EurekAlert! Chinese Academy of Sciences - News Releases from CAS Headquarters

News from CAS Headquarters

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 12-Dec-2025 13:11 ET (12-Dec-2025 18:11 GMT/UTC)

Chinese scientists reveal how isoflavone 6-hydroxylase mediates soybean resistance to Phytophthora sojae

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have uncovered the long-elusive biosynthetic pathway of glycitein, a key soybean isoflavonoid. They also revealed how its production determines the plant's resistance to Phytophthora sojae.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Scientists uncover how Earth’s mantle locked away vast water in early magma ocean

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Recently, a team of researchers led by Prof. DU Zhixue from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GIGCAS) has discovered that substantial amounts of water could have been efficiently "locked away" deep within the mantle as it crystallized from a molten state.

Journal: Science

Physicists provide key mass data for determining X-ray burst reaction rate

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has directly measured the masses of two highly unstable atomic nuclei, phosphorus-26 and sulfur-27. These precise measurements provide crucial information for determining the nuclear reaction rate during X-ray bursts, advancing our understanding of how elements are synthesized under such extreme conditions.

Journal: The Astrophysical Journal

High-resolution GlyT2 structures point to non-opioid analgesic options

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers led by Prof. ZHAO Yan from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported high-resolution cryo-EM structures of GlyT2 in three major conformational states. These structures illuminate the transporter's molecular mechanisms and provide critical insights into how analgesic compounds are recognized.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Researchers unveil first high-resolution maps of China's forest diversity patterns

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with multiple domestic and international research institutions, has made progress in investigating forest diversity patterns across China.

Journal: Nature Ecology & Evolution

New study quantifies warming response of soil gaseous nitrogen losses in temperate forest

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of California, Riverside, have investigated how the loss of forest soil gaseous nitrogen (NO, N₂O, and N₂) is affected by climate warming, highlighting the critical role of these gases in regulating forest nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Eyes keep the beat: unconscious blinking synchronizes with musical rhythm

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by Dr. DU Yi from the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr. TENG Xiangbin from the Chinese University of Hong Kong reveals an even subtler form of synchronization: Our eyes blink in time with musical rhythms, entirely without conscious effort.

Journal: PLOS Biology

New DNA study unlocks origins, social structure of Neolithic Shimao civilization

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study published in Nature on November 26 has shed light on the origins, population structures, and kinship systems of the people of Shimao—one of China's most significant late Neolithic settlements. Analyses of ancient DNA from individuals who inhabited the site reveal genetic links to southern settlements, while also providing evidence of male mass burials associated with human sacrifice.

Journal: Nature

Scientists identify strongly cohesive behavior of Chang'e-6's far-side lunar samples

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by Prof. QI Shengwen from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) conducted fixed-funnel and rotating-drum experiments to measure the angle of repose, a key parameter reflecting the flowability of granular materials. The results showed that Chang'e-6 soil has a substantially higher angle of repose than near-side samples, exhibiting flow behavior characteristic of cohesive soils.

Journal: Nature Astronomy

Chemerin receptor structures disclose new mechanism of lipid metabolism

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A team led by WU Beili from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators, determined the structures of GPR1 bound to chemerin and β-arrestin 1 or β-arrestin 2, as well as the structure of GPR1–β-arrestin 1 complex in the absence of chemerin. They elucidated a picture of arrestin-mediated modulation of GPR1, deepening our understanding of non-canonical GPCR signaling.

Journal: Science

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