BEIJING: While millions of people across China celebrate the Lunar New Year with family gatherings, many researchers and engineers are spending the Spring Festival at laboratories, desert testing sites and remote observation stations, continuing work on projects in advanced materials, nuclear energy and space technology.
From artificial intelligence-driven chemistry labs in Anhui Province to experimental nuclear reactors in the Gobi Desert and satellite stations in the country’s far north, the scientists’ work highlights China’s push in strategic research areas.
AI-driven materials research
At the State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry at the University of Science and Technology of China, AI-powered robots operate around the clock, autonomously designing experimental procedures and conducting laboratory tests.
The laboratory has contributed to the development of international standards for intelligent chemistry software and hardware, promoting data-driven research methods.
Using the platform, first-year doctoral student Fang Tiancheng developed a new thermal insulation material capable of withstanding temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees Celsius while remaining ultra-thin. According to the university, related products have already generated significant economic returns.
Fang said he plans to continue research and explore industrial partnerships during the Spring Festival period.
Thorium reactor in the Gobi Desert
In the Gobi Desert in Gansu Province, researchers are maintaining stable operations at an experimental thorium-based molten salt reactor.
The Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), built by the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, achieved the world’s first thorium-to-uranium nuclear fuel conversion in 2025, according to the institute. The project was later listed among China’s top scientific achievements of 2025 by academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Zou Yang, director of the Thorium-based Nuclear Energy Research Center, said the reactor demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing thorium resources in molten salt systems. The team plans to continue operating the 2-megawatt liquid-fueled experimental reactor while advancing further research.
Accelerator-driven nuclear system in Guangdong
In Huizhou, Guangdong Province, teams are working at the construction site of the China initiative Accelerator Driven System (CiADS), led by researchers from the Institute of Modern Physics.
CiADS, which began construction in July 2021 and is scheduled for completion in 2027, aims to improve nuclear waste disposal and increase uranium utilization efficiency. Project leaders say the system could raise uranium usage rates from below 1 percent to over 90 percent, while addressing long-standing challenges related to nuclear waste management.
Satellite operations in China’s northernmost city
At a remote sensing satellite ground station in Mohe, Heilongjiang Province, technicians are working in temperatures that can drop below minus 50 degrees Celsius.
Built by the Aerospace Information Research Institute, the station increases daily data reception time for polar-orbiting satellites by more than 20 percent due to its high-latitude location. It currently supports 25 land observation satellites.
Station director Shi Shengpu said the facility strengthens China’s monitoring capabilities in polar and high-latitude regions, supporting land surveying, environmental protection, meteorology and disaster monitoring.
Continuing work through the holiday
Although Spring Festival is traditionally a time for family reunions, researchers at these facilities have chosen to remain on duty to ensure continuity in major scientific projects.
Their work spans artificial intelligence, nuclear energy and satellite technology, reflecting ongoing efforts to expand China’s research capacity across diverse and often extreme environments.
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