Environment

Coloured micro- and nanoplastics suspended in the atmosphere may contribute to global warming at a level equivalent to 16.2% of that caused by black carbon.

Data-driven models provide precise prediction on charging-phase of desalination technology building a bridge between data-driven insights and physicochemical principle to lay a strong foundation for system parameter optimization.

A National Taiwan University study shows that traffic particles can create sharply localized exposure hotspots near busy roads, intersections and elevated corridors. The findings suggest that targeted street-level planning may better protect children and other vulnerable groups than citywide averages alone.

The evolution of higher education in the digital era has attracted global attention, and Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, recently published a paper titled “AI for education: The digital transformation of a liberal arts institution – implementation at Lingnan University” in a leading international journal Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence. The paper’s in-depth analysis of the role artificial intelligence (AI) plays in education uses Lingnan as a case study to examine the success of its pilot initiatives.

Counterintuitively, despite the ongoing fuel crisis and the over two decades since the global phaseout of leaded gasoline, toxic lead still lingers in Metro Manila’s air.

An international research team led by a scholar from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has broken through the overlooked role of sewers as a source of methane, developing the first-ever globally applicable estimation tool and offering a new perspective on mitigating climate change.

Researchers have created a self-powered fiber sensor that can detect oil in water and respond quickly to dangerous heat. The system works without an external power source and could support real-time safety monitoring in marine and industrial environments.

Transforming film education through interactive game – CineSim, developed by the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries at Lingnan University, received the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year award at the Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2026 on the evening of 22 April. Widely regarded as the Oscars of higher education, the Awards are highly competitive, and Lingnan University stood out from more than 500 entries worldwide to become the only institution to receive the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year award. This achievement clearly demonstrates the University’s lead in educational innovation and the application of digital technologies, which have earned full recognition from the international higher education community.

Biodegradable plastics are great. They provide the ductility of plastics whilst reducing the materials environmental downsides. However, in the quest for greater degradability, improving durability has received scant attention. A research group recently rectified this with the development of a new bamboo composite that emphasised both biodegradability and strength. The group also developed a means to predict how the material breaks down in water.

The Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS) held a conferment ceremony today, 21 April, to honour two internationally famous scholars. Prof Arnold B. Bakker, a leading authority in work and organisational psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, was appointed a Lingnan Fellow. Prof M. Jae Moon, an eminent scholar in public management and digital governance from Yonsei University, Korea, received the title of Senior Lingnan Scholar. Both scholars are ranked on the Stanford University World’s Top 2% Scientists list, and this will drive Lingnan University’s endeavours in international research and collaborative exchange.

Floatable beads made from chitosan and cellulose acetate and enhanced with bentonite were engineered to effectively clean oil from water. The beads showed good oil adsorption capacity while remaining easy to collect from the water surface.

An international research team led by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CityUHK has successfully developed a breakthrough technology, called “Liquid Droplet Mops”, which only uses a minimal amount of water to effectively remove dust and pollutants from solar panel surfaces, significantly enhancing cleaning efficiency while conserving water.

Lingnan University and Yuanpei College of Peking University (PKU) organised the Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy (LYSSA) jointly for the third consecutive year. Coordinated by the Lingnan’s Office of Student Affairs, the LYSSA 2026 opening ceremony took place virtually on 20 April 2026, and attracted more than 40 experts, instructors, and students from both universities, providing a platform for Beijing-Hong Kong SAR youth to discuss innovation and entrepreneurship, improve their future competitiveness at work, and promote cultural exchanges and cooperation. The winning team will receive a cash prize of HK$50,000, as well as an incubation fund of up to HK$500,000 from the Lingnan Foundation, to support students in transforming their innovative ideas into entrepreneurial projects, products, or services with market potential.

New research reveals unexpected intruders in a classic tropical tree–ant relationship, raising concerns for forest recovery in human‑altered landscapes.

Matcha surprise, Smart sea urchin spines, Breaking biomass bonds, Hybrid air-conditioning, Alga in gloom & A touch of tech. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Early Bird submissions for Asia Research News 2027

To enhance the business acumen and practical experience of students from Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area (GBA) tertiary institutions, the Hong Kong Institute of Business Studies (HKIBS) at Lingnan University organised the third Business Case Competition (LUBCC) 2026. The Final Presentation Day and Award Presentation Ceremony were successfully held yesterday (12 April). This year’s competition expanded for the first time to include five GBA universities: Shenzhen University, Jinan University, Foshan University, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, and Guangdong University of Technology. The first-prize teams were Lingnan University and Foshan University.

Researchers from National Taiwan University and Chulalongkorn University developed a copper-based catalyst system that improves low-temperature methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide hydrogenation by balancing two key steps in the reaction.

Major international recognition for research exploring largely unknown microbial life in groundwater

As climate change intensifies harmful algal blooms worldwide, an international team led by Hiroshima University has developed a hybrid modeling approach that combines algal movement simulations, AI, and long-term monitoring data to sharpen forecasts of these bloom events—linked to environmental damage, mass fish die-offs, economic losses, and risks to human health.

Skepticism about claims regarding sustainability reduces consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable products by weakening two important drivers of green consumption: people’s willingness to look for trustworthy environmental information and their anticipated guilt about making less sustainable choices.

International research collaboration develops smarter reuse of past forecasts to improve subseasonal heat predictions—without extra computation

Single monomer containing thiolactone and pyridyl disulfide molecules allows for variable polymer functionalities

A research team from Taiwan has developed a novel hybrid air-conditioning system integrating shallow geothermal energy and a desiccant wheel. Field tests confirm it significantly reduces energy consumption by up to 34.3% in hot and humid climates, offering a promising solution for net-zero buildings.

Asian turtles face a severe conservation crisis caused by illegal poaching and the wildlife trade. Supported by Ocean Park and the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, Lingnan University is hosting the inaugural International Conference on Integrated Conservation of Asian Turtles (ICAT) from today, 27 March, through 30 March 2026. The conference, attended by 180 leading scholars, scientists, zookeepers, veterinarians, policymakers, educators, and other experts from 19 countries and regions will examine the latest research findings and practical conservation, as well as strategies to combat the illegal poaching of Asian turtles, and enhance protection for endangered species.

Lingnan University has achieved outstanding results in the international higher education organisation Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Nine broad and individual subjects were designated, and more than half moved up. Philosophy came in the top three in Hong Kong, and Computer Science and Information Systems is included in the list for the first time, showing Lingnan’s considerable recent progress in developing interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence and data science, which has gained widespread recognition from the international academic community. QS stated that only three Hong Kong universities have achieved a net improvement, with Lingnan University among the most improved.

A newly developed spray-on fabric coating could allow clothes to be cleaned using only water, reducing water and detergent needs.

A research team from CityUHK, in collaboration with researchers from the Chinese Mainland, has found that LCMs from household electronics and e-waste can bioaccumulate in marine life, including the endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and finless porpoises. These compounds can penetrate the blood–brain barrier and accumulate in brain tissue, raising concerns about potential risks to the nervous system and other organs.

More than 850 policymakers, researchers, development institutions, and civil society representatives from over 50 countries gathered in Bangkok to highlight the urgent need to accelerate action on air pollution across Asia and the Pacific.

Kelli canines, Healthy fats in rice, Mercury and Earth in chorus, AI lights up materials discovery, Radiation detection with phones and Down to one. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Women's Month 2026.

The oldest-known articulated bony fish and an early example of teeth from a bony fish have been detected in a collection of fossils from China. Two Nature papers offer new insights into the origins of bony fish.