Seven scientific research projects carried out either jointly or independently by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) were named among China’s top 10 scientific advances on February 27.

The evidence of mantle material on the far side of the moon, a study conducted by a research team led by Li Chunlai at the National Astronomical Observatories of CAS, and the deciphering of the protein structures and functions of algae’s underwater photosynthesis, a research project led by Shen Jianren and Kuang Tingyun from CAS Institute of Botany, are both on the list.

Liu Yanhui’s research group from the Institute of Physics of CAS and their collaborators developed a high-throughput experimental method based on the concept of material genetic engineering with high efficiency, non-destructiveness, and easy promotion.

Chen Fahu’s research group from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Research Institute of CAS, Zhang Dongju’s research group from Lanzhou University, and the Jean-Jacques Hublin research group from the Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology of the Max Planck Society of Germany, and other collaborators, have reported the identification of a Denisova.

The University of Science and Technology of China’s (USTC) Pan Jianwei and colleagues Peng Chengzhi, Fan Jingyun and their collaborators — using the “Muzi” quantum scientific experimental satellite — are the first in the world to conduct an experimental test of gravity-induced quantum entanglement decoherence in space.

The team of Rao Zihe and Wang Xiangxi from the Institute of Biophysics of CAS and the Bu Zhigao team from the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, together with the Shanghai University of Science and Technology, have unveiled the structure of the capsid of the African swine fever virus.

Zhang Liyuan’s research group from the Department of Physics at the Southern University of Science and Technology, Qiao Zhenhua’s research group from the Department of Physics of USTC, and Yang Shengyuan of Singapore University of Science and Technology have collaborated to realize the “three-dimensional quantum Hall effect”.

The selection has three rounds. Five leading Chinese science and academic journals first recommended 320 sets of research whose results were officially published between December 1, 2018 and November 30, 2019.

The ministry then invited experts from the fields of mathematics and astronomy, chemistry and materials sciences, earth and environmental sciences, and life and medical sciences, to shortlist 30 candidates for the final selection.

Finally, more than 2,600 scientists from CAS, Chinese Academy of Engineering and other academic departments voted online for the top 10.

Initiated by the basic research management center of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the selection has been held for 15 years and aims to publicize China’s major achievements in fundamental research, encourage the country's researchers to popularize their work, and raise public awareness in support of scientific research.

Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences