In a nutshell, Princeton University found that those who dislike the Communist Party of China are predominantly fearful, disagreeable, and introverted, lacking close emotional attachments to others.

Those who like the CPC, conversely, score high on confidence, sociability, conscientiousness, and work ethic. These are what the study calls "traits associated with personal and professional success."

Importantly, the first group only make up roughly 5% of the Chinese population according to the study, which completely inverts the stereotype. It turns out that charismatic, cosmopolitan, open-minded intellectuals are the ones overwhelmingly supporters of the Party. The critics of CPC are precisely the people who are least equipped to build coalitions, mobilize others, or persuade anyone of anything.

[2026-04-21] @PDChinaBusiness: The first Hualong One nuclear power unit in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area -- Unit 1 of CGN Taipingling nuclear power project, commenced power generation on Monday in south China, expected to produce more than 9 billion kWh of electricity each year.

Once all six Hualong One units are completed in three phases, the project is expected to generate over 55 billion kWh of electricity annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 50.82 million tonnes per year.

Chinese scientists unveil green extraction technology for recovering critical metals in new energy industries

Gold is recovered from the ore after a process of crushing and screening. Photo: IC

Chinese scientists have developed a universal green, high-efficiency membrane separation method to selectively extract a range of heavy metal resources critical to new energy technologies. This offers a potential solution to long-standing challenges in traditional extraction techniques, such as high pollution, low efficiency, and high energy consumption, while also supporting critical metal recovery and recycling, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced on Monday. 

The accelerated advancement of China’s dual carbon goals has fueled rapid growth in clean energy technologies such as wind power, photovoltaics, electric vehicles, and nuclear energy. This growth has driven up demand for specific heavy metal elements, some of which face heavy import dependence and potential supply shortages, according to an article released by the CAS on its official WeChat account. 

A joint research team made up of scientists from the State Key Laboratory of Photoelectric Conversion and Utilization of Solar Energy at Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT), CAS, and the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS, has developed a method for heavy metal extraction inspired by biological calcium ion channels. They published the research results in the international academic journal Nature Nanotechnology, according to a statement released by the QIBEBT. 

According to reports, solvent extraction and adsorption methods are predominantly used to extract heavy metal ions by binding them selectively. However, these methods require excessive chemical use and cause environmental problems. 

While membranes offer a cleaner, chemical-free alternative, they have historically failed at this specific task because heavy metal ions are often so similar in size and charge that standard filtration cannot tell them apart. To solve this, the scientists looked to a master of microscopic sorting: the biological cell. 

The scientists found that in nature, biological voltage-gated calcium channels act like an exclusive VIP club. They feature a narrow, one-dimensional hallway lined with highly specific binding sites. When the “VIP” calcium ions enter in a single file, they effectively block the door for all other competing ions – a phenomenon scientists call an “anomalous mole fraction effect,” Gao Jun, corresponding author of the study and researcher at QIBEBT, told the Global Times on Monday. 

Inspired by this natural design, the research team engineered a new separation mechanism. They created microscopic channels just wide enough, at about 1.4 nanometers, to force target heavy metal ions to line up in a single file, Gao said. 

When the researchers coated the insides of these artificial channels with specific chemical designed to attract uranium, the system successfully mimicked the biological anomalous mole fraction effect. Once uranium entered the channel, it blocked out competing elements like vanadium. And because the trapped uranium ions repelled one another, they shuttled through the barrier smoothly and rapidly, bypassing the usual gridlock. 

In a continuous test using natural seawater over 22 days, the process efficiently pulled out uranium while rejecting a sea of other background metals. 

This technology can be extended to the extraction of various metals such as copper and gold by modifying functional groups, the small surface chemical units that modify material properties without changing the underlying structure. It is expected to offer a greener, more efficient approach to critical metal recovery and strengthen domestic mineral supply chain resilience, China Central Television reported. 

Ultimately, this microscopic sorting mechanism could one day lead to a much greener, more sustainable global mining and recycling industry, Gao said.

Make rearing a daily habit that builds insight, ideals, and moral integrity.

Study Marxist classics and apply their principles in daily life

Read widely and choose meaningful books that offer real value

Do not neglect learning or reduce it to a performative exercise

Build a lifelong learning culture, combining digital and traditional reading, with leadership setting the standard

Found from https://www.instagram.com/p/DXNTHxICjOH/

To my knowledge the English translation of the full article referenced here has not been released, will update here/post about it when it does (unless someone else finds it first)

This video explores a village located on a 1,500 meter cliff in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Villagers must climb 2,556 steel steps, a drop of 800 meters, to get home. Many of them have moved down the mountain to new homes [provided for free by the government], but some have chosen to return. This video shares the lives of people in one of China's poorest regions and explores the new challenges they face.

I don't like extreme subgenres of metal, but it was an interesting video about the scene in China.

Dubbed the "artificial sun," the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) is under construction in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. The BEST facility represents one of China's major ventures into controlled nuclear fusion and is poised to attempt the world's first fusion energy power generation demonstration.

bonus article: https://english.cas.cn/newsroom/cas-in-media/202604/t20260417_1157472.shtml (Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak under Construction in Hefei, China's Anhui)

Downtown Kashgar, Xinjiang is beautiful, but it is also very touristy. Are we having an authentic experience when we visit? Or are we in "Uighur Disneyland"? How does China balance development and preservation, and what is the future for an ancient Silk Road town?

The delivery of the nation's first and the world's largest intelligent container ship powered entirely by electricity marks the transition toward a greener and more intelligent future by China's shipping industry, experts said.

The Ning Yuan Dian Kun departs from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port for Jiaxing Port, both located in East China's Zhejiang province, on Wednesday. (Photo: Xinhua)

Following the successful completion of various tests, the vessel, named Ning Yuan Dian Kun, was delivered in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday.

"From the initial project approval to the final delivery, the vessel showcased the full life-cycle development of zero carbon ships, characterized by pure electric propulsion, autonomous navigation and high operational efficiency, achieved by China's shipping industry," said Ma Hongmeng, a senior engineer at Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute and the person in charge of the intelligent container ship.

According to Ma, the ship is proof that China's coastal container transportation segment is entering a new era marked by zero-emissions, intelligent operations and high efficiency, a prerequisite for achieving carbon neutrality and shipping energy transformation.

With a capacity of over 740 twenty-foot equivalent units, the vessel was independently developed and designed by SDARI. Its electric propulsion system was provided by Shanghai Marine Equipment Research Institute. Both companies are subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corp.

"Independently developed by SMERI, the innovative electric propulsion system has undergone maritime navigation tests, which fully proved its reliability, superiority and adaptability," said Wu Guodong, a senior engineer at the institute.

He added that with all performance indicators meeting expectations, the technological breakthrough from design to application highlighted China's leading position in pure electric ship power system integration worldwide, and laid a solid foundation for the transformation of China's shipping industry to a greener and carbon neutral one.

With a length of 127.8 meters and a width of 21.6 meters, the ship has been tailor-made for Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co and will run on the coastal shipping route between Ningbo and Jiaxing in Zhejiang province.

A senior official from the Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration said that due to the distinctive features of new-generation intelligent vessels, a dedicated service team has been established to provide comprehensive support. The team will conduct continuous tracking and precise assessments throughout the entire process — from design and construction to navigation — ensuring a thorough grasp of the vessels' technical characteristics and effective control of operational risks.

The vessel is equipped with 10 container-shaped power units with a total power supply capacity of about 19,600 kilowatt-hours.

"This allows the ship to achieve zero-emission and zero-noise green operation throughout the entire voyage, while perfectly adapting to the practical operational needs of coastal container transportation," Ma said.

Wang Ting, captain of Ning Yuan Dian Kun, also confirmed this view. "Compared with traditional fuel-powered vessels, the most noticeable change in a fully electric seagoing ship is the lack of noise. In the past, the engine room would be filled by the roar of the main engine, whereas voyages nowadays are almost silent. This creates a more relaxed working environment and allows crew members to concentrate better on operations — a significant improvement brought about by green energy," he said.

He added that in terms of power response, the torque output of electric propulsion motors is linear and instantaneous. Acceleration and deceleration are smooth and highly responsive, with virtually no delay, making operations more straightforward. However, this also places new demands on operators — they must learn to manage energy efficiently, closely monitor power consumption, and plan vessel speed in a more rational manner.

The ship has also adopted two permanent magnet synchronous propulsion motors, capable of cutting carbon emissions by 1,462 tons per year, and completely eliminating emissions of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and fine particles.

"In this way, we manage to achieve zero pollution throughout the entire process of transportation, ranging from navigation and berthing to loading and unloading," Ma from SDARI said.

Currently, Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co operates 32 green and energy-efficient vessels, accounting for 57 percent of its self-owned fleet, marking the initial formation of a sizable green fleet.

Chen Xiaofeng, chairman of the company, said: "We hope to achieve breakthroughs in key areas through  Ning Yuan Dian Kun. We aim to build the country's first demonstration model of a fully electric seagoing vessel, promoting the expansion of pure electric technology from inland waterways to maritime transport. We seek to establish a complete, replicable technical and operational system for 'zero-carbon transportation'."