分类： science

China has implemented a groundbreaking national standard for quantifying the economic value of terrestrial ecosystems, marking a significant advancement in environmental economics. The State Administration for Market Regulation announced the new guideline on Tuesday, establishing a unified methodology for calculating the monetary worth of ecological products provided by land-based ecosystems within defined regions and timeframes.

The comprehensive standard outlines technical processes, indicator systems, and methodological frameworks while establishing rigorous requirements for foundational data utilization and final report preparation. Designed with scientific precision, systematic approach, and practical applicability, the guideline provides complete technical guidance for standardizing ecosystem valuations nationwide.

This pioneering framework serves as a crucial metric for evaluating ecosystems’ contributions to economic and social development, transforming how environmental assets are accounted for in national planning. The standardization enables consistent measurement of ecological products—the beneficial outputs and services generated by healthy ecosystems—creating a reliable basis for environmental policy decisions and sustainable development strategies.

The implementation represents China’s latest effort to integrate environmental conservation with economic planning, providing tools for more accurate assessment of natural capital in the nation’s development trajectory.

A groundbreaking study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has potentially solved one of the Moon’s most enduring geological mysteries—why its Earth-facing near side and hidden far side exhibit such dramatically different characteristics. The research points to a cataclysmic asteroid impact billions of years ago that permanently altered the Moon’s chemical composition and volcanic capabilities.

For decades, planetary scientists have been perplexed by the lunar dichotomy. The near side displays extensive dark volcanic plains formed by ancient lava flows, while the far side presents a rugged, mountainous terrain with significantly fewer volcanic features and a thicker crustal layer.

The international research team, led by Professor Tian Hengci from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, analyzed microscopic samples retrieved by China’s historic Chang’e 6 mission—the first-ever collection of geological specimens from the Moon’s far side, specifically from the massive South Pole-Aitken basin impact crater.

The investigation focused on potassium isotopes, which serve as chemical fingerprints of past thermal events. The researchers discovered an abundance of heavier potassium isotopes in the far side samples, indicating that an enormous asteroid impact generated such intense heat that it vaporized lighter volatile elements—including potassium, zinc, and sulfur—causing them to escape into space.

This elemental loss had profound geological consequences. Volatile elements typically lower the melting point of subsurface rocks, facilitating magma formation and volcanic activity. Their depletion from the far side meant this region lost its capacity for significant volcanic eruptions, explaining its mountainous, geologically dormant nature.

In contrast, the near side retained its volatile elements, allowing prolonged volcanic activity that created the expansive dark plains visible from Earth. The research demonstrates that asteroid impacts can fundamentally alter a planetary body’s internal chemistry and geological evolution, not merely create surface craters.

While previous theories attributed the Moon’s asymmetry to Earth’s gravitational influence or uneven radioactive heating, this study provides direct chemical evidence highlighting the transformative power of giant impacts in shaping planetary bodies throughout our solar system.

The Earth’s climate system demonstrated alarming acceleration in 2025 as global temperatures reached unprecedented levels, positioning the year among the three warmest in recorded history. According to comprehensive data released by China’s National Climate Center, the planetary surface temperature averaged 1.4°C above pre-industrial benchmarks (1850-1900 baseline) and 0.52°C higher than the 1991-2020 reference period.

January 2025 established a historic milestone as the warmest January ever documented, while the entire 2023-2025 triennium now stands as the hottest three-year period in meteorological records. The thermal anomaly affected vast geographical expanses, with eastern Asia, Central Asia, eastern Europe, North American sectors, and extensive oceanic regions experiencing their top-three warmest years. Polar amplification continued relentlessly, with the Arctic warming at 1.17°C above normal (third-highest recorded) and Antarctica exceeding norms by 0.43°C.

The critical Third Pole region—encompassing the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’s high-altitude ecosystems—recorded temperatures 1.12°C above average, marking its fourth consecutive annual heat record from 2022 through 2025. China’s national temperature average surged to 11°C, exceeding long-term norms by 1.1°C and breaking the previous record established just one year earlier. Sixteen provincial-level regions documented their warmest years since comprehensive record-keeping began in 1961.

Thermal extremes manifested through prolonged heat events, with China experiencing a record 16.5 high-temperature days (≥35°C)—7.4 days above normal. The most persistent heatwave persisted for 71 days from June through September, ranking as the third-longest in history. The Yangtze River basin, southern China, Chongqing, and Xinjiang endured 30-50 days of extreme heat, while late-season thermal events affected southern regions well into autumn.

Marine systems mirrored atmospheric warming, with China’s coastal waters recording significantly elevated heat content. The South China Sea reached record temperatures while overall coastal heat ranked second-highest historically. Although sea surface temperatures slightly decreased from 2024’s record (21.05°C vs. 21.50°C), they remained 0.76°C above long-term averages.

These oceanic conditions fueled an exceptionally active typhoon season, with 19 storm surge events exceeding the decade’s average of 15. The intensified marine thermal energy contributed to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, resulting in above-average economic losses from coastal disasters affecting infrastructure, fisheries, and maritime industries. Meteorological authorities have committed to enhanced monitoring and early warning systems to strengthen regional climate resilience.

India’s space program encountered a significant setback on Monday when its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C62) deviated from its intended trajectory shortly after liftoff. The mission, which launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:18 a.m. local time, carried sixteen payloads including the primary EOS-N1 earth observation satellite and fifteen additional experiments developed by Indian and international startups and academic institutions.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) reported that the rocket performed nominally during initial flight phases before experiencing an unexpected disturbance during the final segment of its PS3 stage. Mission control observed abnormal deviations from the planned flight path, prompting ISRO to initiate comprehensive analysis of the anomaly. The space agency has not disclosed specific technical details regarding the malfunction or the ultimate disposition of the vehicle and its payload.

This incident marks the second failure for the PSLV platform within an eight-month period, potentially impacting its established reputation for reliability. The workhorse launch vehicle has historically maintained an impressive 90% success rate across approximately sixty missions, including landmark achievements such as the Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission and the Aditya-L1 solar observatory deployment.

The PSLV series represents a cornerstone of India’s space ambitions, serving both governmental scientific objectives and the nation’s growing commercial space sector. This latest anomaly occurs amid India’s concerted efforts to expand private industry participation in space manufacturing and satellite deployment services, raising questions about potential implications for the country’s competitive position in the global space market.

China’s Tiangong space station has become a hub of advanced scientific activity and critical operational training as the Shenzhou XXI crew demonstrates remarkable progress in both research and mission preparedness. The astronauts have successfully concluded an intensive series of specialized drills and groundbreaking experiments that significantly enhance China’s capabilities in sustained space operations.

The comprehensive training regimen, documented in a recent China Media Group broadcast, featured sophisticated simulations including teleoperated rendezvous and docking procedures, medical emergency response protocols, and rapid evacuation exercises. These drills were meticulously designed to optimize crew performance and ensure operational readiness during extended periods in microgravity environments.

In the teleoperation training segment, astronauts mastered manual control systems to execute precise spacecraft guidance maneuvers. Concurrently, medical preparedness exercises focused on equipment familiarization and emergency response coordination, ensuring crew members can effectively address potential health crises aboard the station.

The training culminated in an ambitious emergency evacuation drill simulating critical scenarios requiring immediate module abandonment, testing both system redundancies and human response capabilities under pressure.

Beyond operational training, the crew achieved significant milestones in space science research. Pioneering investigations in space medicine utilized virtual reality interfaces combined with electroencephalogram technology to study neurovisual coordination mechanisms in weightless conditions. This research provides unprecedented insights into brain function adaptation during spaceflight and contributes valuable data for developing advanced brain-computer interface technologies.

Simultaneously, the crew advanced materials science through innovative in-situ optical analysis of lithium-ion battery electrochemical processes. These investigations deliver crucial theoretical foundations for developing next-generation energy storage systems optimized for space exploration applications.

The Shenzhou XXI mission, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 31, 2025, represents China’s continued advancement in human spaceflight capabilities. The crew previously completed China’s seventh in-orbit crew rotation and conducted their first extravehicular activities in December, demonstrating the program’s growing sophistication in long-duration space operations.

Chinese researchers have achieved a landmark breakthrough in agricultural genomics by constructing the world’s most comprehensive genetic map of upland cotton, the source of over 95% of global natural fiber. This pioneering study, conducted by a team from the Institute of Cotton Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and published in Nature Genetics, reveals previously unknown evolutionary pathways and hidden genetic traits that could revolutionize cotton cultivation worldwide.

The research addresses a critical challenge in modern agriculture: decades of intensive cultivation and selective breeding have severely narrowed the genetic diversity of commercial cotton varieties, making crops increasingly vulnerable to diseases, pests, and climate change while limiting quality improvements. To overcome this bottleneck, the team led by Li Fuguang and Yang Zhao’en developed what they term a ‘super pangenome’—an extensive genetic library compiled from 107 representative varieties of upland cotton.

This sophisticated genomic toolkit enabled the identification of large-scale structural variations in the plant’s DNA, including significant chromosomal rearrangements, exchanges, and inversions that drive environmental adaptation. Among the most significant discoveries was the identification of a specific large-scale chromosomal exchange indicating that modern cotton originated from an unexpectedly narrow lineage in Central America.

The research successfully connected these structural variations to crucial agricultural traits, identifying 69 genetic loci associated with fiber quality and yield—62 of which were entirely new discoveries invisible to traditional genetic analysis. The team also mapped specific variations controlling natural pest resistance and fiber color, and uncovered a new genetic region (VWD11) that confers resistance to Verticillium wilt, a devastating fungal disease.

Beyond individual genes, the study reconstructs cotton’s evolutionary journey through a three-stage domestication model: originating in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, spreading to Guatemala, and then disseminating globally. The research demonstrates how historic natural hybridization with another cotton species introduced valuable adaptive traits into the upland cotton genome.

Leading agricultural scientists have praised the study’s significance. Chen Xiaoya, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, noted that the research ‘provides a new perspective for understanding cotton domestication and offers crucial genetic markers for accelerating biological breeding.’ Zhang Xianlong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, highlighted how the team ‘convincingly show that large-scale structural variations are the core driver of environmental adaptation.’

According to corresponding author Li Fuguang, this genetic roadmap transforms breeding ‘from a broad search into a targeted engineering process.’ The findings are particularly vital for China, the world’s largest cotton producer and consumer, to enhance agricultural resilience and sustainability, with significant implications for global textile security.

The scientific community mourns the passing of Ai, an extraordinary female chimpanzee whose groundbreaking contributions to primate cognition research revolutionized our understanding of animal intelligence. The celebrated chimpanzee, aged 49, died peacefully of natural causes and organ failure on January 9th at Kyoto University’s Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, surrounded by caretakers who had worked with her for decades.

Arriving at the Japanese research facility in 1977 from her native West Africa, Ai became the cornerstone of the landmark Ai Project—an ambitious scientific initiative dedicated to mapping the cognitive capabilities of chimpanzees. Her remarkable journey began at just 18 months old when researchers introduced her to a specialized computer-linked keyboard system designed to study memory formation and learning patterns.

Ai’s intellectual achievements were nothing short of extraordinary. By age five, she had mastered numerical recognition from one to six and could accurately identify colors and objects across 300 distinct samples, as documented in Dr. Tetsuro Matsuzawa’s seminal 1985 research paper. Her cognitive abilities extended beyond laboratory settings—she once demonstrated problem-solving skills by using a key to unlock her enclosure, subsequently escaping with another primate.

Beyond her scientific contributions, Ai expressed artistic creativity through drawing and painting, often choosing to engage with markers and blank paper without food-based reinforcement. Her legacy continues through her son Ayumu, born in 2000, who has himself gained scientific recognition for his exceptional memory capabilities.

The impact of Ai’s life extended to the highest echelons of primatology. In 2017, on the 40th anniversary of the Ai Project, a scarf featuring her artwork was presented to renowned anthropologist Dame Jane Goodall, symbolizing the profound intersection of scientific discovery and cross-species connection that defined Ai’s extraordinary life.

The Himalayan mountain range is experiencing an unprecedented winter snow crisis, with meteorologists reporting dramatically reduced snowfall across the region during what should be its snow-heavy season. Scientific evidence confirms that most winters over the past five years have registered below-average precipitation compared to the 1980-2020 baseline, leaving mountains unusually bare and rocky.

Multiple scientific reports, including those from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, attribute this phenomenon primarily to global warming. Rising temperatures not only reduce snowfall but accelerate melting of what little snow does accumulate. The region is now experiencing what experts term ‘snow drought’ at elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 meters.

According to data from the Indian Meteorological Department, nearly all of northern India recorded zero precipitation during December. Projections indicate an alarming 86% reduction from long-period averages for January through March across northwest India, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Dr. Kieran Hunt, principal research fellow in tropical meteorology at the University of Reading, states: ‘There is now strong evidence across different datasets that winter precipitation in the Himalayas is indeed decreasing.’ His 2025 study incorporating four distinct datasets between 1980-2021 consistently shows precipitation reduction across western and central Himalayan regions.

Supporting research from Hemant Singh of the Indian Institute of Technology in Jammu reveals a 25% snowfall decrease in the northwestern Himalayas over the past five years compared to the 40-year average. Nepal’s central Himalayas show similar patterns, with meteorologist Binod Pokharel noting essentially zero rainfall since October and consistently dry winters over recent years.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) reports the 2024-2025 winter saw a 23-year record low of nearly 24% below-normal snow persistence (snow remaining on ground without melting). Four of the past five winters registered below-normal snow persistence across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

Scientists point to weakening westerly disturbances – low-pressure systems from the Mediterranean that traditionally bring cold air and moisture – as a primary culprit. These systems have become ‘feeble’ according to the Indian weather department, tracking northward and failing to collect adequate moisture from the Arabian Sea.

The consequences extend far beyond aesthetic changes to mountain landscapes. Snowmelt typically contributes approximately one-fourth of the total annual runoff for 12 major river basins, meaning nearly two billion people face potential water security threats. Reduced winter precipitation also increases forest fire risks due to drier conditions and destabilizes mountains through loss of ice and snow that traditionally act as natural cement, leading to increased rockfalls, landslides, and glacial lake outbursts.

This snow crisis compounds existing problems from accelerated glacier melting, creating what experts describe as a ‘double trouble’ scenario for the region that will have profound consequences for ecosystems and human populations dependent on Himalayan water systems.