The World's Largest Human Talent Pool

A scientist talking to a robo-guard, one of the areas in which China has increased its research and development investment.

Since China raised the strategy of “developing China through science and technology” in 1995, it has consistently increased investment in scientific research; it exceeded RMB 300 billion -- or 1.4 percent of China’s GDP-- in 2006. China currently ranks a world number one as regards its 35 million scientific and technological personnel. The 1.36 million within this number that work in research and development give China a world number two ranking in this field. The total number of college students in China is currently 25 million, and its 5 million that annually constitute a huge reserve of talent.

US Acknowledges Traditional Chinese Medicine as Science

The US has differentiated traditional medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), from complementary and alternative medicine. It is now considered an independent scientific system with complete theory and practice, rather than a supplement to Western mainstream medicine. The US NCCAM and FDA regard traditional medicine as independent from, or parallel to, Western mainstream medicine, by virtue of its unique cultural heritage. Both possess common elements, such as the belief in the capacity to self-heal, and distinct therapeutic methods.

Wars Caused by Climatic Changes

The output of Chinese caterpillar fungus in its main areas of growth has plummeted.

After carrying out research on the past 1,000 years of Chinese history, Hong Kong researchers conclude that food shortages owing to a frigid climate caused many wars during this period. From the year 1000 to 1911, wars in eastern China generally occurred 10 to 30 years after the onset of cold periods, according to a research group headed by Professor David Zhang of the Geology Department of Hong Kong University. The group's conclusions support the theory that future climatic changes will influence water resources and food production, and cause confrontations. This phenomenon has not been limited to China. Wars in Europe, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Ottoman Empire frequently occurred during the coldest periods of the Lesser Ice Age. But not all scholars agree with this point of view. While some allow that climate may have been one of the factors that let to wars, they add the caveat that overemphasis on it would distort the common understanding of history.

Output of Chinese Caterpillar Fungus Plummets

Results of the latest field survey by the Chinese Academy of Sciences show that the output of Chinese caterpillar fungus in its main producing areas is less than 10 percent of that 25 years ago. Chinese caterpillar fungus grows in alpine meadows at an altitude of between 4,200 and 5,400 meters above sea level. It is a precious tonic that sells for as much as RMB 340,000 per kilogram. The survey reveals that caterpillar fungus has not grown in 40 percent of the areas where it was formerly found for many years. As scientists have not analyzed its process of formation, the fungus cannot be cultivated. Excessive collecting has reduced its regeneration to the extent that it is now an endangered species.

Dry Air -- the Latest Energy Resource

Foreigners studying traditional Chinese medicine theory at a Suzhou Institute.

Air conditioners that run on dry air can control room temperatures to between 22? and 28 ? -- a 70 percent, pollution-free, energy saving. Tsinghua University and a Xinjiang company have made great breakthroughs in dry air energy utilization in their development of this revolutionary air conditioner. As air humidity differs, so does its water vapor capacity. Dry air absorbs the greatest amount of water vapor and, when this has evaporated, absorbs heat. In the process of absorbing water vapor, dry air generates enough energy to operate an air conditioner. This “dry air energy” is inexhaustible in the arid areas of northwestern China, and pollution-free.

American Scientist of Chinese Origin Wins Top Honor

On July 27, 2007 Alfred Y. Cho, a well-known American scientist of Chinese origin, won the President’s National Science Medal for his contribution to the development of “molecular beam epitaxy technology” and electronic and photonic equipment. Alfred Y. Cho, born in Beijing in 1937, went to live in the United States in 1955. He is now president of the Semiconductor Research Institute of Lucent’s Bell Labs. Internationally acknowledged as the founder of molecular beam epitaxy technology and the growth of artificial microstructure material, he is known as the “father of molecular beam epitaxy technology.”

“Male” Panda Gives Birth to Twins

A giant panda mistakenly believed to be a male has given birth to twin cubs in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Eleven year-old Jinzhu delivered two female cubs after a pregnancy of slightly less than five months at Bifengxia Base, Ya’an, Wolong Nature Reserve for Giant Pandas. Jinzhu was classified as male after her birth on August 12, 1996, owing to her "inconspicuous secondary sexual characteristics and behavior.” In December 2000, Jinzhu was sent to Japan to mate with a female panda. When both pandas expressed mutual disinterest, experts decided to try artificial insemination, which led to the discovery that Jinzhu had no penis. She was sent back to China in December 2002. Certain experts believed she was hermaphroditic, others that her sex organs were underdeveloped. It wasn't until 2005 that an endoscopic examination revealed that Jinzhu's ovaries were mal-positioned. A two-hour operation rendered her a healthy, cub-bearing female.

Full 3G Mobile Communications Coverage in Beijing in 2008

Beijing will go all out to achieve full self-coverage through the 3G mobile communications network before the 2008 Olympic Games, according to a Ministry of Science and Technology official. China has presented its TD-SCDMA standards, whose intellectual property rights it owns, and formed technological and industrial chains covering the development of key technologies, formulation of standards, manufacture of handsets and networking equipment, and commercial operations. The 3G network has two other functions during the Beijing Olympic Games: monitoring the management and security of sports venues, and assisting referees. The relevant domestic manufacturers and R&D organizations will promote construction of 3G networks, including large macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor distribution systems, and emergency telecommunications vehicles.