Environment

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.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team used hourly precipitation data from 1981 to 2020 and spatial modeling to predict extreme precipitation events for the next 100 years in Japan.

The indigenous Bugkalot people of Nueva Ecija call it “kelli” but science has only now been able to identify it as a distinct species and given it a formal scientific name

Home ownership remains one of the most important decisions in life. A study conducted by Lingnan University’s School of Graduate Studies examined intergenerational housing support from the perspective of parents. The results show that only about one in four (26%) surveyed parents plan to provide financial assistance to their children for home purchase, 37 per cent believe that subsidising children’s property purchase is not their responsibility, and nearly seven in ten (67%) believe the government should provide more subsidised housing to help the younger generation achieve home ownership. The study, Housing opportunities and family reciprocity: intergenerational support for young people and the role of housing and welfare policy in Hong Kong, was published in the latest issue of the internationally recognised Journal of Social Policy.

The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) formalized strategic partnerships to enhance the use of Space Science, Technology, and Applications (SSTA) to advance environmental protection, sustainable development, and evidence-based policymaking, including for the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

More thorough testing of methane and ethane emissions in Osaka, Japan, identified numerous natural gas-related large methane sources that were mostly overlooked in current predictions. These sources may be useful future targets for mitigating emissions.

New research examines how carceral punishment in Philippine jails extends far beyond legal sentences by permeating every bodily sense.

A study finds that shelterbelts, trees planted as windbreaks, in Japan’s wet farmlands boost edge-dwelling bird population but cut grassland species by about 74%, with numbers rebounding roughly a kilometer away, revealing an overlooked conservation trade-off.

Researchers developed a compact device that converts sunlight and waste heat into clean hydrogen fuel while simultaneously purifying water. This innovative system improves energy efficiency and offers a promising solution for sustainable energy and environmental remediation.

To inspire students in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), unleash their creativity, and engage with the evolving landscape of new media, the Department of Marketing and International Business at Lingnan University organised The City Through My Lens: A Social Media Campaign - Video Competition 2025. Students were invited to form teams and create short promotional social media videos capturing the highlights of their cities. The competition provided a platform for GBA secondary school students to express their creativity and broaden their horizons, while also strengthening the connection between the University and the younger generation. This is the first time the competition has included schools across the GBA, and there were 18 entrants. The championship was awarded to Malvern College Hong Kong, the first runner-up was St. Paul's Convent School, and the other runners-up were the HKSYC&IA Chan Nam Chong Memorial College, Sha Tin College, St. Paul’s Secondary School and Yew Chung International School.

Using a new method to track groundwater levels and greenhouse gas emissions, researchers uncover the climate impact of Southeast Asia’s peatlands.

We may be closer to unravelling the mystery of how the dry, arid Mars used to be covered in water from new research that focuses on an unexpected event (a powerful dust storm) at an unexpected time (Northern Hemisphere summer).

Early marine algae adapted their light-harvesting systems for weak blue-green light, suggesting how photosynthesis evolved.

More than 190 students from 13 local secondary schools will take part in a year-long programme to gain hands-on experience in preparing an extremely rare whale specimen for public exhibitions scheduled for 2027. The Environment and Conservation Fund “Sea” Through Cetacean: STEAM Student Ambassador Programme & Cetacean Conservation Exhibition, organised by the Division of Science of Lingnan University in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Cetacea Research Institute, and Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, was officially launched on 1 February 2026. This initiative builds on the rare stranding of a Longman’s beaked whale in Hong Kong in 2024, providing students with a unique opportunity to assist in the preparation of skeletal specimens of one of the world’s most mysterious marine mammal species. The project also promotes cetacean conservation and will educate the public in key marine environmental issues, including plastic pollution in the oceans.

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a wastewater treatment method to help clear pollution caused by toxic, non-biodegradable dyes. The method uses a 3D, sponge-like covalent organic network to purify wastewater in a sustainable manner.

Sticky life beginnings. Precarious pitcher plant, Breaking the cobalt "cage", Toxic algae killer & “Pure-bred” stem cell medium. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Asia Research News 2026 is out now and SciCom Coffee talk by Rachael Smith at Wellcome Sanger Institute.