China has become a scientific superpower
From plant biology to superconductor physics the country is at the cutting edge
In the atrium of a research building at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing is a wall of patents. Around five metres wide and two storeys high, the wall displays 192 certificates, positioned in neat rows and tastefully lit from behind. At ground level, behind a velvet rope, an array of glass jars contain the innovations that the patents protect: seeds.
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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Soaring dragons”
From the June 15th 2024 edition
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