Nipah virus alarms China, semiconductor fibre breakthrough: 7 science highlights

From PLA developing quantum weapons to China’s dark matter breakthrough, here are some highlights from SCMP’s recent science reporting

Reading Time:2 minutes

The uncrewed Shenzhou-20 spacecraft after touchdown at the Dongfeng landing site on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 3:00pm, 28 Jan 2026Updated: 3:37pm, 28 Jan 2026

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. China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returns to Earth broken and unbroken

China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returned to Earth with no astronauts inside – just metal, heat and a cracked window – touching down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia on Monday.

2. Nipah virus outbreak in India sparks worry in China before Lunar New Year

Healthcare workers in the southern Indian state of Kerala wear protective gear as they attend to a man with symptoms of the Nipah virus in September 2023. Photo AFP

An outbreak of the highly fatal Nipah virus in India’s eastern state of West Bengal has sparked widespread attention and public concern in China ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday when millions will travel.

3. Chinese military says it is developing over 10 quantum warfare weapons

The People’s Liberation Army said more than 10 experimental quantum cyber warfare tools were “under development”, many of which were being “tested in front-line missions”, according to the official newspaper Science and Technology Daily.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00