Yu Min – Asian Scientist Magazine

Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Uni. Of Leeds Open Joint Research Institute

The University of Leeds and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have established a joint research institute to develop next generation energy storage systems.

In the Lab

Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtles Urinate Through Their Mouths

Scientists in Singapore have discovered that soft-shelled turtles excrete waste urea through gill-like projections in their mouths.

In the Lab

Mushroom Compound May Help Dogs With Invasive Cancer

A mushroom compound may help dogs with cancer survive longer than without treatment, offering pet owners an alternative to chemotherapy for their pooches.

Features

Who’s The Fairest Of Them All?

Skin-lightening cosmetics are all the rage in Asia. What’s the science behind them and could they be doing more harm than good?

Tibet Has Cleanest Air On Earth, Study

A new study has found that Tibetans around the sacred Nam Co Lake in Tibet breathe in almost perfectly clean air.

In the Lab

Spread Of Genes From GM Rice ‘Unavoidable But Slow’

The spread of genes from genetically modified crops to neighboring wild plants may not happen as quickly as feared, according to a study conducted in Chinese rice fields.

In the Lab

Fukushima Disaster Caused Mutant Butterflies, Study

Japanese researchers have found mutations in butterflies in the Fukushima region, signaling early changes to the local ecosystem after the March 2011 disaster.

In the Lab

The Guessing Game: How We Predict Other’s Decisions

Researchers in Japan have uncovered two brain signals in the human prefrontal cortex involved in how humans predict the decisions of others.

Health

Chinese-Style Meditation Linked To Brain Changes

Scientists report that practising Chinese mindfulness meditation regularly for a month may lead to positive behavioral changes and structural changes in the brain.

The Asian Scientist 100