Research Highlights

Scientists in Singapore converted fruit waste into a solar absorber called Mxene to develop an efficient and sustainable water desalination process.

Scientists from Alliance University, Bangalore, Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Inha University, Hanyang University, South Korea, and Newcastle University in Singapore have developed a new and straightforward approach to turn used COVID-19 facemasks into potential absorbent materials that can be employed for carbon capture from atmosphere.

A study led by scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has identified a protease called MT1-MMP that is a major host factor behind the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the human body, which leads to the infection of COVID-19 and multi-organ failure. By applying a humanised antibody called 3A2 that can inhibit the activity of MT1-MMP, the viral load of infected mice was reduced by almost 90%. The research team also demonstrated that the protease is a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19.

Derived from the Gujarati word saras, meaning "beautiful", Sarasa cloth is believed to have been introduced to Japan as a trade textile by the Dutch during the Muromachi period (1336–1573).

To understand Hong Kong youth's opinions on employment, poverty, a decent life, and related policies, as well as their income and expenditure, a recent survey, entitled “How low is the minimum wage? Report on Employment Dilemmas of the Poor New Generation”, jointly conducted by Lingnan University (LU) Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and the Centre for Cultural Research and Development, shows that about 40 per cent of the interviewees described themselves as living in poverty, and most young people working full-time indicated that the statutory minimum wage (MW) is too low and they do not benefit from it.

A team of researchers from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Pahang has successfully developed an electrospinning method for producing Nylon Nanofibres for use in carbon fibre composites to enhance the impact properties of carbon composites.

Ajanta Murals represent some of India's earliest and most significant examples of cave painting. Spanning from the second and first centuries BCE to the late fifth CE, they narrate stories of the Buddha through his life as various bodhisattvas. Read on to discover the iconography, style and history of Ajanta Murals.

Scientists from Oil Crops Research Institute (OCRI) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Anhui Agricultural University (Anhui, China), Newcastle University in Singapore, and Huizhou Comvikin Biotechnology Co., Ltd (Guangdong, China) have developed a green and efficient approach to synthesize highly liposoluble and antioxidant L-ascorbyl esters by immobilized lipases.

Theyyam is a ritualistic performance in the Kolathunadu district of Kerala, India. It is believed to be a physical manifestation of the presence of deities either connected to the Hindu pantheon or derived from folk tales and stories of people who were later deified. Read on to know more about the history and development of Theyyam performances.

Scientists from two Asian universities, namely Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Newcastle University in Singapore, have completed a study to understand how the mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composite laminates could be compromised by moisture seepage.

The Kailasanatha Temple at Ellora is the largest monolithic rock-cut monument in the world. Considered to represent the victory of its patrons, the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, over the Chalukyas, the temple is widely considered remarkable for its size, standing at 32 metres high and 78 metres long.

Believed to have been built in 250 BCE to commemorate the occasion of the Buddha's first sermon in Sarnath, the lion capital is the most elaborately carved surviving capital made under the patronage of the Mauryan king Ashoka.

Scientists from five Asian universities, namely Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Charles Darwin University, National Defence University of Malaysia, and Newcastle University in Singapore have completed and published a comprehensive survey of the complex nature of natural fibre reinforcing composite materials.

Rock-cut sculpture has independently arisen in various parts of the world, from subterranean structures in Malta in the Neolithic Period to tombs in ancient Egypt and the Phrygian kingdom in present-day Turkey. Read on to learn about India's earliest surviving examples of rock-cut sculpture.

A research team led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has identified a molecular target for bone anabolic therapies using a selected aptamer that serves as an inhibitor of sclerostin, a protein that prevents bone growth. The discovery offers hope for the development of an effective next-generation treatment for osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta that is free of cardiovascular risk compared to the marketed antibody drug.

Often used by devotees as a meditation tool, Mandalas are symmetrical circular forms that typically comprise a central deity surrounded by motifs and symbols.

Scientists from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia have reported a novel way to produce reinforced concrete materials using tin slag aggregates, which is a by-product of the smelting process. This way of producing concrete enables tin slag to become a useful material, as well as reducing the amount of natural resources used, which in turn contribute to reducing carbon footprint in the construction industry.

Collecting Chinese porcelain as emblems of wealth and taste has a long and rich history. From the Balkans to Iraq and Iran through South Asia and East Africa, nobles and emperors of the 16 century collected Chinese ceramics to showcase them.

Scientists from 4 Asian universities, namely Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, and Newcastle University in Singapore have reported a novel way to produce lightweight reinforced resin composite materials using clay particles with the potential to lower carbon emission, compared to conventional carbon particles.

Practised in only three countries in the world, the process of making double Ikat is intricate and demands a degree of mathematical precision while weaving the textile on the loom.

A collaborative research team co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a wearable tactile rendering system, which can mimic the sensation of touch with high spatial resolution and a rapid response rate. The team demonstrated its application potential in a braille display, adding the sense of touch in the metaverse for functions such as virtual reality shopping and gaming, and potentially facilitating the work of astronauts, deep-sea divers and others who need to wear thick gloves.

The international collaboration developing the Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS), which includes Kavli IPMU and more than 20 collaborating institutions, has marked a significant testing milestone by successfully taking spectra of targeted stars.

Indian deities such as the goddess Saraswati were refashioned into syncretic, cross-cultural kami (deities), when Buddhist texts, teachings and philosophies were transmitted to Japan and took on local forms.

Asbestos is a toxic substance that is found in older buildings, as well as in cosmetics and products for children. As testing for its presence can be problematic, Hiroshima University Professor Akio Kuroda has been working on a novel solution.

Research led by the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has identified cryptotanshinone, a compound extracted from the Chinese herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza, with the potential for the treatment and prevention of gastric cancer associated with bile reflux. The researchers unveiled the mechanism of how bile reflux induces gastritis and gastric cancer. They explained that refluxed bile acids (BAs) lead to the proliferation of pro-inflammation bacteria that promote gastric carcinogenesis, the formation of cancer.

Published in 1693, Hortus Indicus Malabaricus offers a glimpse into the history of medical and natural sciences of South Asia.

Batik is a technique of creating patterns on cloth through wax-resist printing and dyeing and has historically been practised in several parts of the world, including India, China, Southeast Asia and Africa.

A joint group of researchers has successfully developed a method to recycle agriculture waste, namely pineapple leaf fibres, for making filaments that can be used for 3D printing of parts.

Taxidermy is the art of creating lifelike representations of animals by using their skin, feathers, scales or fur. It draws on the skills of painting, sculpture, model-making and deep knowledge of animal anatomy. Used for creating trophies of hunted animals as symbols of heroism, the practice was also utilised for pedagogical purposes in institutions like museums.

Thangka is a devotional scroll-painting tradition, emerging from seventh-century Nepal, in which images of Buddhist deities are painted on scrolls to gain divine merit and to serve as visual aids for teaching and meditating.