Scientists have harnessed ancient DNA to reconstruct the intricate social structure of one of China's earliest cities, revealing a genetically diverse society anchored in the authority of patrilineal clans. The research published on Thursday in Nature presents the first direct genetic evidence regarding the origins of the Shimao population -- the builders of Shimao, a massive Neolithic walled settlement in northern China that thrived around 4,300 years ago and was abandoned about 500 years later.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as Asia's "water tower", holds an estimated 10 trillion cubic meters of surface water storage, a resource scientists say is increasingly vital to water security for more than two billion people across the continent. The new findings — released on Nov 19 in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region — highlight both the plateau's rising hydrological importance and the growing environmental risks it faces.
A series of scientific satellites launched by China have achieved major discoveries in fields such as cosmic transient objects, cosmic-ray propagation and solar eruptions, renewing humanity's understanding of the universe. Since the launch of a CAS space science program in 2011, eight scientific satellites have been sent into space.
China on Monday launched an international science program focused on fusion burning plasma research in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, opening several major fusion research platforms to global scientists for joint scientific advancements. This international program, initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Plasma Physics, will provide global access to the country's multiple major fusion research platforms, including the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) facility in Hefei.
China's Tiangong space station is set to welcome another spectacled visitor. ZHANG Hongzhang, researcher from a leading natural science institute, will conduct experiments in orbit 400 km above Earth, elevating his quest for achieving groundbreaking studies to cosmic heights. The 39-year-old space debutant is a payload specialist on the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission, which is scheduled for launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China late on Friday.
For nearly 10 years, Tajik geologist Dzhovid Yogibekov has made his life in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where his studies have grown into a deep connection with local society. Xinjiang, which borders Tajikistan, is easily accessible from his home country. Yogibekov said he could reach Tajikistan in just a few hours via the Karasu Port in Kashgar, which makes it more convenient for him to study in the region.
After her neuroimaging research at Germany's Max Planck Institute, Dr. LI Juan chose to join the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) – drawn by its global reputation and the synergy between her work and NIMTE's Nanobiomaterials Group. She collaborates with a vibrant team, pioneering novel biomaterials and smart biomedical probes for the precision diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
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