分类： science

In a remarkable wildlife photography achievement, a photographer in Yingjiang county, Yunnan province has set a new national record by capturing seventeen collared falconets (Microhierax caerulescens) in a single photographic frame. The unprecedented sighting occurred on December 5, 2025, within the Chinese Hornbill Valley sector of the Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve’s Benghe area.

The observation significantly surpasses the previous national benchmark established in 2022, when fifteen of these diminutive raptors were photographed together. Footage from the recent encounter reveals the falconets exhibiting natural behaviors while perched serenely on branches, with several individuals engaged in mutual preening—a social behavior that underscores their complex interpersonal dynamics.

Collared falconets rank among the smallest raptors globally, with adults typically measuring 14-18 centimeters in length and weighing approximately 35-50 grams. Their presence in such substantial numbers within Tongbiguan Nature Reserve provides compelling evidence of the region’s robust ecosystem health and conservation success. The nature reserve, recognized for its exceptional biodiversity, serves as critical habitat for numerous endangered species.

This record-breaking documentation offers valuable insights into the collective behavior and population density of these elusive birds, contributing significantly to ornithological research and conservation efforts. The photographic evidence has been authenticated by local wildlife authorities, confirming both the species identification and count accuracy.

The achievement highlights the growing importance of photographic documentation in contemporary wildlife research and monitoring, demonstrating how technological advancements continue to expand our understanding of avian behavior and population dynamics in their natural habitats.

China’s aerospace program achieved another milestone on December 10, 2025, with the successful launch of the Lijian 1 (Kinetica 1 Y11) carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission, which commenced at precisely 12:03 pm Beijing Time, marked a significant advancement in China’s commercial space capabilities and international space cooperation.

The launch originated from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone, a dedicated facility supporting China’s growing private space industry. The rocket performed flawlessly, transporting nine satellites into their predetermined orbits with precision engineering. Among the deployed payloads was the UAE’s ‘813’ satellite, a sophisticated Earth observation instrument designed for comprehensive environmental monitoring.

This mission represents the eleventh flight of the Lijian 1 rocket series, demonstrating China’s consistent progress in reusable rocket technology and satellite deployment capabilities. The international collaboration aspect is particularly noteworthy, as the UAE satellite joins China’s own constellation of Earth observation and communication satellites.

The successful deployment underscores China’s expanding role in the global space economy, offering reliable launch services to international partners while advancing its own technological infrastructure. The mission also highlights the increasing importance of public-private partnerships in space exploration, with commercial entities playing a crucial role in China’s space ambitions.

This achievement follows China’s recent advancements in space station construction, lunar exploration, and Mars missions, positioning the country as a comprehensive space power with both government-led and commercially-driven space capabilities.

In a significant milestone for China’s space program, the three-member crew of the Shenzhou XXI mission has successfully executed their first extravehicular activity outside the Tiangong space station. The operation, which lasted approximately eight hours, represents the 25th spacewalk conducted by Chinese taikonauts since the nation began its manned spaceflight endeavors.

Mission Commander Senior Colonel Zhang Lu and Spaceflight Engineer Major Wu Fei ventured into the vacuum of space at 11:45 AM Beijing Time on Tuesday, while Payload Specialist Zhang Hongzhang provided crucial support from within the station’s pressurized modules. The astronauts worked in concert with ground control teams and utilized the station’s sophisticated robotic arm to complete a series of complex tasks.

The primary objective involved the installation of enhanced protective shielding designed to mitigate risks from space debris impacts—a growing concern in increasingly congested orbital pathways. Additionally, the team replaced aging external instruments with upgraded scientific equipment and conducted thorough inspections of the station’s exterior components.

Of particular significance was their examination of the Shenzhou XX spacecraft’s reentry capsule, specifically documenting damage sustained by one of its windows from a micro-debris strike. This previously undisclosed incident had reportedly delayed the return of the previous crew, highlighting the very real dangers posed by orbital debris.

Notably, 32-year-old Major Wu Fei made history as the youngest Chinese astronaut to perform a spacewalk, surpassing the previous record held by 34-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Tang Shengjie.

The current mission marks China’s 16th manned spaceflight and the 10th expedition crew to inhabit Tiangong—presently the only space station operated independently by a single nation. Having resided aboard the orbital complex for nearly 40 days since their November 1 arrival, the crew has conducted extensive system checks, emergency preparedness drills, and robotic arm operations.

Future mission activities may include additional spacewalks and potential repairs to the damaged Shenzhou XX spacecraft viewport, contingent upon technical feasibility and mission priorities.

Two Chinese scientists have earned prestigious positions on Nature’s annual list of the top 10 individuals shaping global scientific progress in 2025. The recognition highlights China’s growing influence across both artificial intelligence and deep-sea exploration research domains.

Liang Wenfeng, the 40-year-old founder of DeepSeek, was honored as a ‘tech disruptor’ for revolutionizing artificial intelligence development. Nature specifically acknowledged his groundbreaking launch of an exceptionally powerful yet cost-effective large language model that fundamentally challenged prevailing assumptions about global AI capabilities. By making his model’s weights openly accessible—an unprecedented move in the industry—Liang provided researchers worldwide with free access to download and build upon the technology, accelerating innovation across multiple scientific disciplines.

According to research Liang published in Nature this September, his model demonstrates remarkable problem-solving capacity as a reasoning engine while maintaining remarkably low training costs. The entire development process for the basic model required just $6 million, significantly less than comparable investments by competing organizations.

Simultaneously, geoscientist Du Mengran from the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences received recognition as a ‘deep diver’ for her pioneering work in hadal zone exploration. Currently leading a new expedition, Du emphasized that Nature’s selection represents neither a prize nor ranking but rather an editorial compilation highlighting significant scientific developments.

Her work focuses on the ocean’s deepest layers extending beyond 6,000 meters, where she observed Earth’s deepest known chemosynthetic ecosystems. Studying these extreme environments provides crucial insights into survival mechanisms that could advance life sciences research and enhance understanding of the global carbon cycle.

Du highlighted the extraordinary challenges of deep-sea exploration, noting that factors like extreme pressure, limited visibility, and frigid temperatures make these missions arguably more demanding than space exploration. She credited China’s strategic foresight in developing advanced diving equipment, creating novel materials, and leading global trench exploration initiatives over the past decade.

The scientist’s findings were made possible through last year’s expedition using China’s domestically developed Fendouzhe submersible, which conducted 24 dives averaging six hours each. Du characterized the honor as belonging not to her individually but to the entire hadal exploration team, embodying the collaborative spirit of scientific discovery.

Chinese researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery in plant biology by identifying a fundamental mechanism that governs the function of plant stem cells. This breakthrough, published in the prestigious journal Science, reveals how mechanical properties of plant cell walls regulate stem cell activity—a finding with profound implications for future crop improvement strategies.

The research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences demonstrated that the cell wall, traditionally considered a static structural component, dynamically participates in plant development. They discovered that pectin, the primary cell wall component, exhibits a bimodal distribution in stem cell regions at plant shoot tips. Mature cell walls maintain rigidity through highly methylesterified pectin, while newly formed walls during cell division remain soft and flexible due to de-methylesterified pectin.

Central to this process is the identification of PME5, a key enzyme that softens pectin through precise regulation. The researchers uncovered a sophisticated nuclear sequestration mechanism where PME5 messenger RNA remains confined within the nucleus until cell division occurs. During division, nuclear disassembly releases the mRNA, enabling immediate translation into the PME5 enzyme that targets new cell walls at exactly the right time and location.

This decade-long research project revealed that this regulatory mechanism is not unique to PME5 but shared by several related enzymes. The bimodal wall pattern was observed across diverse crop species, indicating it represents a fundamental aspect of plant growth architecture. The findings provide both theoretical foundation and technological pathway for programming stem cell activity to optimize plant structures, potentially leading to enhanced crop yields, improved quality, and greater resilience against environmental stresses.

The discovery opens new avenues for agricultural innovation, offering scientists the ability to potentially design plants with larger grains, increased tillers, and bigger fruits. This advancement holds significant promise for addressing global food security challenges by enabling more precise control over crop development processes.

Two exceptional Chinese scientists have secured positions on Nature magazine’s highly selective “Nature’s 10” list for 2025, recognizing individuals driving transformative developments in global scientific research. Liang Wenfeng, founder of AI research company DeepSeek, and geoscientist Du Mengran join eight other international innovators on this year’s roster of scientific influencers.

Liang Wenfeng’s inclusion comes as recognition for his groundbreaking work in advancing large-scale artificial intelligence models that are fundamentally reshaping research methodologies and innovation ecosystems worldwide. His contributions represent China’s growing influence in the AI revolution that is transforming scientific discovery across disciplines.

Meanwhile, Du Mengran has been honored for her pioneering achievements in deep-sea exploration, pushing the boundaries of oceanographic research and expanding our understanding of marine ecosystems and geological processes. Her work exemplifies China’s expanding capabilities in deep-sea technology and marine science.

Nature’s editorial team emphasized that the selection is neither a prize nor a ranking system, but rather a curated exploration of significant scientific developments and the key individuals—often working within larger research teams—who have played pivotal roles in advancing these stories. The list serves as a barometer of where science is heading and who is helping to shape its trajectory.

The dual recognition underscores China’s increasingly prominent role in global scientific advancement, particularly in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence and deep-sea exploration. Both scientists represent the country’s growing contribution to addressing complex scientific challenges and driving innovation at the international level.

In a remarkable conservation success story, retired ornithologist Liu Yinzeng recounts his historic discovery that rescued the crested ibis from near-certain extinction. Now 88, the dedicated scientist has relocated from Beijing to Yangxian, Shaanxi province—the very location where his breakthrough finding occurred over four decades ago.

Each morning, Dr. Liu conducts his cherished ritual: driving his electric buggy to nearby wetlands to observe the thriving crested ibis population. “I’ve counted carefully many times,” he notes with evident pride, “and now one out of every ten egrets you see here in Yangxian is actually a crested ibis.”

The turning point came in May 1981 when Dr. Liu, then with the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Zoology, discovered the world’s last seven surviving crested ibises—two adult pairs and three chicks—after an exhaustive three-year search spanning 50,000 kilometers across China. He had nearly concluded the species was extinct, having prepared a research paper to that effect.

The breakthrough emerged unexpectedly when a hunter presented three feathers that Dr. Liu’s expertise confirmed belonged to the sought-after species. With additional funding secured, he shifted strategy in Yangxian, mobilizing local communities by projecting images of the bird on cinema screens before film screenings.

The critical lead arrived from hunter He Choudan, whose detailed description matched the crested ibis despite an unusual high-altitude sighting. Dr. Liu immediately investigated and, while descending a hillside at dusk, spotted a bird with distinctive red feathers beneath its wings—the telltale sign of a crested ibis. Though excitement caused a fall that momentarily lost the bird, three days of persistent searching culminated in the historic discovery of the seven remaining birds.

Following the discovery, Dr. Liu and colleagues implemented round-the-clock protection, particularly during March-June breeding seasons. The Yangxian government issued emergency protections prohibiting hunting, land reclamation, and deforestation within the birds’ habitat, with local residents making “tremendous sacrifices” to support conservation efforts.

From those seven birds, the population has rebounded to over 7,000 crested ibises in China as of late 2024, with Yangxian remaining the species’ stronghold—a living testament to dedicated scientific perseverance and community-supported conservation.

Over 100 leading researchers convened in Beijing on December 8, 2025, for the second Yuyuantan Conference on Research Integrity, addressing critical challenges in artificial intelligence adoption within academic circles. The gathering marked the release of the comprehensive Guideline on the Boundaries of AI-Generated Content Usage in Academic Publishing 3.0, establishing unprecedented standards for ethical AI implementation throughout research processes.

The newly unveiled framework provides detailed protocols across all stages of academic work, from literature review to post-publication practices. While endorsing AI assistance for reference collection, categorization, and conclusion summarization, the guideline mandates rigorous human verification of all AI-generated content. It specifically addresses the risks of fabricated citations, outdated references, and algorithmic hallucinations, requiring researchers to maintain ultimate accountability for all published content.

Academician Tan Tieniu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences emphasized the fundamental principle of researcher responsibility during his keynote address. ‘We must clarify researchers’ primary accountability as AI users and standardize disclosure requirements for AI utilization in academic papers,’ stated Tan, who also serves as Secretary of the Communist Party of China Nanjing University Committee. He advocated for expanded AI training programs and international collaborative governance to establish universal norms and advance Chinese technological standards globally.

The timing of these developments coincides with revealing data from Elsevier’s Research of the Future report, which surveyed over 3,200 researchers across 113 countries. The study identifies Chinese researchers as the world’s most active AI adopters, with 69% reporting utilization compared to the global average of 58%. Approximately 66% of Chinese respondents expressed confidence in AI’s potential to enhance research quality.

Gemma Hersh, Elsevier’s Senior Vice-President for Primary Research, acknowledged China’s leadership in both technological innovation and research quality improvement. ‘China has always published substantial research, but the last decade has witnessed remarkable quality enhancement—a significant achievement potentially accelerated by AI adoption,’ Hersh noted. She highlighted transparency and traceability as universal needs within the research community, with Elsevier developing supportive tools including Scopus AI, ScienceDirect AI, and the upcoming Leap Space platform.

Associate Professor Geng Peng of Tianjin Foreign Studies University’s School of Communication praised the guidelines for establishing clear boundaries, research norms, and disciplinary evaluation criteria. The framework provides explicit guidance for researchers to utilize AIGC tools as scientific assistants while maintaining academic integrity and human oversight throughout the research lifecycle.

Paleontologists have made a significant discovery in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, unearthing a remarkable collection of prehistoric footprints dating back approximately 200 million years. The fossilized tracks, located on a rock wall in Dujiangyan city, were initially spotted by an observant hiker last month before being formally authenticated by a scientific team.

Led by Associate Professor Xing Lida from China University of Geosciences (Beijing), the research team confirmed the presence of more than 20 distinct vertebrate footprints representing multiple species from the Late Triassic period. This groundbreaking finding marks the first documented occurrence of dinosaur footprints in the Dujiangyan region.

The assemblage includes diverse track types, ranging from theropod impressions of varying sizes—attributed to carnivorous dinosaurs—to distinctive chirotherian-type tracks characterized by their hand-like appearance, typically associated with early archosaur reptiles.

Professor Xing emphasized the site’s exceptional scientific value, noting that “at least four distinct stratigraphic layers preserve these footprints, indicating sustained dinosaur activity in this area over an extended geological timeframe.”

Complementing the fossilized tracks, researchers discovered petrified wood specimens nearby, including both fallen logs and upright stumps preserved in their original positions. These botanical remains provide crucial contextual information about the Triassic ecosystem that once thrived in this region.

Jiang Shan, a researcher at Zigong Dinosaur Museum, highlighted the discovery’s importance for understanding dinosaur evolution in East Asia, stating that these well-preserved impressions offer invaluable insights into the early diversification and behavioral patterns of dinosaurs in what is now modern China.