logo
China's heat shield breakthrough, scientist behind J-20 radar leap: 7 science highlights

China's heat shield breakthrough, scientist behind J-20 radar leap: 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
subscribing
China's J-20 stealth fighter has tripled its radar detection range, thanks to semiconductor advancements over the past two decades led by Shandong University scientist Xu Xiangang, according to the university.
Researchers have used a rare mineral produced mostly in China to create an artificial retina that not only restored sight in blind animals, but also gave them 'super vision' – the extraordinary ability to see infrared light.
The breakthrough overcomes fundamental barriers in traditional computing by merging binary and probability-based logic while sidestepping US chip restrictions. Photo: Shutterstock
China has initiated the world's first large-scale application of non-binary AI chips, integrating its proprietary hybrid computing technology into critical sectors including aviation and industrial systems.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

2 Hong Kong pilot schemes testing drones for landslide prevention operations
2 Hong Kong pilot schemes testing drones for landslide prevention operations

South China Morning Post

timean hour ago

  • South China Morning Post

2 Hong Kong pilot schemes testing drones for landslide prevention operations

Two trial projects for drone operations will concentrate on hillside and slope monitoring services, with relevant skills expected to be widely used by next year in an effort to prevent landslides and develop the low-altitude economy, Hong Kong authorities have said. Advertisement The Development Bureau said on Sunday that the Geotechnical Engineering Office had been using drones to help with its work, including inspecting landslide sites, sowing seeds for new vegetation in such areas and conducting research. 'The relevant technologies are expected to be widely applied by 2026, in scenarios including engineering management, slope monitoring and emergency response,' Marion Kan Ka-wing, a geotechnical engineer from the office, said in a bureau blog post. Kan said two sandbox pilot projects had been launched, with the first one in Tai Mong Tsai in Sai Kung focusing on overcoming height restrictions and carrying out extensive natural hillside monitoring, with initial data collection successfully completed. A sandbox is a space where software or new technology can be tried out in a pilot scheme or test environment. She said that the second project involved drones automatically flying along predetermined routes to monitor the condition of designated slopes. Drones will fly along predetermined routes to monitor the condition of certain slopes. Photo: May Tse The project had received flight approval and would begin trials for automatic monitoring along designated routes for artificial slopes and disaster mitigation measures in eastern Hong Kong Island, she said.

Yin, yang and yeast: how ancient Chinese wisdom helped decode cell life cycles
Yin, yang and yeast: how ancient Chinese wisdom helped decode cell life cycles

South China Morning Post

time3 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Yin, yang and yeast: how ancient Chinese wisdom helped decode cell life cycles

Chinese researchers have decoded the metabolic cycle of yeast using mathematical analysis, revealing striking parallels with the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang. The study, led by Professor Li Lei from the Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, redefines the understanding of metabolic phases in this single-celled eukaryote – one of the smallest model organisms used in the study of molecular life mechanisms. While yeast metabolism has long been studied as a three-stage process, Li's team chose to use mathematical tools to reorganise it into four distinct yet interconnected phases. 'These four phases aren't isolated; they overlap and transition sequentially over time,' Li said in an interview with the Post on Tuesday. 'Specific molecular mechanisms trigger the next phase while suppressing others – mirroring the concept of mutual promotion and restraint, known as xiang sheng xiang ke in traditional Chinese medicine. In the team's work published in March in the peer-reviewed journal NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics, Li explained how the four phases – named 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B – each reflected a unique metabolic state. The researchers' model of mutual promotion and restraint in the metabolic cycle of wild yeast. Photo: Handout Similarly, in traditional Chinese medicine, the 'four symbols', or si xiang, theory provides a way to understand the natural world and the human body using four main principles. It's all about finding balance between passive and active forces – yin and yang – to keep everything healthy and harmonious. Between the yin and yang, there are two transitional phases, bringing the total to four.

How Hong Kong firms are weeding out ‘perfect' job candidates in age of AI
How Hong Kong firms are weeding out ‘perfect' job candidates in age of AI

South China Morning Post

time4 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

How Hong Kong firms are weeding out ‘perfect' job candidates in age of AI

The popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has created so many 'perfect' job applicants that companies in Hong Kong are choosing more in-person interviews and stepping up scrutiny of potential hires, a leading recruitment consultancy has said. Advertisement Faye Walshe, global director of innovation and AI at Robert Walters, said its clients were shifting to physical face-to-face interviews to screen candidates, given the rise of AI tools that jobseekers could use. Citing her interactions with the firm's clients in the city, Walshe said many of them were more heavily scrutinising applications and would have to decide whether they were 'too perfect' and if AI had been employed. 'The trend that we are seeing is that more and more of those companies are putting in-person, face-to-face interviews in place, so that they can actually make sure they are making a connection with a human being,' she said. According to a Robert Walters Salary Survey released earlier this year, two-thirds of professionals polled in Hong Kong were already using AI in their daily work, with those involved in copywriting or research often leaning on the tool. Advertisement Walshe said jobseekers and employers could use many AI tools on the market. For instance, professional networking platform LinkedIn provided tools that allow recruiters to draft job advertisements and messages to candidates using AI.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store