44 h. ago Chinese scientists discover secret to healthy ageing in naked mole

The remarkable longevity and disease resistance of naked mole rats are linked to a version of a protein involved in DNA repair that is also found in humans, Chinese scientists have discovered. The team led by researchers from Shanghai’s Tongji University found that introducing this modified protein in flies and mice reduced the genetic damage associated with ageing and helped to extend lifespan, according to results of their study published earlier this month. Their findings suggest that the...

Science

4 d. ago Chinese team aims to test powerful chip on world’s largest optical telescope

Chinese researchers have developed an optical chip the size of a fingernail that can analyse light in real time with a precision once possible only with bulky laboratory instruments. They hope to test it using the largest optical telescope on Earth. The breakthrough could enable an unprecedented level of visual intelligence in machines ranging from drones and robots to medical scanners and telescopes, according to Fang Lu and her team at Tsinghua University. In a paper published this week by the...

Politics

9 d. ago AI helps Chinese team find protein link in unrelated species with similar traits

Chinese researchers have harnessed artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover hidden shared protein features among species with similar functions that evolved independently. From echolocation in bats and dolphins to the ability to fly, found in both birds and insects, convergent evolution – or the independent emergence of similar traits in unrelated species – has long been of interest to the scientific community. The repeated emergence of the same functional trait provides the opportunity to...

Politics

1 week ago Competition heats up for Hong Kong’s Legco poll as more veterans decline to run

Competition is expected across all three types of constituencies in Hong Kong’s coming Legislative Council election as several veterans will not seek another term and new blood is being “encouraged” to run in only the second poll held since Beijing’s “patriots-only” electoral revamp, the Post has learned. While age has been cited as a reason in some lawmakers’ decision to step away, it is not a factor for others as Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, 75, will seek another term, sources told the Post. In the...

Politics

1 week ago Chinese team makes ‘decisive step’ towards holy grail of next

Scientists say they have cracked the biggest challenge to creating the holy grail of next-generation batteries – a design that could power everything from smartphones to electric cars up to three times longer on a single charge. The team, led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed a self-healing interface that works like a liquid seal. It flows to fill tiny gaps, keeping the battery’s internal layers tightly joined without the heavy pressure and bulky devices previously...

Events

3 w. ago Hydride ion battery breakthrough: Chinese team hits 6x capacity of lithium ion

Chinese scientists have created a new type of battery that uses hydrogen ions to store and release energy, which could offer a safer alternative to conventional lithium-based batteries. The rechargeable, room-temperature stable battery was made possible using a rare earth-based battery electrolyte that harnesses hydride ions, or negatively charged hydrogen ions. Experimental data shows that the battery’s specific capacity – or the amount of electrical charge it can store per unit of mass or...

Events