‘Smart’ diabetes probiotic; Chinese missile AI with 90% accuracy: 7 science highlights

We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. Chinese team aims to put ‘smart’ Diabetes probiotic on US shelves within 2 yearsChinese researchers have engineered a probiotic that could make Diabetes care as simple as drinking a cup of yogurt or swallowing a capsule.2. Chinese missile AI tracks F-22, F-35-like heat signatures with over 90% accuracyThe data set included three categories of airborne targets, including two types of aircraft mimicking the F-22 and F-35. Photo: US Department of DefenceThe F-35 and F-22 may be among the world’s most advanced stealth fighters, but they cannot hide one thing: heat. When heat-seeking missiles lock onto aircraft, fighters release flares to confuse infrared sensors and break missile tracking.3. Electrochemist Liu Jiawei moves from Singapore to Hong Kong to start her own labElectrochemist Liu Jiawei has moved from Singapore to Hong Kong to start her own laboratory. Photo: HandoutFor materials scientist and chemist Liu Jiawei, moving to Hong Kong supported her pivot into launching her own research group. After a decade immersed in Singapore’s research ecosystem, Liu sought a transition that would keep her closer to family in mainland China while maintaining an international, high-standard research environment.4. Chinese coastguard proposes turning China-sea" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="8346" data-entity-type="location">South China Sea isles into robotic fortressThe China-sea" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="8346" data-entity-type="location">South China Sea’s contested islands could be transformed into autonomous, robotic fortresses, according to a defence proposal by the Chinese coastguard. The plan, which was detailed in a Chinese-language journal supervised by the state-run China-shipbuilding-industry-corporation" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="119313" data-entity-type="organization">China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, envisions a maritime landscape defended by a coordinated swarm of machines instead of soldiers.5. China’s drone production capacity can only meet 60% of war demand: studyFirst-person view kamikaze drones would feature heavily in China’s military defence in the event of a sudden war. Photo: Getty ImagesEven when fully mobilised, China’s industrial system would only be able to meet 60 per cent of the country’s military demand for drones in a conflict, according to a rare study looking into the expected effects of a sudden war.6. International students account for most HIV cases detected at Wuhan port: studyInternational students accounted for more than half of the HIV infections identified among individuals entering China through the city of Wuhan over the past few years, although the number of cases remained low, according to customs data.7. Chinese stem cell therapy restores heart function in 90% of trial patientsA hospital in east China has used reprogrammed stem cells to treat severe heart failure, with 90 per cent of patients showing significant recovery in heart function after the novel therapy.Further Reading