An international research team led by Dr. ZHANG Shukang and postdoctoral researcher Dr. CHOI Seung from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has conducted a comprehensive study of secondary eggshell units (SEUs) in dinosaur eggshells using techniques including electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For comparison, they examined some eggshells of modern birds, turtles, and crocodiles.

Chinese researchers led by Prof. XIAO Jun at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a groundbreaking technology that sheds light on how the three-dimensional (3D) organization of plant genomes influences gene expression—especially in photosynthesis.

Newly sequenced ancient genomes from Yunnan, China, have shed new light on human prehistory in East Asia. In a study published in Science, a research team led by Prof. FU Qiaomei at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed data from 127 ancient humans, dating from 7,100 to 1,400 years ago. The results show that this region is pivotal to understanding the origin of both Tibetan and Austroasiatic (i.e., ethnic groups with a shared language group in South and Southeast Asia) population groups.

Recently, a joint Chinese–American research team led by Dr. HU Han from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr Jingmai O’Connor from the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) announced the discovery and scientific description of the 14th known specimen of Archaeopteryx, known as the Chicago Archaeopteryx.