science

For a Team of Chinese Scientists, the Oyster Is Their World

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Inspired by oysters’ natural grip, a team of researchers from Zhejiang have created a bio-glue to fuse shattered bones, a world first.

Jiang Xinyi

Shanghai Pilot Offers Grants to Help New Mothers Stay in Science

The city’s Chinese Academy of Sciences branch is offering one-time grants to new mothers in science, aiming to offset career setbacks from childbirth.

Chen Yiru

Samples From China’s Chang’e Mission Rewrite Moon’s Violent History

Analysis of rock samples brought back from the far side of the Moon in June 2024 suggests that our only natural satellite’s crater formation period began 100 million years earlier than previously believed.

The Chinese Neuroscientists Mapping Feelings Through Art

At Tsinghua University’s Neural Engineering Lab, researchers are using brain-computer interfaces to study how people respond to live art.

He Qitong

Breathe Easy: Chinese Device Offers No-Needle Diabetes Tracking

The device analyzes acetone in exhaled breath, offering a faster, noninvasive alternative to traditional blood tests.

Chinese Scientists Detect New ‘Super-Earth’ 2,500 Light Years Away

The breakthrough came using a cutting-edge observational method that detects unseen planets via subtle deviations in their orbit.

The Mother Line: Oldest Matrilineal Society Unearthed in China

An archeological site in Shandong province has provided evidence of a matrilineal society dating back to 2750 to 2500 BC, shattering previous assumptions.

Ding Rui

Chinese Scientists Use Gene Therapy to Cure Thalassemia in Children

Geneticists have used a cutting-edge DNA base editing treatment on several patients to cure thalassemia, a prevalent and severe genetic blood disease.

‘A Needle in a Haystack’: How a New Study Could Revolutionize Parkinson’s Treatment

Your questions, answered. In-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China.

Q & A

Five years ago, Wu Kaimin was worried her dissertation proposal might not be approved. Now, her research could fundamentally alter how doctors treat Parkinson’s.

China’s Antarctic Outpost Swaps Fossil Fuels for Hydrogen, Wind

The renewable energy system ensures stable power in Antarctica’s extreme conditions, and is estimated to cut fossil fuel use by more than 100 tons annually.

Learning to Fly: How a Jurassic Fossil Decodes the History of Flight

Paleontologist Wang Min on the luck, science, and persistence behind a groundbreaking find.

Meet China’s ‘Six Little Dragons’

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

The Hangzhou-based firms have upended China’s tech scene — and sent governments across China scrambling for their own champions.

Liu Yuanju

New China-Led Study Links Pesticides to Massive Ecological Damage

The study, involving experts from multiple countries, reveals the harmful effects of pesticide use on non-target species, and urges urgent policy shifts toward eco-friendly alternatives.

Fan Yiying

New Fossil in China Pushes Bird Origins Back 20 Million Years

The fossil, dating back 172 million years, may reshape our understanding of bird evolution and early flight.

In a First, Chinese Scientists ‘Heal’ Lithium Batteries

In a paper published Wednesday, Chinese scientists claim to be able to extend the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries by “an order of magnitude.”

Li Xin

Xs and Whys: China's Top Math Coach Looks Back

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

A Chinese national team head coach talks on the triumphs and recent travails of the popular mathematics competition in China.

The Paper

Jay Chou’s Hits Are Now Crawling Into Science — As Spider Names

Instead of traditional naming based on traits or location, a Chinese arachnologist turned to Jay Chou’s discography, naming 16 species after his hits.

The Fish That Spun, Flipped, and Laid Eggs Aboard China’s Space Station

Four zebrafish spent 43 days in orbit aboard the Tiangong space station, breaking records and advancing space biology. In 2025, China will send more.

China Develops Groundbreaking New Breast Cancer Treatment

Trials suggest the new therapy can improve treatment outcomes for triple-negative breast cancer by over 12%.

Chinese Astronauts Break Record for Longest Space Walk

The Shenzhou-19 crew members completed a nine-hour extravehicular activity on Tuesday, breaking a record set by NASA in 2001.