返回首页 >

Across China: Quirky science award celebrates the power of curiosity

2024-11-25 19:18   Xinhua

  Ten innovative studies are honored at the annual Pineapple Science Award in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 23, 2024. (Xinhua)

  HANGZHOU, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Beer tastes better when chilled, oranges are always sold in red mesh bags, and human fetuses grimace at the flavor of kale but smile for carrots. The scientific explanations for these quirky phenomena can be found in 10 innovative studies honored at the annual Pineapple Science Award on Saturday in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

  A watermelon forgotten in a freezer unexpectedly sparked a wave of inspiration for Professor Sun Licheng's team at Westlake University. Through a series of exploratory studies, the researchers mimicked the structure of the watermelon-rind membrane to develop high-performance artificial bio-inspired anion-exchange membranes with promising industrial applications.

  This innovative scientific achievement, born from a seemingly mundane moment, earned the team the “moment of inspiration“ award at the event.

  The rind membrane refers to the thin, green outer layer of watermelon skin. When frozen and peeled, it is about 75 microns thick -- roughly the diameter of a human hair, said Dr. Liu Qinglu, a member of Sun's team. Liu added that testing revealed that it is an efficient ion-transport layer, a crucial element in creating nature-inspired electrochemical systems.

  The discovery would not have been possible without the team's enduring curiosity regarding unexpected phenomena, said Liu.

猜你喜欢

热点新闻

{$loop_num=0}