By Zhang Bolan, Wang Xiaobo, People’s Daily

Nestled beneath the campus of Ohio State University in the United States lies a unique repository: an underground “ice core bank.” Within its chambers, thousands of gleaming silver tubes are neatly arranged on steel racks. This vault safeguards the world’s most extensive collection of ice-core archives — irreplaceable records chronicling Earth’s climate fluctuations across an extraordinary 700,000-year timespan.

The visionary behind this initiative is Lonnie Thompson, a member of the American Academy of Sciences and distinguished professor of the School of Earth Sciences at Ohio State University. 

Prof. Thompson presents a polite and scholarly figure, often seen with silver-rimmed glasses. However, when discussing glaciers, his demeanor transforms, revealing profound passion and encyclopedic knowledge, as if recounting tales of cherished companions.

Demonstrating remarkable foresight over four decades ago, Prof. Thompson diverged from the prevailing focus on polar regions. He recognized the critical scientific importance of glaciers in mid- and low-latitude areas. This insight propelled him to lead 50 challenging expeditions to remote highlands across nearly 20 countries.

Through the collection and analysis of ice-core samples, he pioneered the reconstruction of global paleoclimate patterns. These foundational contributions earned him recognition as the founder of mid- and low-latitude alpine paleoclimatology.

Prof. Thompson holds the distinction of being the first American glaciologist to conduct scientific research on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau and the first paleoclimatologist to drill ice cores from Himalayan glaciers. Since 1984, he has visited the plateau 29 times for field research and is known among Chinese colleagues as both a “trailblazer” and a “collaborator” in China’s glacier scientific expeditions.

In 1987, Prof. Thompson worked with Chinese and Russian scientists, including Prof. Yao Tandong, one of the pioneers in China’s glaciological research, to complete the drilling of the first deep ice core at the Dunde ice cap in the Qilian Mountains in the northwest China. In 1989, the research findings were published in Science, one of the world’s leading academic journals, drawing widespread attention from the international science communities.

In 1992, a multinational research team including Chinese and American scientists reached the Guliya ice cap in the west Kunlun Mountains in northwest China and successfully drilled an ice core that set a milestone: at 308.6 meters long, it was then the longest ever retrieved from mid- to low-latitude regions, and it remains the one containing the most extended continuous climate record to date. Spanning over 700,000 years, the core has enabled detailed reconstruction of climatic and environmental changes across multiple timescales since the last interglacial period.

In 1997, on Mount Shishapangma, the 14th-highest mountain in the world in China’s Xizang autonomous region, a joint China-U.S. expedition drilled three Dasuopu ice cores with a combined length of 480 meters and a total weight of 5 tons, setting a world record for the highest-altitude ice-core drilling site, at 7,200 meters above sea level.

Through his long-standing collaboration with Chinese scientists such as Prof. Yao, Prof. Thompson became firmly convinced of one fundamental truth: even amidst extreme climatic conditions, scientists from the United States and China share common goals. Science transcends borders. Ultimately, he believes, the global community must unite to confront the shared challenge of climate change.

Since the late 1980s, Prof. Thompson has dedicated portions of his research funding to support Chinese scientists, inviting them for academic exchanges at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center in the United States. 

Over the following decades, he has co-authored papers with Chinese researchers in internationally renowned journals such as Nature, substantially elevating the global academic profile of Chinese scientists in this field.

Built upon decades of persistent research and accelerated in recent years by major national science and technology programs such as the Second Scientific Expedition and Research to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and “Pan-Third Pole Environment Change Study for Green Silk Road Development” project by the Chinese Academy of Sciences — Chinese scientists have risen to the international forefront of glacier research on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

Prof. Thompson has personally witnessed China’s transformative development and observed the government’s increasing investment in cultivating young scientific talents and modernizing research infrastructure. He notes that China’s ice-core laboratories have grown increasingly sophisticated, with new research campuses established in both Beijing and Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region.

Today, the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau has emerged as a new arena for international ice-core research, alongside the Arctic and Antarctic.

Prof. Thompson remains committed to advancing China-U.S. scientific cooperation in glaciology and to helping China’s glacier research integrate more deeply into the international scientific community. 

To advance international support for the China-led Third Pole Environment (TPE) program, Prof. Thompson utilized his academic influence to establish a TPE satellite office at The Ohio State University. He has consistently taken part in TPE Workshops, where he urged Earth scientists focusing on the Third Pole research to share their expertise and collaboratively tackle climate change challenges. 

Furthermore, he has facilitated visits and coordinated coverage by international media outlets, including The New York Times, to relevant research institutes in China, enabling the world to gain a better understanding of China’s glaciological research and effort to combat climate change threats

By Liu Xinwu, People’s Daily

Chongqing, a pivotal hub in China’s intelligent vehicle industry, is transforming its urban roads into digital proving grounds for automotive innovation.

At a demonstration zone in the Western Science City Innovation Center of Intelligent and Connected Vehicle (WICV) in the city, an autonomous electric vehicle recently navigated a scenario emblematic of real-world challenges: as a pedestrian stepped onto a crosswalk, roadside sensors instantly detected the movement, relayed data to the cloud, and triggered a command for the vehicle to slow down and yield — all without human intervention.

This facility exemplifies a future where vehicles communicate, roads perceive, and cloud platforms orchestrate decisions. 

“In the demonstration zone, all data streams integrate and update in real time,” said Chang Xueyang, deputy director of the cloud control technology center at the WICV, gesturing to a live monitoring screen. “Through vehicle–road–cloud integration, these routes function as as true digital training grounds.”

Unlike conventional closed test tracks, this 50-kilometers network spans complex urban environments — from highways and interchange to neighborhood streets — simulating real-world situations such as pedestrians and cyclists crossing, or broken-down vehicles blocking lanes.

“For test vehicle, every run is a real-traffic simulation,” Chang noted. “And for the road’s intelligent system, every day delivers stress testing under authentic loads.”

The zone supports not only intelligent connected new energy vehicles, but all vehicle types. With the installation of compliant communication terminals and positioning devices, ordinary private cars, logistics vehicles, and buses can access the system and upgrade their connectivity capabilities. 

While benefiting from enhanced safety and convenience, these vehicles also contribute large volumes of real-world data. To date, the system has connected with more than 1,000 vehicles of various types.

“With just a small device installed, our logistics vehicles can run on an intelligent connected system. Parcel deliveries are now linked to traffic signals, real-time road conditions and cloud platforms — making trips safer and smoother,” said Li, a logistics vehicle driver.

With continuous accumulation of massive real data — from different vehicle models and driving behaviors — the system’s decision-making models keep evolving, helping innovative technologies move from the lab into broader application.

According to Lai Chenguang, dean of the School of Vehicle Engineering at Chongqing University of Technology, the zone tackles key industry challenges — bridging the gap between closed testing environments and real-world traffic conditions, and eliminating long-standing “information silos” across systems.

“By combining single-vehicle intelligence with networked capabilities, the zone allows automakers to validate technology in realistic scenarios, reduce research and development (R&D) and mass-production risks, and ultimately accelerate the commercialization of intelligent driving-assistance systems,” he added.

Policy innovation further fuels progress. Chongqing has introduced a series of targeted policies to promote full coverage of perception, decision-making, and control services based on vehicle–road–cloud integration within the demonstration area. 

At the same time, the city has explored institutional innovations to address key obstacles to open-road testing, such as fragmented management, road access restrictions, and data fragmentation.

These efforts include breaking down departmental barriers and promoting coordinated governance among transportation, industry and information technology, and public security authorities; innovating test license issuance and traffic accident insurance mechanisms to reduce constraints on road testing; and establishing unified data sharing and security platforms to enable cross-system integration of vehicle, road, and cloud.

With targeted policy support in place, road-testing scenarios have expanded rapidly, generating strong spillover effects for industrial development. 

Attracted by the testing environment, 15 automakers have conducted joint testing under unified standards. Test vehicles from companies such as Toyota and Changan have accumulated extensive datasets, accelerating iteration in connected driver-assistance systems and virtual–real integrated testing technologies. 

Supporting enterprises like AI Drive and West Genesis have emerged with robust R&D platforms and order-filled product pipelines. Meanwhile, institutions like China Merchant Testing Vehicle Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd. advance innovations such as full-vehicle thermal runaway simulation for safety design.

Today, Chongqing‘s Western Science City has brought together more than 60 intelligent connected vehicle-related enterprises, spanning vehicle manufacturing, key components, charging infrastructure, and autonomous driving operations.

Today, Chongqing hosts more than 270 automotive R&D institutions, including a State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Vehicle Safety Technology. The city has launched an automotive “industrial brain” platform and established four future-ready factories in the automotive sector. 

Besides, Chongqing is now home to 754 high-tech enterprises and 3,543 technology-based enterprises in the automotive industry.

By Wang Weijian, People’s Daily

Silk stands as one of China’s foundational innovations and a defining symbol of Chinese civilization. Today, this ancient textile is undergoing a quiet revolution — transitioning from museum artifacts and luxury goods into contemporary fashion and daily essentials.

At 7 p.m. in Suzhou’s Gusu District, 1990s-born tailor Shi Yi arranges new inventory at Dashi Tailor Shop. Their winter qipaos (Cheongsam), featuring innovative down insulation within traditional silhouettes, blend elegance with practicality, resulting in constant orders.

Since 2023, the Suzhou Silk Museum has digitized textile patterns, transforming static artifacts into dynamic cultural assets. Leveraging this resource, Shi Yi reinterpreted classic motifs — cloud patterns, intertwining vines, and floral-bird designs — for modern aesthetics. This approach birthed sophisticated products: Song brocade handbags merging heritage with functionality; silk cushions elevating living spaces; notebook covers offering tactile cultural experiences. Through such innovations, ancient craftsmanship finds new relevance.

Technology has meanwhile granted silk unprecedented resilience. At Jiangsu Huajia Silk Co., Ltd. in Shengze, Wang Yongyu, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Huajia Silk Co., Ltd (Huajia), demonstrates stain-resistant fabric by pouring red wine onto silk and effortlessly wiping it clean. “We’ve armored silk with nanoscale protection,” Wang explains, solving a centuries-old maintenance challenge.

To address silk’s wrinkling and shape retention issues, Huajia’s R&D team perfected a silk-spandex fusion. This innovation preserves silk’s natural luster, comfort, and breathability while adding elasticity and wrinkle resistance. With 5% annual revenue invested in R&D and over 180 patents secured, Huajia now exports globally.

Innovation extends to production methods. Nearby at Wujiang Dingsheng Silk Company, electronic jacquard looms — enhanced with AI-powered monitoring systems — produce intricate Song brocade. Once painstakingly woven at just 5cm daily, this luxurious textile now flows continuously with machine precision. Chairman Wu Jianhua’s innovations have increased productivity hundreds-fold, democratizing what was historically elite craftsmanship.

Beyond fabric, silk now embodies a lifestyle philosophy. In Qidu township’s 33-hectare “Landscape Mulberry Fields” eco-park, the ancient mulberry-fish pond ecosystem thrives alongside modern silkworm rearing facilities and craft workshops. Partnering with Soochow University and industry leaders, the park serves as an innovation hub.

Founder Liu Ying, whose silk enterprise previously exported to 30+ countries, explains: “After decades perfecting textiles, we now promote a ‘silk lifestyle’ — reconnecting people with sericulture heritage and nature.” Urban professionals like Xu Shasha frequent the park: “Here, city bustle fades. Time slows, and hearts find calm.” In 2025, tens of thousands visited, boosting local homestays and agricultural sales.

Innovation extends to production methods. Nearby at Wujiang Dingsheng Silk Company, electronic jacquard looms — enhanced with AI-powered monitoring systems — produce intricate Song brocade. Once painstakingly woven at just 5cm daily, this luxurious textile now flows continuously with machine precision. Chairman Wu Jianhua’s innovations have increased productivity hundreds-fold, democratizing what was historically elite craftsmanship.

Beyond fabric, silk now embodies a lifestyle philosophy. In Qidu township’s 33-hectare “Landscape Mulberry Fields” eco-park, the ancient mulberry-fish pond ecosystem thrives alongside modern silkworm rearing facilities and craft workshops. Partnering with Soochow University and industry leaders, the park serves as an innovation hub.

The park’s founder, Liu Ying, 63, previously built a silk enterprise whose products were exported to more than 30 countries, with annual output value exceeding 100 million yuan ($14.4 million). “For decades, we focused on weaving every inch of silk well and making every garment well,” Liu said. “Now, we want to convey a ‘silk lifestyle’ rooted in sericulture culture and a return to nature.”

Xu Shasha, an urban office worker, is a regular visitor to the park. On holidays, she brings her family to relax: sipping fragrant mulberry tea, tasting sweet mulberries, enjoying silk-themed creative dishes at a restaurant in the paddy field, and taking part in intangible cultural heritage workshops such as silk weaving. 

“Here, the bustle of the city fades away. Time seems to slow, and the heart finds its calm,” Xu told People’s Daily. In 2025, the park drew tens of thousands of visitors, boosting nearby homestays and driving sales of local agricultural products.

In Suzhou, the ancient wisdom of sericulture is no longer just a museum relic–it has become a living economy, vibrant, thriving, breathing new life to everyday life.