Chinese scientists used an independently developed resistive magnet on Sunday to produce a steady magnetic field of 42.02 tesla, equivalent to over 800,000 times the Earth's magnetic field, breaking a world record set by the United States in this field in 2017.
The milestone achievement made by the High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CHMFL) is expected to drive scientific discoveries and applications in a wide range of technological fields.
High magnetic field is an extreme experimental condition required for material science research and a powerful tool for major scientific discoveries.
For decades, scientists around the world have achieved significant discoveries under high magnetic fields, with more than 10 such scientific achievements winning Nobel Prizes.
There are three types of steady-state magnets: resistive magnets, or water-cooled magnet, superconducting magnets, and hybrid magnets -- the combination of the two. Among them, resistive magnets are the earliest high-field magnets used by scientists.
"The water-cooled magnet is a magnet with coils of wire. As it can treat high current values, it produces heat and needs water to cool it down, so it is called the water-cooled magnet. Compared with superconducting magnets, water-cooled magnets have high fields and are very fast in exciting current. Such advantages bring high experiment efficiency, so that experiment data can be obtained in a short time," said Fang Zhen, a researcher at the High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science.
China started to build steady magnetic field facility in 2010 and completed the facility in 2017. By the end of 2023, the facility has operated for more than 600,000 hours since its construction, providing service to 197 institutions at home and abroad.
Its users have conducted cutting-edge research on more than 3,000 topics and made a series of major sci-tech achivements.
"In a high magnetic field, the properties of matters change, and scientists are particularly interested in the process of change. By studying the process of change, they can summarize the laws of matter, thereby making major scientific discoveries. We also can carry out technology research and development. Take the pathology of critical diseases as an example. We can record the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR ) spectrum in a strong magnetic field. When the magnetic field reached its highest level, it has a great meaning for applications and scientific researches," said Kuang Guangli, academic director of the High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science.
Chinese scientists set new record of resistive magnet
China's push toward a greener future is once again in the spotlight at this year's annual political "two sessions", as lawmakers are reviewing a draft ecological environment code, a significant step toward establishing a comprehensive legal framework for ecological protection.
The draft code was submitted on March 5 to the ongoing fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, for deliberation.
Once adopted, it will become China's second formal statutory code, after the Civil Code, which was adopted in 2020.
The rule of law has been continuously strengthened to support the country's green progress. China already has more than 30 laws related to environmental protection, along with over 100 sets of administrative regulations and more than 1,000 sets of local rules.
The latest legislative move comes amid China's historic gains in ecological conservation over the past decade or so. Championing green development, the country has recorded the world's fastest growth in forest resources and afforestation, led globally in renewable energy development, and achieved one of the fastest national reductions in energy intensity worldwide.
The 1,242-article draft has five chapters, covering areas including pollution control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development.
Scholars involved in drafting the legislation say the code goes beyond broad legal principles. It is also designed to address environmental issues that affect people's daily lives.
"Electric vehicles are becoming very common in China. My family has one. We all think it environment-friendly. But have you ever thought about this question: how do we deal with the first generation of EV batteries after they expire a few years later? The same goes for wind turbine blades and solar panels," said Ding Lin, assistant professor of the Renmin University of China.
China's environmental progress has drawn global attention in recent years, from improving air quality to expanding renewable energy. Yet amid geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, some observers have questioned whether the country will maintain the same pace of green transition.
"Last year during the COP30, even some friends who are very familiar with China asked me whether China will continue its green development path. I told them we have gradually worked out new policies. We have a very clear direction and goal. In a world full of uncertainties, we are providing the most certainty," said Wang Yi, an NPC deputy from east China's Zhejiang Province and professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In a country pursuing modernization, taking the time to codify environmental laws sends a clear message: economic growth and environmental protection are not a trade-off to be managed, but a commitment to be upheld. For China, a beautiful environment is not a luxury for the future, it is a right for the present, and a responsibility to the next generation.
"This code reflects China's vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. It shows how development and environmental protection can move forward together," said Lyu Zhongmei, vice chair of the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.
China will accelerate the green transition across the board and cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the GDP by a total of 17 percent in the 2026-2030 period, according to a draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development submitted to the NPC for deliberation on March 5.
Chinese lawmakers review draft ecological environment code in major green legislative push
