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Asia Research News:  Editor's choice
13 Dec 2023
"Amaterasu" particle: a new cosmic mystery, Geckos inspire robotic device, Targeting cancer while protecting healthy cells, Honey, I shrunk the bear, Two species lost to science spotted again. Plus New Science Communication Resources. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
08 Dec 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how eels can transfer DNA, older babies falling for tricks that younger ones do not, and a crystal layer deep in the Earth.
Deep-sea hydrothermal vent 'Crab Spa'
30 Nov 2023
A new bacterial species discovered at the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site ‘Crab Spa’ provides a deeper understanding of bacterial evolution.
16 Nov 2023
The winners of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards were announced at the prestigious Environmental Microbiology lecture 2023, held at BMA House in London on November 16.
10 Nov 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how mice help disperse seeds of a centennial blooming plant, a new isle created by recent volcanic activity, and how organisms breaking up microplastics is not always a good thing.
10 Nov 2023
A significant breakthrough in developing a passive radiative cooling (PRC) material has been announced by researchers at City University of Hong Kong (CityU). The findings have just been published in the prestigious scientific journal Science titled “Hierarchically structured passive radiative cooling ceramic with high solar reflectivity.”
Camera trap photo of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna
10 Nov 2023
Expedition led by Indonesian NGO YAPPENDA with Cenderawasih University students finds two species lost to science: Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna—one of Re:wild’s most wanted lost species—and Mayr’s honeyeater.
09 Nov 2023
New shrimp species in ancient hot spring, Super sprouts, How "warm-ups" work, New antiviral candidate, Solving voltage decay and from our blog: A sustainable future shines in TIE 2023. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
07 Nov 2023
SINGAPORE, November 7, 2023 – TechInnovation 2023, IPI's flagship event and a premier technology-matching platform, successfully concluded on Thursday, 2 November 2023, profoundly impacting audiences with insights into Sustainability, Health & Well-being, and AI in Healthcare. Over 5,000 people registered to attend TechInnovation, which brought together industry leaders, innovators, and technology experts alike to share and discover opportunities to partner and collaborate to create a sustainable future.
27 Oct 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are parasites that borrow their hosts genes, how waste feathers can be used in hydrogen fuel cells, and a poor bird that was caught up in a powerful typhoon.
23 Oct 2023
[Kuala Lumpur, 21 October 2023] - The MTE 2023 Sustainable Development Goals International Innovation Awards & Expo, a virtual expo held from 18th to 20th October 2023, witnessed a gathering of visionaries, innovators, and advocates committed to advancing the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
20 Oct 2023
Evaluation of developmental toxicity in early chicken embryos exposed to tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate
20 Oct 2023
This study examined how the origin (wild or hatchery-reared), feeding area (Baltic Sea mainstem, Bosnian Sea, and Gulf of Finland), and organic halogen compound (OHC) concentrations of Baltic Sea Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) affect the salmon liver proteome, transcriptome, and oxidative stress markers. Results suggest that the Baltic salmon liver proteome, together with the transcriptome, is influenced more by OHC concentrations and oxidative stress levels in the feeding area than by their origin.
20 Oct 2023
Structural characteristics of environmental pollutants and computer simulations predict effects on the endocrine system of seals
16 Oct 2023
The shortlist for the Applied Microbiology International Awards 2023 has now been announced. The AMI Awards programme is designed to celebrate the brightest minds in our field and promote the research, group, projects, products and individuals who continue to help shape the future of applied microbiology.
06 Oct 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the confirmation of a route that humans took to migrate from Africa, how pheromones can influence beetle behavior, and microplastics found in cloud water.
Asia Research News Editors Choice
05 Oct 2023
Hunting for supermassive black holes, Coastal survival at risk, Calcium and dead cell clean-up, Two naps are better than one & Pineapple leaf prosthetics. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
An acoel (top) with two types of symbionts collected in Kochi, Japan (bottom left). The green-colored spots in the acoel are green algal (Tetraselmis) symbionts (middle right) and the brown-colored spots are dinoflagellate symbionts (bottom right). (Photos: Kevin Wakeman and Siratee Riewluang)
05 Oct 2023
Acoels have been found to host a wide diversity of symbiotic, photosynthetic microalgae.
05 Oct 2023
Sarawak also launches Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 as part of its vision to become a digital economy powerhouse in the region
Asia Research News monthly Editor's Choice
08 Sep 2023
Capturing carbon dioxide, Shells go nuclear, Worms surf electric fields, Brain repair & Creating matter from light. Plus from our blog: Monitoring research for further impact. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
01 Sep 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the detection of a rare isotope of oxygen, converting waste coconut fibers into a flavoring compound, and a smart contact lens battery that can be powered by tears.
01 Sep 2023
Research published today in Nature warns that rising seas will devastate coastal habitats, using evidence from the last Ice Age.
25 Aug 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how melatonin can help us remember objects, drones that can assemble and disassemble in mid-air, and a new species of anemone.
Water Bottle Filter and Water Bottle
23 Aug 2023
SLINTEC, Monash University Malaysia, and Newcastle University UK and Singapore teamed up for Poseidon: a patented portable water filtration device attachable to a bottle, offering clean drinking water for those lacking access.
Packing materials, foams
23 Aug 2023
Associate Professor Taweechai Amornsakchai and his team of international researchers have developed novel bio-degradable rigid foams derived from pineapple waste, showcasing impressive properties. Starch and cellulosic materials are key components of the foams, which are processed via microwave gel formation and filler blending. The foams feature high strength, and rapid biodegradation, with potential for practical use from packaging, to construction, automotive, and aerospace.
11 Aug 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are particle pollution linked to antibiotic resistance and microplastics being found in the body, fossils that show a marine reptile that used filter feeding, and how a connection in our brains compares our rewards to ones that others received.
09 Aug 2023
- Selected for the industrial technology international cooperation project with Denmark, Estonia, and Romania. - A total of 1.5 billion won will be allocated for three years, anticipating the implementation of eco-friendly solar cells through antimony-selenide compound growth and enlargement technology development.
09 Aug 2023
Viruses in man-made environments cause public health concerns, but they are generally less studied than bacteria. A recent study led by environmental scientists from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) provided the first evidence of frequent interactions between viruses and bacteria in man-made environments. It found that viruses can potentially help host bacteria adapt and survive in nutrient-depleted man-made environments through a unique gene insertion.
09 Aug 2023
- Biomass-Based Thermoplastic Polyurethane Developed with 97% Biocarbon Content & Enhanced Mechanical Properties. - Accelerating the Path to Eco-Friendly Thermoplastic Polyurethane Commercialization. - Published in the July Issue of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, a Leading International Journal in Applied Polymers.
03 Aug 2023
Amid the global concern over the pollution of radioactive wastes in the ocean, The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), the City University of Hong Kong and The University of Hong Kong have conducted a cross-institutional study, which has found that ‘Artificial Mussels’ (AMs) can effectively measure low concentration of radionuclides in the sea. It is believed that this technology can be applied as a reliable and effective solution for monitoring radioactive contamination around the world.

Events

26 Nov 2019
Conference will focus on the issues and challenges of sustainable waste management, from the planning to implementation phases.
09 Oct 2019
This 3-day event will showcase green technology solutions represented by 350 exhibitors from 35 countries.
10 Oct 2019
The promotion period has been extended to 30 August 2019.
03 Sep 2019
For more than a quarter of a century, POWERGEN Asia has served as Asia's premier forum for the power generation industry. Attracting over 8,500 attendees from more than 60 countries, POWERGEN Asia covers all forms of power generation, from conventional to renewable energy and other low-carbon options. This leading forum is where the power industry can meet, share and discuss solutions for Asia's energy future.
01 Oct 2019
Advancing Innovation, Embracing Transformation and Securing the future

Researchers

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Dr. Lewis Cheung Ting
Dr. Lewis's research interests focus on sustainable tourism with particular emphasis on nature-based tourism in protected areas, environmental education, and environmental conservation.
The University of Tokyo
Lian is an IT professional with a bachelor's in Computer Science at De La Salle University and a masters in Information Studies at The University of Tokyo. She had previously handled professional projects in culture-based conservation and blended learning. She is currently based in Chiba, Japan as a research student in Sustainability Science at UTokyo's Kashiwa campus. Her research focuses on educational technology for sustainable development (ICT4Ed and ESD). Aside from her day job, Lian enjoys painting and has participated in a number of exhibitions in her hometown, Davao City.
Lingnan University (LU)
Picture of Paulina Wong Pui-yun
Prof. Paulina's areas of specialization include air pollution, urban climate, GIS modeling and environmental health. Her research interests focus on examining the effects of air pollution and urban heat islands on health-related problems in densely populated cities.
Dr. Huichao Jin
He is currently an assistant researcher in Jilin University. His research focuses on functional surfaces, bioinspired antifouling coatings, and medical antifouling materials.
Guangshun Jiang
Guangshun Jiang does research in ecology and zoology with a special focus on big feline ecology and conservation research.
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
Dr. Fariha is a Senior Lecturer and a Civil Engineer at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. She is actively conducting research on Kenaf-sorb beads that is potentially for wastewater treatment at the factory’s effluent point.
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Cho Jae-Weon
Prof. Cho Jae-Weon is a professor of environmental engineering at the National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in Ulsan, South Korea and has devised a way to convert human waste into power.
Assistant Professor of Environmental Science Krishna Institute of Allied Sciences Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed To Be University, Karad
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)
Kenneth Leung Mei Yee
Prof. Kenneth Leung Mei Yee has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles which are principally related to marine ecology, pollution, ecotoxicology, environmental risk assessment and ecological restoration using eco-engineering.
Dr. Mohammed N. Abdulrazaq is currently an Assoc. Prof. at Department of Engineering & Technology, Management & Science University (MSU), Malaysia.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Dr. Connie Cassy Ompok is an early childhood education expert and a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. She Started her career in Early Childhood Education as a preschool teacher (2004-2007), a lecturer in early childhood education at the Malaysian Institute of Teacher Education (2008-2016) before serving as a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at UMS (2016 until now).
Dr. A. Ahmad obtained his BS, MSc, and PhD degrees in Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering, respectively. Dr. Ahmad's areas of expertise include algal engineering for bioenergy production, environmental remediation, dark fermentation, and biochemicals, CO2 mitigation, industrial wastewater treatment, and heavy metals biosorption. Ahmad has worked on several projects using integrated microalgal engineering in industrial wastewater. Dr. Ahmad has published over 35 articles in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings and generated significant research interest. He serves as a reviewer for more than ten scientific journals.
Currently a research assistant in the laboratory of green energy in Zhejiang University of Technology.
I'm Senior Lecturer at the School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffiield. I research and teach about post-developmental Japan in the Asia-Pacific region.
Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology
Mayuko Nakagawa is a biochemist at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) based at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.
Dr Ye Zhou is an electronic engineer at the Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, China.
Hokkaido University
Daisuke Hirano is an assistant professor at the Ocean and Sea Ice Dynamics Group, the Institute of Low Temperature Science of Hokkaido University, Japan.
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)
Zuankai Wang is currently a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Dean (Internationalization & Industry Engagement) of College of Engineering at City University of Hong Kong.
Dr. KeweiGao is the Professor of Materials Physics, and the Associate Chair of the Department of Materials Physics and Chemistry at University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB).
Hokkaido University
Jorge García Molinos is an aquatic ecologist broadly interested in global change ecology and macroecology.
Fatima Akter
Assistant Professor, Department of Meteorology, University of Dhaka
A Tenured Professor at the Institute of Space Technology (Pakistan), Dr. Shabbir is working on Polymer based Nanomaterials for water treatment, food safety, nano-drug delivery systems, solar cells and carbon dioxide capture.
Assoc Prof Tuncer is the Capstone program director at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Director of the Informed Design Lab, which works on using data for informed architectural and urban spaces. Using computation, the lab looks at how they can strengthen and automate some things in urban design by building models and testing them better for human use, human perception, human comfort before actual constructions.
Picture of Lynette Cheah
Associate Professor Lynette Cheah leads the Sustainable Urban Mobility research group at SUTD, which develops data-driven models and tools to reduce the environmental impacts of passenger and urban freight transport. Her expertise is in transport modelling and simulation, life-cycle energy and environmental assessments (LCA) of products and systems, and urban metabolism. She is a Fellow with the Martin Family Society for Sustainability, winner of the Singapore Challenge Prize in the Global Young Scientists Summit 2013, and is currently serving as a Review Editor for the UN IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report.
Honey Gupta is a PhD student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University f Canterbury, New Zealand.
National University of Singapore
Picture of Audrey Chia
I work at the intersection of Business, Medicine and Environment. Many of the world’s current problems are best addressed from multiple perspectives. I examine issues ranging from sustainable development, pandemics, diversity, environment, social innovation and philanthropy, and suggest how we can do better.
Nanyang Technological University
Picture of Sravya Tekumalla
Dr. Sravya Tekumalla is currently a Principal Investigator in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where she works as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow. In addition, she also leads a small team of staff and students working in the domain of metal additive manufacturing (commonly known as 3D printing).
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Associate Professor Sitti Raehanah Muhamad Shaleh is the director of Borneo Marine Research Institute at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
Dr. Hemu Kharel Kafle is the Founder and Director of Research at Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences (KIAS), Nepal, and a scientist at the Centre for Water and Atmospheric Research (CENWAR) within it.
Dr. Mashura Shammi is an associate professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh.

Giants in history

Tetsuya Theodore Fujita (23 October 1920 – 19 November 1998) was a Japanese-American meteorologist who created the Fujita scale that classifies the strength of tornadoes based on damage to structures and vegetation.
Archana Sharma (16 February 1932 - 14 January 2008) conducted research into plant and human genetics that expanded the understanding of both botany and human health. In relation to botany, she uncovered the means by which asexually-reproducing plants evolve into new species.
Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann (23 November 1937 – 4 September 2005) was a Filipino-American scientist whose research focused on cyanobacteria and microorganisms that inhabit extreme environments.
Edgardo Dizon Gomez (7 November 1938 – 1 December 2019) was a Filipino marine biologist who recognized the need to protect marine resources, especially coral reefs, in the Philippines.
Anna Mani (23 August 1918 – 16 August 2001) was an Indian meteorologist who contributed significantly to the understanding of solar radiation, ozone and wind energy by developing a wide range of measurement tools. One of India’s pioneering female scientists, Mani excelled in the male-dominated area of meteorology and became the Deputy Director-General of the India Meteorological Department.
Võ Quý (1929 – 2017) was a Vietnamese ornithologist who studied the destruction of tropical forests and agricultural lands in Vietnam by Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. In addition to planning forest restoration projects, Quý rediscovered the rare eastern sarus crane, an endangered species that had vanished during the war.
Japanese geochemist Katsuko Saruhashi developed the first method and tools for measuring carbon dioxide in seawater