Henry Tye: the future of theoretical physics and advice to young researchers

Professor Henry Tye (戴自海) is a world-renowned expert in theoretical particle physics, string theory and cosmology. He was recently the IAS Professor at the Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and is the Horace White Professor of Physics (Emeritus) at Cornell University. He has a lot of experience in research status in both China and the United States. Recently, NSR invited Professor Yi-Fu Cai (蔡一夫) from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) to interview Prof. Tye on his personal views on the future of theoretical physics, his own experience, and his advice to young researchers.     

Women scientists in China: current status and aspirations

Throughout history, gender inequality has persisted in most parts of the world. Since the founding of the People''s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, substantial progress has been made towards gender equality in China. Today, a large number of Chinese women scientists are making significant contributions to advance science. However, are they facing gender discrimination in hiring and promotion? Do they have access to the same opportunities as their male colleagues? What are the potential approaches to further promote gender equality in China''s scientific community given myriad unfavorable social factors? Recently, NSR invited five Chinese female scientists and two gender experts to discuss these issues. Here are their observations and suggestions. Bing LiuProfessor at the Department of the History of Science, Tsinghua University Jun LuSenior Engineer at Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications Technology, and Deputy Chief Designer of BeiDou Grounded Test and Validation System Chih-chen WangProfessor at the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Hongyang WangPresident of the China Women''s Association for Science and Technology (CWAST), Director of the National Center for Science in Liver Cancer Xiaoyun WangC. N. Yang Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Tsinghua University Yan ZhengChair Professor at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology Wenpei Tang (Chair)Professor at the School of Health Humanities, Peking University     

Honor classes in China's higher education: perspectives from four universities

Ever since the University of Science and Technology of China started the Special Class for the Gifted Young in 1978, many Chinese universities have set up their own honor classes under different names such as Gifted Young Class, Basic Science Class, Experimental Class or Elite Class. These are often small classes; some emphasize mathematics and physics, aiming to cultivate talents with broad basic knowledge, while others focus on a particular discipline, such as computer science. In 2011, the Chinese Ministry of Education started the Experimental Program for the Cultivation of Top Talents in Basic Sciences, which boosted a new round of honor classes.How do these classes cultivate their students? Which kinds of special strategies are employed? Have they indeed fostered outstanding graduates? How did the students develop after graduation? On the other hand, are these classes a violation of the spirit of ‘equity in education’? Trying to answer these questions, in this NSR forum chaired by Professor Zhenjiang Hu, educators from four Chinese universities exchanged their experiences, views and perspectives on running the honor classes. Baoquan Chen Executive Director of the Center on Frontiers of Computing Studies, School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University. (Turing Class, Peking University.) Changqing Chen Professor and Head of the Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University. (Tsien Excellence in Engineering Program, Tsinghua University.) Zhenyu Li Professor of the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China. (School of the Gifted Young, University of Science and Technology of China.) Yong Yu Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. (ACM Class, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.) Ming Zhang Chair of the ACM Special Interest Group of Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) China; Professor of the School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University. Zhenjiang Hu (Chair) Dean of School of Computer Science, Peking University.     

Agriculture: science and technology safeguard sustainability

China has traditionally placed tremendous importance on agricultural research. Meanwhile, in recent years, sustainable agriculture has been increasingly highlighted in both policy agenda and the capital market. However, while terms like environmental friendliness, low carbon, organic and green agriculture have become buzzwords in the media, few meaningful discussions have been raised to examine the relationship between science and technology (S&T) development and sustainable agriculture. What''s more, some environmentalists stress that sustainable agriculture should abandon modern agriculture''s heavy reliance on science and industrialization, making the link between agricultural S&T and sustainable agriculture seem problematic. What is the truth? If S&T are to play an important role in advancing sustainable agriculture, what is the current status of the field? What factors have caused the sustainable development of agriculture in China? At an online forum organized by the National Science Review (NSR), Hepeng Jia, commissioned by NSR executive editor-in-chief Mu-ming Poo, asked four scientists in the field to examine the dynamic relationship between sustainable agriculture and agricultural S&T in the Chinese context. Jikun Huang Agricultural economist at Peking University, Beijing, China Xiaofeng Luo Agricultural economist at Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China Jianzhong Yan Agricultural and environmental scientist at Southwest University, Chongqing, China Yulong Yin Veterinary scientist at Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, China Hepeng Jia (Chair) Science communication scholar at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA     

Huang Kun Honored with National Top S&T Award

Together with Prof. Wang Xuan from Peking University, CAS physicist Huang Kun received Supreme Scientific and Technological (S&T) Award in 2001 from Chinese President Jiang Zeming in Beijing on February 2. Each gets five million yuan (US$ 602,000) as part of the award for their lifetime achievements.     

Blockchain technology: development and prospects

It has been more than 10 years since Satoshi Nakamoto published his famous paper entitled ‘Bitcoin: a peer-to-peer electronic cash system’, which set the foundation of blockchain technology. Accompanied by the price volatility of bitcoins from 2017 to 2018, blockchain has been a hot word on the internet, and particularly hot in China. Blockchain offers a distributed and secure system for data storage and value transactions. Its applications are springing up in multiple fields.The Chinese government is considering these trends with great caution. Initial coin offering has been banned in China since September 2017. By contrast, an official white paper on China''s blockchain technology, which was released in May 2018, said that blockchain technology will be widely applied in the real economy of China within 3 years. In a recent panel discussion held by National Science Review, experts talked about related topics. Their opinions may provide a quick view of the future development of blockchain in China and abroad. Jing Chen Assistant Professor of Computer Science Department, Stony Brook University and Chief Scientist at Algorand LLC, USA Xiaotie Deng Professor of School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, China Guohua Gan Vice President of Beijing Tai Cloud Technology Corp., China Xiaoyun Wang Professor of Institute of Advanced Study, Tsinghua University, China Zhiming Zheng Professor of School of Mathematics and Systems Science, Beihang University, China Lei Guo (Chair) Professor of Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China     

Extreme weather and climate events in China under changing climate

In the summer of 2003, a heat wave swept Europe and caused more than 70 000 additional fatalities [J.-M. Robine et al., C. R. Biologies331 (2008)]. Global warming and climate change is no longer a prophecy to be fulfilled, as strong heat waves and typhoons, as well as severe rainfalls, are becoming more severe. Extreme weather and climate events in the world, especially over Europe and North America, are widely studied and frequently reported in the media. These events may be related to the ongoing climate change. In this NSR forum, active researchers specialized in this field gather to discuss the climate and weather changes in China. They present the current changes, identify knowledge gaps, discuss the research difficulties, and propose ways forward to better serve the society with climate science. Ying Sun Professor at the National Climate Center of the China Meteorological Administration, China Qiuhong Tang Professor at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Zhongwei Yan Professor at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Jing Yang Professor at the Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, faculty of Geographic Science of Beijing Normal University, China Panmao Zhai Professor at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences of the China Meteorological Administration, and the current Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group I, China Tianjun Zhou Professor at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Deliang Chen (Chair) Professor at the University of Gothenburg, NSR Editorial Board member, Sweden     

Mission and challenges of higher education: an interview with G.Q. Max Lu,the president of the University of Surrey

The University of Surrey (referred to as Surrey hereafter) is one of the renowned universities in the UK that was established on 9 September 1966 with the grant of its Royal Charter and its roots go back to Battersea Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1891. Surrey is the research hub of small satellites, mobile telecommunication and artificial intelligence in Europe. In 2016, Surrey was named as ‘University of the Year’ in the UK and, in February 2018, Surrey won the Queen''s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education (Surrey''s fourth award)—the highest national award for the UK universities, in recognition of the outstanding contribution of Surrey to nutrition and health.The president and vice chancellor of Surrey, Professor Max Lu, took this position in 2016 and is also the first scholar of Chinese origin to be the leader of a British university. Before he joined Surrey, he was the provost and senior vice president at the University of Queensland in Australia. Professor Lu is not only a talented leader in education field, but also a distinguished scientist in materials chemistry and nanotechnology area. He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Orica Award, RK Murphy Medal, China International Science and Technology Award and Medal of the Order of Australia, etc. He has been also appointed to the Prime Minister''s Council for Science and Technology and the Board of UK Research and Innovation, etc. The rich experience and open-mindedness lead to his profound insights into higher education around the world. Lately elected as a fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Lu shared his broad and deep perspectives on higher education with National Science Review during his travel in Beijing.     

Zhao Zhongyao:A Pioneer of Nuclear Research in China

On June 4, 2002, a centennial meeting was held in Beijing in commemoration of the late Professor Zhao Zhongyao (C.Y. Chao, 1902 -1998), a famous physicist and a pioneer of experimental physics and high-energy physics in China.     

Resolving dynamics of inertial migration in straight and curved microchannels by direct cross-sectional imaging

The explosive development of inertial microfluidic systems for label-free sorting and isolation of cells demands improved understanding of the underlying physics that dictate the intriguing phenomenon of size-dependent migration in microchannels. Despite recent advances in the physics underlying inertial migration, migration dynamics in 3D is not fully understood. These investigations are hampered by the lack of easy access to the channel cross section. In this work, we report on a simple method of direct imaging of the channel cross section that is orthogonal to the flow direction using a common inverted microscope, providing vital information on the 3D cross-sectional migration dynamics. We use this approach to revisit particle migration in both straight and curved microchannels. In the rectangular channel, the high-resolution cross-sectional images unambiguously confirm the two-stage migration model proposed earlier. In the curved channel, we found two vertical equilibrium positions and elucidate the size-dependent vertical and horizontal migration dynamics. Based on these results, we propose a critical ratio of blockage ratio (β) to Dean number (De) where no net lateral migration occurs (β/De ∼ 0.01). This dimensionless number (β/De) predicts the direction of lateral migration (inward or outward) in curved and spiral channels, and thus serves as a guideline in design of such channels for particle and cell separation applications. Ultimately, the new approach to direct imaging of the channel cross section enables a wealth of previously unavailable information on the dynamics of inertial migration, which serves to improve our understanding of the underlying physics.     

Science communication in China: a critical component of the global science powerhouse

China has attached a great significance to bringing science to the public—known as kepu (科普, ‘science popularization’) or kexue chuanbo (科学传播, ‘science dissemination’)—in recent years, partly in response to its unprecedented push for innovation in science and technology. In 2018, it spent 16 billion yuan (US$2.3 billion) on such endeavours, nearly 80% of which was government funding, according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Science and Technology. With one science-education venue for every million people, approximately 76 million visits were made to the country''s 518 general-science museums and 142 million visits were made to 943 museums dedicated to a specific subject matter, such as the Geological Museum of China.In a forum chaired by National Science Review’s executive editor-in-chief, Mu-ming Poo, scientists, journalists and public-information officers discussed the differences in science communication between China and developed nations, the challenges and opportunities of raising scientific literacy in China, how it has played out in a wide range of controversial topics, from stem-cell research to climate change, and the importance of international collaboration. Tao Deng Director of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Hepeng Jia Science journalist and science-communication scholar at Soochow University, Suzhou, China Brian Lin Director of the Editorial Content Strategy, EurekAlert!, American Association of the Advancement of Science, Washington DC, USA Joy Ma Manager of the Editorial Content, EurekAlert!, American Association of the Advancement of Science, Washington DC, USA Lai Xu Former chief editor of Guokr.com, Beijing, China Shi Yan Deputy director of the China Research Institute for Science Popularisation, Chinese Association of Science and Technology, Beijing, China Mu-ming Poo (Chair) Director of the Insitute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China     

Mario Bunge (1919–2020): Physicist,philosopher, champion of science,and citizen of the world

Mario Bunge, the centenarian Argentine/Canadian physicist/philosopher passed away in the loving company of his wife Marta and children Eric and Silvia on February 24, 2020 in Montréal, Ontario. This memoriam reviews his life and work, particularly his contributions to physics and philosophy of science.     

The impact of the atmospheric turbulence-development tendency on new particle formation: a common finding on three continents

A new mechanism of new particle formation (NPF) is investigated using comprehensive measurements of aerosol physicochemical quantities and meteorological variables made in three continents, including Beijing, China; the Southern Great Plains site in the USA; and SMEAR II Station in Hyytiälä, Finland. Despite the considerably different emissions of chemical species among the sites, a common relationship was found between the characteristics of NPF and the stability intensity. The stability parameter (ζ = Z/L, where Z is the height above ground and L is the Monin–Obukhov length) is found to play an important role; it drops significantly before NPF as the atmosphere becomes more unstable, which may serve as an indicator of nucleation bursts. As the atmosphere becomes unstable, the NPF duration is closely related to the tendency for turbulence development, which influences the evolution of the condensation sink. Presumably, the unstable atmosphere may dilute pre-existing particles, effectively reducing the condensation sink, especially at coarse mode to foster nucleation. This new mechanism is confirmed by model simulations using a molecular dynamic model that mimics the impact of turbulence development on nucleation by inducing and intensifying homogeneous nucleation events.     

Predicament and outlook of China's math education

AbstractMathematics is the foundation of science and rational thinking. Math education for the younger generation is the fundamental project to upgrade the mathematical literacy and the creativity of the whole society. China''s education system has long been different from that of Western countries. China has fostered many gold medal winners of the International Mathematics Olympiad, but is also criticized as lacking creativity. In this NSR forum on math education in China, educators of high schools and universities as well as researchers of different scientific fields gather to talk about the current predicaments and future developments of China''s math education. Zenghu Li Mathematician; Professor of the School of Mathematical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China Chao Tang Quantitative biologist; Director of the Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China Zhihong Xia Mathematician; Professor of Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA and the Founding Chair of the Department of Mathematics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China Jinlong Yang Computational chemist; Professor of the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China Huawei Zhu Headmaster of Shenzhen Middle School, Shenzhen, China; Former leader and head coach of the national team of China for the International Mathematics Olympiad, China Gang Tian (Chair) Mathematician; Professor of the School of Mathematical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China     

Plasmonic evolution of atomically size-selected Au clusters by electron energy loss spectrum

The plasmonic response of gold clusters with atom number (N) = 100–70 000 was investigated using scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy loss spectroscopy. For decreasing N, the bulk plasmon remains unchanged above N = 887 but then disappears, while the surface plasmon firstly redshifts from 2.4 to 2.3 eV above N = 887 before blueshifting towards 2.6 eV down to N = 300, and finally splitting into three fine features. The surface plasmon''s excitation ratio is found to follow N^0.669, which is essentially R². An atomically precise evolution picture of plasmon physics is thus demonstrated according to three regimes: classical plasmon (N = 887–70 000), quantum confinement corrected plasmon (N = 300–887) and molecule related plasmon (N < 300).     

Dean-flow-coupled elasto-inertial three-dimensional particle focusing under viscoelastic flow in a straight channel with asymmetrical expansion–contraction cavity arrays

In this paper, 3D particle focusing in a straight channel with asymmetrical expansion–contraction cavity arrays (ECCA channel) is achieved by exploiting the dean-flow-coupled elasto-inertial effects. First, the mechanism of particle focusing in both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids was introduced. Then particle focusing was demonstrated experimentally in this channel with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids using three different sized particles (3.2 μm, 4.8 μm, and 13 μm), respectively. Also, the effects of dean flow (or secondary flow) induced by expansion–contraction cavity arrays were highlighted by comparing the particle distributions in a single straight rectangular channel with that in the ECCA channel. Finally, the influences of flow rates and distances from the inlet on focusing performance in the ECCA channel were studied. The results show that in the ECCA channel particles are focused on the cavity side in Newtonian fluid due to the synthesis effects of inertial and dean-drag force, whereas the particles are focused on the opposite cavity side in non-Newtonian fluid due to the addition of viscoelastic force. Compared with the focusing performance in Newtonian fluid, the particles are more easily and better focused in non-Newtonian fluid. Besides, the Dean flow in visco-elastic fluid in the ECCA channel improves the particle focusing performance compared with that in a straight channel. A further advantage is three-dimensional (3D) particle focusing that in non-Newtonian fluid is realized according to the lateral side view of the channel while only two-dimensional (2D) particle focusing can be achieved in Newtonian fluid. Conclusively, this novel Dean-flow-coupled elasto-inertial microfluidic device could offer a continuous, sheathless, and high throughput (>10 000 s⁻¹) 3D focusing performance, which may be valuable in various applications from high speed flow cytometry to cell counting, sorting, and analysis.     

Genomic diversity and post-admixture adaptation in the Uyghurs

Population admixture results in genome-wide combinations of genetic variants derived from different ancestral populations of distinct ancestry, thus providing a unique opportunity for understanding the genetic determinants of phenotypic variation in humans. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing of 92 individuals with high coverage (30–60×) to systematically investigate genomic diversity in the Uyghurs living in Xinjiang, China (XJU), an admixed population of both European-like and East-Asian-like ancestry. The XJU population shows greater genetic diversity, especially a higher proportion of rare variants, compared with their ancestral source populations, corresponding to greater phenotypic diversity of XJU. Admixture-induced functional variants in EDAR were associated with the diversity of facial morphology in XJU. Interestingly, the interaction of functional variants between SLC24A5 and OCA2 likely influences the diversity of skin pigmentation. Notably, selection has seemingly been relaxed or canceled in several genes with significantly biased ancestry, such as HERC2–OCA2. Moreover, signatures of post-admixture adaptation in XJU were identified, including genes related to metabolism (e.g. CYP2D6), digestion (e.g. COL11A1), olfactory perception (e.g. ANO2) and immunity (e.g. HLA). Our results demonstrated population admixture as a driving force, locally or globally, in shaping human genetic and phenotypic diversity as well as in adaptive evolution.     

Study of the standard model with weak decays of charmed hadrons at BESIII

A comprehensive review of weak decays of charmed hadrons (D^{0/ +}, and ) based on analyses of the threshold data from e⁺e⁻ annihilation in the BESIII experiment is presented. Current experimental challenges and successes in understanding decays of the charmed hadrons are discussed. Precise calibrations of quantum chromodynamics and tests of the standard model are provided by measurements of purely leptonic and semi-leptonic decays of charmed hadrons, and lepton universality is probed in purely leptonic decays of charmed mesons to three generations of leptons. Quantum correlations in threshold data samples provide access to strong phases in the neutral D meson decays and probe the decay dynamics of the charmed Λ_c baryon. Charm physics studies with near-threshold production of charmed particle pairs are unique to BESIII, and provide many important opportunities and challenges.     

基于专利分析的区域技术创新策略研究——以北京纳米技术为例

通过专利分析,研究了北京纳米技术的发展态势,并提出发展建议。研究表明,北京纳米技术领域处在快速发展的阶段,专利数量居全国首位,在我国纳米技术研发中占有重要的位置;研发力量以高等院校和科研院所等科研单位为主,清华大学研发优势明显;围绕纳米技术的产学研合作已经开展,但有合作深度与广度待于进一步加强。