Shanghai Jiao Tong University hosts event to highlight youth spirit

The research team of which Zhao was a member discovered 7,564 microbial species there, nearly 90 percent of which were previously unknown. Such findings, published in the journal Cell, represented a breakthrough in deep-sea biology, breaking a 40-year international bottleneck in the field of study.

"Our research not only highlights the resilience of life under extreme pressure, but also identifies these microbes as potential 'environmental guardians' capable of transforming pollutants like plastics and heavy metals into energy sources," she said.

In another domain, Chen Yinan, a researcher at the university's Research Institute of War Crimes Trials and World Peace, has dedicated a decade to studying the Tokyo Trials. Her work aims to restore this crucial chapter in both national memory and human justice.

Chen's efforts have taken her team to archives worldwide, including the National Archives of the United States, where they have examined 20 million words of trial records and identified over 15,000 photographs. The total amount of their collected video materials was equivalent to 900 movies.

The event will also feature stories of environmental perseverance, such as what happened in Erhai Lake in Southwest China's Yunnan province. Three graduate students shared the journey of three generations of environmental scientists from the university, whose persistent efforts have led to the development of core technologies and a smart monitoring platform, providing critical insights and preventing potential algal blooms.