The crystals growing inside a bone from an ancient deer-like animal helped scientists figure out the age of a prehistoric butchering site in China. And the new, older age for the site means that people there developed complex, creative tool-making techniques earlier than previously thought, during a harsh ice age-- challenging long-held ideas about early humanity at this site becoming creative thanks to warmer times of plenty.

Forming social connections online and via social media reduces how much people engage with and learn from the content posted but significantly boosts their networking performance, according to new research.

Professor Cui Yunhuo and Professor Lei Hao from the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction at East China Normal University have been named to Elsevier's 2025 "Highly Cited Chinese Researchers" list in Education. Prof. Cui receives the honor for the fourth consecutive year, and Prof. Lei for the third, highlighting their sustained impact in the field.

Professor Ke Zheng of East China Normal University launches the "Education Powerhouse Research Series," addressing China's transition from a "large" to a "strong" education system. Grounded in real-world challenges, the series seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice while contributing Chinese perspectives to global education governance.