Chinese civilisation’s true age; engineer leaves US to find freedom: 7 science highlights

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by SCMPFebruary 11, 2026 at 05:30 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Recent science news from China includes a challenge to the established timeline of Chinese civilization. An archaeologist argues its history extends back 8,000 years, predating previous estimates by 3,000 years. Additionally, China has developed the world's first 20GW microwave weapon, the TPG1000Cs, capable of firing a 60-second burst. This device was created at the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in Xian. Finally, semiconductor engineer Xu Zhenpeng left the United States to work in China, citing a perceived decline in research freedom in the U.S. as his primary motivation.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Starlink 30% Shaanxi 40% Xian 40% Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology ×260% United States ×270% Xu Zhenpeng ×270% Chinese civilisation ×280% China ×390%

Keywords

chinese civilisation 90% china 80% science 70% microwave weapon 70% semiconductor engineer 70% freedom 60% united states 50% archaeology 40% chipmaking 40%