on april 24th, the second "original outstanding science popularization works" national selection, jointly organized by the china periodicals association and the china science writers association, officially announced its winners. the science popularization video "the yellow river: from past to present," created by professor wang xin's team from the school of earth and environmental sciences based on their research findings, was successfully chosen for the audiovisual category. this follows the team's previous accolade of winning first place in the "china science" magazine's science short video competition of 2022—an honor awarded annually to only one entry—marking another national recognition for their science communication efforts.
"the yellow river: from past to present," draws on research results published by professor wang xin and others in the science bulletin journal (featured article). it integrates the findings of the lanzhou university research team on geomorphologic evolution and cenozoic environment regarding the yellow river's river terraces. the video traces over a hundred years of research into the formation and evolution of the yellow river, highlighting diverse viewpoints. it showcases research approaches, methods, results, and significance in solving the age-old puzzle of the modern yellow river's formation through environmental science drilling. the video sketches the majestic evolutionary history of the yellow river over millions of years from a geosystem science perspective, explains the mechanisms behind the current hydrological system of the yellow river, and answers the century-old questions of when and why the yellow river formed. according to experts from the "china science" magazine, the work successfully combines rigorous scientific research with engaging science education, allowing viewers to reflect and learn, thus achieving significant social impact.
news background: the central committee of the communist party and the state council have always placed a high importance on science popularization. in 2016, general secretary xi jinping noted at the "science and technology three meetings" that "technological innovation and science popularization are the two wings for achieving innovative development, and science popularization should be as crucial as technological innovation." in 2022, the general office of the central committee of the communist party and the state council issued "opinions on further strengthening the popularization of science and technology in the new era," outlining systematic plans for enhancing science popularization. in 2023, general secretary xi jinping emphasized in a reply letter to the representatives of the "science and china" academicians that more science and technology workers should support and participate in science popularization to improve the scientific literacy of the entire population.
to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th party congress, further promote original science popularization in periodicals, enrich science content, and deepen the national reading campaign, the china periodicals association and the china science writers association jointly held the second "original outstanding science popularization works" recommendation event in february this year. after multiple rounds of reviews by experts from different fields and industries, only 45 (sets) of textual works and 10 audiovisual works were selected for the final list.
