标签： Asia

In a groundbreaking scientific achievement, Chinese researchers at Guangdong Ocean University have successfully created the world’s first gene-edited black goat, designed to withstand high temperatures and humidity. Named ‘Hai Yang’ (Ocean Goat), this innovative breed was born on August 25, 2025, in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, and marks a significant step forward in addressing the challenges posed by climate change on livestock production. The goat, which underwent editing of the PRLR (prolactin receptor) gene, has demonstrated remarkable resilience to heat stress, maintaining a robust appetite and faster weight gain compared to non-edited counterparts. According to Gan Shangquan, the chief scientist leading the project, Hai Yang has grown to weigh nearly 4,300 grams, outperforming the control group by 300 grams. This development is particularly crucial for southern China and other tropical coastal regions, where heat stress has historically caused significant economic losses in the livestock industry. The research team, which began its work in November 2022, plans to expand the program with additional batches of gene-edited goats expected later this year. The project not only highlights China’s leadership in livestock biological breeding but also offers a sustainable solution to ensure food security in the face of global warming.

In the arid expanse of the Taklimakan Desert, a remarkable tale of symbiosis unfolds between the saxaul tree and the cistanche herb, offering a sustainable solution to desertification. The saxaul seed, known for its rapid germination, takes root in the sandy soil of Xinjiang’s southern desert edge. Within hours, it sprouts, braving harsh ultraviolet radiation and relentless sandstorms. Its grayish-white branches sway in the wind, forming a natural barrier against drifting sand while its deep roots tap into scarce groundwater. Beneath the surface, the cistanche herb thrives parasitically, embedding its roots into the saxaul’s vascular system to absorb water and nutrients. Each spring, the cistanche’s stem emerges, releasing a sweet fragrance that attracts honeybees. These bees, in turn, facilitate pollination, ensuring the propagation of both species. This intricate relationship not only stabilizes the desert but also provides economic benefits. Cistanche, dubbed ‘desert ginseng,’ is a valuable medicinal herb cultivated alongside saxaul forests. Farmers rent beehives to enhance pollination, creating a virtuous cycle where ecological protection and economic gains coexist. This model exemplifies China’s ‘edge-locking’ project, which aims to encircle the Taklimakan Desert with artificial vegetation. Li Peng, a veteran of desert control in Xinjiang, emphasizes the complexity of such initiatives, highlighting the need for systematic planning in water management, infrastructure, and maintenance. This innovative approach demonstrates how nature’s resilience, coupled with human ingenuity, can transform barren landscapes into thriving ecosystems.

China has successfully concluded its first-ever collaborative deep-sea manned submersible operation, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s polar research capabilities. The mission, which spanned 98 days, primarily focused on the Arctic Circle and was carried out by the Tansuo 3, the world’s first ice-breaking manned deep-sea submersible support vessel. The expedition, jointly organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, utilized China’s domestically developed submersibles, Fendouzhe and Jiaolong. During the mission, the team navigated 1,989 nautical miles through ice-covered waters, conducting 43 dive missions. Notably, Jiaolong and Fendouzhe performed cooperative operations, including dual-submersible positioning searches and underwater motion filming, a first for China. The team also achieved the world’s first manned deep-sea exploration of the Gakkel Ridge, a tectonic plate boundary in the Arctic’s central basin. Fendouzhe completed 32 dives, reaching a maximum depth of 5,277 meters and enduring extreme polar conditions. The mission validated the operational capabilities of Fendouzhe and Tansuo 3 in polar ice-covered regions, establishing new protocols for extreme conditions and pioneering a mobile ice-diving model. This effort has cultivated a specialized polar deep-diving research team, positioning China as the only nation capable of continuous manned submersible operations in Arctic dense ice zones. The expedition collected valuable water, sediment, rock, and biological samples, providing critical scientific support for studying Arctic climate change, geological processes, and polar life evolution.