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China reveals superfast maglev, Viagra's cancer-fighting potential: 7 science highlights

China reveals superfast maglev, Viagra's cancer-fighting potential: 7 science highlights

We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider
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China has demolished 300 dams and shut down most of the small hydropower stations on a major tributary of the upper Yangtze River to safeguard fish populations as part of an effort to restore the ecology of Asia's longest waterway.
China's railway authorities gave the public its first glimpse of a superfast maglev train this week in Beijing. The vehicle, which is currently undergoing testing, could cut travel times in half, according to experts. Photo: Handout
A Chinese-built maglev train that will be the nation's fastest-ever ground transport vehicle has made its public debut in Beijing – an ambitious project that is expected to drastically reduce travel times and cement China's reputation as a world leader in high-speed rail networks.
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‘Obedient' AI partners partly to blame for Hong Kong's low births: lawmaker
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Chinese scientists have proposed a novel method for producing aerogels that significantly improves their heat resistance and mechanical properties, with potential for use in high-speed aircraft and space exploration, according to a paper published this month in a top journal. Aerogels are lightweight, porous solid materials with extremely low density and exceptional thermal insulation properties. They are widely used for insulation or thermal protection in spacecraft , military equipment and electronics. However, despite their superior insulating abilities, conventional aerogels typically suffer from poor mechanical strength, making them vulnerable to pressure or impact. Researchers from Zhejiang University in eastern China have developed a universal preparation technique that enables the creation of aerogels with an internal dome-like cellular structure. By varying the raw materials, hundreds of formulations can be derived, each exhibiting high elasticity. Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Science on July 17. The method, dubbed the '2D channel-confined chemistry' approach, involves the use of nanoscale graphene oxide during production. 'The key lies in the layered assembly process, akin to making a mille-feuille pastry,' explained Xu Zhen, an associate professor at Zhejiang University and one of the paper's corresponding authors.

China, Russia relaunch joint maritime research missions, eyeing Arctic ambitions
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China, Russia relaunch joint maritime research missions, eyeing Arctic ambitions

For the first time in five years, China and Russia have set sail on a joint oceanographic expedition, a research mission to learn more about the evolution of oceans and the forces behind global climate change. Advertisement A total of 25 members from the two countries are on board the research ship Akademik M.A. Lavrentyev, which left the port of Vladivostok on Tuesday, according to China's First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) under the Ministry of Natural Resources. The ninth such expedition for the two countries – and the first since the pandemic – is focused on the effects of a changing climate on deep-sea environments, according to Chinese authorities. The expedition, jointly launched by FIO and the Pacific Oceanological Institute (POI) at the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, is expected to last 45 days, during which researchers will conduct environmental surveys in the Bering Sea and the northwestern Pacific Ocean. They will explore the response systems and feedback effects in the region over the last 126,000 years, a period known as the Late Quaternary. The FIO said on its website that the scientists would investigate source-to-sink sediment processes, which are the cycles of deposit movement from land into water. The joint mission on the scientific vessel Akademik M.A. Lavrentyev is expected to last 45 days. Photo: Xinhua 'The resumption of China-Russia joint oceanographic surveys shows [a] shared commitment to addressing global climate change and exploring cutting-edge marine science, and marks a new chapter in bilateral marine research cooperation,' said Wang Jun, acting head of the Chinese consulate general in Vladivostok, according to a report by state news agency Xinhua.

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