Nature recently unveiled its annual Nature's 10 list for 2025, recognizing ten researchers at the heart of this year's biggest science stories. Two standouts from the Chinese mainland made the cut: Liang Wenfeng and Du Mengran.
Liang Wenfeng, founder of the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, rocked the AI world in January with the release of the R1 model. Powerful yet cost-effective, R1 challenged the perception that the United States held an unassailable lead in large-scale AI. Industry insiders praise Liang for driving a new wave of accessible AI tools that redefine the playing field for startups and researchers alike.
On a very different frontier, geoscientist Du Mengran led groundbreaking dives into the hadal zone—the ocean's deepest layer beyond six kilometers. At the bottom of the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench northeast of Japan, her team documented the deepest-known ecosystem with animals on the planet. Du's discoveries are already reshaping our understanding of extreme life and hint at untapped biodiversity waiting to be explored.
The recognition of Liang and Du underscores how 2025 has become a year of bold frontiers, from algorithmic breakthroughs to record-setting deep-sea missions. Their work offers a powerful reminder that innovation knows no bounds, whether it unfolds in data centers or at the bottom of the ocean.
For young global citizens and tech enthusiasts, their achievements illustrate how interdisciplinary science can drive real-world impact. As we look ahead to 2026, the next wave of discoveries may emerge from the depths of the sea or the algorithms shaping our digital future.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
