Rice is a staple food for more than half of the global population, yet how climate change will affect future rice production remains uncertain. New research by Peking University has found that extreme heat has a devastating effect on crop yields, which is usually underestimated by existing crop models. Read more here: #PKUResearch#

New Graph-Field(GF) Framework predicts fracture in lattice materials. A team led by Prof. Wei Xiaoding at the Peking University School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, in collaboration with Beijing University of Technology, has developed a Graph-Field (GF) framework to predict crack propagation in architected lattice materials. The method derives continuum equations directly from lattice topology, eliminating empirical parameters. It accurately captures crack-tip deformation and crack paths that classical homogenization models miss, providing a rigorous foundation for designing damage-tolerant lightweight structures. Published in the Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids: #PKUResearch#

🧬 Researchers led by Prof. Jiao Ning at PKU School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, in collaboration with Beijing University of Chemical Technology, have developed a programmable nitrogenative arene ring-opening strategy for phenols. This method cleaves aromatic C–C bonds under mild conditions using inexpensive nitrite as the nitrogen source. The approach transforms abundant phenols into high-value building blocks, enables divergent skeletal remodeling to construct diverse N-heterocycles, and improves polymer fatigue resistance by over 20-fold when used as a comonomer. Published in Nature Chemistry: #PKUResearch# @NatureChemistry

Some of the smallest changes in materials are also the hardest to see. Professor Gao Peng’s team at PKU School of Physics, together with collaborators from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Suzhou Laboratory, has developed a new method to detect tiny hidden deformations in layered materials. Using confined light known as hyperbolic polaritons, the team achieved non-destructive picometre-scale sensing of buried structural changes in hexagonal boron nitride. The method detects deformations as small as about 10 picometres (10⁻¹¹ m), opening a new way to probe hidden stress and atomic-scale structural changes in advanced materials. Read more: #PKUResearch#

Can a new HER2-targeted therapy improve outcomes for patients with gastroesophageal cancer? Professor Shen Lin from Peking University Cancer Hospital led the global Phase III HERIZON-GEA-01 study evaluating zanidatamab-based treatments for HER2-positive gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Compared with trastuzumab-based therapy, zanidatamab plus chemotherapy significantly prolonged progression-free survival. The combination of zanidatamab, tislelizumab, and chemotherapy also extended overall survival to 26.4 months, compared with 19.2 months for the standard treatment. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the study highlights a promising new first-line treatment option for patients with HER2-positive gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Read more: #PKUResearch#

Professor Liu Jian of the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and the Center for Computational Science and Engineering, Peking University, has been elected as Member at Large of the Council of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science (IAQMS). This distinction follows Professor Liu’s election as an IAQMS Fellow in 2025, further recognizing his outstanding contributions to the field of theoretical and computational chemistry. Established in 1967 by pioneering scientists, including Nobel Laureates Louis de Broglie and John A. Pople, IAQMS brings together leading scientists in the field of quantum molecular science worldwide. #PKUResearch#

How can machine computation simulate the way the human brain thinks? 🧠 The answer may lie in neural dynamical systems and controllable compute-in-memory. Every second, our brains process countless electrical signals, allowing us to perceive, react, and make decisions almost instantly. Yet when computers simulate these neural dynamics, even tiny delays can become a major challenge. In applications such as surgical robotics, autonomous systems, and other real-time scenarios, every millisecond matters. A research team led by Prof. Yang Yuchao from the PKU School of Integrated Circuits, in collaboration with the Shanghai Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is tackling this challenge with a new phase-change memristor (PCM) chip that enables neural dynamical systems to run in under 10 milliseconds. By combining compute-in-memory architecture with adaptive time-stepping, the team is bringing brain-inspired computing one step closer to the remarkable speed and efficiency of the human brain. #PKUResearch#

A recent survey from @Pewresearch found Americans’ views on data centers have soured since beginning of year, with at least half saying data centers are “mostly bad” for environment and home energy costs

Summer employment among teens (16-19 years old) continues to trend downward…only 35.5% held a paying job this summer compared to more than half as recently as 2000 according to @pewresearch