Latest news with #SouthChinaSeaInstituteofOceanology
India.com
17-07-2025
- Science
- India.com
China is hunting for 'treasure' in the Indian Ocean with help from US's NASA; what's really happening in India's neighborhood?
There is a power struggle between the United States and China in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese presence and activities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) have increased substantially in the last few years. This is undoubtedly unsettling for both India, with the challenge of China's immediate presence in its neighborhood, and for the United States, which is becoming increasingly concerned about Beijing's expanding influence. What is the 'treasure' China is searching for beneath the Indian Ocean? The fight for supremacy in the Indian Ocean is well known, as is the clash between the two nations for control over the global mineral resource wealth. In this context, a surprising fact has come to light — it has now been disclosed that America has been a key player in assisting China with its mining efforts in the Indian Ocean. As per a recent article from the South China Morning Post(SCMP), scientists in China have expressed appreciation to NASA, the U.S. space agency, for providing China with very significant data about the Indian Ocean. Chinese oceanographers have been using this information to expedite the search for minerals in the Indian Ocean. On June 12, the Chinese research team published a paper in the 'Chinese Journal of Tropical Oceanography' on how the satellite data boosted their research, reported the South China Morning Post. The team led by Mao Huabin, of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, wrote, 'Thank you, Nasa … for providing the gravitational field data.' What kind of data did NASA provide, and how did China access it? Such unexpected collaboration has raised several questions: Why are two competitors— China and the U.S.— partnering in India's backyard? What's driving this unlikely relationship? According to the report, the U.S. agency did not directly assist China. But the United States' twin GRACE satellites detected an unusual pattern southeast of India while mapping the oceans. Afterwards, NASA detected an unusual spike in gravity readings over a relatively flat seabed several thousand metres deep. The space agency then made this data publicly available online, free for anyone to access and use. Who is helping China in this deep-sea exploration mission—directly or indirectly? Chinese oceanographers who came across the data decided to dig deeper. In 2022, they outfitted the Shiyan 6, one of the most advanced research vessels in the world, with advanced instruments and went on a deep-sea trip of more than 12,000 nautical miles. Chinese researchers found that regions of the oceanic crust where these layers were upthrust upward were enriched with minerals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and rare Earths. This upthrust was attributed to underlying magma. They were able to discover the target areas for exploration, saving years of investigation and millions of dollars in the process. In appreciation, Mao Huabin's team from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology wrote, 'Thank you, Nasa … for providing the gravitational field data.' U.S. legislation prohibits NASA from working with China in any aspect. According to the South China Morning Post(SCMP) report, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment(GRACE) project is a multi-national initiative process in Potsdam, Germany; that is to say, access to the gravity measurements is disseminated via academic channels without any government military agendas, hence the Chinese scientists were not impeded in by international regulations. The Chinese research team thanked not only NASA but also the German Aerospace Centre for the public data. As deep-sea mining is becoming more urgent internationally, it is clear that the race to exploit underwater mineral resources is accelerating. In April, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order effectively permitting American companies to engage in deep-sea mining without needing authorization through the United Nations. This illustrates how serious the U.S. government is about extending its influence over marine mining. China has United Nations permission to explore the Indian Ocean and other international waters. It has more submersibles capable of going to the ocean's deepest trenches than anyone else. Chinese shipyards are constructing vessels at nearly 200 times the pace of the U.S. shipyards, according to the report.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China to build deepwater station in South China Sea
China has approved the construction of a deep-sea research facility in the South China Sea to support marine exploration. The station is claimed to be one of the deepest and most technologically advanced underwater installations globally, with a target operational date of around 2030. The design details of the station were disclosed by researcher Yin Jianping, from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with his colleagues, in an article published in the journal Manufacturing and Upgrading Today. "Construction is set to begin shortly," wrote Yin and his team, who also mentioned that the aim was for the station to collaborate closely with unmanned submersibles, surface vessels, and seabed observatories to establish a "four-dimensional" monitoring network. To be built 2,000m below the surface in an area said to be rich with resources and subject to multiple territorial claims, the South China Morning Post reported that the research station will study cold seep ecosystems, which are methane-rich hydrothermal vents with unique lifeforms. The facility will be designed to accommodate up to six scientists for missions lasting up to one month. It will feature advanced life-support systems to enable the establishment of a monitoring network for tracking methane fluxes, ecological changes, and tectonic movements. The station is expected to be part of a larger infrastructure network, including a seabed fibreoptic network and the drilling ship Mengxiang, which has ambitions to be the first to reach the Earth's mantle. The power source for the station remains undisclosed, but experts have compared it to US and Soviet-era stations that used nuclear reactors. The South China Sea is estimated to hold 70 billion tonnes of methane hydrates, which is approximately half of China's proven oil and gas reserves. The region also boasts rare mineral deposits such as cobalt and nickel, with concentrations three times higher than those found in land-based mines. Additionally, more than 600 species adapted to extreme conditions have been identified in the area, some with enzymes that are seen as crucial for cancer treatments. "China to build deepwater station in South China Sea" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stripey-faced fish named after warrior princess San
A newly discovered deepwater fish has been named after San, the warrior princess from Studio Ghibli's landmark animated film Princess Mononoke, due to its striking facial markings. The new species, Branchiostegus sanae, was identified by Chinese researchers after they noticed its unique cheek stripes. San, a princess raised by wolves, was the war-painted protagonist of Hayao Miyazaki's 1997 animated film. Princess Mononoke was a sensation in Japan and grossed over 19 billion yen (£100.4m) at the box office. The newly discovered fish is a deepwater tilefish, belonging to the family Branchiostegidae. As their name suggests, deepwater tilefish are found at extreme depths, with some species being found as deep as 600m below the surface. Researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, the Chinese Academy of Science, Zhejiang University and Ocean University of China, used genetic analysis to confirm it as a new species. Inspired by its resemblance to San, they chose "sanae" for the specific name as a tribute. Lead author of the study Haochen Huang said: "In Princess Mononoke, San is a young woman raised by wolves after being abandoned by her human parents. She sees herself as a part of the forest and fights to protect it. "The film delves into the complex relationship between humans and nature, promoting a message of harmonious coexistence between the two: something we hope to echo through this naming." Deepwater tilefish are commonly found in seafood markets across east and southeast Asia. However their diversity remains relatively low, with only 31 described species in the Branchiostegidae family and 19 in the Branchiostegus genus. "Finding a new species in this group is a rare and fortunate event, especially one as distinctive as Branchiostegus sanae," said Haochen Huang. Only three new species in the genus Branchiostegus have been identified in the last 34 years. Specimens have been preserved in marine biological collections to help scientists learn more about them.
BBC News
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Princess Mononoke's San inspires naming of deep-sea fish
A newly discovered deepwater fish has been named after San, the warrior princess from Studio Ghibli's landmark animated film Princess Mononoke, due to its striking facial new species, Branchiostegus sanae, was identified by Chinese researchers after they noticed its unique cheek a princess raised by wolves, was the war-painted protagonist of Hayao Miyazaki's 1997 animated Mononoke was a sensation in Japan and grossed over 19 billion yen (£100.4m) at the box office. The newly discovered fish is a deepwater tilefish, belonging to the family their name suggests, deepwater tilefish are found at extreme depths, with some species being found as deep as 600m below the from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, the Chinese Academy of Science, Zhejiang University and Ocean University of China, used genetic analysis to confirm it as a new by its resemblance to San, they chose "sanae" for the specific name as a author of the study Haochen Huang said: "In Princess Mononoke, San is a young woman raised by wolves after being abandoned by her human parents. She sees herself as a part of the forest and fights to protect it."The film delves into the complex relationship between humans and nature, promoting a message of harmonious coexistence between the two: something we hope to echo through this naming." Deepwater tilefish are commonly found in seafood markets across east and southeast their diversity remains relatively low, with only 31 described species in the Branchiostegidae family and 19 in the Branchiostegus genus."Finding a new species in this group is a rare and fortunate event, especially one as distinctive as Branchiostegus sanae," said Haochen three new species in the genus Branchiostegus have been identified in the last 34 have been preserved in marine biological collections to help scientists learn more about them.
