Chinese farms in Shandong province are reporting ultra-high agricultural yields of 3,000 jin per mu through annual two-crop rotations. This achievement echoes the exaggerated claims made during the 1958 Great Leap Forward, which historically led to a devastating famine.
A new study suggests trees might not store as much planet-heating carbon as previously thought. Researchers found that tree growth stops months before photosynthesis does, meaning not all absorbed carbon is converted into wood. This could impact climate models and the effectiveness of forests as carbon sinks.
Researchers have developed experimental eye drops using spinach-derived photosynthetic machinery to treat dry eye disease in mice. The treatment generates antioxidant molecules, not sugars, to reduce inflammation and protect eye tissue, showing promise for future human therapies.
German Nobel laureate Hartmut Michel, 77, has joined Jilin University in Changchun, northeastern China as a full-time professor at the First Hospital. The 1988 Chemistry Nobel Prize winner will lead research in structural biology, drug development and translational medicine, and help train young scientists. The university described him as a flagship hire under its talent recruitment strategy.
