China’s Science Revolution

In ancient times, China was a world leader in science, famous for its Four Great Inventions: the compass, papermaking, printing, and gunpowder. But over time, scientific progress in China stalled, and during the Cultural Revolution, many scientists fell into disgrace. But in recent years, China has once again become a world leader in scientific research. Moreover, the Chinese government is planning transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. A recent assessment by Nature magazine found that China now ranks second in the world after the United States in the number of published scientific articles. China’s scientific ambitions are enormous, from rethinking food production to combating the diseases of old age, from large-scale exploration of the world’s ocean depths to exploring deep space. This series introduces five key scientific projects and the innovative achievements of dozens of leading Chinese scientists. In Guizhou Province, we will see the world’s largest radio telescope, which allows studying the formation and evolution of galaxies, dark matter, and other scientific problems. Just 35 years ago, Shenzhen was a fishing village, but today it is a hub of innovation, home to a cutting-edge laboratory that has developed a new corneal treatment procedure with a success rate of over 90%. The Daya Bay experiment studies the steady and stable neutrino stream generated by a nearby nuclear power plant. We meet the Chinese scientists who are developing a unique deep-sea vehicle, Rainbowfish, capable of reaching the bottom of the Mariana Trench. These impressive projects not only demonstrate China’s global leadership in scientific research, they also inspire admiration for the courage and perseverance of Chinese scientists in achieving their goals for the benefit of humanity.