Chinese scientists has found that a solid rocket engine can ignite at 200 metres (656 feet) underwater – far deeper than submarine-launched missiles – suggesting new possibilities for deep-sea weapon systems. Ballistic missiles that can be launched from subs are central to strategic deterrence for nuclear powers – for example, the M51 used by France, America’s Trident system, and China’s Julang series. With these missiles on board, submarines, moving stealthily through deep... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347675/missile-launch-pad-seabed-chinese-simulation-suggests-its-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347675/missile-launch-pad-seabed-chinese-simulation-suggests-its-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela As electric vehicle (EV) use surges globally, scientists have raised concerns about the performance of such batteries in high temperatures, including the possible impact of climate change on their usable lifespan. But a study published this month by researchers in China and the US has found that major advances in EV battery technologies will mitigate the impact of future warming. They studied the impact by creating an advanced model that captures future climate change and EV battery degradation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347672/does-climate-change-accelerate-ev-battery-ageing-not-so-fast-researchers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347672/does-climate-change-accelerate-ev-battery-ageing-not-so-fast-researchers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:10:26 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have discovered a way to turn cheap coal into valuable ingredients for medicine. This was once a long and difficult process, but now they have found a surprising short cut. In a study published on March 16 in the journal Nature, Jiao Ning’s team at Peking University solved a chemical puzzle that had confounded scientists for over 160 years. They successfully transformed inexpensive and readily available industrial feedstock – olefins – into high-value alkynes under mild and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347300/turning-coal-medicines-chinese-scientists-bring-160-year-old-dream-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347300/turning-coal-medicines-chinese-scientists-bring-160-year-old-dream-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:23:14 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Chinese researchers have developed a surgical robot that can perform complex brain imaging nearly 30 per cent faster than traditional manual methods, according to a study published earlier this year. The feat marks a milestone for the world’s first approved cerebrovascular intervention system. In a head-to-head at the prestigious Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), a young surgeon using the robotic system shaved nine minutes off the time required for a standard manual... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347491/chinese-surgery-robot-outperforms-humans-cuts-brain-imaging-time-29?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347491/chinese-surgery-robot-outperforms-humans-cuts-brain-imaging-time-29?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China’s drive to grow 90 per cent of its own grain by 2032 just gained a critical weapon: an unmanned ratoon rice farm that produces 50 per cent higher yields. By harnessing smart seedling care, sowing, growing and harvesting, a Chinese biotechnology company and scientists from several institutes have built the world’s first smart farm for regenerated rice. Located in the Datong Lake District in China’s central Hunan province, the smart rice farm has enabled an ancient but technically... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347232/can-china-massively-reduce-food-imports-super-efficient-unmanned-rice-farms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347232/can-china-massively-reduce-food-imports-super-efficient-unmanned-rice-farms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 06:00:18 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong As tensions around Iran intensify, a potential disruption to global fertiliser supply chains is raising concerns about food production worldwide. But for China, an unusual advantage is coming into focus: the ability to predict grain output more than six months in advance with striking accuracy. That capability – refined over decades – could allow Beijing to move early, reshaping risk into strategic leverage. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy and commodity flows, has emerged... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347290/could-ultra-precise-harvest-forecast-give-china-advantage-iran-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347290/could-ultra-precise-harvest-forecast-give-china-advantage-iran-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 02:00:09 +0000