Tech & Sci
2026.07.01 00:15 GMT+8

Redefining cold: A woman who gave China a cryogenic temperature ruler

Updated 2026.07.01 00:15 GMT+8
Liu Jiaxin

Cryogenic temperatures are defined as those below 120K (-153.15°C), but scientist Gao Bo's research reaches even further into the extreme, focusing on temperatures below 24.5561K (-248.5939°C). Measurement technologies at this range provide critical support for frontier scientific research, major scientific facilities, deep-space exploration, and the development of green energy.

For nearly a century, China lacked a primary standard in this field and, as a result, had little influence in the international arena. Gao Bo and her team changed that by developing an entirely new approach to measuring ultra-low temperatures, creating what is now the most precise system in the world. Her findings have since been incorporated into international standards, giving China a stronger voice in this area of fundamental research. CGTN's Liu Jiaxin visits her "frozen battlefield" to see how she transformed a once-overlooked field into a groundbreaking success.

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