分类： science

A groundbreaking study conducted by Chinese researchers has successfully established comprehensive normative references for brain structure across the entire lifespan of the Chinese population, marking a significant advancement in neurological diagnostics. The research, led by Professor Liu Ya’ou from the Department of Radiology at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, addresses critical gaps in neurological healthcare specific to Chinese patients.

The research initiative emerged from two fundamental challenges in China’s neurological diagnostics landscape. First, existing brain normative standards predominantly derive from Western populations, creating potential inaccuracies when applied to Chinese patients due to distinct genetic backgrounds and environmental factors. Second, the medical community lacked sufficient data to differentiate between normal aging processes and pathological neurological changes, often resulting in delayed diagnoses and missed intervention opportunities.

To overcome these limitations, the collaborative team from Beijing Tiantan Hospital and Beijing Normal University analyzed an extensive dataset comprising magnetic resonance imaging scans from 24,061 healthy Chinese individuals and 3,932 patients with neurological disorders. Their comprehensive analysis established standardized reference ranges for 228 critical structural indicators specifically tailored to the Chinese population.

Published in the prestigious international journal Nature Neuroscience, the findings demonstrate how individual brain deviation scores calculated from these normative references can rapidly quantify structural abnormalities and facilitate precise disease identification. The research reveals distinct neurological patterns: Alzheimer’s disease manifests through widespread deviations across multiple brain structures, Parkinson’s disease primarily affects deep gray matter, while multiple sclerosis predominantly involves white matter and thalamus volume alterations.

This innovative framework, currently undergoing clinical pilot testing at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, enables earlier screening and diagnosis of neurological disorders while supporting more targeted treatment strategies. The research team is expanding collaborations with medical imaging corporations to integrate multi-modal imaging, blood biomarkers, and genetic testing data, further advancing precision medicine approaches for brain health and major neurological conditions.

SHANGHAI – China is rapidly approaching global mathematical supremacy, with projections indicating the nation will reach the pinnacle of mathematical achievement within the next five to ten years. This bold forecast came from Fields Medal laureate Shing-Tung Yau during his address at the 10th Triennial International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians (ICCM), which commenced in Shanghai on Saturday.

Professor Yau, the first Chinese-born recipient of mathematics’ most prestigious honor and founder of the ICCM in 1998, expressed unwavering confidence that Chinese mathematicians are poised to claim top international awards, including Fields Medals, in the coming decade. His declaration underscores China’s remarkable transformation into an emerging mathematical powerhouse.

The congress has attracted thousands of participants from across the globe, including Fields Medalists, distinguished researchers, academic professionals, and promising students. This gathering represents one of the most significant international mathematical conferences, creating a dynamic platform for scholarly exchange and collaboration.

Throughout the five-day event, more than 300 high-level academic presentations and discussions will explore cutting-edge developments in pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and interdisciplinary fields including artificial intelligence and biomedicine. The comprehensive program reflects mathematics’s expanding role in addressing complex scientific challenges.

Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining emphasized the city’s commitment to fostering scientific innovation during his opening ceremony remarks. “Shanghai is dedicated to enhancing innovation capabilities and building an open, inclusive, world-class innovation ecosystem,” Chen stated, highlighting the city’s ambitions to become an international science and technology innovation center.

Chen specifically recognized Chinese mathematicians as crucial advocates and practitioners within this innovation ecosystem. He called for strengthened collaboration in exploring mathematical frontiers, nurturing young talent, expanding international cooperation, and creating fair innovation environments that serve global communities.

The event, organized by the Shanghai Institute for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences with support from the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Yangpu district government, demonstrates China’s strategic investment in mathematical sciences as a foundation for technological advancement and scientific leadership.

The night sky unveiled a breathtaking astronomical phenomenon on January 3, 2026, as the first super moon of the year made its spectacular appearance. This celestial event, characterized by the moon’s unusually close orbital proximity to Earth, created a visually larger and significantly brighter lunar display than typical full moons.

The remarkable phenomenon was captured in stunning photographs over Tongjiang city in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, where the super moon appeared as a magnificent luminous orb against the night canvas. This occurrence marks the initial of several super moons anticipated throughout 2026, each offering unique opportunities for astronomical observation and photography.

Super moons occur when the moon’s elliptical orbit brings it to the closest point to Earth (perigee) simultaneously with the full moon phase. This orbital alignment can make the moon appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter compared to its appearance at the farthest point (apogee). The scientific community emphasizes that while super moons create visually striking appearances, they remain a predictable orbital phenomenon rather than an unusual astronomical event.

The January super moon attracted attention from both amateur stargazers and professional astronomers worldwide, serving as a reminder of the dynamic relationships within our celestial neighborhood. Such events continue to inspire public interest in astronomy and space science while providing researchers with opportunities to study the moon’s surface features under enhanced lighting conditions.

A groundbreaking study conducted by Chinese scientists has provided definitive confirmation of future Antarctic amplification while elucidating the precise physical mechanisms driving this critical climate phenomenon. Published recently in the prestigious journal Geophysical Research Letters, the research represents a significant advancement in understanding polar climate dynamics.

Led by researchers from the Institute of Global Change and Polar Meteorology under the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS), the study resolves longstanding uncertainties regarding Antarctic warming patterns. While polar amplification has been well-documented in the Arctic, the Antarctic counterpart had remained subject to scientific debate until this comprehensive analysis.

The research team employed an extensive dataset comprising observations from over 200 Antarctic monitoring stations, combined with China’s first-generation global atmospheric and land surface reanalysis products. This robust methodology enabled the first detection of a continent-wide warming signal across Antarctica’s vast expanse.

Under the Paris Agreement’s 2 degrees Celsius warming scenario, the study demonstrates a pronounced warming signal over the Antarctic continent, with an overall warming magnitude approximately 1.4 times greater than the Southern Hemisphere average. Dr. Ding Minghu, head of the Institute of Global Change and Polar Research at CAMS, explained the mechanism: ‘The roaring westerlies of the Southern Hemisphere create an isolating effect, meaning human activities primarily influence Antarctica through sea surface warming and subsequent heat transfer. This explains why Antarctic warming has lagged behind other global regions.’

The research further indicates that with continuously rising sea surface temperatures, Antarctic amplification will progressively intensify in coming decades, accompanied by an accelerated warming rate. This revelation highlights a substantial, previously underestimated human impact on the Antarctic climate system, with far-reaching implications for global sea level rise and climate modeling accuracy.

In a landmark achievement for nuclear fusion research, Chinese scientists have successfully surpassed the longstanding plasma density limit using the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), China’s pioneering ‘artificial sun’ facility. This breakthrough, published in Science Advances on January 2, 2026, represents a critical advancement toward practical nuclear fusion energy.

The international research collaboration, led by the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (Chinese Academy of Sciences) in partnership with Huazhong University of Science and Technology and France’s Aix-Marseille University, has developed a revolutionary theoretical model explaining plasma-wall interactions. Their research identified radiation instability triggered by boundary impurities as the fundamental mechanism behind the previously impenetrable density barrier.

Tokamak devices, which use powerful magnetic fields to contain superheated plasma in a toroidal configuration, have long been constrained by this density limitation. When approaching this threshold, plasma would become unstable, escape magnetic confinement, and release dangerous energy bursts capable of damaging reactor components.

The research team’s innovative approach enabled experimental manipulation of plasma beyond conventional limits, guiding it into a previously theoretical ‘density-free zone.’ This marks the first experimental verification of such a stable high-density plasma state in tokamak history.

This scientific milestone provides both crucial theoretical understanding and practical methodology for achieving sustained high-density plasma operation—a fundamental requirement for viable fusion power generation. The breakthrough significantly advances prospects for developing clean, virtually limitless fusion energy by addressing one of the most persistent challenges in magnetic confinement fusion technology.

The United Arab Emirates is poised for an extraordinary year of astronomical events throughout 2026, with multiple supermoons and prolific meteor showers set to grace the night skies. This celestial spectacle offers both amateur stargazers and professional astronomers unprecedented opportunities for cosmic observation.

The year commences with the Wolf Supermoon on January 3rd, coinciding strategically with the peak of the Quadrantids meteor shower. This dual phenomenon creates a remarkable viewing opportunity, though the supermoon’s brightness may partially obscure the meteor display.

A particularly noteworthy event occurs on May 31st with the appearance of a Blue Micromoon. Contrary to its nomenclature, this phenomenon doesn’t manifest with blue coloration but represents the second full moon within a single calendar month. This micromoon will appear marginally smaller and less luminous than typical full moons due to its orbital positioning at apogee—the farthest point from Earth in its elliptical path.

The lunar exhibitions continue with the Beaver Supermoon emerging after a ten-month interval, followed by the Cold Supermoon in December. The latter event holds special significance as it will be the closest lunar approach to Earth since 2019, resulting in the year’s most brilliant full moon presentation.

The meteor shower calendar features several highlight events:

The Quadrantids (January 3-4) initiate the celestial schedule with an impressive rate of 120 meteors hourly, best observed during pre-dawn hours.

The Lyrids (April 22-23) offer a more modest display of 15-20 meteors hourly but occasionally produce spectacular fireballs surpassing Venus in luminosity.

The Perseids (August 12-13) provide one of the most reliable and popular meteor displays with approximately 100 meteors hourly during summer nights.

The Geminids (December 13-14) conclude the annual meteor schedule with the most intense performance, generating 120-150 multicolored meteors hourly and frequently producing brilliant fireballs.

Additional meteor showers including the Orionids (October 21-22) and Leonids (November 17-18) will further enhance the year’s astronomical offerings, ensuring consistent celestial entertainment for UAE residents and visitors alike.

China has advanced its Earth observation capabilities with the successful orbital deployment of the Tianhui 7 satellite on Tuesday afternoon. The sophisticated spacecraft was propelled into space aboard a Long March 4B rocket that launched precisely at 12:12 pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center located in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the state-owned enterprise overseeing China’s space program, the newly deployed satellite represents a significant advancement in remote sensing technology. Manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology, Tianhui 7 is specifically engineered to conduct comprehensive geological surveys, detailed land resource investigations, and a series of scientific experiments that will contribute to environmental monitoring and resource management.

The launch vehicle, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, demonstrated its reliable payload capacity by delivering the satellite to its intended sun-synchronous orbit approximately 700 kilometers above Earth. The Long March 4B model is capable of transporting multiple satellites with a combined mass of up to 2.5 metric tons to this commonly used Earth observation altitude.

This mission marks a notable milestone in China’s space exploration endeavors, representing the nation’s 92nd space mission and the 622nd flight overall for the Long March rocket series. The successful deployment continues China’s expanding presence in space-based Earth observation and scientific research, enhancing the country’s capabilities in natural resource management and environmental monitoring.