分类： science

Fifteen distinguished geoscientists have received China’s most prestigious geological honor, the Li Siguang Geological Science Award, in a ceremony held recently in Beijing. The awards recognize exceptional contributions to both field research and technological advancements within the geological sciences.

The 19th edition of this biennial award distinguished eight recipients with the Field Work Award and seven scholars with the Research Award. The ceremony highlighted the critical role of geological work in China’s current development phase, particularly in ensuring national energy security and achieving scientific self-reliance.

Natural Resources Minister Guan Zhiou congratulated the awardees and emphasized the evolving nature of modern geology. “Contemporary geology has transformed beyond a singular discipline into an integrated field combining artificial intelligence, big data, and advanced manufacturing technologies,” Minister Guan stated. He particularly stressed the importance of challenging conventional theories in deep-earth exploration projects to foster groundbreaking discoveries.

The minister called upon geological professionals to embody the patriotic spirit and innovative mindset of Li Siguang, the renowned Chinese geologist commemorated by this award. He described innovation as “the primary driving force” advancing geological endeavors.

Among the honorees, Chinese Academy of Sciences academician Dai Shifeng expressed gratitude for the national research system’s support and the foundational work of previous generations. Professor Dai committed to pursuing more systematic research on metallogenic mechanisms of key minerals within coal series and their practical applications. He also emphasized mentoring young scientific talent to ensure the continuation of Li Siguang’s legacy among new generations of geologists.

Established to honor the scientific spirit of Li Siguang, this prestigious award serves as both recognition of exceptional achievement and inspiration for continued innovation in China’s geological community.

Professor Li Chuanyou, a distinguished plant molecular biologist from Shandong Agricultural University, has been honored with the prestigious Humboldt Research Award in recognition of his lifetime contributions to understanding plant defense and regeneration mechanisms. The award celebrates his four decades of pioneering research that has fundamentally changed our understanding of how plants communicate, defend against threats, and repair damage.

Growing up in China’s agricultural heartland of Shandong province, Li developed an early fascination with plant growth that would shape his entire career. After obtaining his master’s degree in crop genetics and breeding from Shandong Agricultural University in 1994, he began his academic journey as both teacher and researcher at the same institution.

Li’s most significant breakthrough came during his postdoctoral research at Michigan State University (1999-2003), where he challenged existing scientific consensus about plant defense signaling. While scientists had believed since the 1970s that a substance called systemin served as the primary alarm signal when plants were injured, Li demonstrated that jasmonic acid actually functioned as the long-distance mobile alarm signal, with systemin acting merely as an ‘alarm amplifier’ at the injury site.

This discovery, hailed by the journal Science in 2002 as a major breakthrough in plant and microbe signal transduction, represented just the beginning of Li’s contributions. He subsequently led a decade-long investigation into how plants achieve tissue regeneration without the ability to escape harm. Through meticulous examination of tens of thousands of mutant tomato variants, his team identified a key gene capable of activating stem cells to facilitate damaged tissue regrowth—findings published in the journal Cell last year.

Beyond his fundamental research, Li has spearheaded international collaborative efforts, working with over 300 scientists from 14 countries to sequence the complete genome of both cultivated tomatoes and their wild ancestors. This genomic mapping has provided crucial insights controlling plant growth, ripening, flavor, and firmness while enabling the development of disease-resistant varieties.

As dean of the College of Life Sciences, Li has translated his research into practical applications, developing more than 30 high-end tomato varieties that offer domestic alternatives to imported seeds. Through the Taishan Academy of Tomato Innovation—established in 2023 through a partnership between Shandong Agricultural University and Tai’an city—Li’s team continues to bridge fundamental research with molecular breeding and variety promotion.

Throughout his career, Li has maintained that research must ultimately ‘return to the land,’ serving farmers and bringing better food to people—a philosophy that has guided his work from laboratory discoveries to tangible agricultural improvements.

China’s fleet of three advanced manned submersibles has achieved a remarkable milestone by completing 1,746 deep-ocean dives, according to the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The announcement made Wednesday in Sanya, Hainan Province, highlights the growing capabilities of China’s deep-sea exploration program.

The three vessels—Fendouzhe (Striver), Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior), and Jiaolong—are projected to complete 314 dives during 2025 alone, demonstrating accelerated activity in underwater research. Each submersible has contributed unique achievements to marine science this year.

Fendouzhe made history by conducting China’s inaugural manned scientific expedition beneath the ice-covered regions of the Arctic Ocean. The same vessel also facilitated an international collaborative mission to New Zealand’s Puysegur Trench, located off the southwestern coast of South Island, marking significant progress in global oceanographic cooperation.

Meanwhile, Shenhai Yongshi has pioneered archaeological exploration in the deep sea, completing 18 dives along the northwest continental slope of the South China Sea. The submersible operated in coordination with unmanned underwater vehicles, leading to groundbreaking discoveries in deep-sea archaeology that reshape our understanding of maritime history.

The cumulative achievements of these deep-sea vehicles represent China’s growing sophistication in underwater technology and oceanographic research, contributing valuable data to the global scientific community while pushing the boundaries of deep-sea exploration capabilities.

Groundbreaking archaeological research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of human habitation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with new evidence pushing the timeline of human activity back to approximately 100,000 years ago. This revelation emerged from comprehensive findings presented by the Xizang Autonomous Region’s cultural heritage authorities during a recent press briefing in Lhasa.

The discoveries form part of the ongoing national ‘Archaeological China’ initiative, which has conducted extensive fieldwork across the region since 2021. Archaeologists have executed 42 systematic excavations spanning 19 distinct locations, covering approximately 8,100 square meters of investigation. This methodological approach has enabled researchers to construct a continuous chronological narrative of human occupation across diverse geographical areas.

The archaeological record now demonstrates eight significant Paleolithic sites, four Neolithic locations, six early metal age sites with burial complexes, and one major Tubo period settlement. Particularly noteworthy is the emergence of advanced blade technology in northern Xizang approximately 40,000 years ago, followed by the proliferation of microlithic tools around 10,000 years ago.

Cultural development milestones indicate the region’s transition to Neolithic practices around 5,000 years ago, with copper implements appearing roughly 3,800 years ago and iron technology developing about 2,800 years ago. The rise of the Tubo Kingdom around 1,400 years ago represents the region’s entry into documented historical periods.

Concurrently, Xizang has completed its fourth national cultural relics survey, revealing unprecedented growth in archaeological site identification. By May 31, researchers had re-examined over 4,200 previously recorded sites while adding 3,346 newly discovered locations. This brings the region’s total documented cultural heritage sites to 7,623, with particularly significant concentrations in Shigatse, Lhokha, and Ngari prefecture—each contributing over 500 new sites.

According to Xu Shaoguo, deputy director of the regional cultural heritage bureau, Xizang now ranks among China’s most rapidly expanding regions for archaeological discovery while maintaining exceptionally low rates of cultural relic loss. The comprehensive survey has yielded new findings across all county-level administrative units, demonstrating the region’s extraordinary archaeological richness and preservation.

In a prestigious ceremony recognizing Arab intellectual achievement, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced Dr. Nabil Seidah as the 2025 Great Arab Minds laureate in medicine. The Egyptian-Canadian scientist, who serves as Director of the Neuroendocrine Research Unit at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute, received this honor for his groundbreaking work in cardiovascular health and cholesterol metabolism.

Dr. Seidah’s pioneering research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of biological processes regulating cholesterol and fat metabolism within the human body. His decades of scientific investigation have directly contributed to the development of an entirely new class of cholesterol-lowering medications now widely prescribed globally to combat heart disease and reduce cardiovascular risks.

The scope of Dr. Seidah’s scientific contribution is evidenced by his publication of over 820 research papers, which have garnered more than 71,000 citations within the scientific community—a testament to the significant impact of his work on medical science.

Sheikh Mohammed emphasized the importance of recognizing Arab intellectual achievement, stating: ‘Medicine represents a humanitarian mission, and our region has historically played a profound role in developing medical sciences, practices, and research tools. The Great Arab Minds Award reorients the compass to its proper direction, celebrating the contributions of Arab individuals and presenting them as role models for future generations.’

Now in its third edition, the Great Arab Minds initiative has established itself as the most prestigious recognition of intellectual achievement in the Arab world, often referred to as the ‘Arab Nobel.’ The program’s credibility received substantial validation when the 2024 award recipient in the same category, Professor Omar Yaghi, subsequently won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

A technological transformation is reshaping how China safeguards its natural heritage, replacing traditional manual surveys with an integrated network of advanced monitoring systems. Where researchers once carried heavy equipment through challenging terrain, a sophisticated ‘Five Platforms System’ now employs satellites, drones, monitoring towers, mobile patrols, and ground stations to conduct comprehensive biodiversity assessments.

At the forefront of this revolution is the Satellite Application Center for Ecology and Environment (SACEE), where director Wu Jiyou explains the paradigm shift: ‘Previously, surveys were predominantly manual, limited in scope, slow and labor-intensive. Our integrated approach now covers larger areas, operates more efficiently, and is sustainable.’

The system leverages China’s Gaofen satellite series, which provides frequent high-resolution data enhanced by hyperspectral imagery and lidar technology. Specialists like Wan Huawei have utilized these capabilities to address ecological challenges ranging from invasive Spartina alterniflora mapping to snow leopard conservation efforts through habitat connectivity analysis.

On the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, engineers are building one of China’s most comprehensive biodiversity databases. Field engineer Wang Yongcai and his colleagues document grass species and ecosystem health during extensive summer fieldwork. ‘It’s demanding work, but we believe it’s extremely meaningful,’ says Wang, whose team has achieved over 80% accuracy in plant species identification in pilot areas.

The technological advancement extends to specialized equipment including multifunctional ecological mobile patrol vehicles equipped with self-developed animal recognition models that automatically identify, count, and track wildlife populations. Innovation continues with four-legged robotic ‘dogs’ that autonomously navigate terrain, photograph vegetation, and transmit images in real-time for plant diversity surveys.

According to SACEE chief scientist Gao Jixi, the system represents more than just monitoring tools: ‘It is a sophisticated, multidimensional network engineered specifically for ecological remote sensing needs. The integration of equipment, data and applications links every phase of the monitoring process, requiring extensive collaboration across regions and administrative levels.’

This comprehensive approach supports China’s commitment to implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through sustained technological advancement in ecological monitoring capabilities.

China’s scientific landscape witnessed transformative breakthroughs throughout 2025, positioning the nation at the forefront of global technological advancement. The year’s achievements spanned multiple disciplines, demonstrating remarkable progress in both theoretical research and practical applications.

In quantum technology, Chinese researchers achieved unprecedented computing stability, pushing the boundaries of qubit coherence and error correction. These developments have significant implications for cryptography, drug discovery, and complex system modeling. Parallel to these advances, China’s nuclear fusion program reached critical milestones, with experimental reactors sustaining plasma confinement for record durations, edging closer to viable commercial energy production.

Space exploration efforts accelerated with multiple successful missions, including lunar sample-return operations and the deployment of next-generation orbital telescopes. The deep-sea exploration program simultaneously made groundbreaking discoveries, with manned submersibles documenting previously unknown marine ecosystems and geological formations at extreme depths.

Interdisciplinary collaboration emerged as a defining characteristic of China’s 2025 scientific approach, with research institutions establishing unprecedented data-sharing protocols and international partnerships. The integration of artificial intelligence across research domains accelerated discovery timelines, particularly in materials science and biomedical engineering.

These accomplishments reflect China’s strategic investment in research infrastructure and talent development, with particular emphasis on fostering young innovators and establishing world-class research facilities. The systematic approach to scientific advancement has created synergistic effects across industries, from renewable energy to telecommunications.

A groundbreaking archaeological discovery has reshaped our understanding of early human settlement patterns at extreme altitudes. Chinese researchers have unearthed a Paleolithic site dating back approximately 12,000 years near Tsochen Tso Lake in Daocheng county, located within Sichuan Province’s Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. This remarkable find sits at an elevation exceeding 4,300 meters—the highest-altitude evidence of ancient human activity ever documented on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The excavation, led by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, has yielded more than 190 meticulously crafted stone artifacts. These tools predominantly consist of small flake implements and microblades, demonstrating sophisticated knapping techniques and precision retouching that produced razor-sharp edges capable of processing animal hides and meat efficiently.

According to Zheng Zhexuan, head of the excavation team and director of the Paleolithic Archaeology Institute at the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, this discovery forms a crucial component of the extensive Piluo site complex. This broader archaeological landscape, dating back over 200,000 years with an average altitude of 3,750 meters, represents the earliest, most expansive, and culturally richest known settlement on the plateau.

“This finding indicates that ancient human communities strategically capitalized on warmer climatic intervals to establish settlements alongside plateau lakes more than ten millennia ago,” Zheng explained. “The site demonstrates characteristics of a repeatedly occupied habitat rather than a temporary campsite, suggesting these early populations had developed sustainable adaptive capabilities for high-altitude environments.”

Ongoing multidisciplinary research at the Piluo site complex includes detailed chronology studies and environmental archaeology analyses. Scientists are working to reconstruct precise scenarios of daily life for these ancient plateau dwellers, potentially revealing new insights into human resilience and environmental adaptation strategies during the Paleolithic era.

China’s aerospace program marked another milestone on December 23, 2025, with the inaugural launch of the Long March 12A carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China. The mission demonstrated partial success as the rocket’s second stage successfully achieved its planned orbital insertion, while the first stage recovery attempt ended in failure.

The Long March 12A represents China’s latest advancement in space launch technology, featuring reusable components designed to reduce mission costs and increase launch frequency. This launch was particularly significant as it tested critical technologies for rocket reusability – a key focus area for China’s ambitious space program.

Despite the first stage recovery setback, mission controllers confirmed that the primary objective of delivering payloads to designated orbit was accomplished successfully. The rocket’s performance during ascent and second stage separation met all technical parameters, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

This launch occurs amid China’s accelerated space program that has recently included lunar missions, space station construction, and satellite constellation deployments. Aerospace engineers will analyze the first stage recovery failure data to improve future reusability attempts, with additional Long March 12A launches already scheduled for 2026.