China's achievements in large-scale scientific facilities 2024

In recent years, China has made significant strides in scientific research, especially in the construction and utilization of large-scale research facilities. These advancements have not only led to significant breakthroughs across various fields but have also contributed to global scientific collaboration. As 2024 wraps up, let's take a look at some of China's key scientific achievements facilitated by its major research infrastructures (order not relevant to their importance).

China's FAST telescope discovers over 1,000 pulsars

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), China's cutting-edge radio telescope, has identified more than 1,000 new pulsars since its launch in 2016. This was announced by its operator, the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), in November. FAST's discovery of new pulsars has surpassed the total number of pulsars found by all other international telescopes combined, according to the NAOC.

China begins building phase II of spallation neutron source project

China's Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), the country's first research facility for intense pulsed neutron beams, entered its second phase of construction in March 2024. Located in Dongguan City, south China's Guangdong Province, the expansion aims to enhance the performance of the neutron source, providing more powerful experimental capabilities. The upgrade is expected to take five years and nine months.

China's transparent spherical neutrino detector reaches milestone when filled with ultrapure water

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), the world's largest transparent spherical neutrino detector, has reached its last critical stage when it was filled with ultrapure water in December. The core of the JUNO is a liquid scintillator detector immersed in a 44-meter-deep cylindrical pool in an underground hall buried deep in a granite layer in a hill in Kaiping, Jiangmen City, in south China's Guangdong Province. This project is a significant step forward in particle physics, offering new tools to explore the origins of the universe, particle interactions, and quantum mechanics. The detector’s successful development will likely become a crucial asset for global physics research in the years ahead.

China upgrades Shanghai synchrotron light source facility

The upgraded Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF), a key sci-tech infrastructure in east China that aims to reveal the mysteries of the microscopic world, passed national inspection and acceptance in May 2024. This enhancement significantly increased the intensity and precision of the synchrotron radiation produced, facilitating advances in physics, materials science, and life sciences.

Chinese scientists developed super intravital microscope

A team of Chinese scientists from Tsinghua University crafted a super intravital microscope. It is capable of observing the entire three-dimensional (3D) interactions of a large-scale cell's network at the mammalian organ level with low toxicity. Dubbed RUSH3D, the microscope can offer significant insights into the architecture and operational dynamics of neural circuits for neuroscience.

China's Einstein Probe discovers the 'fireworks' of the universe

China's Einstein Probe satellite, launched in 2024, has already made groundbreaking discoveries by capturing incredible astrophysical phenomena—referred to as the "fireworks" of the universe. These findings offer new insights into the evolution of the cosmos and the nature of black holes and other celestial objects, providing fresh perspectives on some of the most fundamental questions in astrophysics.