Innovation

The U.S. and China are some of the largest concrete producers, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity. This story by our Nature Contributor and environmental photographer, Kyle Obermann.

The future is electric. Which certainly means at least one thing: more batteries. Our host, Kyle Obermann shares the story.

US-China Solar Cooperation | 2023 | Kyle Obermann

Farmers across China are increasingly challenged to produce sustainable crop cycles and livelihoods in the country’s remote, mountainous regions. However, traditional local and national seedbank initiatives are providing a safeguard for the future.

Humans throw away millions of tons of trash each day. And managing that waste is a huge feat for cities, particularly those with large populations. In many countries, landfilling and trash burning are common solutions. But in China, leaders have big goals to switch from landfilling to cleanly burning waste to produce electricity for its larger cities.

China’s first homegrown open-source desktop operating system has the potential to shift global industries. Meet: OpenKylin.

In China, efforts are underway to help other countries expand and upgrade their rail networks by building high-speed railways connecting medium- to large-sized cities.

As countries across the globe are working to curb emissions, hydrogen is emerging as a promising clean energy source.

Engineering feats can solve tough problems across the globe. And in the heart of Xiamen, China, we find an example of excellent problem-solving: a Guinness World Records-winning train station that can shift a whole 90 degrees!

Seafood is a popular and important part of diets around the world. China has emerged as a global leader in the production of seafood that is not only delicious but also harvested using eco-friendly practices, ensuring a better future for both the ocean and the people who rely on it.

In more than 100 countries around the world, people are planting a kind of miraculous grass that can be used to grow mushrooms, feed animals, and much more.

China’s mountainous terrain makes cross-country travel quite the challenge. But the nation’s extensive tunneling system and technology has made rapid progress connecting hard-to-reach parts of the country, with its total tunnel mileage ranking first in the world.

China is home to one of the globe’s most expansive rail systems, providing service for roughly two billion passengers and more than three billion tons of cargo every year. And though it only began high-speed rail construction in 2003, it quickly topped the list for the country with the most high-speed rail lines in the world.

Scientists have pioneered ways to grow vegetables in the remote and freezing regions of the Antarctic. And while more than 95% of the land is covered by snow and glaciers, Antarctica is a treasure trove of resources, minerals, and water. Chinese scientists came to the region in the 1980s to conduct research and later built the first research station on the continent.

Bridging the World | Peljesac Bridge

With today’s technology, we can dialogue with astronauts in space in real-time. From ancient beacon towers to relay satellites, communication technology has connected communities and made important information shareable when needed.

If you love apples, you have likely tasted those freshly grown in China, the biggest global producer of the edible fruit. Farmers across the country offer their own varieties and flavors, including villages in the northwest that historically suffered from drought and soil erosion. This unlikely turnaround has brought stability and wealth to the area, while ensuring people globally can enjoy a fruit high in nutritional value.

With agricultural production under pressure, food security has become more important than ever. Chinese scientists are sending seeds to be grown in outer space — that creates new crops and helps ensure that everyone has more to eat. They are cultivating new varieties of crops including rice, corn and soybean.

The world's biggest ultra large container ship has launched in China with a deck almost the size of four soccer fields. It's also planet-friendly with technology that enables it to sail at high speeds, but low fuel consumption. Our Host James Chau takes a look inside at the latest vessel to be built in Shanghai, a city with a rich shipbuilding history.

Electricity is vital to basic, human needs — and the key that unlocks economic development. To meet the demands of the future, China is building a supergrid that distributes energy supply in a country where the balance between resources and consumption is not even. Our Host James Chau explores how this is being achieved.

With our planet struggling to survive, it is more and more common to hear about extreme weather patterns. Ningxia in northwest China, is familiar with long droughts and the sound of camel bells. But local farmers are keeping the desert community safe with a grid structure made from wheat grass — an innovation that is also keeping poverty at bay. Our Host James Chau has more.

Alternative and clean energy solutions are becoming more necessary, particularly as many worry for the future of the planet and the issues surrounding oil and gas extraction and usage. As our world becomes ever more reliant on consistent and powerful sources of energy, nuclear development will play a pivotal role for the generations to come. Our Host James Chau tells the story.

The summer isn’t over, but places in China are already experiencing record heat. Over 90 red alerts spread throughout China in one day in July, shutting down construction and outdoor activities. Our Nature Contributor Kyle Obermann shares the story.

Innovation is at the heart of progress in Fujian, a province in China's southeast, where an enormous bridge was laid in less than a year. But the story belongs to the machine used to create it. Our Host James Chau looks at the features of the modern-day 'Hercules' that is able to withstand a thousand tons of pressure.

With an 18,000 kilometer coastline, China has a unique opportunity to use its offshore wind farms for social good. Our Host James Chau looks at different facilities that are meeting demand for the huge population, but in a green and sustainable way. Windmills dotted in the water are a familiar sight in areas such as Jiangsu that are powering electricity with nature's blessing.

China may be best known for its Great Wall, but is also has a series of walls carved into the sides of some of its mountains. It’s a feat of will, perseverance and innovation — and connects communities once isolated by geography. This story from our Host James Chau

Transport is the key to access, services, and opportunities — and nowhere is that more transformative than Tibet, where a railway has become the global benchmark for high-speed and high-elevation travel. Our Host James Chau is following this story.

Nature has long sat at the heart of Chinese life with 90% of people in China making their living off agriculture as recently as the 1940s. Now, they have turned to "smart farming", which uses cloud computing, driverless vehicles, and agricultural drones to grow and harvest crops more sustainably. This story from our Host, James Chau.

The "impossible" becomes the "possible" whenever we achieve a human breakthrough. One example is China's lunar exploration program that seeks to accomplish a manned moon landing in the next decade, and create a research station where we can broaden our understanding of Earth's only natural satellite. This story by our Host James Chau.

A new aircraft carrier has launched in Shanghai with innovation at its core. The Fujian is a 300-meter vessel that allows planes to take-off using updated technology that is safer, more reliable, and less reliant on natural resources. This story by our Host James Chau.

The future of jobs is a challenge for many parts of the world as young people find a way to learn and thrive during a pandemic, and as the global economy heads towards a possible recession. In Hong Kong, a youth employment scheme is trying to match college graduates to new opportunities, and broaden their horizons in the Greater Bay Area — an economic zone led by Hong Kong, Macau and Gangzhou. This story by our Host James Chau.

Laos has leapfrogged into the modern age with a high-speed railway that connects the capital, Vientiane, to the border town of Boten, and into the heart of Yunnan, a Chinese province known for its rich heritage. The country is a former kingdom in Southeast Asia, sprinkled with temples and monasteries, and blessed by the Mekong River that connect s it peop le to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and China. Our Host James Chau tells the story of how innovation is connecting people.

Egypt is celebrated as a ancient seat of global civilization. But as it prepares to relocate its capital away from Cairo and into the desert, Chinese contractors are helping to imagine a modern-day hub that will continue history with smart innovations fit for a new century. This story by our Host James Chau.

A grain of rice is hardly discernible to the eye, but those tiny specks are helping to answer the urgent question of hunger throughout the world. Our Host James Chau shares about the complexity of a basic human necessity.

Some of the great stories of the 20th century were built in the shipping ports of America, Europe, and China. Shanghai is one example, as the world's largest unmanned terminal, and a range of 'smart' features that is supporting the global supply chain in a time of a pandemic. Our Host James Chau looks closer at what it offers.

America has many beautiful train journeys, including the overnight service from Seattle to Los Angeles that gives passengers an unrivaled view of the West Coast. The equivalent in China is the Huang-Hang Railway that allows you to see the dawn rise on Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, and be back in time in downtown Hangzhou for sunset — tracing the footsteps of Marco Polo, the Italian explorer who traveled through China in the 13th century.

Thousands of kilometers of rail track connect Madrid, the Spanish capital, to Yiwu, a Chinese city — delivering goods to billions of consumers all around the world. But in between these two geographical centers are vastly different countries and regions, which the trains must traverse safely and quickly. Our Host James Chau jumps onboard this story.

The Yellow Sea is an important life source for people in China's Shandong province. Each spring, they harvest half a million tons of kelp, a type of seafood that contributes to food, industry and the economy. But during the rest of the year, the community stays active — deep diving for sea cucumbers, a delicacy in Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines that ripens in the fall season. Our Host James Chau looks at the balance between business and nature.

Electric vehicles are experiencing a magic moment, as drivers globally look to clean energy and sustainable living. China is part of this movement, manufacturing not only Tesla cars, but also home-innovated brands of its own. Our host James Chau brings you this story.

David McIntyre has photographed nine Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through sports, his images capture human stories as they happen in real-time. Our Host James Chau spoke to him at Beijing 2022.

Olympic host cities are typically sites of new infrastructure — a new airport, stadium, or subway line. In the case of the Winter 2022 Games however, the hosts worked instead to repurpose previous Olympic sites while also improving public transportation. Our Host James Chau takes us along for the ride.

We've made a big shift to living digitally in this pandemic. But millions of people are missing out in low, middle, and high-income countries. We look at what's happening in China, which has struggled historically with poverty. We look at how rapid urbanization is changing opportunities, while people in the countryside are also catching up — and moving ahead. This story with our Host James Chau.

A few months back, flooding struck Henan, China, and as much as 8 inches of rain fell in a single hour. Cutting-edge technology was deployed along with first responders to help mitigate the problems — drones. Our Host James Chau dives into how new tech has changed the outcomes of difficult moments.

Artificial technology has made great leaps and bounds — and in some cases, is now directly a part of our human world. The world’s first non-human AI student is studying at Tsinghua, the renowned university in Beijing that developed her technology. She has the ability to sing, recite poetry, and spot hidden data. And as our Host James Chau discovers, she is learning alongside her fellow classmates

Accessibility to fresh produce year-round hasn’t always been easy to come by, but with innovation comes new solutions. Communities in northeast China once had to conserve their food, due to the harsh winters that interrupted food supply. But thanks to innovation, they now not only have enough to eat, but a huge surplus to feed the rest of the country. Our Host James Chau looks at how one town transformed into a produce powerhouse — and sustained a nation through a pandemic.

From subways to freight trains, railways play an important role our daily lives. As early as the 1860s, Chinese laborers connected the world by train when they built the First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States. Our Host James Chau looks at the history of trains, from the network that linked the east and west coasts in America, to the magnetic levitation train technology that now has China flying over the tracks.

Computers are the nerve center of our lives, opening us to a world of speed, data, and information. In Shenzhen, a city in China’s south, inventors are working on quantum computing, the next frontier of tech. Our Host James Chau looks at its far-reaching benefits, and how it can secure a better future for everyone.

From the race to the moon to exploring the cosmos, scientific developments aimed at understanding space have helped to advance life here on Earth. And China is right behind the US in leading new satellite innovations that will further transform our lives. Our Host James Chau explores the latest in tech.

Scientists are studying monkeys to better understand human diseases. In a 'first, researchers in China have innovated new techniques that allow them to capture a monkey's brain in full dimension. Given the close genetic similarities between primates and humans, researchers are using scanners to understand neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's.

Space technology has helped this year’s Chinese Olympic swimmers and rowers win gold. Rocket guidance systems are shedding new light on how the human body propels through water. And Chinese scientists have teamed up with athletes to improve performance. Our Host James Chau looks at space tech’s impact on Olympians’ training, endurance, and competition.

Global seed banks are securing the future of agriculture and produce. A Seed Bank in Kunming, China, is working to guarantee the global food supply by ensuring duplicates of hundreds of thousands of seeds. Our Host James Chau explores the purpose of seed banks and their contribution to our ever-changing world.

Civilization has been cradled on the banks of rivers since human settlement began. Today, scientists and engineers alike are developing innovative new solutions to tap into the power of rivers to help combat droughts and provide clean water to millions of people. Our Host James Chau dives into China’s new, ambitious river projects.

Artificial intelligence is leading the way for smart farms in China. From the hand plow to auto-irrigation systems, the challenge of feeding the world’s ever-growing population has pushed scientific and technological innovation to new bounds. Our Host James Chau explores how changing technology is yielding a bigger impact.

The global pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of food pathways throughout the world. One commodity in particular offers the chance to change food production and stabilize the future of food security: rice. Our Host James Chau dives into the importance of this staple grain and its possible role in the future of food.

The apps we use for everyday life generate massive amounts of data that most would find hard to comprehend. Businesses use that information to predict what users might purchase and other important trends. But as algorithms become more in-tune with our spending habits, concerns around how user data is being handled and sold increase. Our Host James Chau explores our big data footprints and follows the technology and trends that influence our world.

Wealth gaps are widening in many communities during this ongoing pandemic. In this episode, we take a look at how tech and business innovations push the world forward, but can often hold others back. Our Host James Chau explores companies like Tesla, whose success made its founder the wealthiest person in the world this year.

We are always looking to the next frontier and what the future could mean for us. The US has, in many ways, shaped global tastes — from the music of Gershwin and Motown, to the films of Hollywood and Disney. But other cultures, including those in the global East, have something to offer as well, especially in an age where technology and innovation have created a more inclusive playing field. Our Host James Chau looks at some of the emerging trends and the likely impact for everyone.

Amidst a pandemic that continues to shake the world, we sometimes need reminding that we really are “all in this together.” Astronaut Ron Garan knew he wanted to be an astronaut since he was a child when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Now, after 178 days in space and completing four spacewalks, he offers us an “orbital perspective” on the unity of humanity that becomes clear when looking at our planet from afar. Our Host James Chau speaks with Colonel Garan about the awe and wonder of space — and the contrast with the fear and anxiety in the world today.

Solar power has been around for decades, and now there's a new way to make solar panels work 24 hours a day. One of China’s newest and largest solar installations is in the Kubuqi Desert of Inner Mongolia—employing breakthrough molten salt technology to create energy even in the dead of night. Our Host James Chau explores this new technology and the innovate it offers.

China’s Xi’an is known around the globe for its terracotta sculptures. But that’s not the only story hidden beneath the city’s surface. Xi’an is set to become the world’s next leading smart city with underground infrastructure at the forefront of its innovation. In ancient China, the city was a beginning point of the Silk Road. Now, Xi’an is home to nearly 12 million people, and is a landmark spot on China’s new Belt and Road Initiative. Our Host James Chau explores the history of the city and its infrastructural plans to lead China into the future.

The Chang’e 5 lunar vessel has landed on the moon—gathering samples from the moon's surface for the first time in 44 years. It’s a scientific feat and testament to human ingenuity. And it’s a symbolic mission for China, where people look to the moon to guide their calendar and holidays. Our Host James Chau describes the technology onboard the spacecraft and what the mission could teach us about the moon.

Technology has revolutionized banking and business, changing how we spend and think about money. Across the Pacific, China is on track to be the first nation to use a new currency, that is both digitally encrypted and also decentralized. Our Host James Chau unpacks this technology and the impact it could have.

While museums and historic parks around the world have been closed, China’s renowned Terracotta sculptures exhibit has announced a new virtual experience thanks to a 29-year-old coder and gamer. Hu Wengu uses artificial intelligence to transform still images of the famed sculptures, which date back as early as 200BC, into futuristic moving digital, interactive figures. Our Host James Chau details Wengu’s creation process, which is often time-consuming and involves quite a bit of trial and error.

‘Made in China’ is something we see a lot on the products we purchase and enjoy—and most of these are manufactured in China’s cities. But the piano industry is a different story. China produces most of the world’s pianos, with one-fifth of that output coming from a small town called Luoshe. Our Host James Chau tells us his own history with the instrument that has the power to uplift our humanity in difficult times, and how Luoshe and its 10,000 people have trasnformed their craft into a global center for music.

Our Host James Chau explores the industry of Zhejiang province, which stakes its reputation on its manufacturing prowess. Its thriving Zhouxiang district has become synonymous in China with household appliances, as brand names from around the world come to source products. But now the production hub is embracing its own innovative technology, and paving the way for the future of Chinese manufacturing.

Despite the new challanges and an unfamiliar future, the world is on track to add a record-breaking amount of wind farms. In 2019, China accounted for 40% of the global growth in wind farming. Our Host James Chau goes into detail about the process of expanding wind farms and why it is imperative to prioritize a green development and recovery.

Developing effective public transportation is a major challenge for many countries, but China’s high-speed rails are giving regional flights a run for their money. For just $10 USD, you can go from Shenzhen to Hong Kong in 10 minutes. These bullet trains bridge Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Hong Kong in record time, connecting people, culture, and economy. Join our Host James Chau as he makes the trip from Futian to the heart of Hong Kong.

For millennia, societies and civilizations have looked to the sky for answers, including the Chinese people. From Confucian teachings to astrological belief systems, what goes on above—and how it impacts us on the ground—has been a part of their cultural fabric since ancient times, and on the 50th anniversary of China’s entry into the space race, they are now on a seven-month journey to Mars. Our Host James Chau tells the story of China’s relationship with space and its Mars mission launch.

China recently broke its own record for the deepest dive in the Pacific Ocean. Achieving 10,907 meters, the dive took place in the Mariana Trench—the deepest area of ocean in the world. In collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Shenyang Institute of Automation deployed the Haidou-1, a Chinese-developed underwater vessel, to collect samples and capture high-definition images that will shed more light on some of our oceans’ biggest mysteries. What we discover from this mission can help us better understand the world we live in.

From alternative milks to insect-based snacks, our supermarkets are changing amidst a global shift to sustainability. However, many are still not able to obtain the most basic of food supplies. Today, there remains a global food crisis, where 113 million people around the world suffer from extreme hunger. In this story, we dive into a world that is hungry for change and the innovations that could bring a new era of food.

Technology shapes the way cities worldwide handle municipal services. From public health to traffic congestion, the age of “smart city” tech is changing the way we live and has proven to be a key factor in containing health crises. Our Host James Chau explains how China’s mega-cities have integrated digital measures to enhance daily life for its citizens.

Millions of us rely on satellite technology every day, whether it be ordering food for delivery, checking the weather, or routing our way home on our smartphones. With China’s launch of its Beidou satellite system, global navigation technology is about to get an upgrade. Beidou, named after the Big Dipper constellation in Chinese, is a group of satellites positioned on different orbits that will allow clearer communication and better coverage around the world. Watch our story to learn more about its impacts on our daily lives.

After reshaping the American skyline with some of the most striking architecture of the modern era, renowned architect Zaha Hadid's vision for a spectacular transportation hub has sprung to life in Daxing, China.

Surgeons in China have achieved a medical ‘first’, successfully performing three simultaneous operations using the precision of robots and the speed of 5G networks.

Chinese scientists recently flooded two islands in southern China’s Guangdong province with hundreds of millions of mosquitoes... and then successfully cleared them all out.

Ever worried about taking your medicine on time? One entrepreneur in China has an innovative solution. Nick Zeng is based in Shenzhen, where he's created a smart pill box that reminds you what medicine to take, at what time - and also reminds your family and caregivers via a mobile app. Inspired by his grandmother, who suffers from a chronic disease, Nick invented a device that not only solves her problem, but can be applied more widely in a world that is advancing - and ageing.

Once known for manufacturing cheap toys and textiles, China is increasingly known for developing innovative technology that's transforming the world and how we interact. But what triggered this change, and what opportunities does this innovation provide for everyone? With a growing pool of engineers, massive investment in infrastructure, and an expanding network of suppliers, China is positioned at a fascinating global crossroads. James Chau dives into the story.

Huawei is one of the world's leading technology brands. It is introducing 5G to international markets, reshaping mobile communications, and transforming the way we interact with one another.

Three Chinese telecoms have been awarded 5G licenses, that could see the fifth generation of mobile communications roll-out to consumers as early as 2020. It will usher in an entirely new digital era of high speed and low latency, that will enable us to live and work ‘smart’ – and at a time when 55 per cent of the world's population lives in cities.

45 seconds could be enough time to wash the plates that have been piling up in your sink, wipe off the front of your refrigerator, or send that one email you've been avoiding. But, thanks to a streamlined immigration process, it's also the time it now takes travelers to enter or leave China. In this latest video, we explore how China is seeing a massive growth in the movement of people across its borders, and is responding by enhancing mobility and connecting people like never before.

A surprising 20-year-long data record from NASA has come out just in time for Earth Day, showing that the world has gotten greener within the past two decades. The greening is thanks to China and India’s efforts in forest conservation and expansion.

Bill Gates says she's changing the game. So does Al Gore. Tech teen Emma Yang, who grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in New York, loves her grandmother so much, she's created an app that uses facial-recognition technology to ensure that her family - and potentially millions more - can communicate meaningfully with people with Alzheimer's. James Chau met Emma in New York, where she gave him a preview of her Timeless app and discussed how humanizing technology can help create a better world.