标签： Asia

China has made significant strides in space exploration during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), achieving numerous breakthroughs that have contributed to humanity’s understanding of space and technological advancements. The completion of China’s space station, the first-ever sampling of soil from the far side of the moon, and the exploration of Mars are among the key milestones. The space station, which became operational with the launch of the Tianhe core module in April 2021, now hosts a variety of scientific experiments and international collaborations. The Chang’e 6 mission successfully returned lunar samples from the moon’s far side, providing valuable insights into lunar geology. Additionally, the Tianwen 1 mission has expanded our knowledge of Mars, with the rover discovering evidence of an ancient ocean. Looking ahead, China plans to continue its space exploration efforts with missions like Chang’e 7, Chang’e 8, and Tianwen 3, aiming to further scientific research and international cooperation.

Renowned physicist Chen Ning Yang, a Nobel Prize laureate and one of the most influential figures in modern physics, passed away in Beijing on Saturday at the age of 103. Tsinghua University, where Yang both studied and taught, confirmed his death in a statement, attributing it to an unspecified illness. The university hailed Yang as one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century, emphasizing his groundbreaking contributions to the field of physics and his significant role in advancing China’s scientific and educational landscape. Yang, along with Tsung-Dao Lee, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957 for their groundbreaking work on parity laws, which led to pivotal discoveries in elementary particle physics. This achievement marked them as the first Chinese-born physicists to receive the prestigious award. In his Nobel Banquet speech, Yang reflected on his dual heritage, expressing pride in his Chinese roots while acknowledging his deep connection to Western scientific traditions. He famously stated, ‘I am heavy with an awareness of the fact that I am in more than one sense a product of both the Chinese and Western cultures, in harmony and in conflict.’ Yang’s legacy also includes the development of the Yang–Mills theory, a cornerstone of modern physics, which he co-authored with American physicist Robert Mills. Born in 1922 on the Tsinghua University campus, where his father was a mathematics professor, Yang pursued his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Tsinghua before earning his doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1946. He was profoundly influenced by Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi, a fellow Nobel laureate. Yang’s academic career spanned prestigious institutions, including the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he served as a distinguished Professor-at-large and made generous donations, including his Nobel Prize. In 2015, Yang renounced his U.S. citizenship, a decision he described as difficult but necessary, reflecting on the opportunities the country had provided him. He is survived by three children.

Chen Ning Yang, a towering figure in the world of physics and a Nobel Prize laureate, has passed away at the age of 103, as reported by Chinese state media. The cause of death was cited as illness in an obituary released by CCTV. Yang, alongside fellow physicist Lee Tsung-Dao, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957 for their groundbreaking work on parity laws, which significantly advanced the understanding of elementary particles, the fundamental components of matter. Born in 1922 in Anhui province, China, Yang grew up on the campus of Tsinghua University, where his father was a mathematics professor. From a young age, Yang harbored ambitions of winning the Nobel Prize, a dream he realized at the age of 35. His academic journey took him from National Southwest Associated University in Kunming, where he earned his science degree in 1942, to Tsinghua University for his master’s, and eventually to the University of Chicago on a fellowship. There, he studied under Enrico Fermi, the inventor of the world’s first nuclear reactor. Yang’s career spanned various areas of physics, with a particular focus on statistical mechanics and symmetry principles. His contributions to the field were recognized with numerous accolades, including the Albert Einstein Commemorative Award in 1957 and an honorary doctorate from Princeton University in 1958. Yang’s personal life saw him marry twice, first to Chih Li Tu, with whom he had three children, and later to Weng Fan, whom he described as his ‘final blessing from God.’