China

摘要

As 2015 dawned, Chinese scientists sent images around the world of exotic marine life found while exploring the bottom of the ocean in the country's first manned deep-sea submarine. Jiaolong, the record-breaking submersible, capable of reaching depths of more than 7,000 meters, is a source of great pride. "Jiaolong marks a milestone as one of the major advances in Chinas marine technology," says physical oceanog-rapher, Wu Lixin, of the Ocean University of China in Qingdao. Soon after Jiaolong's journey, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and The European Space Agency put out a call for mission proposals for their joint robotic space mission, scheduled to launch in 2021. Both these adventurous forays are examples of a concentrated investment in Chinese science that began around the turn of the century.